Sony Nex-3 Vintage Mirrorless APS-C Camera Review and Photos

Look, I know that old digital gear is trendy right now, but this isn’t gonna be that video. This camera is legit. There is something about the way that an old digital camera takes photos, as though it carries the echoes of a song sung by early-medium digital-era engineers who worked to make the best cameras they could for a medium which had had few potentials known or mapped. It is as though we today, flying first class in a triple-seven of modern cameras, hear echoing through the skies the radio-static-blanketed navigations of pilots flying aluminum boxes propelled by pounding pistons and steered with fins bolted to wires.

When I use an old camera like the Nex-3, I like to think that if the engineers and programmers who worked on it knew people still used and enjoyed their work from what is, as I write this script, flirting with fifteen years ago, that they would think it quirky, maybe strange, but most of all flattering that people so far in the future, relatively speaking, would still find the work they did then valuable and enjoyable.

Modern digital cameras have lost something. While I write this I’m planning my next year or so of digital camera video manuals and they include some ancient cameras far older than this little Nex. And they all have one major thing in common: No one knew what a digital camera should be and so they were all a bit different. Old digital cameras were simpler, streamlined compared to today’s, and it was possible to pick one up and learn it in an afternoon. The Nex 3 heralds from the very tail end of that era, a time in camera design when the engineers and UI designers who make these had started to figure out what they wanted their cameras to be, and so the Nex-3 is really one of the last of the digital cameras to feel like it built some new innovation into it, other than simply ever-upping the stakes in the specs war.

Restrictions force creativity. Don’t believe me? Pause this video and write a haiku. Go on – three lines, five syllables then seven then five. The limitations placed on old cameras by the computing power of the time, the less-advanced algorithms versus today, and the substantially reduced amount of user and competitor insight to draw from meant that designers had to intuit what might be good. Some ideas were great and you can see them today still. Some were terrible. The Nex-3 represents that turning point when great ideas had begun to congeal and bad ideas had begun to work their way out of the system. The downside to that, of course, is sameness, a sameness that feels sterile and bland across lineups within a brand and, honestly, across the lineups of different makers. Certainly, my A7 IV can out-perform the Nex 3 in every metric except size, and I love the A7 IV as well, but there’s something magical about holding a camera that’s no larger than a deck of cards and still capable of taking an image I can hang on my wall.

The Nex shows us what we’ve gained since 2010 – capability, a unified language of camera expectations, and improved layout and software. But, more so, the little Nex shows us what we’ve lost – a feeling that we’re flying without a map, pushing the technological boundaries further than we realized we could, and succeeding despite that.

Fly without the map
No boundaries pen you in
Soar to the sun, Nex

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[doplinger]

This camera is what helped guide me to the a6000, that and Jason Lanier! Trey Ratcliff used to use one too.

[exurban]

🙂 Good video - Thanks!
If you use a very early nex3 version, you can add focus peaking to it by a firmware update.
Helpful with vintage lenses if you don't rely too much on it.

[hansley]

Hi how is the autofocus performance in daylight and lowligt? And what type of autofocus did you always use with the camera? Im planning to buy one of the nex camera for small and compact but the only concern for me is the autofocus

[Photovintageguy]

I picked a nex5 for $20. It looks especially good with an FD 50mm 1.8 because of that particular lens and the sensor, I generally keep that lens parked on it. Because separated neither produces especially as good images. The results are inconsistent but if lucky in the right light it’s amazing like vintage film. It’s mostly indoors or in shade.

[Photovintageguy]

Nex 5 i have has focus peaking and zoom to focus. So great for vintage lenses. Obviously the mount has cheaper adapters for almost any vintage lens. My favorite for the nex canon FD 50mm 1.8. 50mm is about 75mm equivalent so great portrait lens on nex The colors are rather a bit much on my newer cameras, but on the nex 5 it’s great. Haven’t tried it on film yet however.

[Photovintageguy]

Even though dynamic range generally was bad, early digital cameras really tired to emulate film. At some point later they completely forgot about it completely. New designers most likely know very little about film.

[JohnCiaccio]

Nice video. When this came out I really wanted one but $500 dollars was a lot of money to spend on a hobby. Just purchased one on eBay for 90$ with the 18-55 lens stock(?l Sony lens. I have heard others lenses improve the picture quality a lot What do you think? And do you have a suggestion on other lenses I can try on a budget.

[Photovintageguy]

If anyone does get these cameras get the flash. Because of the sensors they require good light, it does seem they overcame this particularly by really making the flash helpful. They probably expect people to use it. You can use exposure and flash compensation. I turn down exposure compensation a bit and flash compensation more so it’s more like fill. If you’re willing to tweek the settings, you can get really nice shot’s especially indoors. Like at parties. If the light doesn’t change much and you dial in exposure and flash compensation, you just shoot away and get pretty consistent and cool looking retro pictures. Stock settings are generally too high. Lower little by little till you get something pleasant.

[mixiepalms]

same can be said of the a6000 which is my only mirrorless camera.

[marcp.]

I still have my original NEX-5 from 2010...it's the same as the NEX-3, but better (partially al-mag alloy) build quality. Same 14 MP Sensor.

[nirceu]

I have a red nex3, the images comming out of it have some special thing ok thens (don't know What). Mine is paired with an sel16f28, a bad lens, bit It reminds me one of my old Kodak film cameras. Btw, my 16-50 copy is nice and sharp (at last on center of the frame), and the 16f28 apears to be made of acrilic, not Glass. Very high C.A. not Sharp at all!

[pjsratrods]

I had one of these and an A5000 both are nice cameras. However in extreme cold with gloves on not even thick gloves the controls are impossible to use. Also the battery life is beyond terrible, yes they were brand new batteries. I sold them both because of those two, what to some would be at the surface a minor problem. It's a real issue even with multiple batteries. Just takes away from the experience. When I have a camera like D2Xs/D300/D700 that is 7+ years older and you can go 600-1000+ shots and wear gloves, and have 60 years of F mount glass (Converted) to choose from... I just couldn't be bothered with them. Shame they had a lot of potential, just not suited for my needs.