PCWorld Rating
Pros
- Solid image quality
- Accepts both SD/SDHC and Memory Stick cards
- Innovative modes, including Sweep Panorama
- HD movie recording with stereo audio
- Compact design with DSLR capabilities
- Excellent burst mode
Cons
- No built-in flash
- Proprietary accessory mount and new lens mount
Bottom Line
Sony's first interchangeable-lens compact camera, the NEX-5 offers image and video quality on a par with a DSLR and has unique modes that go beyond anything else in its class. The only thing missing is a built-in flash.
Images (click to enlarge)
The Sony Alpha NEX-5, which brings together features from both point-and-shoots and DSLRs, embodies the out-of-the-box thinking that gadgeteers often admire about Sony. Its high-performance features--including a 14.6-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a 25-point autofocus system, and a 7-frames-per-second burst mode--go beyond what you find in compact cameras.
Yet the NEX-5's 10-ounce body is so compact (4.375 by 2.375 inches) that the diameter of the 18-55mm E-mount lens barrel extends above the top plate. The 3-inch LCD screen (921,600 dots) occupies most of the back of the body, leaving just enough space for three buttons and a dial. Even though the NEX-5 is petite, it's still comfortable to hold.
In Video: Sony's Alpha NEX-5 Offers DSLR Capability Without Complexity
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The LCD, borrowing one of my favorite features from the compact world, angles upward 80 degrees and downward 45 degrees. No matter which angle you want to hold the camera for shooting, you can adjust the screen to accommodate, which encourages you to shoot more creatively. Keep in mind, however, that the camera has no optical or electronic viewfinder (though you can purchase an optional electric viewfinder separately). So whether you like it or not, composing via the LCD is the only game in town.
Buttons and Menus
The NEX-5 has a total of six external buttons, and that includes the shutter release. Sony pulls this off by using a clever menu system that's graphical (a good thing for photographers) and easy to navigate. For example, instead of putting an actual mode dial on top of the camera, Sony creates a picture of one on the LCD that you can rotate using the multipurpose dial on the back. After about an hour of shooting, I was able to find all of the settings I needed using this unique system.
Adding further flexibility, the buttons on the back are contextual; their labels display on the LCD. But on the top panel of the body, the Movie button is hard-wired, and it's the only way you can enable movie mode. In the same vicinity you'll also find the Playback button and the on/off switch.
Image Quality
When it comes to image quality, the NEX-5 performs like a DSLR. Exposure, color fidelity, sharpness, and image noise are quite good. Sample images taken with the NEX-5 were impressive when compared with the output of full-fledged DSLRs and other interchangeable-lens cameras.
The NEX-5 earned the best score for color accuracy in our seven-camera test group, outscoring DSLRs such as the Canon EOS 7D and Canon EOS Rebel T2i in that category. Exposure quality was also impressive, as the NEX-5 outpaced every camera in our test batch other than the Canon EOS 7D. The NEX-5 also fared quite well in our sharpness tests, but distortion was a weak spot. Overall, the Alpha NEX-5 earned an imaging score of Very Good; the Canon EOS 7D is the only camera to post a better overall imaging score thus far in 2010.
Click on any of our lab's test images below to view them at their original size.
For my hands-on tests, I decided to push the limits and take the NEX-5 to a basketball game and shoot at ISO 1600 and 3200. The shots were solid, with saturated colors and well-controlled image noise. Plus, shooting at 7 fps enabled me to capture action that I would have missed with a compact model.
Raw capture is available too, but it limits burst mode to eight shots or five frames for Raw+JPEG. Sony includes raw converters for both Mac and Windows (more on that in the software section below). Since the JPEGs are excellent, you'll probably want to switch to raw only in challenging lighting conditions when you need to draw the most information out of the highlight and shadow areas.
You have three resolutions to select from in Movie mode, going all the way up to 1080p, all at full frame rates. You have the option of choosing your movie format, too: MP4 or AVCHD. Both the video and the stereo audio quality are very good. The camera includes an HDMI jack, enabling you to output the signal to an external monitor; alternatively, you can load the footage into your favorite video editor for finishing touches. I recommend that you get an HDMI cable and keep it with you--movies from the NEX-5 look great on an HDTV.
In our lab-based video tests, the NEX-5 proved to be the interchangeable-lens camera to beat in video quality. It earned the highest overall score for video shot in bright light, low light, and audio capture, sweeping our seven-camera competition on its way to a Superior rating for video.
Here are sample AVCHD clips (shot at 1920 by 1080, at 60 interlaced fields per second) that we shot in bright indoor lighting and in low light with the NEX-5. For the highest-quality clips, select 1080p from the drop-down menu in the lower-right corner of each player.
You can also see MPEG-4 sample clips shot at 1440 by 1080 (30 fps) for the bright-light test movieand the low-light test clip.
Lens Options
The NEX-5's small size means that Sony had to opt for lens-based stabilization instead of in-body stabilization. At the time of this review, a stabilized 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom and 16mm f/2.8 prime lens in the new E-mount are available. Both are high-quality optics that also look handsome on the camera. The zoom includes a bayonet-mount lens hood, and it has front threads to accept 49mm filters. The 16mm didn't include a lens hood, but it has the bayonet to accept one, and it also has 49mm filter threads. Since the focusing rings don't rotate, you can use a polarizer on either lens. Both optics feel mechanically sound, with swift performance.
To calculate focal length in 35mm terms, you have to factor in the 1.5X magnification. So the 18-55mm zoom shakes out to 27-82.5mm, while the 16mm lens shoots like 24mm wide angle. I really liked the 16mm lens; its only noticeable flaw was softening in the extreme corners. If you can live with that, you'll have a blast with this prime lens.
Special Features
At the top of my special-features list is the Sweep Panorama mode. Not only does the NEX-5 make it easy to capture broad panoramas in a horizontal or vertical direction, but it also merges and processes the images in-camera, nearly instantly. Just "sweep" the camera from one side to another at a steady pace, then go to playback and marvel at the expansive image you just created. This feature works best for scenes with stationary objects--people moving through the scene can cause some unusual effects.
After this review was completed, Sony released a free firmware update for the NEX-5 that adds a 3D effect to photos taken in Sweep Panorama mode. You need a special pair of Sony's Active Shutter 3D glasses and a compatible 3D TV set to see the three-dimensional effects in your photos.
Sony also includes Anti Motion Blur technology to assist with moving objects, an Auto High Dynamic Range option to better capture highlights and shadows, and even built-in shooting tips to help you get the most out of your camera while you're in the field.
Least Favorite Features
The NEX-5 has no built-in flash. You do get an external flash in the box, but it uses a proprietary "smart accessory terminal" mount, which the camera has instead of a traditional hot-shoe mount. When you shoot both movies and stills, they do not appear together in Playback mode, so you can be viewing your stills and wondering what happened to your movies; you have to go into the Playback menu and switch to Movies, which shows all of your video footage but no stills.
Software
You can view JPEGs with just about any photo application, but there isn't much support for the raw files outside of Sony's own bundled software. Fortunately, its Image Data Converter SR is a pretty good program, available in both Mac and Windows versions. It has a solid set of controls to help you pull as much image information as possible out of the files. I particularly liked the D-Range Optimizer control that allowed me to open up shadows and recover highlights manually. One nifty trick included in the software is the ability to link to your favorite image editor: Once you process the raw files with the Sony software, you can pass them directly to Photoshop or another application of choice. It even works with Aperture. This link helps smooth the workflow considerably.
AVCHD video files from the NEX-5 also present a small challenge. Most consumer video editors can decode the AVCHD files, though, so when you plug the NEX-5 into your computer, your software should see it and the movies it contains.
If you want to drag and drop the video files from a Sony Memory Stick to your computer, you might get lost in Sony's file management system. The video files are there--just go to the MP_ROOT folder and grab the MP4 files.
Buying Advice
The Sony NEX-5 is an excellent camera for hobbyist photographers upgrading from compacts who want to increase capability but not bulk. Its portability--along with its incredible burst mode, good image quality, and HD movie capture--makes it an excellent choice for kid photography, travel, and even amateur sports.
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