Sony a3000

The Sony a3000 is a mirrorless camera from 2013. It pairs a 20.1 megapixel APS-C sensor with the Sony E mount, in a body that weighs 411 grams.

It suits anyone who wants interchangeable lenses and an electronic viewfinder without much weight to carry. Everyday photography, travel and learning the craft sit comfortably within its abilities.

Owning it means living with a simple feature set. Nothing on the body is weather sealed, the screen has no touch response, and the battery charges in an external charger rather than over USB.

The APS-C CMOS sensor gives files with plenty of detail for prints and cropping. The Bionz processor handles the camera's image processing.

Composition happens through a 201,600-dot electronic viewfinder, which shows your exposure choices as you frame. The a3000 sits around the middle of cameras in our database for optics, and its modest 58/100 score reflects a mix of solid basics and dated speed.

Speed is a clear constraint. Continuous shooting tops out at 2.5 frames per second, autofocus uses 25 points, the shutter stops at 1/4000 second and the ISO range runs from 100 to 16000. That is workable for static subjects, but sports and wildlife will test your timing.

There is no stabilisation in the body, so shake control falls to the lens you fit, a support or your own steadiness. Keeping shutter speeds up helps when the light drops.

Video is a secondary feature here, and the modest 56/100 score reflects that. Recording maxes out at Full HD, with no 4K option, and files are written in the AVCHD format.

The maximum frame rate is 60fps, a separate limit from the resolution figure. For family clips, travel footage and web video, Full HD resolution remains a practical choice, and 60fps allows smoother motion when subjects move.

There is no built-in timelapse mode. Anyone wanting that effect will need to shoot a sequence of stills and join them together on a computer.

Handheld footage gets no help from in-body stabilisation, so a steady stance or a tripod has to control the shake instead.

The features score of 36/100 is limited, and the screen shows why. The 3-inch LCD flips to help with high and low angles, and live view lets you compose away from your eye. At 230,400 dots it is basic, and there is no touch input, so every change happens through buttons and menus.

Wi-Fi is the only built-in wireless connection here, and there is no Bluetooth. Nor is there GPS, so the camera itself never tags photos with a location.

Flash is well covered, with a built-in unit plus support for an external flash when you need more power. The body has no weather sealing, so rain and dust call for care rather than confidence.

The storage and battery score of 27/100 is limited, and the reasons are practical rather than dramatic. A single card slot takes SD, SDHC, SDXC or Memory Stick Pro Duo media, so there is no second copy of a shoot. Memory Stick support mainly matters if you already own Sony cards.

The NP-FW50 battery is rated at 470 shots, though everyday results will vary with screen and Wi-Fi use. For casual shooting, that figure is enough.

There is no USB charging, so the battery recharges in an external charger. For long days, pack a spare NP-FW50 and plan a moment to swap it in.