Sony impression of NEX coming from m43

I had a Nex5 for. A while and quite liked it. Didn't even mind the UI - it was customizable enough to get all of my most used controls within easy reach. The IQ was great - notably better than m43 a year and a half ago when I bought it. And it was the first flip screen camera that reminded me how much I used to love shooting with a TLR at waist level. If they'd had anything like the lenses I wanted (or showed any real inclination to develop them), I'd possibly be a Nex shooter today. Or if I was into manual focus lenses I might be one. I only switched back when Oly developed the EPL3 with the same flip screen and a better selection of lenses and lightning AF. I figured the IQ would improve a lot and now it has, to the point that the differences are too small for me to worry about. The OMD is my perfect camera - with a few more key lenses the Nex7 would have been my perfect camera first. That's the only thing that chased me back to m43 and if I was into shooting legacy glass, I'd likely have both still.

-Ray
 
i had issues with a yellow cast on the Nex 5N. This put me off greatly and my heart was with my GF1.

Much later, I realised that they yellow cast only happened in a certain light and if I played with the white balance slider in LR to cool down the image it was gone. Then my monitor died. Oh how things changed when I got a different monitor and set it to sRGB. The Nex images were suddenly more interesting. Adjustments in LR became easier and reducing saturation did wonders.

Several Nex images are now quite hypnotic. Primarily the allure is a smooth and very clean tonal rendering. M4/3 is comparatively very 'pointilist' and has dramatic contrast. I only shoot at iso 100 but the Nex dynamic range is very wide and I can pull detail from deep shadows and white highlights with ease. The sensor is sensational. I had put it up for sale but I will now keep my Nex 5N.

Images with my nikkor legacy primes are superb but these lenses are heavy & require a tripod. The Nex kit lens is fine between 28mm and about 40mm provided I stop down between f7.1 and f10. This also requires a tripod but it is a light load on a carbon fibre tripod. I look forward to some decent fast native glass in my preferred length of 35mm. Fortunately I invested a lot of time in learning the menus and assigning common controls to specific buttons. The controls are now quite easy to use. The most enjoyable feature is tapping one's finger on the screen to focus on a specific object: a true joy.

I could now live easily with the Nex 5N alone. The red GF1 and 20mm lens may be sold.
 
I had a Nex5 for. A while and quite liked it. Didn't even mind the UI - it was customizable enough to get all of my most used controls within easy reach. The IQ was great - notably better than m43 a year and a half ago when I bought it. And it was the first flip screen camera that reminded me how much I used to love shooting with a TLR at waist level. If they'd had anything like the lenses I wanted (or showed any real inclination to develop them), I'd possibly be a Nex shooter today. Or if I was into manual focus lenses I might be one. I only switched back when Oly developed the EPL3 with the same flip screen and a better selection of lenses and lightning AF. I figured the IQ would improve a lot and now it has, to the point that the differences are too small for me to worry about. The OMD is my perfect camera - with a few more key lenses the Nex7 would have been my perfect camera first. That's the only thing that chased me back to m43 and if I was into shooting legacy glass, I'd likely have both still.

-Ray

I share Kevin's sentiment in that m43 and NEX can exist together. I found myself nodding at his previous post saying that at this point the NEX is a luxury I can enjoy. I suspect after all this new gear excitement the E-PL3 will still be my main camera - I don't even have any E-mount lenses, and I don't have any plans at this point to get one - because, again, m43's lens line up is stellar. I'm thinking I'd mount only one or two lenses on the NEX, probably the 50 and an 85, for those times when I really don't need lightning-quick AF, such as shooting portraits or relatively stationary subjects. That way each camera/system has its own purpose, without much overlapping to confuse me. :)

Now, as to joining the TalkNEX forum... I'll see. :)
 
I share Kevin's sentiment in that m43 and NEX can exist together. I found myself nodding at his previous post saying that at this point the NEX is a luxury I can enjoy. I suspect after all this new gear excitement the E-PL3 will still be my main camera - I don't even have any E-mount lenses, and I don't have any plans at this point to get one - because, again, m43's lens line up is stellar. I'm thinking I'd mount only one or two lenses on the NEX, probably the 50 and an 85, for those times when I really don't need lightning-quick AF, such as shooting portraits or relatively stationary subjects. That way each camera/system has its own purpose, without much overlapping to confuse me. :)

Now, as to joining the TalkNEX forum... I'll see. :)

I am finding my GX1 and NEX give me a great combo without too much drama about which to use. If I want AF and spontaneity I'll grab the GX1. If I'm feelin' the need to use my Konicas or my Pen-F lenses it's the NEX. Each plays their strength. I sold off all my MF adapters for m43 because IMHO m43 is not a particularly good option for using legacy glass. You CAN do it but why bother when the NEX is so much better at it. I also decided not to pick up the Sigma 19 or 20 for the NEX despite the 30/2.8 being called the Sigmarit for it's sharpness/bokeh (and being $200 or less new). I figure that'll just confuse the issue. Right now I'm very happy with the two systems and what each gives me.
 
Just wanted to post over here an opinion I put in this thread, in case someone isn't interested on viewing samples from the Rokinon lens. :)

[Using manual focus lens] ... indeed is a pleasure. It is taking a leisurely drive along the Big Sur Coast Highway, whereas AF is driving to work. (I am not taking a dig at the cameras or the IQ here, but the process itself. :))

I specifically bought the NEX for manual focus lens - I found them intriguing when I used them with m43. But I really didn't "buy" into it because nailing the focus is an iffy task - not that it's too hard for me (luckily I am blessed with 20/20 :D), but I need confirmation without zooming in. With m43, it was a side-show: I really didn't think I could build a manual focus kit with it.

With the NEX's focus peaking, it is just a joy. I don't even have a native NEX lens, and I don't mind buying lenses at their market price, because I know I will use them.

The focus peaking really works well - I relied on them 100% even at very thin DOF's (again if you don't want to open that thread, here's a sample pic) :


@f/1.4

1393-c3-rokinon-85mm-%40-f-1-4.jpg
 
Yes, as someone who used to have NEX gear I admit that whenever I have to manually focus with my m4/3 gear I wish Olympus had focus peaking like Sony. I largely think people who dismiss focus peaking either never used it in real life or had one of Sony's terrible menu settings set up wrong. Focus peaking is WAY more quick and intuitive for manual focusing than the magnification method used by m4/3 cameras.

If Sony can implement this with a firmware update (that's how focus peaking first appeared with the NEX-3 and NEX-5) then there's no reason that Olympus can't add focus peaking to existing Olympus cameras with a firmware update.

That said, I have SERIOUS doubts that Olympus would ever go back and create new firmwares for all the m4/3 cameras just to add focus peaking ... unless the focus peaking was tied to the sale of a new line of Olympus-branded manual focus lenses. Several Pen cameras (E-P2, E-PL1, E-PL2 and E-PL1S in Japan) got firmware updates to work with the VF3 after the new VF3 was released ... but only because Olympus wanted existing Pen users to buy that accessory.

I don't think Olympus would be "nice enough" to add focus peaking to existing cameras with a firmware update unless Olympus could make additional revenue from it somehow.

Again, I say this as someone who sold all his NEX gear and has NO INTEREST in returning to the NEX. I prefer my m4/3 gear ... but I'm willing to acknowledge focus peaking is a GREAT feature.

I also like the Sony handheld twilight mode and I wish something like that existed for the m4/3 cameras. That, and I found in-camera panoramas easier to shoot with the NEX than my m4/3 cameras. Panoramas done in post by me using Photoshop are better, but sometimes it's nice to just snap a quick panorama and post it to the web.

Still, while those things are nice it wasn't enough to keep me using the NEX system instead of my m4/3 gear.
 
Yes, as someone who used to have NEX gear I admit that whenever I have to manually focus with my m4/3 gear I wish Olympus had focus peaking like Sony. I largely think people who dismiss focus peaking either never used it in real life or had one of Sony's terrible menu settings set up wrong. Focus peaking is WAY more quick and intuitive for manual focusing than the magnification method used by m4/3 cameras.

If Sony can implement this with a firmware update (that's how focus peaking first appeared with the NEX-3 and NEX-5) then there's no reason that Olympus can't add focus peaking to existing Olympus cameras with a firmware update.

That said, I have SERIOUS doubts that Olympus would ever go back and create new firmwares for all the m4/3 cameras just to add focus peaking ... unless the focus peaking was tied to the sale of a new line of Olympus-branded manual focus lenses. Several Pen cameras (E-P2, E-PL1, E-PL2 and E-PL1S in Japan) got firmware updates to work with the VF3 after the new VF3 was released ... but only because Olympus wanted existing Pen users to buy that accessory.

I don't think Olympus would be "nice enough" to add focus peaking to existing cameras with a firmware update unless Olympus could make additional revenue from it somehow.

Again, I say this as someone who sold all his NEX gear and has NO INTEREST in returning to the NEX. I prefer my m4/3 gear ... but I'm willing to acknowledge focus peaking is a GREAT feature.

I also like the Sony handheld twilight mode and I wish something like that existed for the m4/3 cameras. That, and I found in-camera panoramas easier to shoot with the NEX than my m4/3 cameras. Panoramas done in post by me using Photoshop are better, but sometimes it's nice to just snap a quick panorama and post it to the web.

Still, while those things are nice it wasn't enough to keep me using the NEX system instead of my m4/3 gear.

I myself think I refer the NEX over m43 and if push came to shove I'd probably ditch my m43 gear and keep the NEX, but I can appreciate someone preferring m43 for a variety of reasons. The native lenses, the UI and the controls are just a few reasons. Where m43 is really falling down for me is is the IQ. I have a GX1 and some decent native glass (P14, PL25 and PL45) and I think that my NEC-C3 and Pen-F 38 or various Hexanon lenses give me much better results.
 
My NEX-C3 is on extended loan to my dad, which is why I haven't been posting much over at TalkNEX these days. I like that camera a lot, though. Like Ray, I didn't mind the menus once I got the camera setup how I like it.

The only thing missing for me was a small, inexpensive, native AF prime lens longer than 16mm and at least f/2.8 speed. I think the two Sigmas address that need for me, although I haven't used them enough to be sure they'd work for me. My problem with Sigma lenses on Canon DSLRs in the past has been AF reliability. I'm guessing that with CDAF, that shouldn't be an issue on NEX.
 
My NEX-C3 is on extended loan to my dad, which is why I haven't been posting much over at TalkNEX these days. I like that camera a lot, though. Like Ray, I didn't mind the menus once I got the camera setup how I like it.

The only thing missing for me was a small, inexpensive, native AF prime lens longer than 16mm and at least f/2.8 speed. I think the two Sigmas address that need for me, although I haven't used them enough to be sure they'd work for me. My problem with Sigma lenses on Canon DSLRs in the past has been AF reliability. I'm guessing that with CDAF, that shouldn't be an issue on NEX.

I could easily see the Sigma 30/2.8 being a nice companion to the C3. From the images I have seen it reminds me a lot of the P20 for m43 (albeit slower).
 
7659504812_17d95cd696_b.jpg


You know, I have a nice m43 body in the GX1 and some even better native lenses in the PL24 and PL45 but IMHO m43 doesn't come close to the experience I get with my NEX and legacy lenses. The image above was shot with an old Konica 40/1.8 (notice the hexagonal highlights). With focus peaking I was able to go out and rattle off twenty shots in no time. I tried the same with the GX1 and this particular shpt played havoc with the AF (and I don't mean that as a complaint). The experience of shooting with the NEX far outweighs the quibbles I have with the UI and menus. Then there is the IQ. I know the OMD is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread and IMHO the GX1 is pretty darned good but to me the IQ of the NEX is eye opening. I like my m43 and have no plans to quit using it but every day the NEX surprises and delights me.
 
I don't know about on the NEX, but I just bought the Sigma 30mm for the E-p2 and the auto focus is quick and accurate, even with face detect on. Forget manual focus though. The focus ring is plastic on plastic and "sticky and grabby". The lens seems pretty sharp, though I have only messed with it for a few test grabs. Today plan to put it to some test shots and family event testing.
 
Back
Top