Sony NEX-3N, Alpha A58 pack premium specs from £400

Sony has taken the wraps off a pair of new snappers for the novice or budget-minded shutterbugs among you. The NEX-3N interchangeable lens compact camera and the Alpha A58 digital SLR start at £400 and £450, respectively.

The NEX-3N replaces the previous NEX-F3 at the bottom of Sony's interchangeable lens compact range, and brings a couple of tweaks to the table. Most notable is its size, which has seen a significant reduction from its predecessor. It still has a sturdy metal design, but it's much easier to hold and won't take up as much space in that stylish shoulder bag of yours.

Internally, it uses the same 16.1-megapixel APS-C image sensor but it's equipped with Sony's latest BIONZ image processor which it reckons offers much better low-light performance and noise reduction. I haven't been able to check out side-by-side image comparisons so I'll have to leave my judgement on whether that's the case for later.

It's coming to Sony stores later this month for £400 with a 16-55mm lens. £600 meanwhile will snag you an extra 55-210mm lens if you need some zoom action. Sony currently offers 15 lenses specifically for its NEX range, but you can also use an adaptor to slap on any of its dSLR lenses.

Speaking of its dSLRs, there's a new baby in the range in the form of the Alpha A58. Its diminutive outward design hasn't differed drastically from the previous A57, but it packs a 20.1-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor and, like the NEX-3N, is equipped with the latest BIONZ processor.

It'll come as standard with an 18-55mm lens for £450 or with an extra 50-210mm lens for £600. Those prices put it in direct competition with Nikon's D3200. Nikon's entry-level dSLR has proved to be an excellent camera, offering great image quality and plenty of handy features so Sony has its work cut out to steal sales. A £100 price reduction is certainly a good start though.

The A58 will be on sale later in the spring, so if you're after a cheap dSLR to whisk away on your summer trips then you might want to hold onto your cash until we've given both models the full review treatment. In the meantime, let me know your thoughts on Sony's new kit in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.