Both are equally good cameras. Either one can be used for the given purpose. Both require you to use a combination of menus and buttons to do advanced/manual settings. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, you should chose based on which features you care about more. Here's how I'd break it down:
Sony Nex 5N:
+ Smaller/lighter
+ Overall small and light kit (because of smaller and lighter tripod)
+ Extremely user friendly and easy to use menus
+ Touch screen makes menu navigation easier
+ New features like in camera HDR, Panorama
- Limited choice of lens
- No viewfinder included (External viewfinder is costly add on)
Canon T3i
+ Solid and chunky feel / Comfortable to hold
+ Very practical and usable viewfinder (with lcd turned off this can be a huge battery saver)
+ Mechanical buttons feel natural to use
+ Large inventory of lens (and cheaper used lenses) available
- Menu system is good but could be better
- No touch screen, changing multiple settings require digging into menus which can be cumbersome
- Bigger and heavier
- Larger and heavier kit (due to larger and heavier tripod)
If you're just a pointer and shooter and are not bothered by learning photography and growing the system, then Nex is better choice, but there are other smaller alternatives.
