Appearance, processing and use
The NEX-3N comes with lens in a compact box, the other contains only the duty accessories and a short printed manual. A more detailed guide (200 pages) can be downloaded from the Sony website.
The processing of the camera is impeccable. Small inaccuracies on the housing falls in the black version even less than in the white. Especially in the black variant, the surface is very safe and nonslip. The finish is satin in two versions, ie slightly shimmering, and resistant to fingerprints. Compared to higher-value models of NEX series the 3N looks a bit plastic as standard, and it lacks a few controls and the accessory port. But it has an additional zoom lever and a built-in flash. For vast automatic use the controls are adequate. A touch screen I do not miss - on my NEX-5N I use it rarely.
If you come from Canon or Nikon, the menu navigation is used to. Some settings have to look at the menus first downright. For this, the camera responds very quickly to inputs. Not so great I find anywhere, especially too quickly highly humping help texts. Beginners are likely to find rather disturbing and they turn off soon. Photo newcomers comes Sony contrary otherwise, by having built a small photo-instructions. She is from the factory to reach the bottom function key ("softkey B"). The button can, however, just as the right pressure point of the control wheel, and prove otherwise. As an experienced user you will make in the extensive menu once a couple of adjustments to feel more comfortable and the chances of good results to increase (digital zoom off, at all info-inlays, histogram, etc.).
The display has a sufficient resolution is illuminated high contrast and uniformly. It is too weak glare, particularly as it is indeed not a touch screen, and set quite dark factory. After the initial shock, but I have seen that you can adjust it very bright, so that direct sunlight is not a big problem. Mechanically simple but solved sense is the folding mechanism of the display. With a hinge at the top, it can be folded up to the vertical. The image content is then rotated so as to be easily visible from the lens side ("Self-Portrait").
A battery charger is not supplied, for a very small, square USB power adapter with sockets for the accessory cables (USB Type A to Micro B or for current Euro 8). It has the typical USB specification: 5V, 500 mA. This means that you can also use it to load many smartphones. The camera itself is however very picky - I have no strange charger found, of which they wanted to be loaded (have six different attempts).
Photo quality and function
Although the camera has after turning extend the lens once, you can shoot the first photo after two seconds. The shutter sound is actually quite loud.
The image quality of photos from the NEX-3N is excellent as a whole and is at the level of entry-level DSLRs. Contrast behavior and color balance are impeccable, as I know well from my NEX-5N. The colors tend to fall out a bit too strong. The noise performance of the sensor is good: Up to ISO 800, the images are used without restrictions. From ISO 1600 color noise appears patchy until ISO 3200 suffer the details but not too much. Higher sensitivities should be employed only in "emergency". It is not clear to me why the NEX-3N provides the lowest sensitivity ISO 200. When well comparable NEX-5N the shots with ISO 100 are a bit anyway even cleaner than ISO 200th
The imaging performance of the kit lens SELP1650 are very similar to that of older SEL1855. That is, they are just about acceptable. In wide angle there at open aperture significant edge blurring that are inconspicuous only with stopping down to at least 5.6. In telephoto range, the new 16-50er is even a little better, because it is already producing at maximum aperture over the entire surface largely clear images. Haptic the new lens looks a lot cheaper, but it is much more compact and lighter. Unfortunately - and this is for serious photographers a small snag - it comes in wide angle to vignetting (black corners). Probably for this reason, does not allow the NEX-3N with the 16-50 and the deactivation of the distortion correction for the JPEG output (with the 18-55er it comes). By correcting the black corners are "pushed" out of the picture. Without correction seen in wide-angle but such a strong barrel distortion ("fisheye effect") that you want to correct by software anyway usually. You can screw the filter without having to reinforce the shadows. It is positive that the CA in the entire zoom range low.
JPEGs in the highest resolution (4912x3264) and quality evidence based on image content 3-8 MB, typically about 5 MB, RAW (Sony ARW) about 16 MB. Via USB, the camera transmits a good 12 MB per second, which is still acceptable.
A big plus of the NEX-3N is the very short shutter delay. Thus, the camera is compatible snapshot. Even the live image on the screen is reproduced almost instantaneously.
The autofocus works reliably and fast, even though the NEX must move a relatively large optics.
As with compact cameras zoom works electrically. There are three ways to control him with a small rocker on the trigger (in two speeds), with a slightly hakeligen slider left on the lens (fixed speed) and with active autofocus with the digital bezel front of the lens. With the latter, the zoom when needed is also very fast, almost like a mechanical transmission.
Alternatively, the rotating ring on the lens for manual focus is used. Practically way automatically switches on a screen magnifier. I also find useful the third mode ("Direct Manual Focus") - so you can use the shutter button the lens ring to zoom and then pressing shutter button halfway to correct the focus without pressure.
The lightweight flash pops after a strong pressure on the mechanical release quickly, loudly and high out. He is of course not very powerful, but also requires less often by the large sensor.
The battery pack NP-FW50 is an old acquaintance from other NEX models. Therefore, there are already cost-effective replacement batteries and chargers from third parties. A spare battery should have at hand, because the battery life is not outstanding as with all Nexen. Loading my party batteries ("Patona") works equally in the NEX-3N not reliable, the Sony charger BC-VW1 (of my NEX-5N) on the other hand easily.
Video recordings
The video quality of the NEX-3N is excellent in itself. Fine resolution, clear images with good contrast and good color rendering. Gar I can not understand, but this: The NEX-3N takes in setting 50i (which is also selected from the factory) actually only 25 frames per second. There are always two successive fields identical. This can be seen already during recording on the screen, because with real 50i movements would look much smoother. Thus, the videos remain slightly jerky, and one on the best is "officially" on 25p to. I very much hope that Sony can still make improvements here, because apart from the videos, as with the NEX-5N, the upper limit of what you can expect from a camera.
The sound quality is also excellent, no background noise. The autofocus is braked sharply and is practically inaudible. Just careless handling of the camera creates the videos scraping or rustling noise.
The videos are encoded in accordance with time (Video: AVC High Profile, CABAC / 2 Reference Frames, Audio: Stereo AC3) and occupy the highest quality around 2.5 to 3 MB per second.
Conclusion
If you used to compact cameras, but is willing to lug a little more volume and weight for enhanced picture quality and flexibility, the NEX-3N is a good choice. Your image quality is much smaller footprint on the level of entry-level DSLRs. Therefore you have to be increasingly rely on automatics.
The finer resolution touchscreen of higher quality models I miss not especially a WLAN function, either. Like the missing accessory port is a matter of personal claims. Otherwise, the 3N has a few controls less, a little more even plastic feel, and it is a bit slower in serial photographs. Everything not a big problem. Too bad I find most likely that the 50i video mode does not work as it should, because otherwise the video function would be a real highlight.
If it may be a bit more weight and volume, the EOS M Canon a very high-quality alternative and a sidelong glance is worth.
For taking the NEX-3N provides any case from a successful idea. [Update in February 2014, after the price of less than 500 has fallen to now under 300 euros ...] The price-performance ratio is excellent. Therefore I give a recommendation and five star *****.
