14 DAY TRIAL // Announced back in August this year, the new Sony A3000 interchangeable-lens camera managed to make its way in the mirrorless charts as a DSLR-like body with an impressive sensor performance.
At first look, Sony A3000 is similar with other Alpha SLT digital SLR models, having a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) as well as a slightly smaller than usual (23.2 x 15.4mm) 20MP CMOS APS-C format sensor, but in fact it's an E-mount mirrorless camera.
Sony A3000 is intended to be an entry-level model similar to Sony's NEX-3N and doesn't benefit from the latest enhancements featured in newer models. For example, the camera doesn't have a rear LCD and comes stripped of some features like on-chip Phase Detection AF or high-resolution EVF.
The camera is capable of capturing 1080p Full HD video footage at 30/25/24 frames per second in AVCHD and MP4 formats. Shutter speed is as fast as 1/4000 of a second allowing you to capture up to 3.5 fps in continuous shooting mode.
According to recent tests performed by DxO Labs, Sony A3000 manages to achieve an impressive overall score, which puts it alongside more expensive models like Sony NEX-5T, Alpha 77 or NEX-6 in terms of overall image quality.
Side by side with rival mirrorless models like Panasonic's Lumix DMC-G6, the A3000 scores better at every parameter including color depth, dynamic range and ISO performance.
Sony's A3000 can also be compared with entry-level DSLR models like Canon EOS 100D / Rebel SL1, receiving over a +1 stop improvement in terms of image quality as well as +1.3 stops in color sensitivity. ISO performance and dynamic range are also better than the aforementioned camera models.
Sony A3000 is available in stores at a price around $350 / €256, which makes it a very tempting offer for the entry-level mirrorless camera segment.