Sony NEX-5N

The Sony NEX-5N is a mirrorless camera from 2011 that fits an APS-C sensor into a body measuring 111 x 59 x 38 mm and weighing 269 g. That size makes it easy to carry everywhere while still accepting interchangeable lenses on the Sony E mount.

Its maximum burst of 10 fps suits moments that pass quickly, and the 3-inch touchscreen LCD is where you compose and adjust the camera.

Owning it means composing on the screen, since there is no viewfinder, and moving photos off the camera with a card rather than a wireless connection.

The Optics score of 54 is modest, and the NEX-5N sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics.

At its heart is an APS-C sensor with 16.1 megapixels, enough detail for prints and some cropping. Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 25600, so you can keep shooting as light fades, though the top setting is a limit rather than a promise of clean results.

The maximum burst of 10 frames per second gives you more chances at a fleeting expression or a passing animal, though that figure is a peak rate, not a sustained-speed promise. A 1/4000 maximum shutter speed sets the upper limit for exposure times, and autofocus uses 25 points.

Two absences shape daily use. There is no in-body stabilisation, so the body itself does not counter camera shake, and there is no viewfinder, so every shot is composed on the rear screen.

Video tops out at Full HD resolution, recorded in the widely compatible MP4 format. The maximum frame rate is 60 fps, which keeps motion smooth when subjects or the camera itself are moving. The two figures are separate maximums, so a combined recording mode is not guaranteed.

The Video score of 56 is modest, and the resolution ceiling explains much of it. For family clips, web video and casual projects, Full HD still works well; if you need 4K output for large screens, this is where the camera stops.

There is no built-in timelapse mode, so interval sequences are not available from the camera's own menu. For everything else, you frame clips on the LCD and record.

Everything happens on the 3-inch LCD. It has 920,000 dots, and live view shows the scene as the sensor sees it.

The screen is touch-sensitive and tilts, which helps with overhead shots above a crowd or framing at waist level. Touch input also lets you change settings directly on the screen.

Wireless is absent: no Wi-Fi and no Bluetooth. Getting images to a phone or computer means using the memory card, so plan transfers for after the shoot.

The Features score of 54 is modest. There is no weather sealing against rain and dust, and no built-in flash, though an external flash is supported. GPS is absent, so locations are not recorded automatically.

The Storage & Battery score of 27 is limited, and the reasons are practical ones. There is a single card slot, so there is no way to record a backup copy in camera.

The slot accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards alongside Memory Stick Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo, so standard SD cards are the easy path and older Sony media still works.

The NPFW50 battery is rated at 460 shots. That figure gives a sense of scale for planning, but it is a rating, not a promise of real-world endurance.

The battery cannot be charged over USB, so there is no topping up from a power bank or laptop between shots. A charged spare battery is the practical answer for longer sessions.