By Mike Zawadzki, Technical Specialist
The most important thing to mention is that the image quality of the Sony NEX-5 is up to par with any APS-C camera, including the Canon EOS 7D and the Nikon D300s. Additionally a Sony NEX-5 (with a 18-55mm lens) is about half the price of the 7D or D300s, body only. If you don't believe me, there are lab tests that re-enforce this. Some Canon/Nikon fanboys or girls are probably stubborn enough to think this is impossible. Personally I don't believe spending $1,600+ on a camera makes you a product representative for the brand, but hey to each their own. Don't get me wrong I like specific cameras and lenses for certain jobs, but I always keep an open mind to new products. Here are some questions I came up with and I have done my best to answer them. If you have any questions about the Sony NEX-3 or 5, please feel free to ask.
1) If this camera is that good, will all photographers enjoy using a Sony NEX camera?
The short answer is a simple "yes" The camera handled well and compared to what I am normally used to walking around with, this was a joy to use. I came to the same conclusion about the Olympus E-PL1 a few months ago as well. The APS-C sensor in the NEX-5 is a massive beast compared to even the best point and shoot sensors, so image quality is phenomenal.
2) How does it compare to the Olympus E-PL1?
It really isn't a fair comparison if you go based on image quality. The PEN puts up a good fight and there is a lot to like about it, but it's like comparing a Nikon D300 to a D700. They are both similar cameras, but one has a much bigger sensor than the other. For some people this makes all the difference in the world, especially those shooting at high ISO. At the same time a bigger sensor means bigger lenses. Therefore the E-PL1 is a bit lighter in weight. The ever looming question of "which one should I get?" is one I won't answer. There is plenty information readily available about both products for you to make that big boy/girl choice all by yourself :)
3) Is there anything you didn't like about the camera?
There is only one control wheel on the back, so adjusting shutter speed and aperture requires button mashing in manual shooting mode. The same goes for shooting modes, no dial on the top, all in the menus.
I was puzzled by the inability to turn of noise reduction completely, it can only be set to "AUTO" or "WEAK" which aren't very descriptive. Are there times when "AUTO" uses less NR than "WEAK" or is "WEAK" always less. Additionally when you use certain settings, other ones become inactive or totally disabled. For example if you are shooting in RAW format, you can not use in-camera HDR. The option simply appears grayed out with a message of "This function/feature is currently unavailable" I was able to figure out why, but for many point and shoot consumers it would be nice to explain why it it was disabled. I mean they've practically included a free photography textbook in the help menu on this camera, so why not make it easier for consumers to understand why they can't use certain features in different shooting modes?
The lack of a hot shoe or even Sony's proprietary accessory shoe is disappointing. I would like the ability to use pocket wizards to trigger external lights. Also I haven't seen a wireless or wired shutter release.
 |
| No hot shoe. |
There is no optional electronic viewfinder like the Olympus VF-2 which can be used on the PEN cameras. At times I found myself bring the camera up to my face/eye as an instinctual reaction when I wanted to take a picture, only to be disappointed.
 |
| The Excellent Olympus VF-2 Viewfinder |
My point is that this is an amateur camera with professional image quality and options and features that make it attractive to several types of photographers. If you are considering buying a DSLR for the better image quality, but don't know a lot about photography, I would highly suggest the NEX. You won't regret it.
At the same time if you are a seasoned photography veteran who demands top quality and precision, you could go spend thousands of dollars on a Leica lens, buy an adapter, and use all manual exposure settings.
The beauty of the camera is versatility, but for me it was important (for the sake of objectivity) to point out a few of the features I wasn't 100% thrilled with.
 |
| Leica: "We take the world's most expensive pictures" While you probably won't be putting a $10,000 Noctilux 50mm f/.95 on your NEX-5, the point is you CAN! |
The beauty of the camera is versatility, but for me it was important (for the sake of objectivity) to point out a few of the features I wasn't 100% thrilled with.
4. Is that tiny flash really useful?
Just like any built in or "pop up" flash there is limited application for such a small source of light that is so close to the camera. Also when using the 18-55mm lens with the included lens shade/hood there will be a shadow cast at longer focal lengths because the flash is not high enough off of the camera. This is typical for most DSLR cameras with lenses that have shades/hoods. However I found that the little flash holds its own when being used as a fill flash during the day. Here are a few images that I shot using the flash for basic fill-in. Overall the NEX-5 did a good to very good job judging the scene and throwing out the right amount of fill flash.
5. So what are the best features about this camera?
In Camera Panorama
-In my opinion, the in camera panoramic shooting mode is easily the coolest feature the NEX has. All you have to do is press down the shutter and slowly pan the camera in the direction of your choice. While moving subjects close to the lens will become choppy and distorted, it works well for scenic shots. As long as you hold the camera relatively steady, the panoramas come out great. Here are a couple examples that I took. (Click to Enlarge)
"Trublack" tilt LCD Monitor
-If digital cameras were judged only by their LCD Monitors, the Sony NEX would be the best camera of all time! Wow, the "TruBlack" widescreen has a 921K dot resolution like many other higher end cameras, but the LCD monitor on the NEX-5 cameras is by far the best LCD I have ever seen on a camera. It can be viewed from any angle without colors or brightness being altered. In addition it can be set to "Sunny Weather" mode which will make the screen extra bright for easy outside viewing. It is also worth mentioning that the LCD can be tilted either up or down to make high/low angle shooting easier. Sony obviously knows a thing or two about displays so I am not surprised.
-In camera HDR
This is one of the features I was more skeptical about, it seems like everyone is including this feature in cameras now. I don't want to misadvertise the feature so I will explain how it works. Don't expect the crazy acid-trip HDR photos that you can get from using Photomatix or NIK's HDR Efex Pro. The AUTO-HDR on the Sony NEX takes three shots and uses one as a base exposure and the other two as exposures of highlights and shadows. To it's credit it works quite well in harsh lighting situations. Here is an example I shot outside our building in the parking lot. I found that in "normal" lighting conditions it doesn't do much besides flatten out the contrast and recover some of the highlights.
-Size Matters
As I've mentioned a couple times already and in the video, I was so impressed by the image quality coming off of the APS-C sized sensor in the NEX-5. Not only does this help provide better tonal range, it allows for more shallow depth of field which is good for portraits and other types of photography. Here is a shot that I couldn't have taken with a smaller sized sensor camera, the depth of field would be much different if shot on a compact camera.
As I've mentioned a couple times already and in the video, I was so impressed by the image quality coming off of the APS-C sized sensor in the NEX-5. Not only does this help provide better tonal range, it allows for more shallow depth of field which is good for portraits and other types of photography. Here is a shot that I couldn't have taken with a smaller sized sensor camera, the depth of field would be much different if shot on a compact camera.
Conclusion
Overall I really enjoyed using the NEX-5. It provides stellar image quality and stunning 1080p video recording. You couldn't ask for better image quality out of such a camera this small. Right now I would venture to say it is the best pound for pound camera on the market. Again there are some quirks such as not being able to shut Noise Reduction off, no Electronic Viewfinder, and no PC-sync or hotshoe for using pocket wizards, but those are features MOST people won't be missing. They are certainly things I think Sony will address in the future. For everyone else the NEX-5 is a real winner. If you have an NEX-3 or NEX-5 I'd love to see some of your sample images, please send me them and I will happily post them up here. mikez@uniquephoto.com
-MZ
0 comments:
Post a Comment