Sony Alpha NEX-F3

Despite having a rather odd progression in model names, the Sony Alpha NEX-F3 ($599.99 direct with 18-55mm?lens) is the direct successor to our Editors' Choice Sony Alpha NEX-C3 ($649.99, 4.5 stars). Like its predecessor, the F3 sports a 16-megapixel APS-C image sensor that delivers top-notch images in challenging light, and can focus and fire off images with impressive speed. It adds a built-in flash, an LCD that tilts all the way to face the front of the camera, and support for the FDAEV1S Electronic Viewfinder ($349.99), and in doing so wrangles our Editors' Choice award for entry-level compact interchangeable lens cameras away from the NEX-C3.

Design and Features
Taking many of its design cues from the NEX-C3, the NEX-F3 sports a deeper grip, like the one found on the mid-range NEX-5N ($699.99, 4.5 stars). It's a bit larger and heavier than either camera, measuring 2.6 by 4.6 by 1.7 inches and weighing 11.1 ounces without a lens. (The NEX-5N is 2.4 by 4.4 by 1.6 inches, 9.5 ounces.) The rear LCD tilts, but unlike other NEX cameras, it can face all the way to the front for self portraits. When placed in that position it automatically activates a 3-second self timer and?flips the image horizontally, so that you get the natural feeling of looking in a mirror. Of course, once the actual photo is taken it is saved to the memory card in a normal orientation. The front-facing capability does have a cost. The downward tilt, which is useful when taking shots with the camera above your head, is not as deep as in other models, and if you opt to use the EVF, it blocks a good portion of the view when the LCD faces front.

The larger body also makes room for a built-in flash. It's identical to the one found on the pro-level Sony Alpha NEX-7 ($1,349.99, 4.5 stars), and is hinged so that you can bounce light off of a ceiling to add softer illumination to a scene.

Despite being small for an interchangeable lens camera, the NEX-F3 packs an APS-C image sensor?the same size found in most D-SLRs. Compact systems cameras that use smaller sensors, like the Nikon J1 ($649.95, 3.5 stars) and the Olympus PEN E-PL3 ($699.99, 3.5 stars) have smaller lenses since the physical area that needs to be covered with light isn't as great, but they sacrifice some of the ability to create shallow depth of field. The 18-55mm (27-82mm equivalent) zoom lens included with the F3 isn't quite as large as a typical D-SLR kit zoom, but it's pretty close.

One area in which Micro Four Thirds trumps the NEX system is lens availability?Sony has released a number of lenses for NEX cameras in the past year, but it still lags behind the Micro Four Thirds library. The NEX system currently lacks a fast f/1.4 lens, and the longest telephoto optic only reaches 210mm.

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Aside from its new hinge mechanism, the rear LCD is unchanged from the NEX-C3. It's a 3-inch display with a 921k-dot resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The Live View frame is justified left, while a strip to the right displays the current function of the camera's programmable controls. You can customize three soft keys to suit your needs. My typical configuration is to set the bottom button as a focus assist, as I often use manual focus lenses with the NEX system, and I set the center button to bring up the Shooting Mode menu and use the right button to adjust ISO. In addition to the programmable controls, the camera has dedicated buttons for Drive Mode, EV Compensation, playback, and movie recording.

The menu system is vast and sprawling. Thankfully, once you have the camera configured to your liking you won't have to spend too much time adjusting things, but you may find yourself scratching your head in order to locate specific settings. Hitting Menu on the back of the camera brings up six options: Shoot Mode, Camera, Image Size, Brightness/Color, Playback, and Setup. If you can remember that Focus options are in Camera, Exposure controls in Brightness/Color, and any sort of customization options are in Setup, you should be good to go.

Auto Portrait Framing and Clear Image Zoom options are both located in the Camera menu, but are only active if you're shooting in JPG mode. The former works automatically, saving a cropped version of a portrait alongside your original shot?both in full 16-megapixel resolution. You'll have to activate Clear Image Zoom, which effectively doubles the focal length of your lens via an in-camera crop, although it can be programmed as a soft key function. Unlike traditional cropping, the image is saved as a full-resolution file, with some in-camera?interpolation to better preserve detail. It isn't as sharp as with a telephoto lens, but if you're a JPG shooter and don't plan on making large prints, there is absolutely no reason not to use the function to increase the reach of your lens?the resulting files will be more than adequate for online sharing, and will retain enough detail for printing in, say, a photo book.

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