Sony NEX-F3

The Sony NEX-F3 arrived in 2012 as a compact mirrorless camera. It pairs an APS-C sensor with a slim body that slips into a small bag.

At roughly 117 by 67 by 42 millimetres and 314 grams, it is genuinely light to carry. The Sony E mount accepts interchangeable lenses, so choices can grow as your interests do.

There is no viewfinder, so you compose every shot on the rear screen, which flips out for easier angles. That suits travel and everyday photographers who value size, though eye-level shooters should know what they are giving up.

The optics score of 50 is modest, and the camera sits in the lower range of cameras in our database for Optics. Even so, the 16.1 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, processed by the Bionz chip, provides resolution for prints and some cropping room.

Shooting pace suits steady subjects rather than fast action. The burst rate reaches 5.5 frames per second at maximum, and the shutter tops out at 1/4000 second, which is fine for most daylight work but restricts how wide you can open the aperture in bright conditions.

Sensitivity spans ISO 200 to 16000, which covers a broad range of light conditions. Stabilisation is not built into the body, though, so slower handheld shutter speeds rely on your own steadiness.

Autofocus uses 25 points. With no viewfinder, framing relies on the screen rather than an eyepiece.

Video capability is limited, and the score of 34 reflects that. Recording tops out at Standard HD resolution, and footage saves as MP4 files, with no higher-resolution mode offered.

The fastest frame rate the camera offers is 30fps, which rules out slow-motion capture since there is no higher rate to stretch in the edit.

There is no built-in timelapse function either, so anyone wanting that effect will need to plan around it rather than set it directly on the camera.

For casual clips and web sharing, Standard HD in MP4 is still a workable ceiling. Anyone whose main priority is video, though, will run into the resolution and frame-rate limits quickly.

The features score of 41 reflects a modest setup. The 3-inch LCD carries 920,000 dots, enough for detailed framing and focus checks, and live view shows you the shot as the sensor sees it before you press the shutter.

The screen flips out, which helps when you shoot at waist level or hold the camera overhead. There is no touch control, so settings change through the physical controls and menus.

A built-in flash covers quick fill light indoors, and the camera also accepts an external flash when you want more power or bounce control.

There is no GPS, no weather sealing, and no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. That means images come off the memory card rather than over a wireless connection, and the camera needs shelter from rain and dust.

Storage and battery is the weakest area, scoring 27. A single slot accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards as well as Memory Stick Pro Duo variants, so capacity is easy to sort, but there is no second card for overflow or backup.

The NP-FW50 battery is rated at 470 shots per charge. As with any such rating, real-world endurance depends on how the camera is used, so results in practice will vary from shoot to shoot.

The battery cannot be topped up over USB, so laptops and power banks are no use for charging. Packing a spare battery is the practical answer for longer days out.