After watching a review on the NEX-5, I'm seriously debating selling off my camera and switching to one of those. Personally, I love Sony better. And getting a full-frame sensor (Correction: Sensor the same size as the Sony Alpha Cameras) would be great. The one thing that's holding me back is that I just got a 50mm ƒ/1.4 on my EP-1. It would cost more money to get one on an NEX-5, but it would be fully compatible with the camera (manufactured by Sony).
By all means, switch if you must. :smile: Just curious, how long have you used the EP-1? The NEX series are APS-C, not full frame sensors. --Warren
Interesting post - I must admit that I don't know anything about the Sony. What's driving your decision to get the full frame sensor? I've printed dozens of photos from my GF1 enlarged to 11" by 14" and you would not know that they were from a m 4/3 sized sensor. Is sensor size the primary reason?
as warren said not full frame and an operational nightmare if your doing anything beyond newbie shooting in green rectangle i auto everything mode , also it has a tendancy to over expose in that mode which is not easily correctable in that mode i was intrigues by the sonys too but wait for a version that respects the thinking photographer read the review at dp reviews for more on this
Used it for about four or five months. And pardon me, I meant same as the sensor in the Sony Alpha cameras. That and preference to Sony. I used a sony point and shoot for years, and it was by far the clearest sensor I have ever used. Sharpness, color, everything was amazing. After checking DPReview, I am blown away by the clarity this camera achieves. (Cropped from photo at full resolution.) I can still get the lenses I want, but with Sony's hardware and software to back it. The body is better than the EP1 hardware wise, and software wise. (For my purposes. There could be something on the EP1 that is missing from the NEX-5 that I am not tapping into nor will I) The noise handling matches the t2i! The fact that I would have to wait a little longer to use a 50mm ƒ/1.4 is the only thing that is really causing me to hesitate at this point.
Good luck CalebPhotographer, perhaps a converter will become available to use your 50mm f1.4 lens on your Sony? Is there a Sony User Group forum, similar to mu-43.com available? I find this community a big positive factor to owning and using m4/3rds cameras... Cheers Brian
Sony makes an a-mount 50mm ƒ/1.4 that I could use on the NEX. It costs a little more than I paid for the canon (Could find for $200-$250 on eBay) but would ultimately produce better quality coupled with the body.
My suggestion would be to try it out before switching. I tried the NEX's in a store. One of the most notable good thing I found was the shutter was so nice compared to the big heavy "clunk" I get from my e-p1. How ever, there were also a bunch of annoyances which would drive me nuts after a short amount of time too.
I've owned a few Minoltas and when Sony bought over Minolta and produced DSLR, I bought Sony's DSLR too. In May, I wanted a small camera to take along for a vacation. I was actually waiting for NEX. I had only one eye on EP2. But when I saw NEX first pictures, I was quite dissapointed. It was just too hi-tech looking for me. Having no dials too was a turn off. Immediately I went to a store and grabbed the EP2, my first ever Olympus. No regrets. But of course, this is purely asthetic, not technical. Good looking camera works for me. Technically, I'm sure the NEX is good. I've not read any reviews, but owning a Sony DSLR, I know how clever Sony is. Good luck!
I agree that you should have the camera that works for you. The question I think worth asking is: what is it that defines what you need from a camera? is it the camera itself, it's technical prowess, or the images it may produce? For example, the noise comparison above is interesting, but not at all irrelevant to me. I rarely shoot above ISO800, and mostly in the range 100-400. then, I like to be able to change settings with the camera to my eye, and/or without looking much at controls. finally, I like to print, sometimes up to 16x20 or so. My GF1 can do all that for me. The technical reviews of cameras are interesting, but I only focus on the ones relevant to my photographic technique and input. If I gave any serious power to individual technical advantages of which I have no need, I would be changing cameras every few weeks. I say move, but with caution.
What store were you able to find one in? :O I'm in the US, so maybe if you aren't here that could be it? I would definitely be interested in trying before I buy though.
Caleb, you really should unload your camera...I mean after all...why would you want a camera that makes images like the ones on the tennis post...geeze.....
First off, thanks for the compliment (I think) I will probably wait a bit to decide. I am really having trouble deciding because of the lens ordeal. But body wise, the NEX-5 is more attractive. My thoughts are this... The tennis post is mostly due to the lens. Not solely the camera. If I can buy a camera that I know has better features on the body side, then wouldn't it mean that I would take less time later? Having a camera that can do a 22mp Panorama would be great. Having a couple more megapixels on a sensor that can handle ISO as well as the t2i? Great. Being able to switch one body for the other seamlessly with little to no money out of pocket? I would probably never use a zoom lens. Right now the 50mm that is equivalent to 100mm is pretty great.. So that's why it's the one thing holding me back I can use any of the alpha lenses, with carl zeiss glass, which I am pretty fond of. The tennis post is also a lot of processing
Sony was shipping them around the sonystores, different locations on different dates. It showed up at store near my on the release date so I checked it out. If you're near a major city centre it's probably already made it's rounds through it... maybe you can check at sonystyle.com or something to find the tour dates.
Also if you have a WolfCamera in your area ask if they have a sony rep that comes by. I went to the one in SF and they told me that the sony rep has already come by several times to demo the NEX 5 and he should be their this weekend again.
What 50mm 1.4 lens is fully compatible with NEX? Even Sony's alpha mount is manual only on NEX. You can wait until they produce a NEX adapter to the mount of your 50mm. I believe I would yield the same quality with alpha mount on NEX.
That is what I meant. With the adapter supplied by sony, I can use an alpha lens. I did not mean to imply that autofocus was supported.
