# Sony Nex 5



## lloydrtr

Anybody shooting with this bad boy yet? Is it the real deal or should I just jump ahead to a Canon T2I? I like the size of it, and the 7 frames per second priority burst mode. Are these reasons to buy it instead of the T2I or am I crazy? Thanks for any advice.


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## Derrel

I think it takes 23 presses of the button on the back to adjust the ISO value, and ISO value is in the Brightness/Color menu. IMMSMC.

The NEX 5 camera has almost NO buttons or controls...it's exceptionally menu-driven..which could be a PITA if you want to adjust the camera much. It is a sweet-looking small camera but it uses a relatively huge zoom lens, and is in a mount that has very few choices, lens or accessory-wise.


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## Sw1tchFX

The NEX's are OK for what they are, the offerings from Olympus and Panasonic though  really are far superior for the photographer who appreciates image quality and control. 

IMO for the best in the mirrorless cameras, You don't have to look too far past the Olympus E-P2 or Panasonic G2 or GH1. 

NEX in a nutshell: Sex appeal with the aluminum lenses, high res screens, good sensor, lousy optics, big lenses, lousy control surfaces when things need to be changed. 

m4/3rds in a nutshell: More options in optics, slightly lesser IQ at upper ISO's, incredible optics, small lenses. 

DSLR's in a nutshell: Plain Jane, Old Faithful, no surprises.


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## princealway

The Sony NEX-5 is the first Sony camera system mirrorless interchangeable lens, with the model less well specced NEX-3 which was launched by her side. With 14.2 megapixel Exmor CMOS APS HD, 25-point contrast detection autofocus system, metering 49-segment and 3-inch tilting LCD panel with 921.000-dot resolution the NEX-5 seems to have this it takes to compete with devices already established Micro Four Thirds from Panasonic and Olympus, and the new Samsung NX


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## Dao

For me personally, I will take the T2i instead of the Sony.

Interchange lens system .... but I do not think the camera has much lens choices.  (At least for now).  I would rather buy the Panaonic/Olympus instead.  At least, they have more lens choices (from AF lenses to some older MF lenses with adapter)


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## soylentgreen

I played with the Sony NEX-3 the other day and it is a solid camera. I agree with the sentiment that the menu interface is a frustrating to say the least. I'm am minimalist at heart and was begging for more buttons and dials on this thing. The IQ is superior to the EP-1 at high ISO, which was what attracted me to the camera. Lack of optics is to be expected on a new release, but is forthcoming I'm sure. I may wait for a more pro-sumer model before I pull the trigger. I like the EP-1, but I need better low light performance at high ISO.


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## shaunly

seems like a great little camera for situation when a full size DSLR is simply too much to carry, but you still want a quality pictures.


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## 786soul

If you want quality, use the money for something like the Panasonic m4/3 models or the olympus ones. Even the samsung. From what I've seen/used, the NEX5 lacks quality in pictures. Even on a small photoframe of 10" it looks pretty bad.

NEX3/5 are about the looks personally, Sony's always been a bit more style oriented. Just my $0.02.


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## Adam Faulkner

I think Sony have rushed this out. They have put more into the style than the picture quality. Panasonic GF1 is a much better camera to go for. Im on the same page as 786soul.

wedding photography newcaastle


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## awslee

These are my first test shots with the Sony NEX 5 Camera

1.  Nikon 24/1.4G






2. Leica R 35/2.8





3. Leica M 35/2 ASPH





4. D3s with Nikon 24/1.4G





Photos of the NEX 5 with Lens

1.  Leica M 35/2 ASPH





2. Leica R 35/2.8





3. Nikon 24/1.4G





4. D3s vs. NEX 5





I am going to do some real life shots with this NEX 5 next.


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## awslee

Here are some more from today taken outside

1. Bamboo





2. Rack of cups





3. Trash Wagon





4. Flower





Not bad for a little camera


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## DxAxN

I have the NEX-3, I like it. I have only had P&S before so for me its a real improvement


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## Tom Latone

I agree that the available Sony Lenses leave something to be desired.  I recently purchased a Leica M to NEX lens adapter and mounted a Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2 lens on my NEX-5 body.  The IQ results with this lens is much better than the stock lenses.  Once I got used to manual focus, I was able to consistently get tack sharp images with little degradation in the corners.  The Voigtlander also yields very clean images with almost no signs of color fringing.

I've taken well over 1000 photos with the camera and feel the NEX menu system and UI is easy to use.  I don't really have a problem with it nor do I find it frustrating to use.  You have to accept that the NEX is not an SLR nor does it have all the functionality of an SLR.  I purchased it so that I had a smaller and lighter travel option.  It's an added bonus that the image quality is on a par with my Canon DSLR when using the Voigtlander lens.


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## awslee

This is my coffee table pest, Beige.  Shot with a Nokton 50/1.1


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## soylentgreen

What are your settings for the shot?


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## awslee

ISO 200, Wide open @1/6


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## wangchung2night

I've tried out a Nex-3 and it was pretty slick.  Definitely feels good in the hands and takes nice shots, menus are annoying but it seems one could get proficient at whipping through the right options.

What's the big diff between the Nex-3 and Nex-5?


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## Sw1tchFX

video and the nex 5 has a smaller metal body. Other than that they're the same camera.


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## Early

I like that they take other lens mounts with adapters, but they will only manual focus.  Is it possible to get pin point focusing accuracy using lcd screens?


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## hoboahoy

Whoa man you guys take great pics with NEX-5.  I'm very impressed with you folks, and started feeling positive toward the NEX-5.  Nice to know NEX-5 is capable of doing these with the appropriate lenses.  For the pics, you guys used the big non-Sony lenses with an adapter. Then no matter how small the NEX-5 is, the big lens would add bulk to the NEX-5 when being carried around.  I know it's still smaller than the SLRs, but still.  How good is the kit lens 16mm f/2.8, or the kit zoom (not the 18-200mm zoom)?  I'm looking for something portable for my wife for daily use but wants to step up from P&S Canon SD1000.  Mainly shooting ever moving dogs with low light at night indoors.  What gives?


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## blkdog

I think it depends on who you are and what your needs are. If you are a pro, who loves or needs to have total control and freedom, then this is probably not for you. If you want a great sensor, small size, a bridge between P&S and DSLR (like me), its a great little cam.


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## skyte

I just bought a NEX-5 with the 16mm and 18-55mm lenses.
I took months deciding between this and the panasonic G1 and the Canon G12.

For a long time I was going to get the panasonic but then a Sony user persuaded me to buy the Sony.

For me, getting used to the menu system is only like being used to a Canon SLR and then picking up a Nikon... some things are annoying, but you get used to them!

As someone mentioned before, changing the ISO is a bit of a menu navigation... 7 clicks not 20something as exaggerated before!

If you want to shoot in manual, the dial is quite intuitive to use just like on an SLR but it easy to inadvertently press the dial while trying to spin it which can be annoying.

There are some really neat things on this camera... the continuous shoot panorama mode is cool and the low light mode that takes several shots is good for scenes with no motion and also works pretty well. This is the first time I've used auto modes and I view them this way... if you had a completely manual camera that could save settings then the SCN options would probably be some of the settings you might save... you could argue that every shot is different so needs to be set everytime, but some of the auto SCN settings take nice photos IMO.

There is a manual focus mode where the camera zooms in to the frame to help you focus... this is great if it zooms in to what you want to focus on, but if it doesn't then you have to scroll the view to where you want to focus all whilst holding the shutter button halfway which is fiddly.

I guess this camera is not going to be perfect for everyone, but I didn't want the full on bulk of a DSLR, I did want some gadgety features and a cool looking camera. I think i would have been happy with either the Sony or panasonic and I'm trying not to look back and am enjoying playing with the Sony!


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## soylentgreen

If you upgrade the firmware, the usability greatly improves. I really enjoy the NEX-3 over my Olympus PEN EP-1. You can program the buttons to the most used custom function(s) making it very intuitive and easy to use. I just can't get the panorama thing to work for me consistently.


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## skyte

I have the latest upgrade (I think - V2) but i can't see how to program buttons... is there any online resource that explains how?

Thanks


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## karenli

the setting is not user-friendly.


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## DxAxN

skyte said:


> I have the latest upgrade (I think - V2) but i can't see how to program buttons... is there any online resource that explains how?
> 
> Thanks



V3 was the latest firmware...


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## FletchX

I came very close to buying a NEX-5. I love the size and it really handled well. I ended up with an A55 and am very happy I did but I'd still like to get a NEX-5 one day.


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## leekers

I have had the Sony Nex-5 for about 8 months now and love it. 
I was a little disappointed with the lack of available lenses, but I now have the 18-200mm lens and life is much better. OK so the lens is expensive, but you get what you pay for. The quality of the photos is second to none.
Being unable to carry loads of equipment I find that this little camera (though not so small with the 18-200 lens attached) does everything I want with stunning results.
I prefer to set the camera manually and it's great that this little camera enables me to do that and of course it has the ability to photograph in RAW. I seldom use anything else.


PS great shots Awslee :thumbup:


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## dev1ce

hello ppl, im new here, is there anybody who can help me out with ma nex 5? i got this camera from ma brother from japan, and ma problem is that i cant change lenguage on this camera :S i've tried everything i know, update firmware, try to find through some tutorials lenguage selctio but when i find it there is only japanese :S pls help me with this if anybody know what to do...


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## dots

Early said:


> Is it possible to get pin point focusing accuracy using lcd screens?


 Pretty much, yes. Focus then stop down.


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## usayit

dev1ce said:


> hello ppl, im new here, is there anybody who can help me out with ma nex 5? i got this camera from ma brother from japan, and ma problem is that i cant change lenguage on this camera :S i've tried everything i know, update firmware, try to find through some tutorials lenguage selctio but when i find it there is only japanese :S pls help me with this if anybody know what to do...



I don't have one.. 

but the manual is here and I bet the menus listed are in order of how they are presented in the camera.  Might help...

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/NEX_series.pdf

Start at page 50


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## dots

I think it may be an instance of walled-garden-Japanese-market-only-consumer-goods.


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## dev1ce

i thnink that this is a diferent menu than on ur model  i take picture with ma phone and i will show u, i have some numbers under this selection where supose to be lenguage menu :S
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting if somebody knows how pls help :S cos this is impossible that i only have japanese in this... or if u know tell me how to instal english... ty


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