Sony game changers

[maverick]

Looks like other players are wanting to test the waters: http://www.dpreview.com/news/1110/11100510fujifilm.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The line "Meanwhile, company president and CEO Shigetaka Komori said it will create
a mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera built around a larger sensor with ‘resolution
and low noise [that] will surpass the 35mm full size sensor." was what sounded very
interesting, and will hopefully push Canon, and Nikon to quite giving us these incremental
upgrades each time around.
Competition is good!

[fishmonger]

well, Nikon just relased a total failure in the mirrorless arena - a 2.7x crop factor? $900 for a body with a tiny sensor?

http://laurencekim.com/2011/09/22/nikon-1-epic-fail/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But then I can use all my Nikon glass on the Sony nex bodies...

[richlong8]

Well, I took the plunge and ordered a Sony 5N with the wide angle and kit lens from Amazon. Received it yesterday. I have to get out somewhere, and take some shots. Bakersfield is one of the worst places to live if you want to take pics of scenery, so I have to make the time to get in my car and travel somewhere. My first impression of the camera is very good. This is a really nice camera! I wish it had a few more knobs and buttons (my preference).
I want to try and setup some fairly identical shots with my LX-5 and the 5N. Then compare the 2 images, and how many steps it took to setup the camera up to get the shot.

[fishmonger]

The 5N is getting all sorts of rave reviews on the photo forums I visit. I almost pulled the trigger, but then took the conservative route and just upgraded my DSLR to the next best thing that still is fully compatible with all the gear I have. I went for the Nikon D7000 and will sell my D90 once it gets here. Pretty much got cold feet to go with something totally new (and I don't have the funds/justifications to go full frame sensor - plus the D700 is about to be replaced by a newer and even more expensive body).

Maybe for a trip that requires ultra light photo gear I'll get me a Nex body. Guess I really wanted to replace my D90, which will buy me some time to see which Nex or alpha will be right for me, if any.

[maverick]

Well Canon introduced there new flagship model today, and it is not what I was hoping
for, though it is what Canon Rumors has been reporting.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1110/11101 ... eos1dx.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[fishmonger]

well, at that price it can be whatever it wants to be, as I am never going to pay that much for a camera body. Surprising that they didn't push the megapixel game any further and instead went for the sports shooter market, which may be a big part of the higher end market.

[richlong8]

I recently bought the Sony Nex 5N "gamechanger". I tried it out in the High Sierra on a dayhike to see what kind of images it would give me compared to my Pan LX-5. I shot in JPEG only. I will, with hesitation, post one picture here. The quality of photos here is so high, and I realize I am way behind most of you guys in talent and ability. There are a few more pics in this trip report. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7144" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Overall, I like the camera. It gives me a better quality photo for much less weight than a DSLR outfit like a Nikon 5100. However, after using it for a day, it leaves me with uncertainty whether it is worth the high cost for my wants. I primarily used the 16mm wideangle lens(24mm). Generally, the images are not as sharp as I would like. I did not use a tripod. I often used self-timer with a three picture burst to try and eliminate camera shake as much as possible. It may be more my problem than the camera or lens, but the results leave me a little uncertain.
I did not like the interface. It seemed as if I continually had to mess with the settings. The camera has some saturation, vivid, brightness, and other settings, and it does not seem to hold your settings when you turn the camera off and on. Some customized options with saved presets would really help. Having to be work the LCD settings all the time was a pain in the neck for me in the bright light. I found myself thinking this camera needs a viewfinder, but the optional viewfinder for this camera is very expensive. Might as well buy the NEX 7 which includes the viewfinder.
And of course, the lens options are so limited for this camera compared to NIkon and Canon. My biggest wish is for a wide angle lens that will help me take a high quality landscape, and I am not certain about the ability of the Sony kit lens and the wideangle to provide that.
I think every camera has tradeoffs depending on your price point. I will probably return this one to Amazon because after shooting with it for a day, I am not sure it is going to work for me. It may be more my abilities than the camera, I admit, but I have to be comfortable with what I am going to carry around the Sierra.

[fishmonger]

I primarily used the 16mm wideangle lens(24mm). Generally, the images are not as sharp as I would like.

the 16mm lens doesn't have great reputation for sharpness, but it does deliver on the weight/size end of things. Looking at what the camera can do with good glass (using adapters, adding sometimes massive chunks of glass), it probably really boils down to how much lens you want to carry (and pay for) to get the best results. I don't think you realize that your lens options are massive for this body - get an adapter for your favorite brand of glass, and sell that 16mm. The ONLY reason I am looking at these cameras is that I can use all my own Nikon-mount lenses and my friend's entire collection of high end Canon glass with jsut a $50 adapter for each system.

As for image settings like saturation, etc - I shoot raw, and don't leave those things to the Sony or Nikon engineer's best guesses. In-camera JPEGs are bound to be mediocre compromises unless you luck out.

Over in this forum thread, you will see a large number of users shooting the 5N with Zeiss glass, Minolta, Nikon, etc. - I start this link on page 95, since the thread started well before the 5N was released.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/969329/95" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Meanwhile, the a77 was just tested in final release form at DPreview - looks like the 24mp sensor is nothing special and much noisier than the 16mp, so I guess the nex-7 won't be quite as killer as some people expect. The built-in viewfinder is nice, but you still pay a premium over the 5N for the sensor if you add the EVF to the cheaper body.

[richlong8]

Good points fishmonger. That's why I posted. I was hoping for someone with more expertise to give me some feedback. I don't have any other DSLR lenses, so my decision is going to end up being whether I want to buy an enthusiast type camera, Nikon 5100, or Canon T3i, NEX-5, or perhaps an older secondhand model. I love the fact that the Sony NEX-5 body is so much lighter than the others. I am not to the point where know I am willing to carry a big heavier camera load on High Sierra backpacking/fishing trips.

[fishmonger]

if using the focus assist on a manual focus lens doesn't bother you, you can pick up tack sharp used old Nikkor lenses on ebay for peanuts. Definitely cheaper than a new Sony lens. Many of the nicer lenses are actually going up in value because they are being bought up by all those indie filmmakers who want that nice film look on their DSLRs. If you shoot landscapes, AF isn't really that big of a benefit, and the focus assist on the Sony nex is really nicely implemented.

As for enthusiast DSLR - I just unpacked my new D7000. My D90 was unable to use all those manual focus lenses I have, plus I hated its mediocre light meter and pathetic white balance guessing. The D7000 is better in every respect, but if you don't have any lenses already like I do, you're probably gonna have sticker shock. I figured I sell the D90 before it's obsolete, and use that to offset the D7000 price. It's going to be my body for a while, because the next step up would be a full frame DSLR, but those are MUCH bigger/heavier and cost a fortune for not that much better performance.

The Sony a77 was the alternative, but sadly, there's no way to use Nikon lenses on Sony (on Canon it's super easy).