Sony Alpha NEX-5 and NEX-3 up for preorder

Yesterday turned into quite the Sony NEX fest, with the company's slick new interchangeable lens cameras making their official debut and then coming in for some glowing praise in early previews.  Soon you'll be able to recreate that joy at home, as the NEX-5 and NEX-3 have gone up for preorder.

The range kicks off at $549.99 for the Alpha NEX-3 with a 16mm lens, with the same camera body also being available for $599.99 with an 18-55mm zoom lens.  As for the Alpha NEX-5, that starts at $649.99 for the 16mm lens package and climbs to $699.99 for the 18-55mm lens package.

The main difference between the two cameras is their video recording skills.  The NEX-5 can record 1080/60i AVCHD HD movies, while the NEX-3 is limited to 720/30 HD.  If you're looking at the pair solely for their DSLR-style still abilities, though, that probably won't be too much of a hardship.