One user's experience with the Sony NEX 5N, EVF. flashes and lenses

<p>The Sony Alpha NEX 5N with 1.5 crop, 16.1 MP Sony APS-C Sensor takes DSLR quality pictures up to 3200 ISO and has a host of functions not found on other cameras. I have had the camera for close to four months and it just reflects my experience in taking over a thousand pictures in that time. The Sony goes with me almost every time I go out the door because my full kit with three lenses only weighs 3.5 pounds as opposed to my twenty pound DSLR kit. Nobody pays attention to me on the street even with the kit lens. If you mount the 16mm pancake it is quite a small package that will just slip into a loose jeans pocket. The LCD is moveable in the vertical plane. It allows me to shoot over fences and use the camera like it had an old waist-level finder. I find the touch screen function on the LCD quite helpful. When I am concerned about sharpness after I take a picture. I can just tap the screen to get a blown up view. It also helps when going to a menu quickly and you can move the focus point around with your finger.</p>

<p>The 5N is new and different from any other camera that I have used. It has taken a while to learn about the new functions that Sony has installed. This learning time has been fun and productive. Having said that I was taking pictures at a swim meet and a party the day after I got the 5N. They came out fine even though I knew virtually nothing about the camera. But that just scratched the surface of what I could do with this little 7.4 ounce body and e-mount lenses as I began to learn more over the three months that I have had the camera.</p>

<p>The 5N has a built-in user guide that explains each of the many user controllable functions as each menu item is selected. There are two menus for specialized picture functions. One is Scene Selection on the Shoot Mode dial and the other is Creative Style in the Brightness/Color menu. They cover a myriad of shooting conditions and options.<br>

The 5N has an Intelligent Auto function that automates the picture taking functions. This makes it easy for almost anyone to use the camera. Intelligent Auto sets ISO up to 3200 while controlling shutter and aperture. This is easily selected via the control wheel. The flash is turned on by flipping the flash up to the on position. </p>

<p>Initially the 5N operating system and menu layout can be somewhat daunting because of the many new and innovative functions that have been incorporated in this camera and the unique new terminology Sony has applied to these new functions. Fifty shot panoramas can be processed to one image in the camera in JPG with good results. Also there is in-camera HDR, anti-motion blur that takes multiple pictures to reduce noise at high ISO, and Focus Peaking borders items in the frame that are actually in focus with a user set color on the in focus edges. This is very valuable using the LCD or the EVF to focus and particularly useful for manual focusing with non-Sony lenses used with and adapter. </p>

<p>This camera will take non-manufacturer lenses with adapters. There is one Canon to e-mount adapter that has come out with IS and aperture transfer capability but without AF. There are many other adapters in a variety of price ranges that cover a number of different lens types. This has made this body interesting to a lot of potential buyers with legacy lenses.</p>

<p>The 5N uses Sony e-mount lenses made especially for the NEX series. The three that I have are well made and perform acceptably for their price range. Actually, within their limitations, I think they are surprisingly good. The number of current e-mount lenses are limited but Sony has plans for more in 2012. The three that I own and have used are the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6, the f55-210 4.5-6.3 and 16mm f2.8 pancake. The 50 mm 1.8 e-mount with image stabilization (OSS) has just come out and is being delivered from some sources.</p>

<p>The 5N does not have an internal flash but a small one is supplied (Guide number seven meters @ 100 ISO) that attaches to an external mount that is unique to the 5N and is not compatible with flashes designed for a standard hot shoe. There is an upgrade flash (GN 20 meters @ ISO 100) that does bounce in the vertical plane, has a telephoto mode and is significantly more effective than the provided flash. They are both camera powered.</p>

<p>The 5N does not have an internal view finder but is equipped with an exceptional three inch 921,600 dot LCD. A separately provided external electronic viewfinder (EVF) is available but adds significant cost to the kit. This EVF is reported to be a major advancement for this type finder. It shows the image that is actually on the sensor as opposed to a separate optical view and thus it pictures the actual sensed exposure and depth of field to the shooter. The LCD and EVF are sensitive to aperture change and if the image looks underexposed it is no doubt underexposed. Both the LCD and EVF can be a little hard to see in strong bright side light with the EVF more usable in that situation. </p>

<p>The EVF and Flash cannot be mounted at the same time because of the unique single mount you can only use either one or the other. The LCD in my opinion performs reasonably well in low light when one usually uses flash so I think one can usually do without the EVF while using the flash.</p>

<p>In actual use the 5N with the APS-C sensor has delivered surprisingly good results. I have used it and my lenses for over a thousand pictures since I got it in November 2011 and believe the quality of images is very close to my full frame body and professional lenses in situations where the slower Sony lenses can be used. I have started to use the 5N for indoor social events and head shots and groups because it is easier to handle in close quarters than my larger equipment and the flash and regular pictures are comparable to any other 1.5 crop camera in printing or on the web.</p>

<p>There are a number of menu selected permuations and combinataions that involve auto focus and auto exposure. It took me a while to figure them out. Having said that auto focus is quite good when the camera is properly configured. In certain modes the auto focus frame can become quite large within the LCD screen thereby randomizing where the focus is taken causing missed focus. To counter this I shut off the AF illuminator (large focus frame) and object tracking, go to center focus (as opposed to multi-focus for a much smaller focusing area), and enable the focus option (DMF) on the menu to achieve best focus accuracy. DMF enables one to stay in AF mode but allows manual focus and enlarges the picture in the view finder or LCD when twisting the manual focus ring on the Sony lens with the shutter release half down. Focus Peaking needs to be on as this then outlines items in focus in a user selected color. I selected red which seems to work well. Focus peaking is an invaluable and highly useful new feature for assisting in shooting sharp pictures.</p>

<p>The optional Electronic View Finder is a definite aid to focusing in certain situations such as outside in high glare environments. It helps greatly with framing and in-camera cropping before the shot. Sometimes I have to shade it with my hat see an image in really bright light from the side. It can be switched from the LCD to EVF automatically by sensing the users eye proximity or manually depending upon menu selection. The EVF has a switch for manual operation on the left side and a small and somewhat sensitive diopter correction slide on the right side. The EVF is clear, shows depth of field, focus peaking and the same exposure data as does the LCD. The contrast detection AF system is more than adequate IMO once set as above in decent light. I have also gotten reasonably accurate focus in low light.</p>

<p>When in picture taking mode auto exposure is on full time as seen in the LCD or EVF. If you move the camera the exposure may change. I set the camera to the ten second sleep mode to preserve the battery. I find the metering in the 5N to be excellent.</p>

<p>I have shot some competitive swimming at 10 frames per second. The 5N only focuses on the first frame of the ten; however I got some decent pictures in decent light at f8 for DOF. The camera does close to four frames per second when focusing in each frame.</p>

<p>I believe Sony with the mirrorless 5N, and 7N and their latest fixed pellicle mirror DSLRs have made significant step forward in camera and software design. Some of these features are only possible by not having a mechanically operated moving mirror. I am really enthusiastic about the 5N because its features and functions are so advanced and useful I have become an old dog trying to learn new tricks in catching up with this technology. I believe this portends the outyear future of all digital cameras. I have not delved into the movie mode yet so I won't comment.</p>

<p>Thanks for sharing your experience, Dick. I'm considering a 5N so I can use my Zeiss/Contax G and Canon LTM rangefinder lenses. My Samsung NX is great but won't adapt them easily. How's the battery power holding up under steady use?</p>

<p>I also have the NEX5N, but in my case it replaces bunch of pocket cameras, I have no intention to use it as a professional camera, and is in no way any substitute for a good DSLR.</p>

<p>The camera with most likely kit lens, comes with the smaller flash. The flash leaves large shadow at the bottom of central picture area, from relatively large kit lens and the supplied lens hood. You may need to zoom in and reduce the angle of view to get rid of the shadow, remove the shade, or get another lens, or stop using the flash.</p>

<p>This is certainly bad flash/camera design, not expected from reputable maker like Sony. Shame on Sony!</p>

<p>But in capacity of handy point & shoot camera, the flash perhaps is not important. </p>

<p>The Sony's 2 part optional case with clips is a solid partner, but makes the camera non-pocketable, even with the 16mm lens. One part is common and holds the camera, and the other part is replaceable and you need to get in size for your intended lens. This case would not accomodate even the smaller flash. <br>

For flash photography, either get the bigger flash descibed above, or use a good DSLR or old P&S that has no problems like this one. </p>

<p>Louis. As I said above I put the camera to sleep after 10 secs. I have two batteries and have yet to run out of juice on a day's shooting. I would say the claim of 400 is reliable for use without a lot of flash. Frank the larger flash HVL-F20s clears the camera by almost two inches in the raised on position. I just measured it. I have gotten some good pictures with it. </p>

<p>Thanks for the detailed feedback. The NEX system looks interesting, I think the limited choice of native e-mount lenses is the main drawback (especially compared to Micro 4/3). I am really looking forward to see how the lens line-up will evolve.</p>

<p>Dick, thanks for the detailed review. At some point I'd really like to have a compact, easy-to-carry camera, and the 5N looks very good.</p>

<p>Thanks Dick!</p>

<p>The larger flash is a solution, and actually is the only flash solution, since there is no hot shoe, no PC sync socket.</p>

<p>The extra flash adds perhaps additional $150, and the external EVFinder adds $$$, both adds up to the camera price in vicinity of NEX-7. EVF and flash cannot be used together at the same time, since they must occupy the only one electronic camera port.</p>

<p>The basic NEX5N costs about 1/2 price of NEX-7. Building a more PRO usable system around it is getting expensive, and it kills the idea of a pocketable camera.</p>

<p>I "solved" the flash problem with a Stroboframe Pro-T bracket, a cheap Chinese IR flash trigger (that has a dial to allow it to ignore any pre-flash) plus a Sunpak flash with a PC-cord. I set the tiny Sony supplied flash to -2EV fill, and tilt it up as far as it will go. My 285HV works with this as well.<br /> Even simpler, you can use a Nikon SB-800 or similar in SU4 mode at 1/4 power, at which power level it is not fired by the preflash from the small Sony flash.</p>

<p>This is the flash trigger</p>

<p>http://www.amazon.com/Seagull-Wireless-Remote-Trigger-Reduction/dp/B004HFV5PS/ref=pd_ybh_17</p>