Mirrorless cameras compared

[Pelao]

Thom Hogan has updated his running review of mirrorless cameras. Included are offerings from Olympus, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony.

Note also the photo on his home page, taken with an M4/3.

Panasonic GF-1, Olympus E-PL1, Samsung NX100, and Sony NEX-5 Camera Review by Thom Hogan

 

[Fiddler]

Thanks - that's an interesting read.

All the best,

Colin

 

[ismailfaruqi]

interesting read, indeed. However cant help to think that Thom has some negative bias towards Sony. From his usual comments and... this one too.

 

[Pelao]

interesting read, indeed. However cant help to think that Thom has some negative bias towards Sony. From his usual comments and... this one too.

Perhaps he does. I would say though that he does not set himself up as full reviewer. Instead, he reviews from the perspective of what is important to him and his type of shooting. This is where the Sony's fall down.

 

[Fiddler]

Shows yet again (IMO) how much Olympus and Panasonic got right with this format. I own an EX1/TL500 and like it a lot, but I don't like the form factor/feel of the NX100, and don't like control setup of the Sony. Having said that, I know that they are both good cameras

All the best,

Colin

 

[Djarum]

The biggest issues I have with the review are that some of the things he mentions as matter of fact when they really are his own personal reviews. When I see things like the user interface is just a mess, I have problems with it. Some things are understandable, like high ISO and preference in WB, but some of the statements he makes without qualifying them as his own opinion crawls under my skin.

 

[~tc~]

Isn't just about everything you ever read the author's opinion? Especially on something as subjective as a menu setup?

Personally, I think he let Sony off easy. The UI on the NEX is absolutely HORRIBLE.

 

[Pelao]

The biggest issues I have with the review are that some of the things he mentions as matter of fact when they really are his own personal reviews. When I see things like the user interface is just a mess, I have problems with it. Some things are understandable, like high ISO and preference in WB, but some of the statements he makes without qualifying them as his own opinion crawls under my skin.

Fair enough. Generally, this would bother me too. In this case though I am very familiar with his writings, reviews and opinions. In other words, I know what he looks for and he assumes his reader does too. In this context I understand what he means when he expresses a criticism, such as an interface being a mess, because I know what he prefers.

Isn't just about everything you ever read the author's opinion? Especially on something as subjective as a menu setup?

Personally, I think he let Sony off easy. The UI on the NEX is absolutely HORRIBLE.

True enough, but the views become more weighty when the writer makes it clear what they value, and what they dislike. This guy does that, for his needs.

I agree on the NEX cameras. For my needs and preferences the interface does not cut it. Nice image quality though.

 

[Albi]

Very entertaining and interesting. I think Sony is going bit wrong way. They should've been targeting DSLR users.

 

[Streetshooter]

Very entertaining and interesting. I think Sony is going bit wrong way. They should've been targeting DSLR users.

I don't know what target they were going for but they missed it.
BTW, welcome aboard....
Shooter

 

[dhazeghi]

The biggest issues I have with the review are that some of the things he mentions as matter of fact when they really are his own personal reviews. When I see things like the user interface is just a mess, I have problems with it. Some things are understandable, like high ISO and preference in WB, but some of the statements he makes without qualifying them as his own opinion crawls under my skin.

That's his style of reviewing. Frankly though, any ergonomics expert would tell you the same thing - an interface that results easily in accidentally changed settings and that makes frequently changed settings slow to access is not, fundamentally, a good design.

The good thing about Thom is that he's a pretty straight-shooter. He lays his preferences out pretty clearly and it's easy to see where he's coming from.

 

[NetizenSmith]

I looked at the NEX before getting a G2. Crap UI aside, having a body that small when all the lenses are gigantic is pointless IMO. A shame as the tech inside the Sony's, along with the sensors, made it quite appealing.

The reviewer erroneously lists 3 lenses in the 4/3 section that shouldn't be there.

 

[carpandean]

To me, the NEX system looks like a proof-of-concept prototype. It's like somebody at Sony said "show us that it's possible to make a mirrorless camera with an APS-C sensor." Then, when they did, they were told that they wouldn't get any more funding and would have to sell what they had. Now, what I'm guessing really happened was that they set out to do one thing: make an APS-C camera with interchangeable lens mount that is as small as possible. They weren't thinking about the camera as a system; just about getting the smallest body. It just doesn't work for me.

 

[ZephyrZ33]

To me, the NEX system looks like a proof-of-concept prototype. It's like somebody at Sony said "show us that it's possible to make a mirrorless camera with an APS-C sensor." Then, when they did, they were told that they wouldn't get any more funding and would have to sell what they had. Now, what I'm guessing really happened was that they set out to do one thing: make an APS-C camera with interchangeable lens mount that is as small as possible. They weren't thinking about the camera as a system; just about getting the smallest body. It just doesn't work for me.

You pretty much summed up Sony's business model for as long as I can remember it. :tongue:

"Let's innovate something new, cash on as many proprietary elements as possible, then we bail. Someone else is probably going to perfect it anyway...at least we did it first."