Opinions about the new Sony NEX 5 - excited?

<p>I would think there would be more talk of this camera. It looks very impressive to me. </p>

<p>I dont see this as a replacement to a DSLR but much more fun then a p/s. I just wish the controls where a little more traditional or at least similar to the 4/3 systems. I have a feeling all those menus will get really annoying but still this is now top on my list as my next camera purchase. I am interested to hear what others think.</p>

<p>See this: <a href="http://photo.net/sony-minolta-slr-system-forum/00WRON">http://photo.net/sony-minolta-slr-system-forum/00WRON</a></p>

<p>At this point I'm actually slightly more interested in the NEX3, since I'm not bothered by the difference in HDV specs and the red body + $100 savings over NEX5 look pretty cool. I'm not planning to buy until well after initial release though (if at all) because I want to see lots of reviews that write about how well or poorly the almost buttonless interface works, and whether there will really be a wide range of lens mount adapters (and a focal length reducer?) becoming available in due course, as Dave Kilpatrick is hoping for in <a href="http://www.photoclubalpha.com/">photoclubalpha</a></p>

<p>They're not designed for 'photographers' so they don't interest me in their current state.</p>

<p>I am looking for something that is small with good quality photos and to replace a camcorder. I have a 5D2 for the times I want a "real" camera but many times I don't want to make photography the main emphasis. I too want to see some reviews, I am not a big fan of Sony when it comes to cameras so I am still considering 4/3 but I am surprised at all the negative talk around this camera. </p>

<p>Tommy, I believe Sony will sell a lot of these personally, but for the market they are aimed at. As we are all here on a photography forum, we take an active interest in photography and most of us are probably considered more 'advanced' users. The two NEX cameras are not aimed at us, Sony have said that themself (indirectly). Of course, there is a cross over and I completely understand why it interests you, I still like the camera and the idea, it's just not for me personally.</p>

<p>You should try dyxum.com, most seem to love the camera there ;)</p>

<p>So is it the price? I guess I am not looking at it like its a DSLR, I am looking at it more like a good point and shoot/camcorder that my wife ( who does not care to use manual controls ) will also enjoy using. </p>

<p>I think pretty much everyone is impressed with the price. I have similar thought about it - my girlfriend is into film/cinema/writing a lot and it might make a useful upgrade in quality to her camcorder.</p>

<p>Does it support raw? I do not see it listed.</p>

<p>"Sony NEX 5 - excited?"</p>

<p>Nope. </p>

<p>A. T. Burke</p>

<p>It does support Raw.</p>

<p>Rayqual in Japan will offer a bunch of adapters in July: <a href="http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20100521_368656.html">http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20100521_368656.html</a></p>

<p>Though I'm not sure how hard shooting manual focus would be on the LCD, without an EVF available.</p>

Interesting that Sony withdrew the 16mm pancake, which was bad bad bad. I do not understand the justification for a new E mount lens, either from a marketing or engineering standpoint. If they had supported Alpha DT lenses, they would have had the best lens lineup of any EVIL camera. Sony wants to use the same lens on a videocamcorder, but I believe they could have done that while maintaining DT compatibility. As I understand it, only one electrical contact is missing.

 

Bottom line, the Olympus micro-4/3 models produce better out-of-camera results at low ISO, the NEX at high ISO, with 18-55 lens of course. (The 16mm was a disaster.) Perhaps Sony thinks they have a target audience who doesn't care about stuff like this, but if that is the case, why would the target audience not just buy a P&S like the excellent HX5V? It has a 24-240mm (crop equivalent) lens, which is far more useful than 27-82, and low ISO quality is not radically different.

<p>The new mount is necessary for the <strong>slim </strong>mirrorless body. Obviously camera size was the number one priority for the NEX series which is smaller than even the m4/3 cameras</p>

<p>I wouldn't say they 'withdrew' the 16mm lens, they've just said it was pre-production.</p>

<p>Does anyone have a link to the news about the 16mm lens? thanks.</p>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/news/1005/10051801sonynexlens.asp</p>

Excuse me, the lens on the HX5V is 25-250, not 24-240. I almost bought one for its GPS.

 

The NEX is the least interesting EVIL camera right now due to poor lens lineup, but that will change. Samsung apparently has an excellent long lens, I believe it is 55-200. All these EVIL vendors are going to need the Tamron 18-250 or 18-270 to compete with P&S cameras, but I don't believe Tamron has issued even one 4/3 lens, which has been around much longer.

<p>Sony already announced a stabilized 18-200mm for the E-mount.</p>

<p>The 16mm lens alone is very interesting--with it's compactness, the fact that it's a prime and it's very wide coverage (equal to 24mm on a full frame 35mm camera). I've read that it's a 5 element construction and it's almost sure to be a symmetrical design, meaning it could potentially be very low in distortion and very sharp, despite the relatively few elements. We'll have to see what various test reports say. Think of the huge wide angle zooms (12-24, etc.) that normally cover this wide a view. Lenses like this are the major promise for EVIL designs. Neither Samsung, Olympus or Panasonic yet have a prime this wide. Sony was pretty bold in eschewing a standard wide/normal to go really wide on it's very first prime!</p>

<p>I have been watching some reviews on youtube and it looks like a great little camera, its really a shame they are dumbing it down so much. Even the Canon G11 and S90 have some physical dials to control some basics like ISO. If not for the annoying menu system this would be a slam dunk. <br>

I agree about the 16mm lens. I can see using that almost exclusively.</p>

<p>Absolutely, as I said in the previous thread, if they came up with a similar control system to the S90, I would buy one tomorrow. Otherwise, I will wait till the next model (for more advanced photogs hopefully) come out.</p>

<p>The UI seems to be a real problem, especially for someone mildly interested in breaking out of full-auto mode. For seasoned photographers, the camera appears to actively work against you.</p>

<p>http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sony-nex5.shtml</p>

 

<p>Pity, I may have to wait for the GF2. </p>

The DCresource sample galleries are out, and the interior of Stanford Chapel shows this beats the other EVIL cameras at ISO 400, some of them by a wide margin.

<p>Yea but it wont take long before I am so annoyed going through all those menus that I end up just taking my DSLR</p>