Forums > Photography Talk > Sony NEX 7 - What do you think?

Photographer

Don-Jones

Posts: 302

Memphis, Tennessee, US

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?

---
And if you haven't seen it:
http://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/slrs/sony_nex7

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/8 … _with.html

Oct 06 12 11:09 pm Link

Photographer

Instinct Images

Posts: 23162

San Diego, California, US

I played with one for a couple of hours and was impressed with the picture quality but I HATED the EVF.

I wouldn't trade a dSLR for one but mirrorless cameras make nice travel cameras.

Oct 07 12 12:08 am Link

Photographer

K E S L E R

Posts: 11574

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.

Oct 07 12 09:36 am Link

Photographer

paulcoxphotography

Posts: 704

Manchester, England, United Kingdom

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.

Oct 07 12 10:40 am Link

Photographer

Dazed Productions

Posts: 189

London, England, United Kingdom

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.

Oct 07 12 01:43 pm Link

Photographer

Adrien S Photography

Posts: 15

Paris, Île-de-France, France

All of the photographs in this gallery (bar two) were taken with a Nex and a 40/1.4 or 85/1.4 manual lens.

http://photo.adriensicart.fr/index.php?page=series

When subject is not moving fast, I have no problem with manual focusing.


I only use my reflex when I need autofocus, and let's say that after 2 years of manual focusing, I'm not using my reflex much.

Oct 07 12 02:39 pm Link

Photographer

Worlds Of Water

Posts: 37732

Rancho Cucamonga, California, US

Sony NEX 7 - What do you think?

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... wink

Oct 07 12 03:05 pm Link

Photographer

Ralph Easy

Posts: 6426

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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.

.

Oct 08 12 03:10 am Link

Photographer

Jay2G Photography

Posts: 2570

Highland, Michigan, US

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.

.

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.

Oct 08 12 05:31 am Link

Photographer

J E W E T T

Posts: 2545

al-Marsā, Tunis, Tunisia

Raoul Isidro Images wrote:
I found the grip of the whole NEX series very uncomfortable.

Didn't you hear?  This has been corrected for a mere $5,000. smile

https://asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/09/18/20120918_Hasselblad_Lunar_prototype_001_610x383.jpg

Oct 08 12 05:50 am Link

Photographer

Robb Mann

Posts: 12327

Baltimore, Maryland, US

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.

Oct 08 12 08:06 am Link

Photographer

Marty McBride

Posts: 3142

Owensboro, Kentucky, US

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.

amen!

Oct 08 12 09:02 am Link

Photographer

Flick

Posts: 1583

London, England, United Kingdom

I love my NEX 7. I use it for almost anything that doesn't require studio lighting or fast autofocus. I absolutely love it.

Oct 08 12 01:12 pm Link

Photographer

Robb Mann

Posts: 12327

Baltimore, Maryland, US

J E W E T T wrote:

Didn't you hear?  This has been corrected for a mere $5,000. smile

https://asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/09/18/20120918_Hasselblad_Lunar_prototype_001_610x383.jpg

Destroy it with fire!

Oct 08 12 02:16 pm Link

Photographer

Digitoxin

Posts: 13456

Denver, Colorado, US

Flick wrote:
I love my NEX 7. I use it for almost anything that doesn't require studio lighting or fast autofocus. I absolutely love it.

Why not studio lighting?  I am not being caustic, I just don't understand.

Oct 08 12 02:19 pm Link

Photographer

John Ng

Posts: 547

Chicago, Illinois, US

Digitoxin wrote:

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.

Oct 08 12 06:29 pm Link

Photographer

Worlds Of Water

Posts: 37732

Rancho Cucamonga, California, US

Robb Mann wrote:
https://asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/09/18/20120918_Hasselblad_Lunar_prototype_001_610x383.jpg
Destroy it with fire!

Nah... save your lighter fluid... termites will munch it to pieces... lol

Oct 08 12 08:39 pm Link

Photographer

Flick

Posts: 1583

London, England, United Kingdom

Digitoxin wrote:

Why not studio lighting?  I am not being caustic, I just don't understand.

The maximum sync speed is 1/160th and that isn't fast enough for the way I like to shoot, especially when mixing with ambient light.

Oct 09 12 03:35 am Link

Photographer

John Ng

Posts: 547

Chicago, Illinois, US

Flick wrote:

The maximum sync speed is 1/160th and that isn't fast enough for the way I like to shoot, especially when mixing with ambient light.

The 1/160 is pertain to the built in flash. I experimented this weekend with my Profoto strobes on location and sync to 1/200 with no problem.

Oct 09 12 09:03 am Link

Photographer

Flick

Posts: 1583

London, England, United Kingdom

John Ng wrote:

The 1/160 is pertain to the built in flash. I experimented this weekend with my Profoto strobes on location and sync to 1/200 with no problem.

I will have to have a play. I had my FL-58AM on at the weekend and it wouldn't allow that to go above 1/160th either.

Oct 09 12 10:11 am Link