Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black)

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

Bought this with both lens. This is the camera I have been waiting for. Takes picturs as good as the pro digitals for a lot less money. Camera is very well built, lens quality is superb! Taking great pictures with this camera is something anyone can master with just a little experimenting. Would love to see Sony come out with an 85-300 lens or something close to it.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

I've had this camera for 3 weeks now and am extremely happy with it.

Purchased with 18-55mm lens as well. I don't recommend the 16mm lens alone. I chose the NEX over the 4/3 sensor crowd after much consideration and am quite happy with it. I also purchased an adapter for my old MD lenses and the camera performs great with these (focal length equivalent is 1.5x mounted on NEX, so legacy 90mm equiv to 135mm). Very versatile for many different situations. With 16mm Sony, almost pocketable. With 15-55mm, great all-around DSLR or near performance in many situations.

Flash options are very limited (not an issue for me).

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

The NEX5 has a decidedly different approach to shooting for fun and capturing incredible imagery as well as video. Without question, there is a learning curve in its ergonomics as well as its multitude of functions and settings. Despite the challenges that most "seasoned" reviewers have with Sony's menu system, I myself find the camera very easy to set up, given a particular shooting situation.The size is what did it for me, along with the APS-C sensor. It feels perfect in my hand, but it takes some getting used to because of the proximity of the other buttons. I wouldn't suggest this camera to someone with large hands, but play with it to be sure that it's a good fit (as with any camera). There are so many great shooting features, all of which are covered by the various reviewers. (My fav, btw, aside from [...] and B&H is this one: [@] Steve is honest, pragmatic and quite humorous!)Low light photography is one of the best attributes, with the in-camera "anti-motion blur" feature. This setting tells the camera to take 6 consecutive images and composite them, making for some really juicy and warm low light capture. I love this!The kit lenses are the first of the drawbacks. The 16mm f2.8 gives a fair amount of distortion. Still, it's nice enough and makes the rig very small and concealable. The 18-55 f3.5 is better in all areas and has IS. The 18-200 f3.5 is a seriously nice chunk of glass and is worthy of highest praises, but more than doubles the purchase price. I bought all three... One would be wise to purchase a second battery and keep both fully charged before a big day of shooting pics and video. The NEX5 depletes these little Li-Ions dry pretty quickly and the recharge time is about 4 hours to 100%.The flash and the flash settings are superb and offer a lot of control missing from point and shooters. The dedicated external mics are truly beautiful and offer the user two width options. Both the flash and the ext. mics are a bit fiddly to mount, but no biggie. I would also recommend a high speed 16 gig card. [...]Excellent departure from the point and shooters (I used a G10 happily for 2 years). Nice alternative to an entry level DSLR. Oh yes... The NEX 5 shoots AVCHD 1080i video **WITH AUTOFOCUS** which most everything else M4/3rds included, does not.Hats off to Sony for making a bold move away from the trends. I am thrilled! Now... how about a 50mm f1.2-ish prime from Sony? And a stereo headphone jack?

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

This camera packs 14 megapixels into an easy to carry/hold/shoot handheld that will make you wonder why you lug around all 17 pounds of SLR and lenses. That's not totally fair since the NEX has interchangeable zooms just like any SLR, but the point is that there's nothing this good and small right now, perfect for the high-standards recreational photographer who doesn't want the weight of the world on their shoulder strap.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

There are only two things really wrong with the NEX-5 camera with 16mm lens, the lens and the shape of the camera bottom. My lens will not focus beyond about 10 ft (3.3m). Beyond this distance focus gets worse as the distance increases. In the 5ft to 10 ft range focus is good and as the lens to subject distance gets closer to the camera focus improves, very close focus is quite good. I was able to try a different lens on my camera and my lens on a different camera, which indicates that my lens was defective out of the box. While the different lens on my camera was able to focus better at distances greater than 50 ft, focus at these distances was still soft. If I were to purchase this camera again I would avoid this lens.A quick look at the shape of the camera bottom will reveal that it is not flat. In addition the camera is very narrow front to back in the vicinity of the tripod mount; which is properly positioned in line with the axis of the lens. Because of the notches in the camera bottom to each side of the lens mount there is very little surface area for the camera to be in contact with a tripod adapter plate. Which means when mounted on a tripod adapter, the camera will spin on the screw at the slightest touch. In order to use this camera on a tripod a custom machined adapter plate will be required. In addition, the small contact area of the camera base means that the camera may not be able to support larger and heavier lenses than the two kit lenses. At least I have my doubts.Beyond the above there are a few things that I consider to be annoying. These are the position of the control wheel and its ease of rotation, the position and programming of the two buttons on the back of the camera, the amount of filtration, the quality of the supplied software, and the organization of the menus. Due to the small size of the camera the control wheel is right under the ball of your thumb, which means the you need to change your grip to make any adjustments to the cameras settings. Unfortunately the wheel is very easy to rotate and the slightest bump or brush will change your settings. The positioning of the two buttons should have been at the top of the camera back so both can be reached by the right thumb without changing grip. At the very least a firmware update is needed to move the MF assist function to the top button. The camera menus are a bit disorganized, but if you just use them you get used to them. The software supplied with the camera is a bit disappointing. For viewing JPGs you will get better results using the software supplied with Windows, Apple Preview or iPhoto. For working with raw files, you will probably prefer working with Adobe or Apple products that will read the raw file. At this writing Capture one will not. As the supplied software will not have an intermediate enlargement between 50% and 100%, plus some of the controls do not seem to make much difference to my uneducated eyes. Speaking of eyes, if you are older than 50 you will probably find manually focusing a challenge if your subject does not have a pronounced pattern and you are using a lens wider than 50mm, as the resolution combination of the sensor and rear screen is a bit weak. With bright light at your back an EVF or screen hood is a must. It may be that the anti-aliasing filter is a bit too strong, as viewing images at 100% are soft, but at 50% and less they seem fine.Despite all of the above, what really makes using this camera worthwhile is the ability to use other manufacturers lenses with an adapter. I purchased this camera to use Leica and Voightlander lenses, and images using these lenses are wonderful, and you can see the character each lens has despite the heavy filtering. With the Voightlander 16 and 25 mm lenses the camera will fit in a large coat pocket. Plus, since the camera uses live view for manual focusing, the camera will give you in body image stabilization and aperture priority exposure control with the manual focus lenses. Flikr[@]has a lot of very nice images using Canon, Nikon, Leica, Zeiss and Voightlander manual focus lensesI would only recommend this camera for use with other manufaturers lenses with an adapter.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

For everyday shooting, travel and capturing images that you'll keep forever, I've found the NEX-5 to be a surprisingly likable camera! I was worried about its menu system, but I shouldn't have. The menus are easy to read and use, and the camera functions beautifully! And the video is simply stunning. Two thumbs way, way up! All it needs is a viewfinder.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

I am a Semi-Pro photographer, occasionally getting paid for shooting people and events. The low light and indoor performance without flash is very good. The camera is light and small so it is a bit hard to hold till you use it awhile. It does go through batteries rather quickly so be sure to carry spares.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

Bought this camera for an upcoming trip to Italy. Did not feel like lugging
my Nikon DSLR around. I was concerned after reading some of the reviews
about the menu system. I am very pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to
use. Camera takes great pictures and the menu system is more intuitive than
the one on my Nikon. Replaced a Canon G10 which was good but this is
much better. Low light results are very impressive. I am anxiously awaiting
the announcement of new and improved lenses.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

B&H had the best price around for this which was [$] that included the NX5, both lenses (16mm and 18-55) an 8gb card, a case, free shipping and no tax!I actually sold my Nikon D5000 in order to buy the Sony NEX5. I bought the Nikon in March, and used it maybe once. Mainly because I take my photos most often while traveling on vacation, I never wanted to lug the heavy DSLR around with me! I dreamed of a day when I could shoot DSLR quality in a compact body - Then I discovered the SONY NEX5. I did loads of research online, watched videos, read reviews, and tested it in person at a local store. I was blown away and knew I had finally found the camera of my dreams. True, this is not for the photography enthusiast who wants to control every aspect of shutter/aperture. But there is enough options in the NEX5 to satisfy the novice or the semi-pro. Overall the user interface is VERY easy - I think it's even easier then the Cannon Powershots that I have continually purchased once every year since they were released. I know some people complain about the time it takes to navigate the menus, but its really not that bad, especially once you start memorizing where each option is. The image quality is excellent, just a tad less then the NikonD5000. However, the compact size and lightweight more then makes up for it. If you need a small, light camera, but you are sick of the low quality point and shoots - this is the ultimate camera. Packed with added features - truly amazing. I am so impressed. I went out and bought a much smaller cosmetic case to keep the camera in and i can put that case in my small purse for traveling. Its really like having a point and shoot (esp with the 16mm lens on it) but you get DSLR quality!!Truly fantastic. I am in love with this camera and I sing its praises everywhere I go, and to anyone who will listen. I have turned on about 4 other friends who are going to get one as well.And B&H had the overall best price/package by far!!

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

Smaller and lighter than I expected, yet easier to grip than I feared. Pixel level examination of images surprisingly good, though the 16mm lens does have color fringing on bright sharp transition edges which Lightroom can usually fix quickly. Very compact with the 16 mm lens but the wide fixed focal length is limiting. Unless you need super compact or only wide angle, I find the standard zoom lens much more useful and better image quality, though it does make the camera a bit larger and heavier. Not as hard to get used to holding and using as you might think. I use a wrist strap on one end.The tilt on the LCD is somewhat limited but very useful. The LCD is hard to see in bright light, perhaps worse than some other camera, but outstanding resolution and image quality. Few buttons force you to use menus for just about everything, I miss the controls of something like the Canon G11.

Mirrorless is an idea whose time has come and it is exciting to have a compact camera with a larger serious CCD in it. Excellent to always carry when the big DSLR is too much to drag around. The camera you have with you is vastly more valuable than the one you left at home.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

Nice idea, but it did not work with other lenses if it is not Minolta/Sony.
With other lenses 100% manual! And you will have problem with focus.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

Easy and customizable! For a beginner this is a great camera. It's so easy to take great photos, though I would recommend getting the combo lens pack though, no zoom is a little frustrating sometimes.

All in all, I love it!

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

I bought the two lens kit and I love it. I have 3 Nikon DSLR (D3, D700, & D300) but this one stays with me all the time. It's a nice small camera (like a point & shoot) for professionals.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

I am a part time professional photographer and have been looking for years for a compact camera that I can take just about everywhere. Nothing has lived up to my standards as far as image quality goes. This Sony Nex-5 does. I was initially excited when I heard about it, but then put off by the early reviews that slammed it for it's user menu interface.

Well, folks it really is not that bad. And for the DSLR quality images it produces in a camera of almost pocket size, this camera is a winner.
No, it does not fit in my pants pocket, but it will fit in a jacket pocket even with the 18-55 lens. I do a lot of outdoor photography and hiking and this is ideal for that.

The high ISO quality is exceptional. That had been one of my complaints about all point and shoot cameras that I tried. Even the high end Canon G9 had more noise than I could live with.

There is a firmware upgrade coming this month that will add more options for the menu set up. This will take care of some of those early negative reviews.

Overall this camera excels for what I was looking for: a take everywhere camera with manual features that shoots raw, and has image quality closely comparable to my pro gear.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

I was first attracted to the NEX 5 through Sony's advertising in the various trade journals, and like a good camera buff, I just had to give it a try.

After reading the reviews about the Sony NEX-5 camera I was worried about using the menus. This came from first hand experience with a Sony 40" LCD Bravia TV/Monitor and the incomprehensible proceedures you had to go through to reset it when it crashed. Their written procedures did not work and it always took a phone call to their excellent customer support to bring it back to life. Well, that was certainly not the case with the NEX 5. Everything is explained in detail, and all it takes is patiently reading, & using all the various features. They all work as advertised. You will soon be proficient in finding exactlty what you need, quickly, without sorting through all the menu options.

Another suprise was the high quality of the HD video taken through the 16mm f2.8 lens. I took about 30 minutes of HD video through a plexiglas windshield in an experimental airplane from an altitude of 4000 feet near Livermore, California. There was no visible vibration in the video and it appeared to be almost as steady as the gyro stabilized cameras in helicopters for our local newscasts.

I also bought the stereo microphone and that gives you CD quality audio. The built in audio is suprisingly good for those tiny microphones in the top of the camera.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

It's much more than I was waiting for. It's just what I needed. It can be better if I get more lenses for it.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

A very good entry level dslr... what it excites me is the HD vedio shooting ability. Very good picture results, even in low light conditions.

Panoroma / Low light imotion antiblur are amazing functions to have!

Bought this camera for wedding... have to say-Sony did a great job with this camera.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

Great size and weight.
Not so great there is not stock for the e mount Adapter to use different lenses from an alpha. I have not use it as I would like.

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

Ergonomic is compromised by the Size of the NEX. Picture quality is decent. However the kit lenses are not up there with the Panasonic M4/3!

Comments about Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/16mm f/2.8 Lens (Black):

I used this camera frequently during a recent vacation trip. Some observations:

- great for nighttime photos, pictures in dimly lit bars, etc.

- panorama is ok as long as there's very little to no movement; oftentimes half of someone's face would get chopped off though.

- you have to do a lot of button pressing to do stuff like change the ISO level, but I didn't really find it to be as annoying as some online review sites have made it out to be.

- there's a (configurable) delay during which the last photo is previewed on the LCD; during this time you cannot take any photos, which can be annoying if you want to take a bunch of quick photos in a row. You can disable preview completely, but it's kind of clunky.

- As of 08/26/2010, Photoshop does not read this camera's RAW files! You can get CS5 to read them by downloading a pre-release plugin from the Adobe site, but you're out of luck for CS4 or for Photoshop Elements.