Sony NEX-5 camera review
We first got a quick peek at Sony’s NEX-5 at a Sony event a couple of months back, and were suitably impressed with the overall design. It’s not as bulky as a full on DSLR, while having more control, than your average point-n-shoot pocket camera. We finally got a review unit from Sony a couple of weeks back and have passed it around the bullpen. Click on past the break for our impressions, and some sample images from the NEX-5.
Paul’s Thoughts:
So after playing with the Sony for an hour, I was impressed with the controls – especially coming from Sony, who have annoyed me in the past by vomiting their device controls into menu-style lists without much regard for the speed/frequency with which each particular setting is needed by someone who knows photography. But I was *not* so impressed with the image quality. The range of ISO settings available sounds mighty impressive, but try finding the sweet spot where you can do low-light photography without much noise, and you won’t really find one. You’ll have to accept some noise in low light (meaning, typical indoor one-bulb room light) with this camera. The best compromise I found was at ISO 1600, but it’s still no great shakes when it comes to getting a clean image in your buddy’s TV room.
What I really did appreciate is the sheer amount of manual control I had available. Not only was I able nail down every single exposure-related setting (including focus) and completely avoid the amateurish wavering lighting you get from an automatic, which is what I’d expect from this type of camera — I was able to engage any combination of settings for full HD video as well as stills. No mostly-crippled ‘movie mode’ ghetto here: *all* modes are available in either still or motion picture form. That feature’s been a long time coming, and I’m glad to see it. Let the copycats begin.
And I was surprised to find myself enjoying using Sony’s menu system this time around. Virtualising a standard photographic shooting-mode wheel on the screen, assigned to a quick-access hot button on the camera, is a great idea, and it made me feel comfortable and at home.
By the end of an hour’s practice I could completely change the visual behaviour of the camera within seconds, almost as fast as I have been on my Canons. Between that and the full-width focus and mechanical zoom (rack-focus and snap-zooms are two common bits of film language that are unreproducible on most pocket digital cams), this is not a bad bit of kit at all for indie field production. But be sure to bring a light.
Dave’s take:
So I got a chance to play with Sony’s new NEX-5 EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchanges Lenses) digital camera over the weekend and I have to say I am impressed. Now, that isn’t easy for me to say because I generally do not like Sony cameras. But that’s a personal preference that would take a whole other article to explain. I managed to put that bias aside (it wasn’t easy) in order to try out this new camera.
Here are my initial likes:
- 14.2 MP resolution
- the sweep panorama mode. It’s dead easy to create extremely wide panoramic shot. Press the shutter button and pan the camera in the direction you set the camera to “sweep” and it will automatically take a series of shot to stitch together automatically!
- absolutely love the LCD screen. Colourful & sharp, it shows off the equally impressive live view very well.
- live view is silky smooth video, looks like watching a video monitor without that DSLR stutter.
- AF is fast even when recording HD video
- body handles well, very comfortable grip
- built-in help guides an awesome ideas for beginners
- really fast continuous shooting, helped a great deal on HDR photos even when I took those pictures handheld instead of using a tripod.
Here are my inital dislikes:
- the LCD T-swivel screen. I’ve never like that type of swivel screen. It only pivots up or down, which I find very limiting because some of the shots I do need the screen to be flipped out from the body as well as tilting up or down.
- do not like having all the controls accessible only through the menus. This is the one thing that really annoys me. I prefer to have some settings like the ISO and Modes on an actual dial or button. Coming from DSLRs and professional video cameras, I like not having to fumble through a set of menus and submenus. Turn the dial and that’s it.
- infra-red & autofocus sensors in awkward places on the camera, can easily be covered up by your left hand. Now, I don’t have huge hands, but because these sensors are located just slightly above the grip made it super easy to get them covered and presto, you’ve got no metering or autofocus. (see update below)
- and lastly, I do not like the 17 Mbps HD video. For the average casual user, yes, it’s great for home movies. But that’s it. Indie shoestring budget filmmakers have many other options than to get this camera. But then, they are not the target market for this camera anyway.
So in the end, as a camera for the novice and casual user, it’s a great camera. Especially if they have spent all their lives using Point-&-Shooters and are ready to upgrade to something a bit more powerful. It’s dead easy to use and has a lot of great features. But for the intermediate or advanced shooter who may already be comfortable with a DSLR, some of the choices Sony has made are going to drive them up the wall.
Doug’s Take:
I’m the one with the least photographic experience here. I never used an SLR before they went digital, and rarely used a DSLR, so my take is from the point-n-shoot n00b school. On that front, although Dave didn’t seem too impressed by the virtual dial, I have to agree with Paul that it’s an interesting and effective way to simulate a physical dial. In fact, I enjoyed playing with the camera in general.
The overall design of the hardware, with a magnesium alloy body, fits really well in the hand and is pretty comfortable to use. The controls were easy to use, and I can see this working as a toe-dip into something more than a point and shoot. The only qualm I have is about it are the pricing. The starting MSRP of $649 with a single 16mm lens gets you into low end DSLR territory, so even a toe-dip is a pretty costly one. On the other hand, this may end up being more than enough camera for those looking to get beyond their point-n-shoot, and with the base lens isn’t so bulky as a full on DSLR.
UPDATE: We kind of goofed regarding sensor placement. The NEX cameras, like traditional DSLR cameras uses through the lens metering and focusing. So unless the lens is blocked, the AF or AE metering are unaffected.
The red rectangle on the grip is the IR receiver for using the wireless remote control (in which case your hand would not be anywhere near the grip). The white circle closer to the lens is an AF assist light for low light AF assist. It would be possible if you have a very awkward grip to block some of that light.
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