Not since Sony purchased Minolta’s DSLR’s and repackaged them as the Sony Alpha DSLR series have I been anticipated a Sony camera. Sure, their point and clicks are also cool, but for those of us that have invested in lenses for the Sony Alpha series – or just continued to use the Minolta AF lenses like I did – the Sony NEX-5 allows for continued usage of those aforesaid lenses and mates that with a lightweight, small body.

Unlike conventional DSLR models, the “mirrorless” construction of the new models reduces the thickness of both camera bodies to just about an inch at their slimmest point (excluding grip and mount portions). The NEX-5, constructed from magnesium alloy, and the NEX-3, with a polycarbonate casing, offer a newly developed 14.2 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. About 60 percent larger than sensors in micro four-thirds cameras, and up to 15 times larger than in many point and shoot cameras, the sensor is key to the exceptional image quality, extremely low image noise and creative defocus effects that are familiar to DSLR users.

Alongside the NEX-5, the NEX-3 was also announced. The NEX-5 and NEX-3 cameras, which come with the camera body and SEL16F28 lens will cost about $750 and $650 respectively.

[ Links: Sony, Sony NEX-5 ]

Olympus launches its new Micro Four-Thirds digital camera ‘PEN E-P2′ in the Japanese market in time for the December shopping season. As an upgraded model of the company’s first Micro Four-Thirds camera ‘E-P1′, it comes with the addition of a port for a new high resolution electronic viewfinder, two new Art filters and a pearlescent black finish.

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