Right off the bat we're looking at a 24MP mirrorless camera + interchangeable lens. And they say the viewfinder is amazing. The negatives I hear is that it doesn't keep up with most DSLR's in terms of speed and you need to love manually focusing. Oh and an APS-C sensor.
Being a crop camera, you can't really complain. Talking a body for $1,200 and 24MP. Speed and the focus isn't an issue for me.
I know one kick ass photographer that is using it, but beyond that I don't know if its just something else to have or could this become my go-to camera for that beautiful shot.
So has anyone actually been using this in production? Can you live without it vs say a D3 or 5D (and we're not talking about snapping 20 continuous shots of kids playing soccer). Indoor/outdoor, working with a model(s), plenty of time setting up the shot. Is it awesome or not?
And what lens are you using with in say a 50mm or 100mm?
K E S L E R
Posts: 11,458
Los Angeles, California, US
I use a nex 7 as a primary camera. Been using it since April.
I've used them on Commercial jobs shooting lookbooks n stuff like that.
I wouldn't recommend using it on a job if its the first time you've worked with the client. Small mirror-less cameras are not widely adopted yet, so it might give off a bad impression. Kinda like walking into an ad agency with an iPad, or any place where iPads are not well received.
My main camera is a D3 but I also use the Nex-7 increasingly. The main lens for portraits is a 50mm f1.8 which benefits from being stabilised. I'd like to see something in a fast tele 75 - 100 mm range ASAP. I'm gradually getting used to the viewfinder and like to pull out the rear LCD and use it almost like a waist level finder. The continuous AF mode doesn't really bear comparison to the D3 but the single shot AF works well and the 24mp raw files contain an amazing amount of detail.
Another D3 user with a Nex-7 as a lightweight alternative. i tried shooting with it as a second camera and it was frustrating. It is a lot better than the Pen that it replaced but it is no substitute for the speed of a DSLR for events. The viewfinder is good for a electronic one but no substitute. It works well where you can take your time to compose photos but not for trying to capture fleeting moments. I use it and like it but for me its not a camera for working at least in my case.
I only use MF glass with the Nex.
Not impressed. My D5100 is neck and neck with it over at http://www.dxomark.com, slightly surpasses it in low light performance. Nikon offers FAR BETTER lens and flash options with Sony's lens offerings being very limited... AND... the D5100 body is half the price...
Raoul Isidro Images wrote: I found the grip of the whole NEX series very uncomfortable.
The Olympus line of Pens are OK, the Panasonic Lumix even better of all the three.
The G1x is nice to hold, but it is bigger than all of these models.
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As an E-M5 owner I can't agree with the panny's being the best of the 3. I picked my E-M5 over the NEX-7 for a number of reasons. Auto focus is far superior, it's weather sealed and the lens selection that you have for NEX is not even close to the selection you have for m 4/3. Now that the Olympus camera's are no longer using the Panasonic sensors they have made huge strides and pulled ahead making the pannys last out of the 3 IMO. I also try to shoot JPEG as often as I can unless it's something I really need to control over, and the Olympus JPEG engine is 2nd to none. Skin tone and colors are just spot on. I really did lie the NEX, but like I said lens selection and I'd even say price was a deal breaker for me.
It got mixed reviews due to the sensor. It gets noisy at pretty low ISO values (800?) and doesnt hold up to thd NEX-5 in image quality in some ways. Not at all a bad camera, but not a real amazing gem either.
To me, having an 'excellent EVF' is about as appealing as being involved in a traffic accident that wasnt 'that bad'. Rather just avoid the whole thing entirely.
Robb Mann wrote: To me, having an 'excellent EVF' is about as appealing as being involved in a traffic accident that wasnt 'that bad'. Rather just avoid the whole thing entirely.
Why not studio lighting? I am not being caustic, I just don't understand.
Because, one reason is, the Nex7 does not have a standard flash sync for Pocket Wizards, but you can buy a generic one. I just did a shoot yesterday with that generic sync and Pocket Wizards with my battery powered pack, so it can be done.
I use it mostly for my location shoots so I don't have to carry my heavy DSLR and it is more discreet so I don't get questioned by authorities when I'm on certain locations.
So far I feel I'm doing more location shoots since I got the Nex 7. It's not perfect, but in the end, it's another tool, and I'm shooting more.
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