NEX field trip

[artington]

Relaxing after lunch on a river cruise ship looking out over the river Neva in St Petersburg I thought I'd jot down a few thoughts about the NEX-5 I've been using exclusively on this trip to Russia. It's been the first proper outing for this camera and I'm about 600 images and several HD videos in so far. I've used two lenses only, the kit 18-55 and my Leica Elmarit M 90/2.8.

Firstly, ergonomics. I'm used to SLRs with view finders and really hate the LCD screen for framing because I cannot see it in any kind of sunlight. Tilting the screen sometimes helps a little but not in a meaningful way. I admit this is partly an eyesight problem - I cannot focus properly at distances shorter than about 15 inches, for which I have reading glasses. I would need special specs to nail using the LCD. Clearly this is an age issue - younger people seem to have no problems. Still, I shall be glad when an EVF becomes available.

While framing is an issue, auto-focusing is, for the most part, fine with the LCD because I can see the little green square even if the scene content is indistinct. I ave noticed that hazy conditions do not make for sharp image quality at infinity although that might be due to my permanently attached high transmission polarising filter.

Manual focusing, despite the very helpful MF assist, is difficult in anything other than shady conditions. It helps to know your lens, too. Each of the MF lenses I have tried on the NEX focuses a little beyond infinity and focus has to be adjusted accordingly although this is only really an issue wide open. But full aperture availability is a prime reason for using alternative lenses to the stock Sony AF ones because the latter are not much good as you open up beyond around F8.

Apart from my real need for an EVF the other ergonomical issue concerns the sheer smallness of the camera body. I may have got used to a sloppy handling style with bigger cameras but I do find myself cupping the NEX in my right palm and often shooting one handed. This is a mistake. I have lost count of the number of times I have inadvertently done one of the following: depressed the right side of the control wheel to be informed that no flash is fitted; changed EV compensation by depressing the lower part of the same wheel; changed ISO after depressing the centre button; started a video by depressing the movie button. This last is very easy to do and if you can't see the LCD screen properly is extremely confusing because you wonder why you can't focus / shoot and, if like me, turn the camera to face the ground to try to see what's going on, then bring it back to the subject, etc. This did actually produce one hilarious clip alternating views between my wife and my feet interspersed with my cursing!

So, you do need to watch what you're doing with this camera starting off with holding it correctly - indeed a 2 handed approach with the right thumb on the designated resting patch and right palm well away from the side of the camera is the way to go. It helps also to remember to switch ISO back to 400 or whatever after a night / internal shot as it's very easy to forget and carrying in snapping happily away until the camera reminds you you are transgressing its fastest speed limit!

But get past all this and it's a very rewarding camera because the images are splendid and high ISO use is not overly noisy, at least up to around 3200 - I've yet to see how ACR's NR facility handles this. I shall really be glad of an EVFm though, not least because it will make my Minolta and Leica / Voigtlander primes eminently usable with the brilliant MF assist. Right now, the AF is great but the current inventory of Sony E lenses leave a bit to be desired unless stopped down to f8.

[bakubo]

Firstly, ergonomics. I'm used to SLRs with view finders and really hate the LCD screen for framing because I cannot see it in any kind of sunlight. Tilting the screen sometimes helps a little but not in a meaningful way. I admit this is partly an eyesight problem - I cannot focus properly at distances shorter than about 15 inches, for which I have reading glasses. I would need special specs to nail using the LCD. Clearly this is an age issue - younger people seem to have no problems. Still, I shall be glad when an EVF becomes available.

Thanks for your report.

The U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, Korea, and others had a baby boom and in all of these countries those in that baby boom generation are in their late 40s to 60s. They are also the largest demographic group with the most disposable income. Here in the U.S. I have seen news articles about how all kinds of companies are gearing their advertising and new products to them. Also, TV shows and movies are being made that will attract them. It is a change from earlier times when almost everything was aimed at younger people. Easy to understand though because in earlier times the baby boom generation was younger!

Perplexing how Sony decided to severely limit the market for the NEX among the largest demographic group with the most disposable income.

[bakubo]

I expect that Sony will be adding an EVF to NEX in the future, at least for some models. Just look at Sony video cameras. Notice that LCD-only is for the low-end video cameras. The low-end stuff often just has an LCD, but the NEX-VG10 and higher-end video cameras all have an EVF. I expect there will continue to be the lower end NEX bodies that don't have an EVF though, just as Sony's lower end videocams don't have an EVF.

[alphaomega]

Excellent report artington. Basically reflects my experience with my NEX-5. I don't have the MF problems as I only use the 16mm pancake and 18-55 zoom. It remains a fact that whatever negatives can be said about the NEX-5, with my advancing years I enjoy the image quality that this little gem can produce and there is little risk of getting tired of carrying it and lenses a whole day. Basically you have to put up with inconveniences in order to benefit from the low weight/high quality ratio available. I will probably also buy the NEX-C3 with 18-200 mm zoom if Sony see fit to offer an attractive kit price. It has to be below £1,000 here in UK.

[bakubo]

It remains a fact that whatever negatives can be said about the NEX-5, with my advancing years I enjoy the image quality that this little gem can produce and there is little risk of getting tired of carrying it and lenses a whole day. Basically you have to put up with inconveniences in order to benefit from the low weight/high quality ratio available.

Yes, oh yes, the NEX 5 and small lenses sure are attractive for just that reason.

I will probably also buy the NEX-C3 with 18-200 mm zoom if Sony see fit to offer an attractive kit price. It has to be below £1,000 here in UK.

By the way, here is a photo of the NEX 5 + 18-200mm next to a Canon 550D + 18-200mm. It would be interesting to see the A55 + 18-250mm or Tamron 18-270mm PZD (both lenses are smaller and lighter than the Sony E-mount 18-200mm) next to it too.

[artington]

The comp photo illustrates well the other issue (apart from EVF) that Sony as to address with the NEX system and that is achieving the philosopher's stone of small size quality lenses. The 18-200 does not fit the bill. I suspect that physical constraints means that no fast zoom lens will but ingenious manufacturers may get close enough. My guess is that Zeiss will lead the way here if it can produce a smaller version of the CZ 16-80 which for me is the ideal range for APS-C. The NEX kit zoom is a bit too short and also not up to the potential of the sensor.

Quality small lenses are the domain of Leica, Zeiss and Cosina, none of whom have done a zoom apart from Zeiss with the Contax G 35-70 and alpha mount CZ zooms (the Tri-Elmar is not a zoom). These will come at a big premium price and will not suit the market sector that Sony appears to be targeting. However, the early baby boomers, as Bakubo and alphaomega have pointed out, are crying out for lightweight, high quality digital camera / lens combos which focus automatically and these people will often have the cash to pay for quality glass, even if demurring - as I now do - from coughing up the absurd prices now demanded by Leica, whose current customers must clearly come from the Chinese and Russian rentier class.

[alphaomega]

Your picture gives me food for thought Bakubo. That 18-200 for NEX is bulky. I have been thinking about this and wondering if instead I should consider the new A35 with this specification (if sonyalpharumors.com SR5 can be relied on). http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-the- ... a35-specs/

Looks like it is photographed adjacent to the 55-200mm zoom. 433 g weight v. my A580 at 599 g.

Will await developments. Maybe this camera with Tamron's new 18-270 zoom will be a relatively light set-up with a w/a zoom to cover 10-270mm. That will do me. I can then establish a museum of Sony DSLR cameras with my A700, A350, A550 and A580.

[DrScottNicol]

Artington, I have a partial solution for you re viewing the screen in sunlight - there are several 'pop up' screen shades now on ebay that cover the nex screen. I've had mixed success with them - they do work in keeping the screen viewable and actually are reasonably slim and suit the NEX body style. Howver, build quality is generally poor and they are easy to break. But at 6GBP, they are cheap and worth a look whilst we wait for sony to bring out an EVF addon / NEX with built in EVF.

Scott

[bossel]

I am just back from a one week trip to Lisbon -and to give a first quick feedback, the NEX5 got much more use than the A700.

I agree concerning the need for a EVF, this would help.

Also, small lenses would be nice. But then, in my eyes, the 18-200 was developped for Sony's new video cameras which happen to share the E-mount with the NEX. Can't sell a video camera without a 10x zoom.

I am waiting for a smaller 16-80 or 16-105 and a NEX 7 which would do the trick for me.

[alphaomega]

Just back from ten days in Switzerland. Only good thing to say about weather - it was better than here in Scotland. Dumped my A580 and three lenses when evaluating total travel load and brought instead my NEX-5 with pancake, w/A converter and 18-55mm. Apart from confirming Artington's experiences (again)

I have lost count of the number of times I have inadvertently done one of the following: depressed the right side of the control wheel to be informed that no flash is fitted; changed EV compensation by depressing the lower part of the same wheel; changed ISO after depressing the centre button;

I also found that when taking pictures from tranis (some still have opening windows) the AF was often too slow and the AE took an age to go from white to correct exposure. Picture opportunity gone by the time the NEX was ready. Not buying any new NEX until the speed (or lack of) of AF and AE is vastly improved. If Pana and now apparently Oly can do it why not Sony? I am committed to NEX if Sony can deliver the remaining improvements as the NEX has (and will probably continue to have) superior IQ compared with 4/3 system products.

[David Kilpatrick]

It's worth commenting that the AF/AE response of the NEX-C3 is supposed to be 2X faster than the NEX-5/3. I won't get one as I do not want 720P maximum video quality, I will wait for a NEX-C5.

David