Sony NEX-7 versus 5D mkII @ low ISO?

[george_doumani]

<p>I am completely still in awe of my Canon 5D mkII and the 3 lense combination I have for it (Canon 35L, Zeiss 2.0 makro planar ZE and Canon 100mm macro 2.8). My only gripe regarding this set up is it's size. It is simply too large to carry around in my backpack on a daily basis IMO. So much planing needs to be involved with a rig of this size and therefore one misses simply so many shots. I have tried many "smaller" (micro 4/3 + Canon S95) solutions but the compromise in IQ is simply too great for me. </p>

<p>After much research I am so close to pulling the trigger on the Sony NEX-7. It's compactness plus relatively high resolution output makes it the most attractive fully portable (almost pocketable) solution on the market BUT for one who rarely shoots over 1000 iso I am not so concerned about the rumours of the poor low light performance but actually the opposite. Does any one have any experience with this camera at iso's from 100 - 1000 and how it's output compares to the 5D mkII at these iso's?</p>

<p>I am also aware of the corner issue with wide full format M-mount lenses which seem to be a huge compromise as I plan to use it with the CV 15mm f4.5 Heliar and a Leica 35mm M Summicron.</p>

<p>Currently all stores where I live have long waiting lists for the first arrivals of the NEX-7. I for one will not be outlaying until I see this product in my hands and can do a frame to frame comparison with the 5D mkII. I don't expect it to beat the 5D mkII in terms of IQ but I do expect it to be close at lowish ISO's?</p>

<p> </p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>I doubt it would hold you back. DXO gives the Nex 7 a slight edge actually. Do you have examples we could see?</p>

[joe_allebaugh]

<p>See this forum thread for a comparison -<br>

<a href="http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1074869/0?keyword=NEX,5D#10226812">http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1074869/0?keyword=NEX,5D#10226812</a></p>

[george_doumani]

<p>@Leslie - thanks. Examples of? I haven't got the NEX-7 just yet.<br>

<br /><br>

@Joe - interesting - thanks for the link.</p>

<p><br /></p>

 

[frank_skomial]

<p>There were older reviews of NEX5, NEX7, and cameras with mirrors and the same sensor, and comparisons on DPReview and Luminous landscape, and perhaps on Rob Galbraith web site.</p>

<p>Also some end users reviews on Amazon provided additional information...</p>

[bill_tuthill]

At low ISO it looks like the NEX-7 is as good as, or better than, the 5D markII. The Canon only starts to win at very high ISO. You can see if you agree or disagree by looking at the DPreview comparison widget, substituting 5Dm2. The only camera that will probably beat the NEX-7 is the Nikon D800E.

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonynex7/25

 

Downside is you'll not find a 100/2.8 macro for Sony E mount as good as your Canon.

[DickArnold]

<p>I have an NEX 5N and a 5D with L lenses. The NEX has 24MP and the NEX 5N has 16 MP and similar software to the NEX 7 and has the same lens mount. I get perfectly acceptable 13x19 prints from the NEX 5N. The same would true of the NEX 7. If you want a compact outfit then you would probably have to use the smaller and slower e-mount lenses that give you AF, SteadyShot and auto exposure. The e-mount zooms, 55-210 and 18-55, are slow but there is now an e-mount 50mm 1.8 lens with IS (Sony calls it SteadyShot) that wil give you some good low light performance. I think the Sony e-mount lenses are quite good. I still use L lenses on my Canon body to shoot sports because it is easier to stop action and the 70-200 2.8L works better for indoor sports. Your can buy a Conurus Canon to NEX adapter that will give you aperture control and IS for your Canon lenses but no AF. It is new to the market and is listed for 399 dollars. I have contemplated buying it but right now I think better of it because I get good perfromance and smaller size from my Sony e-mount lenses. My Canon bag usually weighs about twenty pounds while my Sony NEX bag with three lenses (I do not yet have the 5Omm 1.8) weighs under four pounds. My NEX 5N with 18-55 kit lens weighs about a pound and a half. My NEX 5N with the 16mm pancake will squeeze into my jeans pocket barely.</p>

[DickArnold]

<p>NEX 5N 16mm 2.8 pancake taken yesterday</p><div></div>

[jcoffin]

<p>I think Bill Tuthill is pretty much right. The only native E-mount macro is a 30/3.5 that's quite mediocre. If you want to shoot macro with a NEX-7, you pretty much need to plan on using some other mount of lens with an adapter. The good news is that there are lots of cheap adapters. The bad news is that at least as far as I know, the only EOS mount adapter worth getting is pretty expensive. On the other hand, there are quite a few other adapters to let you use Sony's A-mount lenses, Leica, Contax, etc.</p>

<p>Oh, the A900, A850 and D3x can also beat the NEX-7, at least in practice -- but it depends on the lens and aperture you use. Since they're all full-frame, they put more stress on the edges and corners. The A77/A65/NEX-7 are APS-C, so the extreme edges/corners get cropped, but you need even higher resolution toward the center.</p>

<p>Based on actual experience, the full-frame models win around 80% of the time, the APS-C models about 10% of the time, and the rest are essentially a tie. Given the price difference (especially for a D3x) there's no question that the APS-C models win on performance/price basis though (and, of course, when you want something smaller/lighter than a 5D2, the other full-frame models aren't really candidates anyway).</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<blockquote>

<p><br />@Leslie - thanks. Examples of? I haven't got the NEX-7 just yet.<br>

<br /></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Examples of your photography </p>

[george_doumani]

<p>thanks for all of the great comments.</p>

<p>here is a link to my flickr page Leslie so you can get an idea what I shoot. I use my Canon 35mm L 80% of the time because I love the focal length and I love the way this lens renders. If I could take one lens to the moon - it would be this baby!</p>

<p>http://www.flickr.com/photos/12369396@N02/</p>

<p>Part of my reservation to even go down the NEX path also revolves around the APS-C sensor in terms of compromise in focal length. I come from a film background and I want my 35mm lens to be 35mm! If that is the case than I will need to outlay for more wide glass. Even the Zeiss E 24mm 1.8 has it's pundits. I wish Canon would make a full frame version of this little beast with a native EF mount. I'd spoil myself with the Zeiss 21mm T* ZE. Although not super portable one could hopefully get an M adapter onto it and use one of the vast array of tiny M Mount wides out there. Problem solved and I'd have the dream lens kit for both bodies.</p>

<p> </p>

[m_m3]

<p>Luminous Landscape says</p>

<ul>

<li>The sensor on the NEX-7 leaves little to be desired. If you want to make big prints or to do extreme cropping, a high resolution 24MP sensor is the answer. Short of the 36 Megapixel sensors coming on some 2012 full frame cameras, and even larger ones on a handful of medium format cameras, this is the highest resolution sensor available, and in the smallest and lightest form factor. Quite a trick.</li>

</ul>

[john_tran14]

<p>Most of us can't compare them that way. The cameras themselves can't make any photos. You depend on the lenses and most of us never use the same lenses on those two cameras. Even when you use adapters and try to use the same lenses on them, then the test result may depend on the lense you use. Or maybe you should try and compare with a Pentax K 50mm 1.4?</p>

[george_doumani]

<p>I suppose what I really desire is a body and not a system. I do not want to invest in a system like I have with Canon EOS purely due to the enormous financial outlay. I want a body that will allow me to simply be more portable without any noticeable sacrifice in IQ with the lenses (both Leica M and Canon EF) I already own.</p>

<p>It was heartening to see the release of the Canon G1X. Finally a truly portable camera with a decent sized sensor BUT why did they put a zoom lens in such a thing? I for one would outlay for this camera if it had a fast semi-wide fixed focal length lens in it of say (f1.8 35mm in 135 film). No... instead they deem that camera would be too much of a threat to DSLR sales or isn't there a market for it? Look at the Sigma DP2 or some of the Ricoh portables - big sensors, relatively low pixel density + small bodies = many happy people.</p>

<p> </p>

[leslie_cheung]

<blockquote>

<p>Finally a truly portable camera with a decent sized sensor</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Have you looked the the G1X really? It isn't very portable small nor is the AF/shutter lag short enough. Really, it's much bigger than canon's G12 and as sloow as the G12. Regarding the sony, the 5n does corner shift better than nex 7 I heard...<br>

<br /></p>

<blockquote>

<p><br /></p>

</blockquote>

[pbizarro]

<p>" I want a body that will allow me to simply be more portable without any noticeable sacrifice in IQ with the lenses (both Leica M and Canon EF) I already own."<br>

Well, there is no free lunch... if the 5D plus 35L is too big for you, you could buy a EOS Rebel (or 600D) with one of the new lenses that will be released soon, i.e. 24 2.8 IS or 28 2.8 IS. The 24 lens in a crop body would give you close to your favourite 35mm angle of view. A 600D with such a lens would be a lot smaller than the 5D plus 35L. With the benefit of image stabilisation... The sensor in the 600D is the same as the one in the 7D, meaning it is very good indeed.</p>

[john_tran14]

<blockquote>

<p>be more portable ...<br>

why did they put a zoom lens in such a thing?...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I remember a lot of DSLR users are thrilled with the 18-200mm zoom even though these zooms are very bad in many ways and the price is high. Why? because they want to be more portable and they are willing to sacrifice a lot for that.<br>

There's no need to check out the cameras nor reading any reviews to be sure that the Canon G1X cannot perform as well as the Canon 1DX in anyway. But people are willing to accept compromise. I hope the G1X will be available soon</p>