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JamieLawrence

4:50 PM on 12 August, 2010

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Adobe made a "release candidate" of ACR and Lightroom available which supports the NEX raw files: http://nextended.com/blog/2010/8/10/lightroom-support-for-nex-raw-files.html

I'd expect a full release isn't too far away.

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theDman

5:46 PM on 12 August, 2010

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If only this was out before i bought my Nikond d3000....darn it.

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Zero

6:04 PM on 12 August, 2010

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This is a very good review. I really liked the camera before I saw this review, but now you have me sold... I have been looking for the best DSLR camera that will offer HD video as well; under £600 and the Canon 500D is the next in line. But the Sony offers more on the plate. One question though does the NEX-5 still offer the Manuel controls I would get on... the Canon 500D or Sony A450/550?

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CSMR

6:40 PM on 12 August, 2010

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Very impressive!

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J4cK1505

6:58 PM on 12 August, 2010

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Could you possibly tell me roughly how much space a 10 minute video shot at 720p takes?

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CliffSmith

8:15 PM on 12 August, 2010

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Zero - I feel there should be a joke about a Spanish waiter in there somewhere, but I can't think of one. The NEX-5 offers aperture priority, shutter priority and full manual exposure, but lacks some of the custom functions you'll get on the 500D.

J4ck1505 - The NEX-5 doesn't shoot at 720p, options are 1080p, VGA or 1440 x 1080.

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public:TR:72a694d54fcfe2d41c3e10680659c600

9:59 PM on 12 August, 2010

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Great review. Are you likely to be getting a NEX-3 to review as well? I'm having one helluva time trying to choose a compact system, they're all so pretty.

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Zero

11:57 PM on 12 August, 2010

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@ Cliff Smith lol thanks for the reply. What kind of PC specification would be needed to edit 1080p AVCHD codec? Surely this must demand quite a bit.

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CliffSmith

11:05 AM on 13 August, 2010

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Zero - I was able to edit video from the NEX-5 on my PC, a fairly average 2.4GHz Pentium dual-core with 4GB RAM and Windows XP Pro, using the supplied Sony software to convert to AVI and Abobe Premier Pro CS3 for the actual editing (CS3 doesn't support AVCHD). To be honest video isn't really my area of expertise. The guy you need is James Morris, who does our camcorder reviews.

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James Morris

11:16 AM on 13 August, 2010

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Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 and above support AVCHD, and most consumer apps do too. A PC of similar power to Cliff's or even a bit less, will edit the footage. But you'll need something faster for smooth editing.

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JK

12:34 PM on 13 August, 2010

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@Cliff Smith - The NEX-5 does NOT shoot 1920 x 1080p video, only 1920 x 1080i (in addition to VGA and 1440 x 1080). I guess you didn't bother looking at the specs properly...

BTW, any comments on real life battery performance?? Sony has listed 330 shots (CIPA standard). Which isn't too impressive, but pretty much on par with the competition.

Have a good one!

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easyrider

1:57 PM on 13 August, 2010

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Hi Cliff, The NEX 5 does not shoot 1080p video please amend the review with the correct facts.In 1080i each frame of video is sent or displayed in alternative fields. The fields in 1080i are composed of 540 rows of pixels or lines of pixels running from the top to the bottom of the screen, with the odd fields displayed first and the even fields displayed second. Together, both fields create a full frame, made up of all 1,080 pixel rows or lines, every 30th of a second.In 1080p, each frame of video is sent or displayed progressively. This means that both the odd and even fields (all 1,080 pixel rows or pixel lines) that make up the full frame are displayed together. This results in a smoother looking image, with less motion artifacts and jagged edges. The NEX-5 is 1080i a deal breaker for some.

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NicholasPires

2:02 PM on 13 August, 2010

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Actually JK it lists it as 1080i but if you delved deeper online you'd find out that the NEX-5 actually shoots it at 1080p and saves it within a 1080i wrapper. When you go to import the footage into After Effects, Premiere etc it will detect it at it's native 1080p it was recorded in. Battery performance is as Sony has listed give or take a few pictures more (shooting without flash).

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Chris

2:06 PM on 13 August, 2010

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Great review, thanks. Looks like a great camera, definitely on my shortlist.

@<A88>: The NEX-3 is pretty much the same camera isn't it? Plastic body and 720p video aside, that is...

@JK: "I guess you didn't bother looking at the specs properly..."

Crikey, harsh much? Feel free to point out discrepancies, but it's not necessary to twist the knife. If you want them to answer your question on battery life, it's really not a good tactic...

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JK

5:31 PM on 13 August, 2010

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@Chris - It might have sounded a bit harsh. But when I check out at a new product, I always look through the 'Specifications' on the manufacturer's website. And Sony mentions that the NEX-5 records in 1920 x 1080i on several occasions. So it became a bit irritating when Cliff talked about 1080p in the video review, the written review and here in the comments.

I don't know what 'Nicholas Pires' is talking about, I haven't read about that. But it sounds stupid to cover a "piece of gold" with "horse crap", even if you can wash away the "horse crap" with 'After Effets, Premiere etc.' to get your "piece of gold" back. As 'easyrider' says, 1080i might be a dealbreaker for some.

As for the question about battery life, it was just something that seem to have been completely forgotten. Cliff usually mentions it at some point in his reviews.

Have a good one!

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Timray

6:33 PM on 13 August, 2010

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@James Morris -- James, will Final Cut Pro or iMovie recognise and edit the footage as 1080p? I'm tempted. But I'm a Mac user...

Thank you /

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TonyTeoh

7:02 PM on 13 August, 2010

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I'm new to digital photography. Why would people need the 18mm-55mm lense when 18mm-200mm lense is available ? What the difference between these two lenses besides longer zoom ? How the NEX 5 compare with Panasonic FZ100 ? Is there any big difference in terms of image quality between these two camera ? To me, NEX 5 is pretty much a perfect camera but FZ100 is even better with more features and a big zoom.

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JohnPriceThomas

8:01 PM on 13 August, 2010

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I am so tempted to buy a NEX-5, I think its image quality (particularly at high ISO values)together with its overall design very attractive. I would like Cliff Smiths opinion on its operation particularly when using aperture and shutter priority modes(with compensation). I am not of the 'I phone ' generation and as such I little wary of delving into menus to obtain the shot I want

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Neko7

9:34 PM on 13 August, 2010

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I've had this camera for about a month now and am really enjoying taking photos with it. I started to find myself getting frustrated with the limitations of P&S cameras, especially if I wanted to take pictures in low-light conditions. After much umm'ing and arr'ing I opted for the NEX-5 and I haven't regretted it. Cliff mentions that this camera encourages creative photography and I have to say that I agree with him.

I think that the much criticized control system is, whilst far from perfect, nowhere as bad as some people would have you believe and I've found it to be perfectly usable. I would have prefered some sort of 'quick menu' option for the more commonly used functions, though.

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bobsta

9:43 PM on 13 August, 2010

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For another £100, I would be tempted to pick the Canon EOS550D with a bigger selection of lenses and accessories but then it's a personal choice for the prospective buyer.

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lensmann

11:04 PM on 13 August, 2010

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@JK: It's pretty well known that the NEX-5 shoots 1080p30, saved in an 1080i60 container. The reason, simply put, is that the AVCHD codec specification does not support 1080p30. As a result, the majority of cameras that shoot 1080p30 in AVCHD save it in a 1080i60 container (a few use their own custom, non-standard extensions). Most hardware and software that supports 1080p will recognise the video as native 1080p30 and let you play and / or edit it without deinterlacing.

Here's a thread from dpreview from a couple of weeks ago that explains things:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1042&thread=35831425

I think you might owe Cliff an apology.

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leonid82

12:35 AM on 14 August, 2010

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No matter how good these new EVIL cameras are, it'll always be hard to beat the optical viewfinder and Phase detection autofocus of traditional DSLRs.

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Jesper

10:14 AM on 14 August, 2010

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Thank you Cliff, for an excellent review. I have been interested in this camera since it was announced. But I was a bit disappointed by the average reviews it got from many photography sites, mainly attributed to the menu system.

But I guess the point is, that this is not a camera for the professional user, but rather for a compact shooter like me, wanting a bit more quality in my pictures.

I was quite shocked comparing the Sidemouth Seaside shots of the G2 and NX10, there seems to be quite a big difference.

I also have to give the comments section a 10/10 for the debate about video quality. I must admit it is a bit funny that Sony only says this camera will do 1080i, when it actually does 1080p, but I guess it is fine as long as it is to the consumers advantage.

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James Morris

11:21 AM on 14 August, 2010

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@Timray I'm not generally a Mac user (although I have written for Mac User in the past!), but as the Sony AVCHD footage is stored within a 1080i wrapper it should be fully compatible with either Mac editing app.

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TonyTeoh

12:50 PM on 14 August, 2010

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The scores for this camera is higher than Canon 550D in every categories, does this means this camera is better than Canon 550D dSLR camera ??

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JK

3:10 PM on 14 August, 2010

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@lensmann - Well known?? How is it well known to us consumers, when Cilff who's a "professional" won't even mention it in his review, and neither will Sony on their website..??

Besides, according to the thread you provided, there's no mention of 1080p25 with AVCHD, only talk about 1080p24 and 1080p30 (stored as 1080i60). Yet Panasonic's GH1 records in 1080p25 (AVCHD), at least according to Panasonic. What's that about?

If I knew everything myself, I wouldn't check out the manufacturer's specifications, or read these "professional" reviews. But I don't, so I do. And if there's conflicting information or at least something that needs an explanation, and the "professionals" won't even mention it, then I think it's a case of neglect on their part.

The review isn't very helpful if I have to go digging around for a bunch of information afterwards to clarify things. A quick explanation in the review would also have spared half a dozen comments on this site...

Have a good one!

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John Shewsbury

3:33 PM on 14 August, 2010

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From the review, I think this NEX-5 is an interesting camera, I never being a big fan of Sony when it comes to camera and photography - yes I like their TV, DVD Player and PlayStation but never their camera...

As for this NEX-5, since Cliff Smith said it's an excellent camera, therefore I believe it is really so...

Too bad though the price for all these mirror-less system cameras are still quite high now... the extra accessories and stuff wont be cheap either...

I am now saving money to get either Panasonic LX3 or LX5...

Nonetheless, congratulation to Sony for making this potentially award winning camera - though time will tell who will grab the accolade in the next TIPA Awards.

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CliffSmith

5:40 PM on 14 August, 2010

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I'm sorry for the confusion over the nomenclature of the NEX-5's video mode. I don't have the space to fully explain every aspect of every bit of technology in the cameras I review, especially one as advanced as this, so when it comes to a reasonably well-established item like AVCHD I tend to assume a certain level of knowledge on the part of my readers. I apologise if I over-estimated it in this case. If you want a better explanation of the AVCHD format and the modes it supports please read this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD#1080p

TonyTeoh - Yes, in many ways this is a better camera than the EOS 550D. It's smaller, lighter, cheaper, faster, has a better video mode and marginally better high ISO noise control. The 550D is slightly more versatile, but that's about it. And if that doesn't set off the Canon fanboys I don't know what will :)

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lensmann

6:11 PM on 14 August, 2010

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@JK: In general, before I accuse a reviewer of being wrong, I tend to check that I'm really right and that the reviewer is merely wrong. I still think that's a reasonable thing to do, but if you think differently that's quite fine.

The GH1 shoots native 1080p25, and saves it in a 1080i50 container. I assume Sony is just being a bit more technically straight in their specifications than Panasonic.

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NicholasPires

6:16 PM on 14 August, 2010

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Cliff you're funny! I own the NEX-5 and wanted it since I saw you guys first post a preview on the camera back on the 12th May. I was still on holiday in Malaysia at the time and searched everywhere for it but it wasn't available so when I made no haste and pre-ordered it from Jessops when I got back. Haven't been disappointed. I should quote that line and show it to my friend in the office who has the 550D! :)

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cliche

6:25 PM on 14 August, 2010

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Hello, I bought a Panasonic SD60

http://www.trustedreviews.com/camcorders/review/2010/07/12/Panasonic-HDC-SD60/p1

a few weeks ago.

I was looking for a compact camera for months that would do ok pictures but very good video, even in dimmer light. Not really a photographer just a point and click person.

Also I was looking for compactness,low light performance in video and optical image stabilisation in video mode. The battery life seems better than a camcorder too.

I had previously a Fujifilm F31FD as it was very good in pictures and earlier had a Sony DCR-IP1E

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/sdh-micromv/dcr-ip1e

Should I have bought this instead as it does seem very small ? The SD60 is not as small as I would like.

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JK

7:40 PM on 14 August, 2010

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@Cliff Smith - So you're basically saying your readers aren't as smart as you thought they were...thanks.

You don't have to "fully explain every aspect of every bit of technology in the cameras" (a bit patronizing, no?). You might, however, want to offer an explanation if you're using a different way than the manufacturer to describe the exact same feature on their product. It might eliminate the confusion.

But what do I know, with my presumably low level of knowledge...

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TonyTeoh

9:35 PM on 14 August, 2010

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Thanks Cliff. One more thing, how is Panasonic FZ100 compare to NEX5 ? I know they are both in different classes, but which camera would you recommend ?

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Meenaxi

4:17 AM on 15 August, 2010

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Cliff, last year you reviewed the Panasonic GF1 which you gave a perfect 10/10. Appreciate that we are now a year on but giving the NEX5 a 9/10, would you say it is just as good, better or inferior to the GF1? If you had to have one which one would it be?

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Zero

4:14 PM on 15 August, 2010

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I am amazed at the amount of comments! @TonyTeoh @Cliff Smith to my knowledge reading these comments, the Canon 550D is the main rival? If you were out for your fist DSLR or in the Sony's case APS Sizes sensor camera, which one would you go for? Video being as important as the photos. Thanks

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Brayden

3:34 AM on 16 August, 2010

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Being the owner of the DMC TZ5, and a canon 50d, doesn't this kind of defeat the purpose of having a compact camera, this camera weighs more than my compact without a lens.

My questions are

1.What sort of variety do you have to pick from with the lenses, at what cost.

2.If tested with the larger lens, how good is it and how easy is it to get a low light picture, handheld.

I don't know i just think its a little bit pointless when mixing compact and DSLR together. because I personally prefer to use my 50D with battery grip, than my friends smaller 350D, but at the same time if want to go compact i would pull out the TZ5 (which can still fit in my pocket).

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CliffSmith

1:35 PM on 17 August, 2010

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JK - Sorry if that sounded patronising, that wasn't my intention. I spend all day every day reading about this stuff, and sometimes I forget that not everyone is as much of a camera nerd as me.

We used to have a a glossary page for the camera section explaining commonly used terms such as dynamic range, chromatic aberration, megapixel, Raw mode etc., but as far as I know it's not part of the site any more. Maybe it's time to resurrect that, so that I can just link to it whenever a term like 1080p or AVCHD comes up.

TonyTeoh - I've not had a chance to try the FZ100 yet, but I've requested a review sample from Panasonic which I hope to receive soon. It certainly looks good, and Panasonic make many fine cameras.

Meenaxi - As you say, we're a year on. The GH1 is a very good camera, and at the time it was pretty much unique, which is why I gave it that score. It is still a very capable video camera, but full HD video is a lot more common today, and the NEX-5 certainly has comparable video picture quality. I'd like to try them out side by side.

Zero - I don't think I'd say the 550D is the NEX-5's main rival, because it's over £100 more expensive and is aimed more at the hobby photography market, but it is certainly comparable in terms of quality and performance. The NEX-5 is aimed more at casual photographers and those moving up from a compact.

Brayden - With the 16mm pancake lens the NEX-5 isn't much bigger than a normal compact camera, and even with the 18-55mm it is smaller than most superzoom cameras. As for lens variety, as I mentioned in the review there is an adapter available that fits all existing Sony Alpha lenses as well as older Minolta Dynax lenses, so there is plenty of choice. I've not had a chance to try the NEX-5 with a larger lens, but if the image stabilisation is as good as the standard lens hand-held shooting should be no problem. The camera handles very well despite its small size.

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lensmann

4:31 PM on 17 August, 2010

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@Cliff: The adapter makers have gone ballistic when it comes to the NEX-5. In addition to the official A-mount adapter you've mentioned, there're third party adapters for M42, Nikon, Canon FD, Pentax, Leica R, Minolta MD and - hold your breath - Contax / Yashica *medium format* lenses (Eh? What?). But they're all MF-only, and none of these will give you image stabilisation. The NEX - unlike the Alphas - use in-lens stabilisation, so you'll only get stabilisation from new E-mount lenses.

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easyrider

8:06 PM on 17 August, 2010

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Does the NEX 5 shoot in 24 fps? I there an option to change the framerate?

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JK

10:13 PM on 18 August, 2010

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@Cliff Smith - I'm not sure which glossary page you're referring to, but I've seen the 'Digital Photography Tutorial Index' that you published some 3 months back. It's really informative BTW, so thanks for doing that. I wasn't sure how to find it again, so I just typed 'photography tutorial' in the 'Search' and found it that way. I haven't read through the entire thing yet, but judging from the different topics, there doesn't seem to be anything there about recording video (and the terminology associated with that).

Like Tony Teoh, I was also looking forward to the new Panasonic FZ100 superzoom. It certainly has all the features I'm looking for, If I were to upgrade from my 3+ year old Canon Powershot S3 IS. But after seeing the sample images in PhotographyBLOG's review, I was very unimpressed. I think Panasonic made a mistake by giving the FZ45 and FZ100 the same size sensor (1/2.33") as the FZ38, but at the same time increasing the amount of pixels from 12M to 14M (even if they gave the FZ100 a MOS sensor, while the FZ45 has to make do with a CCD). I think Panasonic should've made the FZ100 more clearly the new top of the range model by giving it a bigger sensor (1/1.63" maybe?) and leaving the amount of pixels at 10M or 12M. Which I'm sure would've resulted in significantly better image quality. Now it looked like the FZ100 only was on par with the Fujifilm HS10 in terms of image quality (as well as features). I was already disappointed by the HS10, so I was expecting more from the FZ100.

BTW, it seems like Meenaxi was asking about the GF1, not the GH1.

But I'm glad you mentioned the GH1. As a happy S3 IS owner, I'm looking for similar features in a possible upgrade, only better. That means great image quality, an articulated monitor (with good Live View), a long image stabilized zoom, plus video recording with AF (720p or Full HD) and stereo sound. And so far the GH1 and NEX-5 (with the 18-200mm lens) seem to be the only system cameras that offer all of this. I'm not really interested in carrying extra lenses around, that's why I'm looking at these "all in one" kits (in addition to superzoom compacts). So it would be really interesting to see a side by side comparison (like you said) between the GH1 and NEX-5 (18-200mm). Especially if you made it as easy as possible to compare the two models. For example by taking sample images of the same objects/landscapes with comparable camera settings, and by recording sample video with both cameras at the same time and then showing it in a split screen video. If you could pull that off I think it would be the best camera review of the entire year!

Here's to hoping...=)

Have a good one!

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Ryan131

2:13 PM on 26 August, 2010

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Slap a touchscreen on that, call it the NEX-6 and you've got my money.

Even so, NEX-5 is very tempting...

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Geoff Richards

2:19 PM on 26 August, 2010

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@Ryan - why do you need a touchscreen mate? You get fingerprints all over what you're trying to view (a la iPhone / iPad) for starters. :/

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Driver

8:54 PM on 19 September, 2010

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Having read the standard love it, love it, love it! Praise from Uncle Cliff I dropped into the CNET reviews to find that things are not so ideal and delightful as Cliff would suggest.

Cliff notes that there is some barrel distortion, Looking at the CNET pictures A LOT is closer to the truth in fact for Macro/close-up work it means this camera is not suitable for the job. The 18-55 lens produces barrel distortion of monumental proportions when used for close-up work.

The menu system frustrates those with even basic experience with this camera. Each time you enter it the menu treats you as though you have learned nothing. Now I can see this is fine but VERY flawed thinking on Sony's behalf most people can manage to remember what they did last time. There is a drive to dumb down every part of life for those who cannot concentrate for more than 20 minutes, but Sony and their NEX series cameras take it to a whole new level.

Why is there a plug in flash? Why is it not a pop-up unit, why is there no synch plug or hot shoe? One assumes that no one at Sony R&D actually looks beyond company product, to see what happens in the real world of photography.

If they did the Hot shoe on the Alpha series might actually work with any after-market flash system available.

Now, the Sony fan-base will hear no negative comment on the product and whilst Sony have shaken up the whole photographic world with some pretty radical thinking, it could have been a world beater by adopting known standards for flash/lens mounts, What we are looking at here is another Betamax moment unfolding before us.

It might be interesting to see IF Sony will have a re-think or continue to produce slightly flawed designs that whilst well executed turn out to become last years fashions in very short order. Radical thinking is all well and good but Ricoh and Sony have managed to introduce intriguing systems, shot through with flawed thinking and poor attention to detail. For the moment the NEX series is another contender for Technological Lemon of the Year 2010.

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Driver

5:14 PM on 3 October, 2010

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As a caveat on my comment I spent a good 10-15 minutes holding the camera and chatting with the salesperson in my local Jesops and my hand got cramp, whilst I waited for him to change the battery in a Samsung NX-5. Any product that requires the average human interface to be used to operate it needs to be comfortable and the NEX system just is not...that is to say not by this male of the species and I do not have Pianists or Farmers hands! Ladies however may find it better proportioned. Whilst I am not suggesting that this design of camera is going to be handled like a DSLR it should be comfortable to use for protracted periods and the controls should fall to hand easily and not leave one wishing for a fourth knuckle or child sized hands!

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Mike B

10:48 AM on 11 October, 2010

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Cameras like the Sony NEX, OlympusPEN and Panasonic GF1 seem too much of a compromise without great benefits.

Take the weight of the NEX-5 body 288g, sounds good but stick on the 18-55 lens and your up to 488g. Now the Panasonic G10 comes in at 558g with similar 14-42mm lens and that includes the inbuilt flash and an EVF! Where is the advantage of the Sony now?

Given the G10 can be purchased for about £335 now (including a free copy of Photoshop Elements 9 and Premier Elements 9) it makes the compromised alternatives look rather sick?

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maks

11:22 PM on 23 November, 2010

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Good Day;

I am compact camera user upgrading my camera, I love photography and I want a good camera to start with but still small in size with reasonable video output.

I can't make my mind between the Oly E-PL1 & Nex 5

and what lens do you recommend thanks.

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deus1066

7:41 PM on 27 November, 2010

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The NEX-5 is on Amazon at £459, but with SNYNEX5O discount code, drops to £409 and will come to £340 with the Sony VAT back offer. At that price it's a no brainer in my opinion.

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Bartoosh

3:05 PM on 13 December, 2010

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Hi,

Excellent review as always.

I'm intrigued by this camera as it appears to negate the need to own 2 cameras. I'm heading to Kenya so I'd like to to interchange lenses according to my situation. A small lens for basic point-and-shoot and greater zoom for more challenging photography (e.g. wildlife). As a relative beginner I don't quite understand how the figures translate into layman optical zoom terminology.

For example what is the zoom capability of the pancake, standard and super zoom lenses?

If I bought 2 lenses, which 2 would you recommend? (e.g. pancake + standard zoom or pancake + super zoom or standard zoom + super zoom)

Many thanks

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Driver

4:51 PM on 14 December, 2010

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Bartoosh writted:

Hi,

Excellent review as always.

I'm intrigued by this camera as it appears to negate the need to own 2 cameras. I'm heading to Kenya so I'd like to to interchange lenses according to my situation. A small lens for basic point-and-shoot and greater zoom for more challenging photography (e.g. wildlife). As a relative beginner I don't quite understand how the figures translate into layman optical zoom terminology.

For example what is the zoom capability of the pancake, standard and super zoom lenses?

If I bought 2 lenses, which 2 would you recommend? (e.g. pancake + standard zoom or pancake + super zoom or standard zoom + super zoom)

Many thanks

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Not this item it is just not really suited to the work you want to do. The answer is a proper DSLR with a couple of superfast and costly lenses.

The new Nikon 3100 would fit the bill for the body, as for lenses to do wildlife properly you need lots of focal length and this is prohibitively expensive for a one off trip.

A Superzoom would be a compromise but with 30x and 35x zooms available from two manufacturers one of which takes screw on filters as standard I know where my money might be for such a trip. The overall quality will never match a properly specified DSLR-Zoom combination but for digital photoframe or TV display a superzoom and decent mono or tripod will probably keep you happy and you'll still have spent less than the cost of a basic NEX system with its limited length kit zoom.

Sometimes a little lateral thinking is needed to get where you are aiming...

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Bartoosh

1:58 AM on 15 December, 2010

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Driver,

Many thanks for your input. By sheer coincidence I was reading a review of the Nikon D3100 just moments before I read your comments.

I am somewhat torn between an entry level DSLR, a superzoom and this camera.

There's little doubt that on a wildlife trip better results would be achieved with a DSLR and costly lens. However such an outlay couldn't be justified for a one-off trip. In addition, I don't want to carry a bulky camera around basic point-and-shoot photography so I would also need to buy a compact camera as well as the Nikon D3100.

When you consider the cost of buying 2 cameras suddenly the price of the NEX-5 doesn't appear so bad after all, especially with the current VAT-return deal offered by Sony. However I have my doubts about whether the lenses are up to the job, hence my question on their capabilities.

Perhaps a superzoom is the answer but these are hardly slip-in-your-pocket size either. Which superzoom would you recommend?

Oh, and going back to my original post, how does one calculate the zoom capability of lenses like the pancake 16mm?

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Clovis

2:03 AM on 16 December, 2010

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@Bartoosh

Actual field of view is a factor of lens (Mm) multiplied by crop factor (directly related to sensor size, taking a 35Mm sensor as a "1"). The NEX sensor has a crop of 1.5X; thus, 16Mm translates to a 24Mm field of view, an 18-55Mm lens translates into a 27-84.5Mm field of view, and a 18-200 lens translates into a 27-300Mm field of view. Unfortunately, actual lens size is also dependant on sensor size; that effectively means lenses the size (and weight) of shoulder-bourne anti-tank weapons if you want serious zoom (just look at photographers covering football matches...). Some nice super-zooms are available, which pack a lot of reach into a small package.The flip side is the fact that to acheive that, they use sensors the size of your average newborn's pinkie nail. That means: forget high-iso shots. Good-light use only.

My favorites? S100 FS (Fuji) S200 EXR (Fuji) FZ35/38 (Panny).

The non-discontinued options, with more zoom and less image quality, are The HS10 (Fuji, 30X) , FZ45 (Panny, 24X) , and SX30IS (Canon, 35X... and no RAW shooting).

There are other options out there, but their compromising of image quality is, in my opinion, too extreme to warrant serious consideration.

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craste

12:21 PM on 30 December, 2010

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Purchased this camera from Jessops two days ago and so far I'm blown away with the picture quality and ease of use. I'm no professional photographer just somebody who used to use a compact camera who know wants a good qaulity camera to take pictures of my family. I read the reviews and updated the firm ware to v.3 as soon as i got the camera and the menu system is really intuitive now as when you go back into the menu system it retrns to the last item you changed so its really quick. The menu graphics are really slick and designed beautifully and its so simple to use. You can go into the menus and change everything SLR stylee but when you have it in normal mode the camera goes into the right setting, porttraight, night shot etc and when you are doing a portraight it tailers the 'tips'button to portraits so its really clever and just so helpfull. I wanted an DSLR origianlly but when you turn up at a function with one of those you look like a pro photographer or a japanese tourist, with the NEX-5 it just looks like a normal camera and it can fit into your pocket!!!

This is the future of camera's I reckon, give it a couple of years and those big clunky SLRs will be a thing of the past.

Well impressed!!

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Driver

12:49 PM on 3 January, 2011

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@Bartoosh

The NEX system just won't be compact once fitted with the longest zoom lens. It is ONLY compact with the pancake lens in place and then any wildlife will be a distant dark spot in a panorama of grass and sky. Fine-ish if you wanted landscapes, but as much use as a chocolate fireguard for wildlife studies...unless you are shooting animals in captivity.

A superzoom compact like Samsung WB500 is an alternative as this will slip into your pocket just; but watch out for grit entering the lens tube system as that will be the end of pocketability and the probably the camera...although it is a hazard with any powered zoom lens.

For a once in a lifetime trip you just have to splash the cash and by a rugged DSLR and the longest Zoom lens you can afford, with perhaps a short Zoom lens for the 'portraits of us at Victoria Falls' . No a DSLR won't fit in a pocket BUT you will get the pictures you want. Also buy a decent Mono or Tripod and suction-mount head so that you can keep things steady at long focal lengths.

You also get a good degree of automation, with manual override on the Fujifilm FinePix S200EXR,the NEX will miss out on this and quick changes that require a trip to the menu system may delay sufficient to loose the shot.

If you want a fashion accessory then the NEX will probably please but not fulfill the main brief, a superzoom may be a series of compromises but it will be an 'all in one solution' to compact, portable and easy to use.

Finally a DSLR with expensive extra lenses and high weight whilst least conformant as far as portability and ease of use are concerned will 'bring home the bacon' almost everytime. Although you could be duplicating or triplicating filters and other accessories to get the best from a DSLR system

I still think that in spite of the sensor issues that beset Superzooms they provide the best compromise of compact and ease of use and the latest Fuji would be an ideal place to spend your money.

The fact it has a screw mount system, a rare thing on almost every camera lens other than DSLR's and 43rds system clones, makes it ideal for the duty you are thinking of and by fitting a 67mm Polarising filter the majority of shots will benefit from the cut in glare and saturation of available colour especially the sky which will almost certainly wash out to a white with hint of blue effect without the filter. And without needing to use the camera's in-built film or HDR modes.

You pays your money and makes your choice but the NEX so is NOT the camera for your planned trip and use.

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2:36 PM on 26 July, 2011

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The Sony NEX-5 is a very impressive debut into the compact system camera class. It is the smallest interchangeable lens camera on the market, but has outstanding build quality, plenty of useful features, excellent performance and the kind of still image and HD video quality you'd be lucky to get from a digital SLR. It really raises the stakes in the compact system camera market. Read full review

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By Cliff Smith
Reviewed 12 August 2010
Updated 26 May 2011

Price as reviewed

£479.95

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