Sony NEX-7: Worth Switching Systems For?
Friday, September 2, 2011 at 16:17 ;)
Should I Stay or Should I Go? │ GH2 + Lumix 20mm F1.7 │ 20mm F4.5 1/3200s ISO160I've been faithful to the Micro Four Thirds System since its inception in 2008. At that time it was the only game in town. 3 years later, there are several competing systems, so I thought I'd take another look whether the competition might offer products better tailored to my needs. I'm not going to go into what exactly those are; that's fairly evident from the type of photos I take.
Recently, I don't feel the need to shoot with so many lenses in my kit. It's tiresome carrying so much gear and I don't like continuously fiddling around changing lenses. I prefer using fewer lenses more creatively than switching back and forth between a whole set. I think I could shoot the majority of my photos with two primes: one around 35mm, the second a portrait focal length for a more intimate view. I'd still need a wide angle and a telephoto, but I'd only take those along on specific occasions.
;)
NEX-7I've had my eye on the Sony NEX cameras for a while. I like the compact bodies with the articulating screens. I was less enamoured with the amateur user interface and the lack of lenses. When rumours of a (now confirmed) professional Sony NEX camera as well as additional lenses started circulating, I bought a NEX-3 to see if I could tolerate Sony's user interface. I was pleasantly surprised: changing exposure settings was quite efficient. All I had to do was assign items I change frequently to the available controls. The NEX-3 even sports a “click dial” that I've become used to on my Panasonic cameras. One click on the bottom of the wheel switches the parameter from changing the aperture or shutter speed (depending on the mode) to exposure compensation. Perfect.
Sony's tilting screen is also a real delight. Very useful for shots close to the ground or inconspicuous shooting from the hip, it's nice to have this capability on a compact body. I even prefer the tilting mechanism to a fully articulated screen: it can be folded down more quickly and doesn't get in the way of the straps like monitors that open to the left of the camera. Obviously a tilting screen isn't useful for photos in the portrait orientation, but I don't take a lot of those anyway.
;)
NEX-7 Tilting ScreenI didn't do any direct image quality comparisons between my Micro Four Thirds cameras and the NEX-3 with the larger sensor. But it did seem as if the larger sensor was able to hold onto more detail in bright areas without plunging the shadows into featureless black. As a result, the files seem richer and less harsh. But that's just based on subjective opinion, and not a comparative test.
Overall, the NEX-3 manages to be a very a very usable camera despite what its minimal number of controls might suggest. And I got along much better with the small Sony than the never ending struggle I had with the Olympus E-PL1 last year. But while the NEX-3 has some features that I really like, it's still not a serious enough camera to make me think about giving up some of my better Micro Four Thirds lenses.
But that changed with the announcement of the Sony NEX-7. Finally, 3 years after the first mirrorless system camera, there is a model that's aimed at the professional photographer. It comes along with a bold, clean, modern aesthetic. It doesn't try to hide behind fake rangefinder or single lens reflex styling. Gone are the clumsy attempts at integrating faux leatherette and awkward prism humps. The NEX-7 is not afraid to look like the serious, modern system camera that it is.
;)
NEX-7 ControlsIt has all the features that I could want, including an integrated high resolution electronic viewfinder, tilting screen and what look to be customisable and well thought out controls. The rubber coated, sculpted grip on a magnesium alloy body is reminiscent of Ricoh cameras (and that's good). Placing the viewfinder in the corner is convenient for those who don't enjoy pressing their noses into their camera's glossy, rear screen. Even my not exactly small breathing implement should completely clear the back of the NEX-7. All this, including a larger APS-C sensor, comes in a package that's about the size of my old GF1 and almost 100g lighter than my current GH2 (444g versus 350g). So far it looks pretty promising.
Still, a good camera is pretty useless without lenses I'd want to use. Maybe one excellent lens in the form of the Zeiss 24mm F1.8 might be enough though. But it better be good or the asking price will be very hard to justify.
;)
Size Comparison (click image to enlarge)Above is a size comparison between the NEX-7 and some of its Panasonic rivals. I've used the GF1 here as it has slightly more professional aspirations than its dumbed down successors. Next to the svelte NEX-7, my Panasonic GH2 looks clumsy and cluttered. Back to the drawing board for Panasonic, I would say.
All camera images courtesy of Sony and Panasonic
Panasonic GH2, Sony NEX-7, cameras, photography
Reader Comments (55)
I have gone through a similar thought process. I have far fewer m43 lenses so switching is relatively easy. I also find myself shooting with one or two lenses most of the time so the lack of a full line up of lenses for Sony is not a huge issue for me. I know that I can do perfectly good work with m43 set up that I have but the new Sony cameras are very tempting.
I am most likely going to try the NEX 5N which has everything I need sans built in viewfinder and more controls on the body. I am familiar with that sensor's performance and 16MP is already more than enough for me. I might wait for the next iteration of the NEX 7, which I am hoping will have a state of the art autofocusing system and an even better EVF.
Jay, sometimes we just can't help wanting more than perfectly good :-)
While I have a few more m4/3 lenses, I'm at a crossroads where I'd want to invest in the system anyway. At the very least, I'd replace the Lumix 20/1.7 with the Leica 25/1.4 and the Leica 45/2.8 with the M.Zuiko 45/1.8. I love the image quality of the Leica 45/2.8, but I prefer the faster M.Zuiko. So now, before I invest further in m4/3, is a good time to take a look at competing systems.
Yes, the NEX 5N also looks very compelling. 16MP is also more than enough for me and who knows maybe the lower resolution sensor performs better at higher sensitivities. While I prefer more controls, I'm sure I could work with the NEX-5N's interface much like I did with the NEX-3. For me the overriding factor pushing me in the direction of the NEX-7 is the built-in EVF. I don't much like the add-on variety which feels less sturdy and compromises the camera's compact form factor.
Maybe it's wise to wait for the NEX-7 successor. A lot of competition in the mirrorless segment next year will increase the pace of innovation. What lens or lenses are you thinking of using with the NEX-5N? Also the Zeiss 24/1.8 and the Sony 50/1.8 OSS?
I shot with a 35mm lens for a while on a full-frame camera and came to realize that while I could make it work, it wasn't my preferred focal length since I take a lot of portraits. So with the Sony NEX-5N, I am going with the 30mm/3.5 macro lens. Early reports suggest it is a good lens (DPR samples look good too) with good autofocus performance and the focal length is right for me. Of course, f3.5 is on the slow side, but with a camera that does very decent ISO 3200, this should rarely be a problem. Besides, there were a lot of great f3.5 prime lenses in the film era and people did just fine with them. I am also getting the 50mm/1.8 lens for interior portraits.
As Sony's lens lineup expands and third parties fill up gaps, these two lenses may get replaced but for now, they seem like good choices for me.
I am sure you will be very happy with the NEX 7. As for me, after using a couple of cameras without viewfinders, I have come to like the more fluid style of shooting with the LCD where I loosely frame my shots and wait for the right moment watching the scene in front of me rather than through the viewfinder. Flip-up LCD should help with this.
Based on your comments, I'm going to have another look at the 30/3.5. There is also a Sigma 30mm F2.8 E lens but not much is known about it. And while a maximum aperture of F3.5 doesn't need to be an issue, I suspect that the macro designation is responsible for making the lens lens less bright than it might otherwise have been. For example, my Leica 45/2.8 macro is quite a bit larger and slower than the non-macro M.Zuiko 45/1.8.
Personally, I enjoy using a slightly wider, 35mm equivalent prime. Depending on how I frame a shot, I can use it in such a way that it either feels wider or narrower, so it's quite versatile. When I shoot on the street, I feel the wider view lets me capture some of the context. While traveling in India this year, I took the most photos with my 40mm equivalent pancake lens (33%), even though it was only one of five lenses I had with me. So I think I will get a lot of use out of the Zeiss. I can imagine that it's not so useful if you take predominantly portraits and that the 35/3.5 will be more ideal for your needs. You'll save a bit of money in the process as well.
I also like composing from the screen, especially from hip level with the screen angled upwards. I use this technique quite a bit for street photography. But I wouldn't want to be without an EVF either, which is useful for added stability in low light and for composing and reviewing photos when glare is an issue. I'll switch back and forth depending on conditions and my subject matter.
When I used the Sigma DP1 for a short period, I enjoyed the 28mm lens for street photography and I can certainly see the appeal of the 35mm focal length. Besides, that Zeiss lens should be really good and in spite of all the protests over the internet about its size, it is far more compact than any comparable 35mm lens for DSLRs. By the way, I really liked your illustration of comparable cameras. Thanks for that!
I also liked using the EVF on my GH-1 for certain situations and the one on the NEX7 should be far better. I will have to evaluate the NEX-5N after using it for a while to see if I miss a viewfinder.
I am sure you are aware that Panasonic will also be launching a real update to the GF-1and it is supposed to have a built-in EVF. It is a bit unfortunate that Panasonic's sensors haven't advanced a lot in recent years. The difference in size between APSC and m43 sensors is not as big as their low light and dynamic range performance might suggest. I like the simplicity of prime lenses (one less thing to decide) but the upcoming Panasonic 12-35mm and 35-100mm lenses look very interesting.
It is really great to see so many mirrorless options in just a few years. Rest of the 2011 and 2012 should bring us quite a few more.
There are always a lot of protests. The Zeiss prime weighs 225g, exactly the same as my Leica 45/2.8 macro, which is I consider quite compact and light.
Yes, I've heard that Panasonic is working on a GF camera targeting the enthusiast market. Such a camera armed with the Leica 25/1.4 could be a very capable kit for street photography. However, without a tilting screen, it wouldn't interest me as much as the Sony offerings. Not that we know whether it will have an articulated screen or not.
I suspect that Panasonic 4/3 sensors are a little less advanced on the pixel level because they are produced in a lower volume than Sony's APS-C sensors. Sony has a very large customer for its sensors, so they may be able to commit more resources to R&D.
I've seen the Lumix X 12-35 and 35-100 prototypes. That announcement is one of the things that made me pause in deciding to take a look at the NEX system. While I would probably still prefer to cover the 12-35's range with primes, the 35-100 is very interesting. If it's F2.8 at 100mm, that would be a full stop brighter than my 100-300 is at 100mm.
I agree, exciting times ahead. I've already booked a hotel for Photokina 2012.
Your article seems to mirror my thought process. I bought a GH2 in February and this site helped sway me toward M4/3, especially with your article on the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f0.95. It's one of my favorite lenses!
Both NEX-5n and NEX-7 have got me interested. 24MP on the 7 seems ludicrous, especially with a smaller sensor, but the built-in EVF, which swayed my GH2 purchase, could tip the scale. The NEX-5n could be a good compliment to my GH2, especially with the tilt-screen which I prefer over the fully articulated one and the fact that I'm not willing to give up the Nokton or 7-14mm lenses.
As far as lenses are concerned, I honestly don't care about the Sony artillery shell lenses. I prefer manual focus and have an array of excellent primes (Pentax SMC Takumar, Nikon AI and Voigtländer) that I prefer to use over most of my AF M4/3 lenses. Rainbow Imaging sells inexpensive NEX lens adaptors and a handful of those, coupled with Sony's focus peaking feature could do it for me.
I was thinking of getting a GF3 or EPL3 (tilit-screen) as a second body, but both seem like too much of a compromise. And since the NEX-5n is the same price, it could work out really well as a second body.
Who knows? It's fun to mull the possibilities.
Clumsy and cluttered? The GH2 has the buttons on the body, where you need them, when you need them. They're easy to find, well labeled, and useful. The ugly, featureless NEX cameras with their too-small bodies are a waste of space next to it.
Jeff, I like your artillery shell analogy. Quite fitting. Yes, it is fun to mull the possibilities, and then when you've finally figured it all out yet another new and exciting camera is thrown into the mix. You seem to shoot with a lot of adapted MF lenses. I'm tempted but since I don't have any old lenses, I'd have to buy them all. I hate to admit it, But I sold the Voigtländer. It's was a beautiful lens with excellent image quality, but in the end I found it too heavy. I travel quite a bit and want a lighter kit. I'll be getting rid of the Lumix 100-300 for the same reason. Not that that lens comes anywhere close to the Voigtländer in any other way.
I agree that the GF3 and the E-PL3 are both too much of a compromise. The NEX-5N might serve you well. I think you'll notice the improvement in image quality and the tilting screen is very useful. And who knows, the combination of the high resolution external EVF and peaking feature might allow you to focus your MF lenses without having to resort to magnifying the preview. Unfortunately, now we're talking a lot of cash.
Jesse: I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'd agree that the GH2's controls are placed where you need them. I've had a few problems due to my large thumb inadvertently activating the WB, ISO or display buttons, but nothing too serious. And what you call featureless, I see as minimalism. And to me that's the opposite of ugly.
30mm f3.5 Macro is very slow lens, not because of the speed, but because it lacks DOF control.
sure there were F3.5 lens during film days..but f3.5 on a full frame would give you the same dof as a F2.2 lens! now that's a difference!
You could say that 30 f3.5 on NEX7 would have same DOF as 45mm f6.3!!!
If to talk about output, i'm not seeing a reason to prefer APS-C sensors over compacts such as XZ-1 with their f1.8 lens, the low light performance is not that important, when you print the noise does not bother you as much as pixel peeping,
But DOF is always visible, and using a f3.5 lens on APS-C sensor is a major handicap in my POV.
I would LOVE to use NEX system, but i dont see even one usuable lens (well except for the 18-55 and 16mm kit)
The 24mm ZEISS is way to big, expensive,
the best use for a mirrorless camera is a pancake lens that you could have in your pockets, something like 20\2,8 and 30\2 Samsung pancakes, in fact, thats the reason i'm looking forwared to NX20 more then NEX-7
Hi Ros,
Samsung NX system of course is a great alternative and Samsung has already developed a pretty nice range of lens. There is a lot I like about it. I am sure it will serve you well.
I want to point out a few errors in your assessment of the 30mm f3.5 Macro lens on an APSC body.
"30mm f3.5 Macro is very slow lens, not because of the speed, but because it lacks DOF control.
sure there were F3.5 lens during film days..but f3.5 on a full frame would give you the same dof as a F2.2 lens! now that's a difference! You could say that 30 f3.5 on NEX7 would have same DOF as 45mm f6.3!!!"
First of all, a 30mm f3.5 lens on an APSC body will behave like a 45mm f5 lens for the purpose of depth of field not f6.3. Also, shallow depth of field is a function of not only the maximum aperture but also focusing distance. A macro lens allows you to focus much closer and therefore a shallower depth of field if that is what you are after. As for me, we have a 4 month old kid in the house and I like to get close occasionally to take photos. A macro lens will serve me well for that.
Your right about the F5 figure,
You also right about the "distance" being a factor in DOF control
Although thats also was my point - at macro level shot, or a "close up" shot you can get the same kind of DOF from a P&S as from an aps-c camera
For me personally, the big sensor is about shallow DOF from a distance, at wide angle, where you have so much details clogging your frame that the DOF really "pops" your subject out, in a subtle way, like this photograph:
http://500px.com/photo/1903103
http://500px.com/photo/1902559
http://500px.com/photo/1892266
Oh, and BTW, If your interested in photographing your newborn (congrats on that) the kit lens should be plenty good enough, as they focus very close to the subject, i'm sure you wont need the "macro" lens for that,
speaking of which, the 18-55 lens is the same size and speed of the macro lens, AND it has OSS as well! seems like a much better choice for myself, especially for video,
Personally i dont see the point of that macro lens even for macro! as its macro abilities are very limited - its working distance (the distance you get maximum magnification) is less then 1 inch, hence you will likely to shadow or scare your subject before you manage to take the shot,
Anywya if sony had samsung pancakes - it would be the perfect system IMHO
While the new NEX camera seems really interesting I had a brief chance to try the new Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 lens today at the IBC in Amsterdam. My first impression us that this is an amazing lens. Fast and quiet AF, well built, and lovely bokeh. Expected price will be €800, but you should realy consider this one. The Sony system will for a long time not have something comparable.
Bjorn,
It been far to long since I have come here to see your always amazing work! It is interesting that both of us are now looking at the NEX system, but may be for different purposes. I am interested in using the NEX 5N to put on my Leica Lens especially with their system for manual focusing, which seems to be far superior than other systems.
My philosophy is that if you can afford it, you should have camera for different purposes.
What excites me about the new NEX 5N is the sensor - it reminds me of the sensor in the Nikon D300 and X1 which I really love the picture quality from those two cameras.
My concern with the NEX 7 is number of pixels in the censor, but I could be wrong. I see the NEX 5N as back up camera to the M9 - so I did not want to spend as much money on an Nex7.
So I could not help but notice a comment on "photographing a newborn" - Details, please!
Congrats...
Joan
Wouter: Yes the Micro four Thirds leica 25mm F1.4 really looks superb. It was certainly on my list before I decided to shake things up a bit by trying a new system. Sometimes that's good to do, just to gain a different perspective. Yes, it will probably be a while before the Sony system offers a comparable lens, but I'm hoping that the Zeiss 24mm F1.8 will be of a similar quality.
Joan: For you a NEX body makes a lot of sense. I get the feeling though that you will need the EVF to accurately focus your Leica lens(es). While the screen is good for MF, especially with focus peaking, it's still difficult to see in bright light. I'm guessing that the resolution of the EVF is so high that you might be able to focus the lens without using the focus assist enlargement. So if you decide to get the external EVF for the NEX-5N, you end up with a bulkier and slightly awkward camera. Wouldn't the NEX-7 with the integrated EVF be better in this case?
As to the sensor, I suspect Sony has produced a very good sensor so it can also be sold to Nikon for use in their upcoming D300s replacement. I doubt that camera will have the same 16MP Sony sensor as the older and cheaper Nikon D7000. But I agree, the 16MP sensor in the NEX-5N is a known entity and produces breathtaking results.
Not sure what you are referring to on "photographing a newborn?"
Bjorn,
You may be right. Time will tell. Sorry, I misread a entry that I thought was directed at you - rather you were congratulating someone else.
Best,
Joan
OK Joan, now I'm less confused :-)
One thing I didn't consider enough is that you plan to use your NEX as a backup to your M9, whereas I'm looking at the NEX system as my primary camera. So for you the NEX-5N might still be the better choice as it's significantly more compact than the M9. And, you can always use your M9 when you need a fully featured camera with a viewfinder.
Hey Björn,
a little late, but still thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I use the "old" (is 6 month old in the digital era?) NEX-5 with manual Leica-M Lenses. I don't like the Kit-Zoom even it is not bad. I already tested a lot of lenses as I always missed a good street-prime-option for the NEX. The 16mm Sony Pancake was to wide. Most manual lenses like the Minolta MD's I used produced great output, but they were to big and heavy. After getting hands on different M-Mount lenses, I ended up using an affordable but great 28/2,8 Minolta M-Rokkor with M-Mount adaptor as my primary lens. My secondary lens is a 40/1,4 Voigtländer that also performs great on the NEX.
I still miss an EVF. The new EVF is only available for the new model.
But, with the NEX-7, I think I got what I wanted. Minimalism but still control, a good EVF and all black design. On top, I think the 24/1,8 Zeiss isn't as big as one might think. It looks big on the NEX, which is small. Thats why. But it seems to perform well, even wide open. Only some heavy CA problems. But thats typical for wide open primes.
I decided to preorder the Zeiss lens, as I was able to get it real cheap and test it on my "old" NEX in december. If it performs the way I think and there's still some money left the NEX-7 will follow.
If you have any questions concerning different lenses on the NEX - ask.
Kavenzmann
Hi Bjorn,
Beautiful pictures!
Came across your site looking for size differences between the GH2 and the NEX7. Given that I find your thought process for making system decisions very deliberate and thoughtful, I wanted to jump in on the discussion.
I currently use a GH2 with an assortment of Canon FD lenses as well as the 20mm/1.7 and the 14-140. I'm at a point where I could either invest in more m43 lenses (i.e., 7-14 and 45/f1.8 in particular) or keep my system but make any new investments in something like the NEX7 or NEX5N, some dedicated E-mount lenses, and some manual lenses that can work on both. What leads me to consider plan B are: 1) focus peaking for manual focus, 2) better sensor for DR in still photography (w/o getting into pixel peeping), 3) tilt screen (vs. articulated), 4) potentially better jpg engine, 5) integrated EVF in small form factor (NEX7).
I won't bore you with the details of my situation but I'm curious what your current thoughts are on a possible switch to the NEX7 given that there is now more info available on that camera as well as leaks of the Lumix GX1 (which don't sound impressive).
Also, do you think you would have switched if you were less invested in m43 already?
Other comments welcome. Thanks!