22:31
Jai
Sony's newest NEX and DSLR have already graced these pages -- albeit in decidedly unofficial fashion -- but the time has come for this duo of shooters to be revealed to the world with the blessing of their maker. In case you didn't catch the earlier leaks, the NEX-F3 is the replacement for the much-beloved NEX-C3 as the entry-level ILC from Sony, while the A37 slots in the same place in the company's Alpha DSLR lineup. Sony's also rolling out fresh glass for each this July, in the form of an E-mount 18-200mm, F3.5-6.3 zoom lens for $850, and an 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 A-mount telephoto unit that'll set you back $500. Both the NEX-F3 and A37 will come with kit 18-55mm lenses and cost $600 when they go on sale in June, which makes them quite competitively priced as compared to their competition. An enviable pricing position, to be sure, but can they deliver the imaging goods? Well, we spent time with each on a tour of San Francisco recently, so join us after the break for our impressions and some sample photos.
As we said above, the NEX-F3 is replacing the C3 at the low end of the NEX lineup, which means it has some pretty big shoes to fill. The new model differs from the old in a few important ways. First off, it comes in three colors (black, white and silver) and the F3's grip has hit the gym, and now looks and feels like a cross between the grip found on the NEX-5 and NEX-7. That means the shutter button is on the downward sloping portion on top of the grip, as opposed to the top of the camera, and we found the new design to be a distinct improvement from its predecessor. It was easier to maintain a solid hold on the F3 than on our own C3, plus the two-stage shutter button was in a more finger-friendly position, making it a joy to use. The power switch has stayed on top, separate from the shutter, and sports a new design that we didn't like as much as the toggle on our C3 -- the switch is oriented 90 degrees down from the C3's, which made it a bit awkward for us to operate with our thumb.
Other exterior changes include: round, spun metal secondary buttons, a built in pop-up flash and a new screen hinge that rotates the rear display upwards 180 degrees to help out egomaniacs those who love taking self-portraits. There is a downside to the new hinge, however, as it has sacrificed articulation in the other direction. The F3's screen can't tilt downward as far as the C3's, which makes it more difficult to frame overhead shots.
In addition to the external changes, the F3 has picked up a new, 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor that one-ups the C3's max 12,800 ISO with 16,000 ISO capabilities. It can take 1920 x 1080 videos at 60fps interlaced or 24fps progressive, whereas the C3 can only shoot in 720p. Unlike the C3, the new NEX is compatible with Sony's OLED external viewfinder attachment, and comes with a 1.5-amp USB charger instead of a separate external battery charger (now sold separately). Unfortunately, the camera is unusable while it's juicing up, but because it's got the same cell as the C3, you can still use your old charger if you decide to upgrade. And, Sony claims that the F3 is much more efficient with electricity -- it can get 470 shots per charge, up from 400 in the C3.
Anyone who's used the NEX cameras will instantly feel at home with the F3, as the user interface is identical to its brethren. The NEX-F3 does have a couple new tricks up its sleeve, though. There's an Auto Portrait Framing feature that automatically crops your photos to make the resulting composition obey the rule of thirds, and boosts it back to full resolution using Sony's By Pixel Super Resolution technology. The tech works by analyzing the picture's pixels to find and match patterns using Sony's vast, proprietary database (which is loaded on the camera) to fill in the blanks. Generally, we were able to get some very good results with the F3, and we certainly enjoyed the reach that Sony's new 18-200mm lens affords. That said, the resulting photos aren't appreciably different from what you get with a C3, so unless you absolutely must have 1080p video and are incapable of properly composing portraits on your own, we can't see upgrading. However, if you're looking to ditch your old point-and-shoot to dip your toe into the mirrorless ILC waters, you won't be disappointed with F3.
Meanwhile, the A37 joins the A77, A65 and A57 in Sony's DSLR lineup. Like the NEX-F3, it's got a 16.1 megapixel APS-C sensor, only with 100-16,000 ISO capabilities (the F3's lower limit is 200 ISO). It also shoots 1920 x 1080 60i and 24p videos, and can snaps stills at up to 7fps at 8 megapixels or 5.5fps if you want the full 16.1-megapixel treatment. As with other Alphas, it utilizes Sony's Translucent Mirror Technology, which -- in tandem with Sony's phase detection tech that predicts your subject's motion -- enables it to maintain smooth focus while shooting video. It also packs the same object tracking and 15-point autofocus capability found in the A65, plus the Auto Portrait Framing technology mentioned above in a lightweight, one pound package.
Speaking of that package, the A37 really fit well in our hands, and despite its bantam weight, it felt solidly constructed. The textured and formed grip fit our phalanges perfectly, and it's light frame was easy to handle. Both the EVF and tilting 2.7-inch LCD on the back worked beautifully for framing shots, letting us enjoy our brief time with the A37. Admittedly, we were more comfortable using the F3 -- not a surprise given that our primary camera is a NEX-C3. Overall, the A37 is a nice option for those looking for their first DSLR. At $600, the price is $100 less than a Nikon D3200 and $50 more than a Canon T3, but you get a higher-res sensor and greater ISO range than either. The deciding factor, of course, is in the photographic results. In that respect, we think the A37 acquits itself rather well, but we'll let you see our results in the gallery below and make that call for yourself.
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