Sony NEX-C3 review

IMAGE QUALITY

Photos are captured at 16 megapixels, up from 14.6 megapixels in the NEX-3. The advantage is somewhat muted by the 18-55mm lens, which displayed a slight softness to details and chromatic aberrations, particularly towards the edges of frames. Our studio test shots were extremely sharp in the centre, but again, focus was a little soft towards the edges. Overall, the 12-megapixel GF3 was better at resolving detail.

Chromatic aberrations (along the edges of the tree) and slightly soft focus towards the edges of frames are our only complaints regarding image quality – Click on the image to enlarge it

However, the C3 shot into the lead as we raised the ISO speed. Photos stood up to close scrutiny at ISO 1600, and even the top ISO 12,800 setting was good enough for posting on the web at small sizes. That’s an incredible achievement for a compact camera and a big improvement over the GF3, which we wouldn’t recommend using beyond ISO 3200. However, only those who are willing to venture beyond these cameras’ Auto modes will see any real difference. The C3’s Auto mode limited ISO speeds to 1600, while the GF3 restricted them to 800.

There’s a fair amount of noise here when viewed up close, but a compact camera producing usable photos at ISO 12,800 is extraordinary

It’s a tough call choosing between the NEX-C3 and GF3. The C3 excels in low light – probably the hardest test for any camera – but the GF3 takes better photos in brighter conditions, it’s much quicker to focus, its controls are more accessible and it’s the clear winner for video capture. Both are fantastic cameras, and neither is obviously better than the other.

Noise levels – and smearing noise-reduction artefacts – are lower than from the C3’s main rival, the Panasonic GF3

If you’re planning to buy before 31 August 2011, Panasonic’s offer to bundle a five-year warranty and a free copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom with the GF3 (details here) might just swing your decision.

For those who aren’t in such a rush, it might be worth waiting for the successor to the NEX-5, which is bound to support 1080p video. The New Olympus PEN models – E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM1 – are just around the corner, too. Meanwhile, Panasonic has suggested that the next GF-series camera will cater for people who want more hands-on control. If it also inherited the 16-megapixel sensor from the Panasonic G3, which is much closer to the C3 than the GF3 in terms of noise levels, it would jump straight to the top of our wish-list. In the meantime, though, the C3 deserves to be extremely popular.