Ok so has promised in my first hour thread about the NEX 7... this morning between new father tasks ... I have been able to go outside a few moment.

Unfortunately the temperature was so high that I have not been able to focus at infinity because of warm air distortion. Excuse me for the boring subject , but has time now for doing this activities is very precious I had to improvise with what around me (for man looking to be future DAD, don't be afraid of this time you will not have to play with your camera, time with your kid are WAY BETTER ! than loosing your time doing pixel peeping ...). So, has a result I have choose a tree about 200 feet from the tripod.

The test was to put both camera or lens (if tripod lens mount available) at the same place and targeting the same subject.

NEX 7 directly in the lens, and the A900 with the Minolta 1.4x II. Both at the same total aperture (example : NEX 7 + 200mm at F5.6 => A900 + 200mm at 4.0 + 1.4x tele converter).

LINK: http://www.pbase.com/nadeauf/testa900_nex7_crop

[ 400mm example at F11 : A900 + 1.4x LEFT , NEX 7 RIGHT ]


My observation so far:

1- Focusing is a pain with the A900 for this kind of test, you need to redo and redo focus and checking picture to make sure you are at the best focus setting.

2- On the three lenses all at the equivalent of the minimum aperture of the A900 with the 1.4x was sharper center to corner. And as a bonus, you can reduce the aperture to get more light.

3- The Macro 200mm is superb ... and it is not even stress at open aperture by the NEX 7, I'm looking to probably do future test to see if there is gain in detail using the 1.4x combine with the NEX 7.

4- Both camera was set to evaluate the light in the same way. But ... There is something strange with the ISO 100 of the A900. Even if the A900 is setting it exposure longer than the NEX 7, it is darker than the NEX 7. At a point where I'm thinking that a quick evaluation show me half a stop less sensitive ... (But I really not sure so fare of the exactitude ..., I was focusing this test on detail not exposure ... )

5- MISSING of the 2 sec shutter delay on the NEX 7 ... if there is one ... please show me how to get it ... 10 second is too long ... (but I like the 3 pictures in a row after 10 seconds but not for the same work ...).


I think you can trust the 400mm 4.5 and the Macro anything at full aperture. The 200mm 2.8 become very good at 4.0 only with the NEX 7 to my test (with chromatic aberration). I have not provide picture at this aperture on my test because of the context.

Shooting at 600mm 4.5 equivalent with the NEX 7 on the 400mm 4.5 has to be done on very good atmospheric air condition, because even a small fog ... or to much dust in the air will make you feel the lens is not sharp...

So look at the picture and take your own conclusion.

Regards,

Frank

I'd guess it takes a D800/800E to beat Nex7 here... And I would really buy a D800/800E if were shopping for a body of that size/format.

Also, my educated guess would be that Nex7 must be stellar with certain lenses, quite unlike the 5N that was merely OK with almost everything but never really stellar.

in fact here, the D800 should be equivalent to the NEX 5N. Because the crop ratio of the D800 is very near to the Nex 5N sensor and also developed by the same company at the same moment.

Economically for the moment, I will stay with my NEX 7 ... , the purchase of the D800 is very not welcome in my 2012 budget ... (also that the price of Hard drive are still high ... )

Regards,

Frank

That's easy - as you are setting the delayed drive mode, the lower function button is saying 'OPTIONS', so there is an option to change between 10s/2s delay.
(I still hate the Nex7 interface - need too much time to accommodate to it.)

Thank you ! for the 2 second setting .

I`m unfortunately the kind of person that don`t read user manual ... so I have missed this functionality.

So far, the default setting of the wheels and button the NEX 7 is great to my use. But I`m agree, once you have to leave the direct control it is another story. But sometime I telling myself is it because this is too different to another camera menu ... and we will be use too in the future ... ?

Frank