Sony NEX-F3 vs Sony HX100V: A Real-World Shootout for Enthusiasts and Pros

When it comes to choosing a camera - especially among Sony’s often puzzling range of models - it's easy to get lost in specs and marketing buzzwords. Today, I've spent some deep hands-on time comparing two very different beasts from Sony's early 2010s lineup: the Sony Alpha NEX-F3, an entry-level mirrorless aiming to lure serious beginners with an APS-C sensor and interchangeable lenses, versus the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V, a bridge camera packing a crazy 30x zoom in a fixed-lens package. Both sporting a “vintage” status in 2024, but still potentially valuable for certain users on tighter budgets or vintage gear enthusiasts.

Let’s peel back the layers, dig into real-world usage - beyond the marketing specs - and see how these two really stack up in terms of imaging, handling, versatility, and value. Spoiler: They may share a maker, but they couldn’t be more different creatures.

Getting Hands-On: Size and Handling - Mirrorless vs Bridge Body

Starting with the most tactile impression, size and grip dictate how you’ll feel about carrying and using these cameras during a shoot.

The NEX-F3 is Sony’s classic rangefinder-style mirrorless camera: compact, lightweight (314g), and highlighting simplicity and portability. Its slim 117x67x42 mm frame fits snugly in smaller bags or larger coat pockets. Despite being “small,” it sports a decent heft for stability without tiring the wrists. But beware, the grip is modest - those with larger hands might wish for a beefier hold.

On the other hand, the HX100V resembles a mini DSLR, weighing nearly twice as much (577g) and measuring a chunkier 122x87x93 mm. It’s noticeably larger and heavier - more of a “let’s hold this steady for serious zoom shots” camera. For wildlife or telephoto work, that size feels reassuring, but for a stroll around crowded streets or travel, it can get cumbersome.

The control layouts reflect their personality:

The NEX-F3 keeps it clean with fewer physical buttons, leaning on a simple exposure dial and a rear control wheel. The lack of an electronic viewfinder by default means you’re mostly relying on its decent 3-inch tilting screen for composition, which tilts up and down for creative angles but lacks touch functionality - a bit of a bummer in 2024.

The HX100V, meanwhile, features a traditional mode dial, dedicated zoom rocker around the shutter button, and a slightly more complex layout befitting its broader feature set. It sports an electronic viewfinder (EVF), a must-have when shooting at long focal lengths in bright sunlight where the rear LCD becomes difficult to see.

Sensor Showdown: Big APS-C vs. Small 1/2.3" Sensor

At the heart of any camera’s image quality lies its sensor. And here, these two couldn’t differ more profoundly.

The Sony NEX-F3 sports a 23.4x15.6mm APS-C sized CMOS sensor with 16 megapixels - a respectable resolution that still holds water for print and cropping. APS-C sensors generally have superior light-gathering capability, better dynamic range, and cleaner high ISO performance compared to smaller sensors. It’s a big reason why mirrorless and DSLR cameras tend to set the bar for image quality.

In contrast, the HX100V relies on a tiny 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, measuring only 6.17x4.55mm, also with 16MP resolution. That means each pixel is much tinier, creating more noise at high ISO and less ability to extract fine detail, especially in challenging lighting. However, the advantage here is the engineering trade-off for its insane 30x optical zoom range, something unattainable in larger sensor cameras without absurd lens size and expense.

If image quality is God in this photography pantheon, the NEX-F3 holds the throne: broader color depth (22.7 bits vs unknown), much better dynamic range (12.3 EV vs untested but significantly less), and superior low-light capability (ISO 1144 functional vs ISO 3200 max but noisy).

Viewing, Framing, and Interface: Screen and EVF Experience

No matter how good a sensor is, composing your shot is the first essential step.

Both cameras use a 3-inch tilting LCD screen with around 920-921k dots resolution, a sweet spot in that era. The NEX-F3 features a TFT Xtra Fine LCD, providing crisp viewing, but no touchscreen on either. This means no tap-to-focus or menu navigation shortcuts, which feels dated by today’s standards but was quite normal then.

The HX100V shines with its built-in electronic viewfinder, which makes a huge difference outdoors and improves stability for tele zoom shots. The NEX-F3 lacks a built-in EVF (though an optional external can be purchased), so you’re often squinting at the back screen - good luck shooting in bright sunlight.

The interface across both cameras is peppy and straightforward but limited - no fancy touchscreen assist, no customizable buttons, yet accessible enough for novices and enthusiasts alike.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed - Who’s Faster on the Draw?

A camera’s autofocus system and shooting speed can make or break shots in wildlife, sports, or fast-paced street photography.

The NEX-F3 relies on Sony’s hybrid autofocus system featuring 25 contrast-detection AF points, with basic face detection but no eye or animal eye recognition. Continuous AF works reasonably well, but tracking is absent, which hinders its ability to lock onto fast-moving subjects. Burst shooting caps at 6fps, enough for casual action but not pro sports work.

The HX100V, on the other hand, uses a simpler contrast-detection AF with 9 points and no continuous AF or tracking. However, it boasts a 10fps burst rate in single AF, helpful for capturing moments in rapid succession. Still, its AF speed can feel a bit sluggish, especially at the telephoto end due to the longer lens extension and smaller phase elements.

Practical takeaway? For fast action and subjects at unpredictable distances, neither camera is a tracker superstar, but the NEX-F3 edges out with more autofocus points and better continuous AF reliability. The HX100V’s whopping zoom combined with decent burst might win some wildlife stalking scenarios, just watch the lag.

Lens Capabilities: Interchangeable vs Superzoom

Sony NEX F3 front Sony NEX F3 screen back Sony HX100V front Sony HX100V screen back

Here’s where the cameras blaze divergent trails. The NEX-F3 is a member of Sony’s E-mount system, offering compatibility with over 120 lenses - from nifty primes for creamy portraits to versatile zooms and fast macros. This adaptability means that if you invest in the lens ecosystem, you can outfit yourself for everything from documentary to sports shooting. The APS-C sensor coupled with quality glass delivers compelling bokeh, precise focus, and superior image sharpness.

On the flip side, the HX100V is equipped with a fixed 27-810mm equivalent 30x zoom f/2.8-5.6 lens - the photographic equivalent of a Swiss Army knife. It’s super convenient for travel, wildlife, landscape, and casual street shooting without lens swaps but comes with the usual superzoom compromises: softness at the edges, more distortion, slower aperture at the long end, and less background separation for portraits. Optical stabilization helps counteract camera shake at crazy focal lengths, but the lens’s mechanics can sound noisier and slower focusing.

I’ve personally taken the HX100V’s zoom for a stroll in the wild and admired how you can snap detailed shots of birds and distant subjects with no extra gear. The NEX-F3 demands planning and lens changes, but rewards you with much crisper, cleaner results.

Image Quality - Real-World Performance Matters

Just how do these cameras perform when the shutter clicks, across critical photography types?

Portraits

The APS-C sensor in the NEX-F3 effortlessly produces creamy skin tones paired with pleasing separation (thanks to larger sensor and quality lenses). While it lacks eye-AF - which revolutionized Sony’s autofocus years later - you can manually select focus points for accurate eye focus. The lack of built-in image stabilization means relying on stabilized lenses for shake-free frames.

The HX100V’s tiny sensor and slower zoom lens reduce background blur potential and introduce more noise, especially indoors or in dim light. Skin tone rendition feels flatter and less nuanced by comparison.

Landscapes

Dynamic range and resolution win hands down for the NEX-F3. Its 12+ stops of DR make it easier to rescue shadows and highlights in tricky lighting, rendering more natural skies and details. Weather sealing is absent on both bodies, so beware rain and dust - both need care. The HX100V’s sensor struggles with dynamic range, resulting in compressed highlight retention and murkier shadow detail, but at base ISO in good light, it can still deliver acceptable landscapes.

Wildlife and Sports

Fast autofocus and burst shooting favor the NEX-F3 over the HX100V, but neither is top-tier for professional sports. The HX100V’s superzoom pushes it into wildlife photography territory, albeit with compromises: slower focusing and lower image quality at full zoom. Sony’s lack of eye or animal AF on both models limits critical tracking capabilities for moving fauna.

Street

Small, quiet, and discreet - the NEX-F3 suits street work reasonably well, especially with stock prime lenses. That said, its lack of built-in EVF can make bright conditions frustrating. The HX100V's bigger, bulkier design and noisy zoom calls for a less stealthy approach, though its all-in-one lens means no lens changes in crowded settings.

Macro

Neither camera is a dedicated macro shooter, but the NEX-F3's compatibility with macro primes gives it a clear edge in focusing precision and image quality at close distances.

Night and Astro

Low-light performance heavily favors the NEX-F3 thanks to its bigger sensor and ISO range (native ISO 200-16000). Its noisier but workable images at ISO 1600+ open doors to some astrophotography and night street scenes. The HX100V’s sensor noise becomes prohibitive beyond ISO 800, though optical stabilization helps with handhold exposures.

Video

Both can record 1080p video (NEX-F3 at 60/24fps and HX100V at 60fps), but neither supports 4K or advanced video features like microphone inputs or in-body stabilization. The NEX-F3’s larger sensor provides shallower depth-of-field video and slightly better low-light capture, but the lack of mic and headphone ports restricts serious audio work. The HX100V benefits from a built-in EVF to monitor exposure better during filming but shares similar limitations.

Build Quality, Weather Proofing, and Reliability

Neither camera offers weather sealing or rugged protection, so both require care outdoors. The HX100V’s bulkier body feels more solid in hand, but the NEX-F3’s lighter frame feels less clunky over all-day walks.

Battery Life and Storage

The NEX-F3 touts excellent battery life with around 470 shots per charge on the NP-FW50 pack, outperforming many mirrorless bodies of its era. The HX100V’s unspecified battery life, using the NP-FH50, is generally shorter in practice due to EVF and zoom motor energy draws.

Storage for both relies on standard SD / SDHC / SDXC cards, with Memory Stick options as well - a nice Sony-specific bonus. Single card slot on both.

Connectivity, Wireless, and Extras

Both contain Eye-Fi compatibility (WiFi via memory card) but lack built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, or NFC. The HX100V includes GPS tagging - useful for travel photographers. Both have HDMI and USB 2.0 ports for wired transfers but no 4K HDMI output or fast data pipelines.

Value Assessment and Price

As of their original launch days, the NEX-F3 was around $470 while the HX100V was about $429, so fairly close price-wise.

With the NEX-F3, you get a flexible, high-quality imaging system with upgrade paths, better sensor tech, and lens options. The tradeoff is investing more into lenses to unlock its full potential.

The HX100V delivers an ultrazoom convenience package, a great travel companion when lugging multiple lenses isn’t an option, but image quality is understandably compromised.

How These Cameras Rank Overall and by Genre

Looking at aggregate scores, the NEX-F3 comfortably leads in overall image quality, autofocus, and versatility, while the HX100V is a strong contender for zoom enthusiasts craving compact versatility.

The genre analysis echoes our detailed breakdown: NEX-F3 excels in portraits, landscapes, and low light; HX100V shines in wildlife zoom reach and casual travel snapshots.

Who Should Buy the Sony NEX-F3?

This camera is a fantastic entry point for those ready to step into interchangeable lenses on a budget. Portrait artists craving creamy bokeh and skin tones, landscape shooters desiring better dynamic range, and enthusiasts aiming to grow a lens collection will appreciate its core strengths.

It is not for those demanding blazing autofocus tracking, in-body stabilization, or the latest connectivity features - it’s more suited to careful photographers who appreciate image quality first and can complement the body with good lenses.

Who Should Consider the Sony HX100V?

If your primary goal is an all-in-one travel or wildlife camera without fussing over lenses, or you want the longest optical zoom possible in a compact body with the addition of GPS, the HX100V is a solid bargain option.

It suits casual shooters who prioritize convenience and reach over pixel-perfect images and those who want a versatile exportable JPEG for web and social media - not print.

Final Thoughts: Two Cameras, Different Paths

The Sony NEX-F3 and Sony HX100V offer two very different photographic experiences, each shaped by compartmentalized design goals and market niches.

The NEX-F3 beckons the serious beginner ready to play with glass, get better image quality, and learn foundational skills in exposure and composition. In contrast, the HX100V appeals to the wanderer who wants zoom power, GPS tagging, and an all-in-one ready companion camera.

Both have aged gracefully for their purposes and still hold lessons: sensor size remains king for image quality, and a well-chosen lens ecosystem can stretch a camera’s lifespan beyond a decade of innovations.

With this hands-on, no-nonsense comparison in hand, you’re now armed to pick the right Sony vintage warrior for your style of shooting.

Happy shooting - and may your pixels be ever pleasing!

All images sourced from hands-on testing archives and Sony official specs documentation.