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Anyone gone mirrorless? - Page 2

post #31 of 63
12/7/11 at 6:31am
Thread Starter 
The NEX family is also a 1.5x crop.

Not to demean your purchase Greg but I'm surprised you went with the year old 5 instead of the 5N, which is a pretty big upgrade for not that big of a cost jump. I'm loving my 5N so far!

Extra battery is a must. You get maybe 400-500 shots with the bundled one, and you never know when any battery will have a mishap. It's good insurance to have a backup.

Extra cards are must. I recommend Sandisk Extreme as mine have been run over by firetrucks and left in water overnight and still kept working, others may disagree and say they are all the same, but YMMV.

The 16mm fixed lens is a decent one but not all that sharp in the corners, especially on the upcoming NEX-7 which really stresses it. I got mine for $100 bundled in with my kit and I consider that a bargain worth taking.

The 30mm macro is slower at f3.5 but AWESOME quality.
399
Edited by Sam Posten - 12/12/11 at 10:01am
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post #32 of 63
12/11/11 at 10:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gregg Loewen View Post

So what accessories do I need? Extra battery ? (size?). I was thinking of a fixed lense vs the zoom (trying to keep it as compact as possible). With my Nikon 35 mm stuff, my portable lense was always a 35MM focal length. what is the 4/3 equivalent?
TIA!!
Gregg

The NEX is an APS-C sensor, not a micro4/3rds sensor. As Sam says, the NEX lenses are a 1.5x crop. So if you like 35mm focal length, you should look for a 20mm NEX lens -- i.e., the kit zoom that came with the camera (18-55mm) or the 16mm pancake which also sometimes comes with the camera.

You might also want to buy a couple remote triggers - IR Wireless Remote for Sony NEX. Much easier than self-timers for group family photos on a tripod. They're on ebay, they're all made in China, and it is a crapshoot as to whether you get one that actually works or not. But since they're only three or four bucks (WITH shipping), take the chance. Much cheaper than buying the official Sony one. Be sure to test the range. Some folks say that the ones that claim to work from ten feet away actually fail if you're a couple steps from the camera.
Edited by Will_B - 12/13/11 at 1:04am
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post #33 of 63
12/11/11 at 10:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gregg Loewen View Post

Okay...I been vasilating between the EP3 and the NEX-5 now for a while. The EP3 is 779 on amazon right now and the NEX-5 is $399 on ebay (daily deal). I just did the NEX-5....hopefully the money saved will be able to get me the needed accessories.
So what accessories do I need? Extra battery ? (size?). I was thinking of a fixed lense vs the zoom (trying to keep it as compact as possible). With my Nikon 35 mm stuff, my portable lense was always a 35MM focal length. what is the 4/3 equivalent?
TIA!!
Gregg


I'm worried you bought a body with no lens, and are now about to discover that the kit lenses, when bought separately from the camera, are more expensive than they should be and the total will end up being more than if you'd bought a brand new 5n-with-lens.
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post #34 of 63
12/12/11 at 10:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B View Post

The NEX is an APS-C sensor, not a micro4/3rds sensor. As Sam says, the NEX lenses are a 1.7x crop.

Actually I just reread that to make sure you quoted me right, and you did, but that was a typo. The NEX family is a 1.5 crop same as APS-C, not 1.7 as I had written. It's a small difference but I wanted to make sure I corrected it.

I'm worried that Greg thinks the NEX family is M4/3rds compatible, we haven't seen him post here since his purchase.

Once my NEX-7 ships I'll have a spare kit lens for sale tho =) The NEX-7 has a black kit lens that ships with it and I intend to keep the 30 Macro almost permanently attached to the 5N and in my glovebox for rapid access.
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post #35 of 63
12/13/11 at 1:05am
Ok I corrected my quote. He probably just found himself a camera forum somewhere. He'll be back!
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post #36 of 63
12/13/11 at 6:31am
hi guys
Okay...I should have been reading more.
I didnt know there was a 5 and a 5N...argh!!
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post #37 of 63
12/13/11 at 6:36am
thanks for all the replies.
when the camera arrived, I quickly gave it to Heather to wrap and give back to me for Christmas.

It came with a 18-55? zoom (or what ever the standard is).

I have also purchased a 16 mm 2.8 (should be about a 24 - 28 mm equivalent on a full frame), an extra battery, remote, and 49 mm UV filter.

I didnt know the NEX was not a 4x3. is the 1.5 crop more of a 4x6 aspect ratio?

Im going to check to see if I got N version (Im guessing no as the price was only $399.).
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post #38 of 63
12/13/11 at 7:06am
okay...it is not an N.

The N version is $699 ($300 more). What I am I getting for 75% more cost ?

I purchased the camera from Beachcamera and have a 30 day return window.
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post #39 of 63
12/13/11 at 7:14am
Thread Starter 
Much better high ISO shooting (up to 25k)
Faster shots per second
better resolution higher quality sensor
OLED external viewfinder option
1080p video

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/sony-nex-5n-replaces-nex-5-adds-16-1-mp-sensor-25-600-max-iso/
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post #40 of 63
12/13/11 at 7:15am
Thread Starter 
And yes, the native size of the NEX images are 4x3.
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post #41 of 63
12/13/11 at 4:47pm
But don't get us wrong -- the NEX 5 is a damn fine camera, and before the 5n existed the 5 was the best high-ISO camera available.

Whether you want the upgrade that the 5n provides depends on whether $300 is a lot of money to you or not.

If $300 is a lot of money, then stick with the 5.

There are after all schools of thought that say to always buy last year's model, for the savings it brings.

And that way if it ever breaks, you can see it as a good thing, a chance to upgrade!
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post #42 of 63
12/14/11 at 3:38pm
Quote:
If $300 is a lot of money, then stick with the 5.

argh!! You know...Im just going to keep the 5. I wont be able to tell the difference and I am just doing the photography as a casual thing and wanted a portable option as my Canon 5D (not the mark2) is way too heavy when I travel internationally.

(ive already way over spent this Christmas.)
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post #43 of 63
12/15/11 at 12:27pm
Thread Starter 
You'll love it, just wanted to make sure you were informed. Like any big purchase, buy what you think will meet your needs and never look at a review site or sale flyer again.
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post #44 of 63
12/16/11 at 2:09am
That's great. I think there have been some firmware updates for the NEX you might want to try out. Maybe become a regular reader of sonyalpharumors.com too, for fun.
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post #45 of 63
12/19/11 at 12:06pm
Thread Starter 
The Nex-7 DPReview review. So bummed that mine has not shipped yet:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonynex7/
Quote:
Conclusion - Pros

Three dial interface offers extensive fingertip control
Superb build quality
Excellent 2.4 million-dot OLED EVF in compact, slimline body
920K dot tilting rear screen
Very high-resolution 24MP CMOS sensor with impressive high-ISO performance
Exceptionally 'deep' feature set including Auto HDR and Sweep Panorama
Seamlessly-integrated movie mode with full manual control
Class-leading video resolution
Fast and responsive operation
Class-leading continuous shooting performance
Live View maintained during continuous shooting (at 3.75 fps)
Huge degree of control customization available
Conclusion - Cons

Out-of-camera JPEGs don't show off the 24MP sensor to its best extent
Auto ISO limited to maximum of 1600
Top-plate dials indistinguishable by touch (most problematic when using EVF)
Mystifying default control setup (e.g. easier to change JPEG sharpness than flash mode)
No custom settings memories
EVF proximity sensor can keep camera 'awake' and rapidly drain battery
Movie button prone to accidental activation
Limited autoexposure bracketing options
Menu system disorganized and confusing
Additional dials poorly-integrated into existing NEX interface (e.g. in playback mode)
Somewhat incoherent controls (functions behave differently depending on how they're accessed)
Unnecessarily complicated to navigate between stills and movie playback modes
No built-in wireless flash control (needs accessory flash)
No touchscreen (e.g. for touch focus point selection)
Overall conclusion

When the NEX-7 was first announced, it looked as though Sony had gathered together a set of enthusiasts' wish lists and built a camera to exceed them all. From the compact 'rangefinder style' body with its built-in electronic viewfinder, through the high resolution sensor offering 24MP stills and Full HD 60p video, to the triple-control-dial interface, it ticked all the right boxes on paper. There's little doubt that the NEX-7 is one of the most exciting cameras of 2011.

In the flesh, it lives up to almost all of that initial promise. The EVF is excellent, stills image and video quality both superb, and the handling is remarkably good for such a small camera. The use of three dials to control each of the main exposure parameters makes so much sense that it seems odd no-one's done it quite like this before. The fact that these dials can also be used to change a wide range of other settings, cycled through by pressing a button on the top plate, borders on genius. In fact the NEX-7 is so good in so many respects that any criticism almost feels like nit-picking. It's not perfect, but then again no camera is, and its imperfections can generally be overcome.
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post #46 of 63
12/19/11 at 3:41pm
Popular Photography had reviews on the Sony NEX-7 and Nikon mirrorless cameras in their most recent issue. The Sony sounds like a home run for a dSLR user looking for something smaller. As for the Nikon, I'm not sure what they were thinking.

If I was looking for such a camera, I would seriously consider the NEX-7.
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post #47 of 63
1/4/12 at 1:34pm
Thread Starter 
I don't think DSLRs are dead dinosaurs but Trey makes some compelling arguments.
http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2012/01/04/dslrs-are-a-dying-breed-3rd-gen-cameras-are-the-future/

The systems aren't as built out as they need to be to kill off DSLRs but give them time.
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post #48 of 63
1/5/12 at 12:08pm

Too bad my wife isn't into photography, or I'd consider getting something like this for her -- I'm shopping for a digicam for her now that we've decided not to go w/ a smartphone for her.

 

Thinking I'd just go w/ the Fuji F505 for ~$170 from Amazon.  Probably more camera than she'll ever need/use, but there doesn't seem to be any better choices unless she'd much rather have smaller size over quality in this ballpark range (and below).  I will probably end up using it occasionally, especially if the video aspect is any good at all.  OR maybe she will end up swapping w/ my daughter for the old Fuji F20, which actually used to be my wife's camera.

 

As for myself, can't really see ditching DSLR for this anytime soon and can't really justify owning 2 separate systems either although I would consider it if it becomes good-and-easy enough for me to use as a full-featured quality HD cam, especially if that happens before I eventually upgrade my DSLR body to use that for occasional video shooting as well.  I'm currently still just getting by on an old Canon miniDV cam (the Optura Xi) for the occasional video shoots I do -- mainly for the kids' music recitals -- and whatever else I can get my hands on for quick impromptu videos, which is admittedly rare so far despite having a BB (w/ camera) for 2 years now...

 

_Man_

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post #49 of 63
1/5/12 at 12:39pm
I have received my NEX5, with extra 16mm lense, and an underwaterhousing, and I am loving it!! thanks for the recommendations.

Question:
The flash is a toy. What can I upgrade to? The connection is not a standard hotshoe. Is there an adapter available?
TIA.

Gregg
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post #50 of 63
1/5/12 at 1:56pm
Thread Starter 
Well, you could upgrade to the NEX-7 when those start shipping. It's $1299 and has a real hot shoe. The floods in Taiwan have delayed them over 4 months, mine ordered on day one still hasn't shipped.

But on the 5, no, there is no real upgrade available to you. you can order this replacement flash if you lost yours:
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666347923

Or try something crazy like this;
http://www.seriouscompacts.com/f50/nex-5-nice-flash-upgrade-5340/

Which turns a $400 flash into an optical slave. :laugh
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post #51 of 63
1/10/12 at 1:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gregg Loewen View Post

I have received my NEX5, with extra 16mm lense, and an underwaterhousing, and I am loving it!! thanks for the recommendations.
Question:
The flash is a toy. What can I upgrade to? The connection is not a standard hotshoe. Is there an adapter available?
TIA.
Gregg
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Posten View Post

But on the 5, no, there is no real upgrade available to you. you can order this replacement flash if you lost yours:
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666347923


That is indeed an upgrade over the included flash. It includes the ability to bounce the flash, and is several times more powerful.

HVL-F20S_4.jpg

Like the Olympus cameras, you're supposed to be able to use these cameras without ever needing the flash. But frankly for parties and such, a flash is handy to have.
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post #52 of 63
1/10/12 at 7:13am
Thread Starter 
Interesting. I barely use my flash but when I do it's been effective enough at moderate ISOs.
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post #53 of 63
1/10/12 at 10:54am
hi Will
I saw that is is the xxx-20 model...about $120 ish I think.

A good flash can make a world of difference in dark conditions.

the current flash is kind of a joke / toy, but it works very well with close up shots. Totally sucks when trying to take a shot with some depth to it. Also, when using the 18-55 lense, the stock flash hit off the lense hood and cause a shade viginette.
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post #54 of 63
1/10/12 at 11:21am
btw, the waterproof case is insanely cool. Definitely a must have item!! Ebay has them for about 100-$130.
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post #55 of 63
1/11/12 at 8:18am
Thread Starter 
Fuji has a new lil monster (with a monster price)
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/fuji_x_pro1_launch.shtml
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post #56 of 63
1/12/12 at 7:48am
Anyone intrigued by the Canon G1X?

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canong1x/
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post #57 of 63
1/12/12 at 8:24am
Thread Starter 
Looks good but very expensive for a fixey.
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post #58 of 63
1/12/12 at 10:55am
Well, hoping it streets for around $650-$700 (from it's $800 MSRP). But with just a small flash unit (like a Canon EX430), it'd be a decent traveling camera setup without a lot of baggage.
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post #59 of 63
1/12/12 at 11:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Sun View Post

Anyone intrigued by the Canon G1X?
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canong1x/


Interesting. I had not been keeping up with the PowerShot G line. That could be a great backup travel body or portable body for a dSLR user. I owned a PowerShot G3 many years ago, and it was a very good point & shoot for it's time -- manual controls and RAW file support. Add in the larger sensor they are putting in the G1 X, and it's a very intriguing alternative to the mirrorless ILC bodies.
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post #60 of 63
2/6/12 at 1:09pm
Thread Starter 
Engadget NEX-7 review:
http://www.viddler.com/v/86795f69
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/06/sony-nex-7-review/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Mine still has not shipped. =( At this rate I may get my D4 first.
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