Sony nex 5n / 3n help

[Eagle355]

I am looking to buy a compact camera, I am an amateur photographer and already owned one high end dslr. I was looking at a few options, my requirements being high quality image, low light performance and fast/accurate focus
After reading a lot of reviews I decided to have a serious consideration about the sony nex 5n or the 3n models, from the reviews both models offer excellent image quality, they both have manual control and they perform very well in low light

I have a few questions if anybody here can help me with since I never owned a sony camera in the past

1. Are these two cameras close in image quality and low light performance ? I know that the 5n has a touch screen and wifi something that I am not interested at, so if the two cameras are close in image quality I would go for the 3n model, however the 5n can accept an external flash with hotshoe, something very useful. What about the 3n camera? can it accept an external flash or is it only limited to the pop up flash?

2. What about the reliability of these cameras?

thanks in advance

[Lonnie Utah]

Originally Posted by Eagle355

1. Are these two cameras close in image quality and low light performance ?

Here's the DXOmark scores for the two cameras. The two cameras are very similar. I don't think there's that much difference between them in that regard. The 5n does go up to ISO 25,600 (2/3's of a stop), but few people rarely go that high, and I'm not sure how usable the files from iso 25K would be anyway.

Although, the 5n isn't the latest model for the nex line, the 5r is. In low light performance, the 5n out performs the 5r. Go figure.

DxOMark - Compare cameras side by side

Originally Posted by Eagle355

I know that the 5n has a touch screen and wifi something that I am not interested at, so if the two cameras are close in image quality I would go for the 3n model, however the 5n can accept an external flash with hotshoe, something very useful.

Both the 5n and the 5r have a port for an "external flash". However, it's a sony proprietary one.

NEX Camera Flash | External Flash for Alpha NEX Cameras | HVL-F20S | Sony USA

Originally Posted by Eagle355

What about the 3n camera? can it accept an external flash or is it only limited to the pop up flash?

Sony removed the accessory port on the 3n so the 3n only has the pop up flash.

Originally Posted by Eagle355

2. What about the reliability of these cameras?

Very good. I've owned several NEX offerings, and I have not had any problems. I think the 5n was first released it had some issues with audible clicking in video mode, which I think has since been rectified. You might want to do a google search on that.

[bobmielke]

I love my NEX-5N. See the results at http://www.tumblr.com/blog/ungawa