Sony Alpha NEX-3 vs Sony Alpha NEX-5N

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Alpha NEX-3 compared with Alpha NEX-5N

	SonyAlpha NEX-3	SonyAlpha NEX-5N
Overview
Released
Released	June 2010	September 2011
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	Mirrorless	Mirrorless
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor type
Sensor type	Exmor APS HD CMOS	Exmor APS HD CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.4 × 15.6 mm	23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	14.2 MP	16.1 MP
Largest image
Largest image	4592 × 3056	4912 × 3264
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	200–12800	100–25600
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	Charge-protection coating and electromagnetic vibration of the optical low-pass filter for dust reduction	16.7 million total pixels; charge-protection coating and ultrasonic vibration for dust reduction
Image formats
Image formats	JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG; Sony's Japanese launch table specifies ARW 2.2	JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG; ARW 2.2; MPO for 3D Sweep Panorama
ISO detail
ISO detail	Standard ISO 200–12800; Auto ISO 200–1600	Standard ISO 100–25600; Auto ISO 100–3200
Image processor
Image processor	BIONZ	BIONZ
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Sony E-mount	Sony E-mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	7 fps	10 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	Launch kits contain E 16mm F2.8 and/or E 18–55mm F3.5–5.6 OSS. The original LA-EA1 adapter supports A-mount lenses with manual focusing at launch; later firmware is separate.	E-mount; launch kits use E 18–55mm F3.5–5.6 OSS and/or E 16mm F2.8; the later double-zoom kit adds E 55–210mm F4.5–6.3 OSS. Optional LA-EA2 provides phase-detection AF for compatible A-mount lenses.
Autofocus
Autofocus	Contrast detection; 25-point multipoint, centre or flexible-spot areas; single or continuous autofocus, direct manual focus and manual focus	Contrast detection with 25 points; single or continuous AF, direct manual focus and manual focus; object tracking, touch focus and focus peaking
Shutter
Shutter	Electronically controlled vertical-traverse focal-plane shutter; 30 seconds to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second	Vertical-traverse focal-plane shutter with switchable electronic first curtain; 30 seconds to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second
Burst detail
Burst detail	Approximately 7 fps in Speed Priority Continuous, with focus and exposure fixed at the first frame; approximately 2.3 fps normal continuous advance	Approximately 10 fps Speed Priority Continuous with focus and exposure fixed at the first frame. Sony specifies approximately 3 fps normal continuous advance and buffers of 10 JPEG, 6 RAW or 4 RAW+JPEG images under its stated conditions.
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	No sensor-shift stabilisation (PhotographyBlog); optical correction requires a compatible OSS lens. The 18–55mm kit lens has OSS, while the 16mm does not.	No sensor-shift stabilisation (PhotographyBlog and CameraLabs); optical correction requires a compatible OSS lens
Flash
Flash	Supplied detachable flash; guide number 7 at ISO 100 in metres; approximately four-second recycle time	Supplied HVL-F7S detachable flash; guide number 7 at ISO 100 in metres; approximately four-second recycle time
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	Intelligent Auto, program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual; Sweep Panorama, DRO, three-exposure Auto HDR and six-exposure Hand-held Twilight or Anti Motion Blur	Intelligent Auto and PASM; Photo Creativity Touch, Picture Effects, 2D/3D Sweep Panorama, DRO, Auto HDR and multi-exposure low-light modes
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	1280 × 720 at 30 fps	1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Video detail
Video detail	MP4 with MPEG-4 Visual compression; 1280 × 720 at 30p in Fine or Standard quality, or 640 × 480 at 30p. These are the NEX-3 figures in Sony's Japanese announcement; AVCHD Full HD belongs to the NEX-5.	Japanese model records AVCHD 2.0 Full HD at 60p up to 28 Mbps, 60i or 24p; PAL-region models offer 50p (CameraLabs). Manual aperture and shutter control is available during recording. MP4 offers 1440 × 1080 or VGA; interlaced field rates are separate from full-frame rates.
Audio
Audio	Built-in stereo microphone; MPEG-4 AAC-LC audio; optional ECM-SST1 accessory microphone	Built-in stereo microphones; wind-noise filter; Dolby Digital or AAC-LC; proprietary accessory microphone support
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Screen size
Screen size	3″	3″
Screen dots
Screen dots	921,600	921,600
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	Yes
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	Yes	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	TruBlack wide TFT; tilts approximately 80° up and 45° down; no touchscreen (PhotographyBlog)	Capacitive TruBlack touchscreen; tilts approximately 80° up and 45° down
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	No built-in viewfinder (PhotographyBlog); optional FDA-SV1 optical finder is designed for the E 16mm lens	No built-in finder; optional FDA-EV1S OLED electronic finder uses Smart Accessory Terminal 2
Connections and design
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	330 photographs	430 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	239 g	210 g (better)
Release detail
Release detail	Sony Japan specifies 10 June 2010 for NEX-3A, NEX-3K and NEX-3D kits. This is the original NEX-3, not the NEX-C3, F3 or 3N.	Sony Japan specifies 9 September 2011 for the body, NEX-5NK zoom kit and NEX-5ND double-lens kit; the later NEX-5NY double-zoom kit followed on 18 May 2012.
Recording media
Recording media	Memory Stick PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo; SD, SDHC and SDXC	Memory Stick PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo; SD, SDHC and SDXC
Ports
Ports	–	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, Mini HDMI Type C and Smart Accessory Terminal 2
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	NP-FW50; approximately 330 photographs under CIPA conditions	NP-FW50; Sony's Japanese launch sheet specifies approximately 430 CIPA photographs. CameraLabs gives 410 shots; the maker's launch figure is used here.
Charging
Charging	Supplied BC-VW1 external charger	Supplied BC-VW1 external charger; optional AC-PW20AM power supply
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 117.2 × 62.6 × 33.4 mm (width × height × depth), excluding protrusions; Sony's separate 25.4 mm thinnest-section figure excludes the grip and mount	Approximately 110.8 × 58.8 × 38.2 mm (width × height × depth); 23.3 mm thinnest section excludes grip and mount
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 239 g camera only; 297 g including battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo; lens excluded	Approximately 210 g camera only; 269 g including battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo; lens excluded
Materials
Materials	–	Magnesium-alloy front and top covers
Colours
Colours	Black, red or white; silver was a Sony Style exclusive in Japan	Black body; black, silver or white kits in Japan
In the box
In the box	NP-FW50 battery, BC-VW1 charger, USB cable, detachable flash and case, shoulder strap, lens cap and software CD; lenses depend on kit	NP-FW50 battery, BC-VW1 charger, USB cable, detachable flash and case, lens cap, shoulder strap and software CD; lenses depend on kit