Many Compact System Cameras like the Sony NEX-C3 are offering features from the DSLR stable. These compact cameras boast of images that are DSLR quality and with a lighter body.
The new Sony NEX-C3 differs from the standard Sony Alpha DSLR and thus a new lens mount and an entire new range of optics has been designed for it. The camera kit comes with an 18-55mm lens but now other E-mount lenses like 18-200mm and 16mm f/2.8 compact prime are also available.
Sony is also offering the lens adapter for the large size A-mount DSLR lenses. These will give more choice for lenses but will make the camera bulky compared to the standard kit. This camera builds in optical stabilization into the lenses itself which is in stark contrast to its other DSLR cameras. Also the sensor used in this camera is same as found on many DSLR cameras. This will help with low light photography and an improved dynamic range.

There is a growing market for point and shoot cameras and the best cameras in this category are now competitively priced with almost all models being priced in the $300-$400 range. These cameras offer professional features in increasingly small sizes.
This is a smart move by camera makers who have to compete with smartphones which have good picture taking capability and are connected to the net for easy sharing. The Lumix LX5 is one of such cameras with a 10.1MP sensor and with an aperture of f/2.0 which is very much suitable for indoor and low light shooting. It retails for $350 and has many manual shooting modes and Lumix has launched accessories which allow for wide angle and telephoto lenses.
The competition for the Lumix LX5 is the Canon Powershot SX150 IS which is a gem in this line of cameras. For a price tag of just $250, it boasts of a 14.1MP sensor and also includes a mode for discreet shooting.

The compact system camera from Nikon will be launched towards the end of this year but the details about this Nikon camera continue to emerge. Many people are already looking forward to this camera.
The site NikonRumors has leaked some of the specifications of the Nikon camera. The current Nikon users will not be disappointed as the new camera will also feature an F-mount which allows users to retain their lenses. The camera will not have an autofocus motor so manual focus will be needed unless AF-S and AF-I model lenses are used.
According to the site Nikon will be releasing two new models: Nikon V1 and Nikon J1 which will be identical in body but will only differ by a self-timer LED and different colors of the body. The rumors also say that the camera will have a 10.1MP CCD sensor which will feature a 2.7x crop factor. The release of these two cameras will be followed by the release of several lenses for the cameras including a 10mm f/2.8 pancake lens.