Sony Alpha NEX-3A with 16mm lens Reviews: Digital Mirrorless Camera

Photo of Sony Alpha NEX-3A With 16MM Lens Digital Camera

Sony Alpha NEX-3A with 16mm lens Reviews: Digital Mirrorless Camera reviews

+ This digital camera has no outstanding positive points. - It scores poorly on ease of use.

£350 – £465 at 2 retailers out of 409 retailers checked

8.4 out of 10 based on 36 reviews.

Sony Alpha NEX-3A with 16mm lens: 14.2 MP (Megapixels), SD Card storage, Optical Image Stabiliser image stabiliser digital Mirrorless camera. See full product description

Ease of use	7.8
Image quality	8.5
Features	8.0
Build Quality	8.2
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.4

Some customer reviews of Sony Alpha NEX-3A with 16mm lens

Most helpful reviews

Roger, Hertford Keen amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Interchangeable lens.
Big LCD screen.
On screen help.
Good resolution photos.
A good step up from the usual digital camera without the weight of an SLR.
Bad points:: LCD could be brighter - difficult in bright sunlight.
No optical viewfinder.

Ease of use	7.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	6.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 30 Jun 2011

john, norfolk Experienced amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: image quality is excellent for a camera of its size. also if you do the firmware update there is a whole load of creative features.
Bad points:: at 16mm lens is a little to wide. it takes a while to get use to the menus. not a great point and shoot camera but more one where you have to earn your results but when you do they are great.

Ease of use	6.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	7.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	8.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 22 Jul 2011

Ron, Leeds Experienced amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: ability to change lenses
Bad points:: not having the flash integral

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

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Confirmed purchase: 16 Nov 2011

Paul , Keen amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Fast
Bad points:: restricted Standard lens

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 10 Nov 2011

john, portsmouth Keen amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: THE TUTORIAL
Bad points:: COULD HAVE HAD A MORE POWERFUL ZOOM...YOUR LENS IS FAR TOO EXPENSIVE.

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	7.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 10 Feb 2012

Terry, Southampton Keen amateur

Score 1.0/10

Good points:: very compact, available lenses are of superb quality
Bad points:: very slow start up time - mine takes 6 secs
I downloaded the software to improve this but it is still the same
Tel Sony technical who say this is normal!

Ease of use	1.0
Image quality	1.0
Features	1.0
Build Quality	1.0
Value for money	1.0
Overall rating	1.0

Was this review helpful? 0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 10 Aug 2011

Barbara , Sutton, Surrey Keen amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Very clear images. Panoramic feature. Easy to follow instructions
Bad points:: Can't attach lens cover to camera so real danger of losing it. In order to zoom you have to buy a separate lens. I wanted this camera to take on holiday to South Africa. I visited a camera shop in Port Elizabeth to enquire about buying the zoom lens and was informed by the proprietor that because the cost of this lens was so high he was refusing to stock this particular camera.

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	8.0
Build Quality	7.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 03 Nov 2011

Read all 36 customer reviews

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This Sony Alpha NEX-3A with 16mm lens is reviewed on PC Advisor

This Sony Alpha NEX-3A with 16mm lens is reviewed on Expert Reviews

This Sony Alpha NEX-3A with 16mm lens is reviewed on Pocket Lint

Product Features

Camera Type	Mirrorless
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs. Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
Resolution (Megapixels)	14.2

Screen size (Inches)	3
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Type of image stabiliser	Optical Image Stabiliser
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Colour	Black
The main colour of the product.
Colour	Silver
The main colour of the product.
Colour	Red
The main colour of the product.
Media format	Memory Stick PRO Duo
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SDHC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SD Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SDXC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
PictBridge	No
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Macro Mode	Yes
This mode allows close-up photograpy of small objects such as insects and flowers.
Video recorder	Yes
Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
Manual Focus	Yes
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
Timer	Yes

Weight (g)	239
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	No
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
WiFi	No
Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
Shortest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/4000
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
Longest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/30
This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured. Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results. Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
Waterproof	No
If your camera is waterproof you will be able to film under water which is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Viewfinder	Yes
USB port	Yes
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components.
Dimensions (mm)	117.2x62.6x33.4
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
RAW Format	Yes
Resolution (Pixels)	4592x3056
A camera sensor, that captures the photograph, is measured in pixels. The number given here is the horizontal amount of pixels followed by the vertical quantity of pixels. The more pixels a camera sensor has, the bigger and higher quality the image will be.
Max. Aperture Lens 1	f2.8
Measured in f-stops the aperture of a lens dictates the maximum amount of light captured. If you want to do low light photography look for something with a wide aperture like f2.8. The widest aperture is given as a range as it changes when your lens is zoomed in.
Filter Diameter (mm) Lens 1	49
If you want to protect your camera or camcorder lens from getting scratched you will need a filter. A filter screws on to the front of the lens. The filter diameter is the distance across the lens.

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

Manufacturer's Description

The amazing new NEX-5 and NEX-3 ultra-compact digital cameras from Sony make DSLR-quality images accessible to everyone. Step up to DSLR picture quality, quick shooting responses and the convenience of interchangeable lenses, plus smart features like AVCHD video and Sweep Panorama. Teaming serious creative possibilities with stylish looks, the ultra-compact new NEX-5 and NEX-3 digital cameras from Sony are beautifully easy to use.

So small, so beautiful

The NEX-5 and NEX-3 from Sony offer DSLR-style picture quality and shooting responses in an ultra-compact digital camera that won’t weigh you down. With the slim-line ‘pancake’ lens attached, it’s easy to slip the NEX-5/NEX-3 ultra compact digital cameras into a jacket pocket or bag.

Brilliantly easy to use

Pro-style pictures have never been so accessible. The NEX-5 and NEX-3 ultra compact cameras from Sony feature an intuitive new interface that’s so easy to use. Just make adjustments with the jog dial and soft keys. There’s also an on-screen shooting guide with handy tips to help everyone take better pictures without fuss.

Pro picture quality

The new NEX-5 and NEX-3 digital cameras feature a DSLR-sized 14.2 effective megapixels Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. Far bigger than the sensor in simple point-and-shoot compact cameras, it’s the key to detail-packed DSLR-quality images with extremely low picture noise and beautiful defocus effects.

More info at Sony's website

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Featured retailer “Purchases from third party sellers guaranteed under Amazon's "A-to-Z Safe Buying" AND at great prices”	Sony NEX3AB Alpha Compact System Camera - 16mm F2.8 Lens Black Colour	No retailer reviews yet	£350 free delivery	£350	Go In stock
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	Sony NEX3AS Alpha Compact System Camera (with 16mm F2.8 Lens) - Silver Colour	1 review of Tesco	£465 free delivery	£465	Out of stock