Sony Alpha NEX F3

406 reviews

Apr, 2024

Positive
usability (133)
performance (98)
image quality (97)
portability (90)
price (53)

Negative
viewfinder (8)
zoom (5)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 406 reviews of Sony Alpha NEX F3. The average rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras for all reviews. Reviewers are impressed by the price and image quality. The performance and portability also get good views, but some have doubts about the zoom and viewfinder. There are mixed reviews on the storage and battery.

usability, portability, performance, image quality, price

viewfinder, zoom

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Digital Compact Cameras the Sony Alpha NEX F3 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 91/100 = Excellent quality.

See all Sony Digital Cameras

Review analysis

(Based on 406 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(57% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews (31% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews (5% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews (4% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews (2% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

usability
Show positive (67%)Show negative (33%)(Show all)

portability
Show positive (74%)Show negative (26%)(Show all)

performance
Show positive (84%)Show negative (16%)(Show all)

image quality
Show positive (89%)Show negative (11%)(Show all)

price
Show positive (62%)Show negative (38%)(Show all)

More features

Showing 255 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews

Disclaimer:

Below is a list of reviews for this or similar products. If you think this grouping is wrong please click here to flag.
Read more on our FAQ’s page.

Showing 1 - 172 of 255 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (146)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Sony Alpha NEX F3

alaTest has collected and analyzed 16 user reviews of Sony Alpha NEX F3 from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 4.5/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.co.uk.

94% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Sony Alpha NEX F3

alaTest has collected and analyzed 146 user reviews of Sony Alpha NEX F3 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.3/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.com. Comments about the price and image quality are generally positive. The performance and portability are also appreciated, but the viewfinder and zoom get critical comments.

usability, portability, performance, image quality, price

zoom, viewfinder

89% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Expert review by (engadget.com)

Sony NEX-F3 review

Sony's NEX-F3 is one of the top buys in the mirrorless category, but it fails to best its predecessor.

Built-in flashFantastic battery lifeExcellent image qualityLow suggested retail price

Bulkier designFew improvements over NEX-C3

The NEX-F3 is an excellent mirrorless ILC, but it's not the best entry-level camera -- not even from Sony. There's little here to push us to make the jump from the company's NEX-C3, which we find to be the better option, even at the same price (we're...

May, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by (wired.com)

Review: Sony Alpha NEX-F3

Sony's NEX-F3 is a superb entry-level camera for photographers looking to break out of point-and-shoot mode but who aren't quite ready to splurge on --...

Lightweight. Excellent manual capabilities and good lenses that lead to sharp pictures. Surprisingly good for a 0 camera

Flimsy-feeling plastic body does not inspire confidence. Anemic hand grip. Touchy joystick interface can get in the way of the camera’s best performance. No external battery charger, so you have to plug the camera into the wall

Oct, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Jeff Keller (dpreview.com)

Sony Alpha NEX-F3

The Alpha NEX-F3 ($599) is Sony's entry-level mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. It's the replacement to the NEX-C3, with the most significant change being a new 3-inch LCD that can flip upward 180 degrees and face your subject. In addition, the...

Very good photo quality; low noise through ISO 1600 in low light, ISO 12800 (!) in good light ; Good value for the money ; Sharp 3-inch LCD display can flip upward 180 degrees, allowing for easy self-portraits ; Snappy performance in most respects ;...

Consistently seems to underexpose by 1/3 or 2/3 stop ; Menu-driven user interface still frustrating to use, even with addition of custom button ; Design annoyances: camera's size advantage lost when a lens is attached; LCD's 16:9 aspect ratio not...

The Sony Alpha NEX-F3 is one of the best entry-level mirrorless cameras on the market. While its menu-driven interface isn't for everyone, its impressive photo quality and host of useful features offer a lot of bang for the buck.

Aug, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Lori Grunin (cnet.com)

Sony Alpha NEX-F3

The ; produces very nice low- to midrange sensitivity pictures, plus you can configure it for streamlined shooting, and delivers solid overall performance. The new automated self-portrait is also a boon for people who like to put themselves in the...

The LCD can be difficult to view in bright light, and the SD card slot is in a bad spot for tripod users.

Though it doesn't wow us for any particular aspect, the Sony Alpha NEX-F3 is a nice overall package for photographers looking for something with better photo quality and more flexible than a point-and-shoot.

Jul, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Jim Fisher (pcmag.com)

Sony Alpha NEX-F3

The Sony Alpha NEX-F3 is a worthy successor to the Editors' Choice NEX-C3. The latest iteration impresses with superb image quality, even at very high ISO settings, and you get a deeper handgrip, built-in flash, and support for an optional EVF.

Built-in flash. Optional EVF available. Great high ISO performance. Customizable controls. 180° tilting LCD. 1080p video support

Front-facing LCD limits downward tilt. APS-C lenses are larger than some other mirrorless systems. Limited lens library. No dedicated battery charger

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...

Jun, 2012

Partner Source

Read the full review

Expert review by : David Pierce (theverge.com)

Sony NEX-F3 review

I've recommended Sony's NEX cameras to a lot of people over the last year or so. The NEX-7 is too expensive for most people, but the NEX-C3 and NEX-5N are relatively inexpensive cameras that offer big APS-C sensors, interchangeable lenses, and a lot of...

Well--built ; Solid image quality ; Really simple to use and learn ; 1080p video recording

Lens ecosystem is still small ; A bit larger than previous versions ; Slow autofocus ; Dynamic range hurts image quality

NEX cameras still set the bar for this kind of shooter, but there's some good competition now

Jun, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Lori Grunin (cnet.com)

Sony Alpha NEX-F3 (with 18-55mm lens) review

Sony has really hit its stride with the latest generation of Alpha NEX mirrorless interchangeable-lens compact cameras. With a streamlined interface, small -- but not too small -- bodies, solid performance, and very good photo quality for a modest...

The Sony Alpha NEX-F3 produces very nice low- to midrange sensitivity pictures, plus you can configure it for streamlined shooting, and delivers solid overall performance. The new automated self-portrait is also a boon for people who like to put...

The LCD can be difficult to view in bright light, and the SD card slot is in a bad spot for tripod users.

May, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Michael Palmer (steves-digicams.com)

Sony NEX-F3 Preview

Replacing the popular NEX-C3, Sony has announced the α NEX-F3 entry-level interchangeable lens camera system. The NEX-F3 includes many of the same features of the α37 -- a 16.1 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS image sensor, full HD video recording, Superior...

May, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Hubert Nguyen (ubergizmo.com)

Sony NEX-F3 Review

With the release of the Sony NEX-F3 camera, Sony Electronics is basically refreshing its entry-level compact and interchangeable camera offering. The overall goal of the release is to offer the latest software updates in terms of effects and image...

In the end, the largest added-value of this camera is its ease of use, image quality, the “Superior” auto-mode (Sony’s own feature name) and the ability to charge and sync with Micro-USB. If you have checked the photos and videos that I have posted on...

Jun, 2012

Partner Source

Read the full review

Expert review by : Mark Goldstein (photographyblog.com)

Sony NEX-F3 Review

The Sony NEX-F3 is a new entry-level compact system camera. Successor to the NEX-C3 model, the NEX-F3 features a 16.1 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, full HD AVCHD (50i/25p) video recording, 5.5fps burst shooting, 25-point contrast-detect autofocus...

The Sony NEX-F3 significantly improves on its predecessor with a more versatile 180 degree tilting screen, fully integrated pop-up flash and 1080 50i/25p HD video recording. The resulting camera provides a compelling upgrade path for frustrated compact...

Jul, 2012

Read the full review