Nex Cameras as reviewed by DPReview

[David Kilpatrick]

Paul Genge from Sony agrees with you Barry. They have no problems with the dPreview writeup and held direct meetings with them to discuss the issues with the lenses. They read the forum there and don't pay more attention to the forum folk than they do to dPreview.

Paul also tells me that all the lens samples used earlier on have been withdrawn (scrapped) and 'Grade A' final production is a week or so away for UK deliveries, and that all reviewers will be sent mass produced and definitely not hand picked items, of a quality which consumers will get.

David

[Edgars L]

A900 just gives the impression to people that I'm a serious professional photographer (yes I am thankyou, but I don't want anyone to figure that out!!!)

In general I agree with you and as I mentioned only some long lens helps to avoid attention of people. Therefore I'm also planing to by NEX with some lens.

About status is a bit different story. In formal events pro photographers are allowed to enter in places which is closed for other people. With A900 and impudence I could easily go in "closed areas". Of course if accreditation is checked carefully, NEX would be better choice because in contrary to A900 it is like a PS camera and accreditation is not necessary.

[Dusty]

A900 just gives the impression to people that I'm a serious professional photographer (yes I am thankyou, but I don't want anyone to figure that out!!!)

In general I agree with you and as I mentioned only some long lens helps to avoid attention of people. Therefore I'm also planing to by NEX with some lens.

About status is a bit different story. In formal events pro photographers are allowed to enter in places which is closed for other people. With A900 and impudence I could easily go in "closed areas". Of course if accreditation is checked carefully, NEX would be better choice because in contrary to A900 it is like a PS camera and accreditation is not necessary.

When I was shooting for a small publication and used my MD Minoltas, I often got overlooked because I didn't have Nikon or Canon. That was fine, especially where pros were persona non grata, but there were time I had to insist that I was a pro and show off a press pass to be allowed in, simply because of my favorite brand of cameras.

I would think Vincheczo, that an a350/450/550 would give you the quality you need without the 'Pro' stigma attached to it.

Dusty

[vincenzo]

I can see what you chaps mean, and imagine if I was working in the press doing events DSLR has its advantages as you point out. I considered the A550 that you recommended too, a good choice, seriously considered it, but I went NEX 5 and with Ricoh GXR instead. I realised I don't need the advantages DSLR cameras offer anymore.
Hope the optical viewfinder and wide-angle adapter for nex are ready.
Ideal for reportage, environmental portraits and interiors. If I do get a SLR again it will be the Pentax Kx with 15mm F4

[Javelin]

Anyone else find this whole NEX thing on DPR kind of odd? DPR staff are all over the forum defending the review details against people that are defending the camera. they are however ignoring the people that complained about the way the reviews are carried out and deeleted some threads on the subject inparticular a direct comparison of language used in Sony vs canikon reviews. now I see they are telling everyone how the camera companies value their personal input on design.

so much so Phil has managed to hit the list of top posters there.. does that even happen,, ever?

[pakodominguez]

Anyone else find this whole NEX thing on DPR kind of odd?

Yep.
Too much noise, in general.
I think the sens of community on that forum is weaker than ever.
In other hand, I think NEX will be BIG

[redsim74]

For what reason? That they were being criticized?

As I remember it was criticism of the review process and a perceived vendetta against KM cameras by DPReview.

[Birma]

Anyone else find this whole NEX thing on DPR kind of odd?

It is odd, but IMHO not unexpected. I think it has been bubbling under the surface for a long time. I generally value the breadth of information on the site and I used it extensively in my early digital days when researching new cameras (P&S initially). Even then I found their conclusions oddly balanced - I can remember struggling to understand their conclusions on the A100 (I got one anyway ). I believe there is no intentional bias against Sony, but I think that there is a photography "conservatism" from the reviewers. A consumer electronics company is going to be a challenge to this. Canon and Nikon (primarily photography companies) are not a challenge to this.

I am surprised at how the DPR staff have come out "all guns blazing" . Strikes me as being a bit over-protective. I lost faith in the integrity of the staff/site over the DK incident.

I agree with Henry's thread on DPR about "brand/corporation" being the new religion. I also agree with Pako that the Nex will be big this summer.

[bfitzgerald]

It was IMO unwise for the DPR team to try to defend things so vigorously on the forum..I'd have just let the posts die out and ignore it.
On the other hand looking over many of their previous reviews it's fairly easy to spot when they like something handling wise and design etc..(Canon G series for one) I was not even slightly shocked that they didn't like the handling and menus of the NEX. So maybe old school design disturbs some..I actually think it's a bit of a shame it's very much a secondary thought for some companies (and not just Sony). OVF pretty much RIP on most compacts, much button pressing on many just to do simple tasks or get to a basic setting.

I still see design as being an important part of any camera compact, bridge type or SLR. I don't mind change..but it's nice to have something "good" and well thought out.

I'm sure Sony UK have no problems with the review..and I've been convinced for a long time they don't take any notice of forum posters (or reviewers come to that) But it's Sony Japan that calls the shots..they design the cameras and Toru is the man who surely has the final say on things. I'd bet they would be a lot happier if it got a rave review..but DPR isn't the world we have magazines and other sites. Maybe NEX will be a hit..but for me I see smaller companies that are making a good effort at providing tools for photographers. Sony have moved away from this..and I think they will regret it in the long run.

[agorabasta]

Paul Genge from Sony agrees with you Barry. They have no problems with the dPreview writeup and held direct meetings with them to discuss the issues with the lenses. They read the forum there and don't pay more attention to the forum folk than they do to dPreview.

Sure they (Sony) pay much attention to DPR, sure they try to have 'good' relations and extensive communication. The DPR is simply having the most traffic of all photo-geek sites on the web. So dealing with them is a part of marketing job.
Some 15-10 years ago there were some PC-hardware sites that generated much geek traffic (e.g tomshardware.com and later anandtech.com). Big companies like Intel and AMD were paying a lot of attention to them, sending them (pre)production samples of new processors so that those geek sites wrote 'reviews' of those things. Smaller equipment companies like Asus made a way to their current success also much through those review sites.
Then PCs became commodity items, much like TVs and fridges and much like the consumer 35mm film still cameras of past decades. Geeks left, comsumers stayed to drop by infrequently. And nobody takes those review sites for what they pretended to be anymore.

Now DPR is a typical geek site. They are not a site for pro photogs in any way. They are not a site for consumers either - they despise the comsumers.

Here comes the NEX - a clearly consumer-oriented item. Sure they hate it, as it's a clear sign of doom and gloom for the geek sites' 'business'. That's the dead end for them if they don't change, and if they do, it's still the end to their geekdom that became their self-identity.

Now about the NEX itself - the only thing that it clearly lacks, the one thing that would make it perfect for me (and I believe for many others as well), is a kind of a customisable 'user menu page' arranged like a quick-navi screen but with customizable slots. Such a thing sure can be added to any modern computer-based gadget interface.
I wouldn't hate the NEX without it; the so much lauded and DPR beloved Lx3 has a less usable interface overall, and I still like the cam and use it. But I would simply love a NEX with added 'user menu'.

[Greg Beetham]

I don't think it's directly a new form of religion, or corporate idolization that has self appointed defenders of the realm etc. I think the current brouhaha over the NEX review at dpr is more related to the temperamental nature of some who use a camera as their chosen medium of artistic expression, and have identified with their 'chosen' brand as a means to do so. They subconsciously see the/any negative comment by dpr on the new Sony photographic tool as an attempt to unfairly limit the potential of that artistic expression when they had all been keyed up too a high level with anticipation....sooo they just chuck a little fit and attack the reviewers for fogging their rose coloured glasses.
So no, I don't think there will be a 'Sony' movement that you have to join in order to 'fit in' or it could be bad for you and your relatives, or some secret society that does chanting in the woods near a big fire complete with secret symbols, gradually spiralling out of control over time and descending into human sacrifice etc.
Greg

[rogprov]

Those of us who inhabit these forums and review sites can easily forget that the casual consumer who just wants a camera for general snaps is far more likely to read one of the many monthly mags. than scour the internet for reviews. I know from experience by the number folk who asked me what camera they should buy that many do no research at all (I was "the photographer" at work). They want a camera to function, just as many consumer appliances do, with minimum user input beyond pressing a button or two.

[Javelin]

Most consumers are instantly put off by the jargon and abrevieations in the forums and a lot of the reviews are also not plain speking enough. Most try it once then go for simpler options. other that stick with it eventually turn up on a forum with their first post titled "confused" or "stupid newbie question" and then sometimes those get steped on

[Winedarksea]

And the NEX is not made for the geeks at all in any sense - every lamer is invited - just as every sane photog can easily command the thing to their liking.

Spot on: NEX is made for hipsters, not for geeks.


That's right on the money, Pako--the NEX cameras are made for hipsters, not geeks. That's why articles like the article in the NY Times are so inportant. Hipsters of all ages. And NEX will do very well in the marketplace.

Agorabasta may have a very good point there as well. Note the posts by Vicenzo in this string. The NEX cameras--and other related cameras as well, but the NEX most of all--represent a fundamental shift in paradigm, wherein the high priests of the geek dslr cult (such as the DPR reviewers) have to redefine themselves or drift into obsolescence. It may just be that there isn't anything they can do about it.

[bakubo]

I will keep an eye on the NEX series of cameras to see what Sony does with later versions. I very rarely jump on bandwagons and get stuff just because a lot of other people do and I also rarely buy stuff just because it looks cool. The current NEX cameras don't look that interesting for me for several reasons:

1. Too big to fit in a pocket. Okay, maybe with the 24mm you can fit it into the side pocket of some cargo shorts, but with the other lenses it is too big.

2. No EVF/OVF. To use the LCD I would need to always take out my reading glasses. I like using LV sometimes and with the tilting LCD that is cool, but to have no other choice then I am not really interested. Also, in bright sun it is a really big problem. Here in Hawaii I often use the digicams/phone cameras of tourists at the beach to take their photo. Most of them are LCD only. Man, it sure is tough to see anything in the LCD in the sun. Yeah, someone on dpreview said no problem, just get a Hoodman Loupe:

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/prodinfo.asp?number=H-LPP3

Uh, yeah, right. Hold the lens with your left hand and control the zoom ring, use your right hand to hold the Hoodman next to the LCD, and then use your other hand to control the shutter button.

3. No SSS in the body so 24mm is not stabilized. It is in the zoom lenses, but they are probably a bit bigger because of it. I suspect that just like Canon, Sony will be able to put it in zoom lenses, but have trouble doing it for prime lenses.

I haven't looked at the menus so I don't care much about that issue. Of course, if I had one I might care more, but I suspect one can work around that to use it.

Actually, I was thinking that once the NEX + 18-55mm lens gets beyond pocket size then maybe the A380 + 18-55mm would be better in several ways. Still pretty small, SSS, has nice fast LV, tiltable LCD, and has an OVF. No video mode, but I don't care about that.

Anyway, I can see why a lot of people like the NEX.