Friday March 1, 2013

Sony NEX-7 Review

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UPDATE: Firmware update for Expanded Auto-Bracketing!

Get the New Firmware Update Here to get your exposure bracketing all the way to 3.0 EV! You can take 3 frames at 1, 2, or 3 EV now! For HDR, I still suggest 3 exposures at 2 EV, which would be -2, 0, and +2.

The other cool firmware update allows you to disable that pesky movie button that always seems to get pressed by accident!

My Reviews

My camera reviews are strange. I’m just a guy that likes to bend cameras to my will. I’m very practical and matter-of-fact. I don’t get into all the specs beyond the basics. I understand all the specs, but I won’t burden you with strange numbers that may confuse most people. I do work the cameras hard, and I will just talk to you about the camera like a regular guy… I hope this is okay.

I bought this camera myself right before a Disney cruise because I wanted to experiment with it. I wanted to take shots of the ship, of my kids, of action, the beach, and more. And — I ended up very pleasantly surprised!

NEX-7 Review Video

I had a show (on my podcast) about this very camera where we had several NEX-7 users talk about it – enjoy!

My Thoughts on the Sony NEX-7 Camera

I love it!

I’ve been using it for about 50% of my shots recently. You may know that I believe that “mirrorless”, or 3rd generation cameras, are the future of photography. To me, this is the first camera that is stepping firmly into the fighting arena.

Let me tell you my situation with mirrorless and mirrored (DSLR) cameras.

I also have a Nikon D800 that I use for my “Epic” shots. It’s a 36 megapixel camera that is a bit more robust with a wider array of lens selections than the Sony NEX-7. It’s also more than twice as much in cost (and weight, and bulk, and hassle…).

Even though neither of these cameras is mutually exclusive, and you can take ANY kind of shot with EITHER camera, here is how my shot selection is breaking down:

Sony NEX-7 Shots

  • Casual outdoor shots when just walking around – cool signs, interesting cars, street photography, found objects, shop windows
  • Kids and action and parties. It was pretty much my main “walk-around camera” at Disneyworld and the cruise ship

Nikon D800 Shots

  • Landscapes on a tripod in low-light or at night

The Lupines at SunsetSo here is a cool thing about this photo that one might not guess. This was taken with a Sony NEX-7 and the kit lens! Yes, the kit lens.This was shot on Baker Beach in San Francisco one evening when I was exploring…. I was double-fisting it with two cameras… and I saw this quick scene so I went for this experimental shot.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the entire post at the Stuck in Customs blog.

The above photo was taken with…. drumroll… the Sony NEX-7! And the kit-lens, no less!

Wait, you don’t use the Sony NEX-7 for Landscapes? I want to shoot landscapes!

Whoa whoa… hold on there cowboy… I didn’t say the NEX-7 was bad for landscapes — I’m just telling you my situation. The D800 is better for landscapes, so I use that. However, the NEX-7 will be just fine.

If you are in a low-light situation, you will want to use a tripod. You won’t be able to get a good clean shot if it is dusk or night with the NEX-7 if you are trying to do it handheld. You can crank up the ISO very very high to try to get a shot without blur, but the noise will be pretty violent. The noise will be so bad, in fact, that it will be beyond the help of Lightroom noise reduction.

HDR Photo

Above: I just took this photo a few days ago with the NEX-7 and the 10-18mm lens. I don’t think I could have done any better with the Nikon D800.

 

Sony NEX – First Three Lenses

If you are just getting started and want recommendations on your first three lenses, here they are. Often times a camera will come with a “kit lens” that is pretty versatile and can get you a long way. The Sony NEX-7 comes with a 18-55mm lens that produces great pictures. But there are many lenses that are better for more specialized situations.

What do you like most about the Sony NEX-7?

It’s hard to rank these, but I will try!

  • I love the small size. It’s so tiny and light. The lenses almost float around in the air while I am changing them.
  • I LOVE the EVF (electronic viewfinder). I can put my eye up to it and everything blacks out. The image inside is crisp and clear and often better than reality! It’s so strange!
  • And, even better, the EVF has all these data overlays so you feel like Luke Sywalker looking through those techno-binoculars on Hoth.
  • I love the kit lens! I know — what a thing to say! When I first got it, I also bought the 16mm 2.8 lens, which I also like. But I’m mostly keeping the kit lens on… I’m getting a lot of flexibility out of it. BTW – the kit lens is a 18-55mm f3.5-5.6
  • The 16mm 2.8 lens is soooo tiny and light. It weighs about the same as 4-5 poker chips!
  • I love the reticulating screen. I take a lot of shots at waist-level (street shots, kid shots), and it is very nice to angle that thing up so I can check my composition.
  • I love being able to just press one button and quickly take an HD movie!

Okay okay… what DON’T you like about Sony NEX-7?

These are mostly minor… and I’m happy to know they will go away in future iterations of these mirrorless cameras.

  • In low-light, I can’t get a clean shot without the flash
  • In low-light the live view looks very grainy through the EVF. The final shot has very little grain, but that bit is a bit annoying
  • The battery could last a little longer. But, I’ve gotten used to turning off the camera between uses. This makes the battery last all day, or long enough to fill up a 16 GB card.

Toughness

The camera feels like a solid hunk of metal without being too heavy. I even dropped it in my hotel room, and it was so light that it hardly hit the ground! It reminds me of a 3-year-old falling down… the kids are so light that it is almost impossible to get hurt. If I ever dropped my D3X, anything below it would get destroyed like Godzilla!

Lenses

I’ve only used 2 lenses, but I understand there will be 14 lenses for this Sony “E-system” available by the end of the year. That seems like more than enough lenses to me. I probably won’t be able to find lenses that I like as much as ones for my Nikon DSLR for another year or so (like the 50mm 1.4 or the 14-24nn 2.8), but a girl can dream…

HDR Photo

Above: The NEX-7 can really take some incredible photos. Wait, I took it. Well, you know, the NEX-7 helped… But yes, it’s a lovely camera. Oh, and this is the kit lens!
ISO 100 45mm f/7.1 0.0166s (1/60)

Controls

The controls are fun even though the UI is quite complex.

I’m sure the UI is simple to your average Japanese techno-nerd, but I can see them being pretty confusing to the common man. I had no trouble in the menu system and UI because I’ve been using cameras for a while, but I can see how it may be confusing.

Intelligent Auto (iA)

This is the “friendly green” mode on the selector dial. It’s really smart — and I mean REALLY smart. I’m a pretty hardcore camera guy, you see. I’m sort of one of those always-in-aperture-priority mode kinda guys. That means I’m used to controlling the aperture and the ISO to make sure I get the photo I want, while letting the computer choose the shutter speed. However, I decided just to try Intelligent Auto mode for about 50% of my shots, and it ended up doing a FASTER job in most cases.

The decisions I would have made were made by iA even faster. For example, I would move from indoor situations to outdoor situations, and the iA mode would figure it out even faster than I could. And the speed is important when things are happening around you. It would also turn on things like auto-stabilization and figure out when you are taking a portrait of a person. It was smart — scary smart.

Look – I’ve never been one to ridicule those that just leave their camera on “Auto”. Some photographers will do that because it makes them feel superior that they understand all the various ways to use ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed. But with this NEX-7, I was so pleasantly surprised by the iA choices, that I am inclined just to leave it in that mode most of the time! This way, I can just worry about choosing the subject matter and the composition. I can pretty much guarantee that the exposure will be just right.

I have forced it into Aperture Priority mode when I want to take a long exposure in the dark, for example. I set the ISO to 100 and I let the shutter stay open a long time while the camera was stable. The results were great. iA would not have figured that out — it would have cranked up the ISO and made a bad shot… but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Other UI Controls and Shooting Modes

There is so much to say here! All of these are finer little points, so I’ll just make a bullet-point list.

  • You can very easily change the speed of the shooting all the way up to 10 FPS (frames per second) if your subject is not changing focus.
  • There is a panorama mode that is very fun and easy to use. You can just kind of sweep your camera across the horizon or up and down.
  • The panorama mode also lets you hold the camera in portrait orientation and swing sideways. Cool!
  • The Auto-bracketing mode will not work in iA — you need to be in another mode to enable that.
  • The top dials are customizable
  • There are many other wacky shooting modes I have not really used much, so I can’t comment on them.

Auto Bracketing

The bracketing is much improved with the newNew Firmware Update. Now you can go all the way from -3.0 EV to +3.0 EV!

In-Camera HDR

It’s not that bad! I had low expectations, but my samples turned out pretty well. I don’t have any to share now, but I looked at them in-camera, and here were my findings:

  • It takes 3 exposures
  • It automatically corrects the ghosting and does an excellent job of it!
  • The HDR effect is very subtle.
  • I’ve only tried it in a few situations, and I need to experiment more.
  • I still generally prefer to do the HDR in software outside of the camera, where I have more control over the tonal range and final image.
  • In comparison to the iPhone HDR, the NEX-7 generally does a better job.
  • Sadly, the NEX-7 saves all these images as JPGs, so there is no way to get anything more out of a RAW file.

Movie Mode

It works well enough. I did not take many movies with it, but I was impressed at the high-quality, the autofocusing, and the overall ease of making it all happen.

Overall Objective Decision Tree…

If you’re just getting into photography and scared of big DSLRs, this Sony NEX-7 is definitely the way to go.

If you are a veteran DSLR shooter that is needs action-photography performance, low-light sharpness with excellent ISO performance, or the flexibility of a robust lens system, then the Sony NEX-7 may not be for you.

Further Testing

I’ll continue to use the Sony NEX-7 over the next several months and I’ll add more and more to this review over time… consider this a “living review.”

Sample Shots

Below are many shots I’ve taken with the camera. They’re not all works of art or anything – just a variety of situations that show the flexibility of the camera.

Note that all of them have seen at least a little bit of Lightroom love, and only two of them (on the bottom) have an HDR treatment using my usual process from the HDR Tutorial.

EXIF Info?

I have made all the photos below available for you to see their EXIF info – just click on them to go through the SmugMug site so you can see more (hit the ‘info’ button on the page). Basic info is below each photo.

HDR Photo

Above: Here is another photo I took a few days ago here near Queenstown with the 10-18mm lens.

 

HDR Photo

Above: My son and daughter play in the ocean in Virgin Gorda… Kit lens.

 

HDR Photo

Above, a path in Glenorchy. Kit Lens.

 

HDR Photo

Above, a fun photo while using the Leica-mount and f/1.2 lens.

 

HDR Photo

Here’s a shot of my friend Ben, who is the founder of Pinterest.

 

HDR Photo

My kids playing on the rocks…kit lens.

 

HDR Photo

Above: This is an HDR shot with the NEX-7 kit lens. I did three exposures then did the steps from the new HDR Tutorial.

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7. I took that with the kit lens. Let me repeat – I took that with the KIT LENS ! :) - Read my full review here.

Above: I took that with the kit lens. Let me repeat – I took that with the KIT LENS ! :)
ISO 200 55mm f/5.6 0.05s (1/20)

 

Indy via Sony NEX-7The new review is up! See the Sony NEX-7 Review.I bought one a few weeks ago and have been using it quite a bit. I really like the camera! This is a scene from the Indiana Jones Show at Disneyworld. I was sitting back in the audience, and I used the kit lens to zoom all the way in as close as I could. I could crop and still get an image that was 5200 pixels across!Since I was able to take so many photos so quickly, I was able to pluck out the frame that had the most interesting action -- when the big German guy flipped up Indy into the air...- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of the post at the Stuck in Customs blog.

Above: A scene from the Indiana Jones Show at Disneyworld. I was sitting back in the audience, and I used the kit lens to zoom all the way in as close as I could. I could crop and still get an image that was 5200 pixels across! Since I was able to take so many photos so quickly, I was able to pluck out the frame that had the most interesting action — when the big German guy flipped up Indy into the air…
ISO 100 55mm f/11 0.0062s (1/160)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7. Taken at dinner with the 16mm 2.8 lens. - Read my full review here.

Above: Taken at dinner with the 16mm 2.8 lens.
ISO 1600 16mm f/2.8 0.02s (1/50)

 

Tim LincecumI was down on the field with the SF Giants before a recent game. I got down there because Tom Anderson sent out a tweet, and the marketing manager for the SF Giants responded and got us in! So, we were able to go anywhere and do anything before and during the game. It was great! I made full use of it.I had my giant D800 Camera out there (see the Nikon D800 Review for more baseball photos from that evening), but I also had my Sony NEX-7. Tim came running by me at one point, so I quickly got in position and snapped away to grab this.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the entire post at the Stuck in Customs blog.

Above: This photo used the in-camera HDR function. Lincecum was running at full speed. It snapped three photos, but, as you can see, there is no ghosting.
ISO 100 48mm f/6.3 0.0031s (1/320)

 

I got this thanks to the 10 FPS mode for the single-focus rapid-fire option. I got about 8 shots off before Ethan landed in the water. This photo has had Lightroom adjustments. See the NEXT photo for a zoom in of Ethan.

Above: I got this thanks to the 10 FPS mode for the single-focus rapid-fire option. I got about 8 shots off before Ethan landed in the water. This photo has had Lightroom adjustments. See the NEXT photo for a zoom in of Ethan.
ISO 100 18mm f/5 0.001s (1/1000)

 

Here is a zoom-in of Ethan. And, remember, since it is a 24 megapixel camera, this zoom in is STILL 1300+ pixels across!

Above: Here is a zoom-in of Ethan. And, remember, since it is a 24 megapixel camera, this zoom in is STILL 1300+ pixels across!
ISO 100 18mm f/5 0.001s (1/1000)

 

Here is a shot of Spring Bay in Virgin Gorda. I took 3 exposures using the Autobracketing and then my special HDR method to create this photo.

Above: Here is a shot of Spring Bay in Virgin Gorda. I took 3 exposures using the Autobracketing and then my special HDR method to create this photo.
ISO 100 27mm f/5.59 0.0010s (100/99999)

 

This is a single-exposure shot. There have been Lightroom adjustments.

Above: This is a single-exposure shot. There have been Lightroom adjustments.
ISO 100 18mm f/6.3 0.0062s (1/160)

 

Here is a good example of the in-camera HDR I took as our plan was landing on Virgin Gorda. It’s pretty cool, eh? I mean, perhaps it is a little rough, but it is a REALLY good example of how this camera works. It took 3 exposures, but you can see there is no ghosting. Also, the outside was extremely bright, but it looks well-adjusted here.

Above: Here is a good example of the in-camera HDR I took as our plan was landing on Virgin Gorda. It’s pretty cool, eh? I mean, perhaps it is a little rough, but it is a REALLY good example of how this camera works. It took 3 exposures, but you can see there is no ghosting. Also, the outside was extremely bright, but it looks well-adjusted here.
ISO 100 18mm f/5.6 0.008s (1/125)

 

This is an HDR from a single RAW file I got out of the NEX-7. There was a shaft of sunlight shining on the little plane as my family was about to crawl inside and brave the storm beyond…

Above: This is an HDR from a single RAW file I got out of the NEX-7. There was a shaft of sunlight shining on the little plane as my family was about to crawl inside and brave the storm beyond…
ISO 100 18mm f/13 0.005s (1/200)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7 - Read my full review here.

Above: ISO 1000 55mm f/5.6 0.01s (1/100)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7 - Read my full review here.

Above: ISO 1600 16mm f/2.8 0.02s (1/50)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7 - Read my full review here.

Above: ISO 320 19mm f/3.5 0.0166s (1/60)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7 - Read my full review here.

Above: ISO 640 16mm f/2.8 0.0166s (1/60)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7 - Read my full review here.

Above: ISO 1600 27mm f/4 0.0666s (1/15)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7 - Read my full review here.

Above: ISO 320 18mm f/3.5 0.0166s (1/60)

 

Taken with the Sony NEX-7. Here is an HDR shot that I made by combining 3 bracketed images. - Read my full review here.

Above: Here is an HDR shot that I made by combining 3 bracketed images
ISO 100 18mm f/3.5 0.004s (1/250)

 

Trey Ratcliff - Disney Cruise Fantasy - NEX7 - Day 5 (1 of 662)

Above: ISO 1250 18mm f/4 0.0166s (1/60)

 

Not bad for hand-held low light eh?

Above: Not bad for hand-held low light eh?

ISO 1600 18mm f/3.5 0.02s (1/50)

 

Trey Ratcliff - Disney Cruise Fantasy - NEX7 - Day 5 (263 of 662)

Above: ISO 800 18mm f/3.5 0.0166s (1/60) – With Flash (obviously)

 

Trey Ratcliff - Disney Cruise Fantasy - NEX7 - Day 5 (305 of 662)

Above: ISO 100 18mm f/4.5 0.0025s (1/400)

 

Trey Ratcliff - Disney Cruise Fantasy - NEX7 - Day 5 (347 of 662)

Above: ISO 100 18mm f/13 0.0062s (1/160)

 

Trey Ratcliff - Disney Cruise Fantasy - NEX7 - Day 5 (372 of 662)

Above: ISO 100 18mm f/5.6 0.008s (1/125)

 

Trey Ratcliff - Disney Cruise Fantasy - NEX7 - Day 5 (396 of 662)

Above: ISO 100 18mm f/13 0.0062s (1/160)

 

Trey Ratcliff - Disney Cruise Fantasy - NEX7 - Day 5 (662 of 662)

Above: ISO 1600 18mm f/3.5 0.0666s (1/15)

 

I zoomed in with the kit lens to get this shot. I was sitting back in the audience about 200 feet away, so I could not quite get in tight enough. But thanks to the 24 megapixels, I was still able to crop in to get a clean shot.

Above, I zoomed in with the kit lens to get this shot. I was sitting back in the audience about 200 feet away, so I could not quite get in tight enough. But thanks to the 24 megapixels, I was still able to crop in to get a clean shot.
ISO 100 50mm f/6.3 0.008s (1/125)

 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1769155625 Heo Khom

    Thanks for your review. I’m going to buy a camera and I’m confusing between the quality of Sony NEX- G3KB and Nikon D3100. Do you have any recommend? Thanks in advance! PS: I’m a girl so I prefer SONY because of its weight.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jwkethan Joseph Kethan

    Wow, I never thought I would see you reviewing the mirror less cameras.  One question, how does it compare to Sony’s Alpha 77 with the translucent mirror?

  • Fly Moon

    I have a NEX 5N and I love everything about it except AE bracketing. I hope Sony listens to celebrity photographers like yourself :-)

    Thanks for the review. Very useful!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Arnie-Winters/518097724 Arnie Winters

    I love my NEX7 too. The kit lens is great, and I am looking for a deal on a Carl Zeiss 24mm 1.8 e-mount Sony lens.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Arnie-Winters/518097724 Arnie Winters

    Go for the NEX7. It’s fabulous as Tre reports.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hawkins/100001057826575 Richard Hawkins

    I like the look of the camera. I’ll probably keep my D700 for another year or two. I love that camera but I wouldn’t mind hauling lighter and cheaper stuff around. 24 mpx too… nice. Regarding noise, your low light shots (tea cups) look pretty good to me.

  • JulieWillson

    I appreciate that you are willing to back up your post from a few weeks ago and purchase one of these cameras to try out. It looks like an amazing camera. Are there any lenses for this that will do a true 1×1 macro? It should create some incredibly sharp macro shots. BTW I downloaded the one with the arrow feathers to use as a background on my phone. I love the colors. 

  • shadow

    “If you are in a low-light situation, you will want to use a tripod. You won’t be able to get a good clean shot if it is dusk or night with the NEX-7 if you are trying to do it handheld.”

    Take a look at the ”Hand-Held Twilight ” mode. It’s supposed to allow for handheld shots in low light. I think it’s a compositing mode if I’m not mistaken.
    This video is very insightful.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co2Qa9y_1Ns

  • Elai

    Checkout the Samsung NX200 and it’s 30mm f/2.0 pancake.  I love the combo, so small and light, and the 30mm is a quality lens.  And it’s just under $1000 for the combo.  If you really want to save money, you can also get the NX100 and get the combo for under $500.

  • Casper van Zyl

    Not bad,I think its  pretty good for what its worth. Looks A OK for a run around camera and as you say the weight is hardly anything to worry about. Nice pics all of them. CRISP

  • http://twitter.com/SpikeHK SpikeHK

    I think one thing you’ve downplayed in your review and one of the things that I really love about the NEX-7 is the ease and flexibility of the controls, especially the two assignable wheels on the top.  I had the NEX-5 and stopped using it after just a few weeks because I found it too frustrating despite its ability to take great pictures.  The NEX-7 tops the NEX-5 in every conceivable way.  

    One thing I gotta say though is that Sony’s 50mm f1.8 lens beats the crap outta the 18-55mm kit lens.  Not just the faster aperture, it’s a much sharper lens at a really good price.  Word is that the Zeiss 24mm lens is the best out of the current bunch but it ain’t cheap.  Some of my 50mm test shots can be seen here:  http://spikesphotos.com/2012/04/12/sony-nex-7-with-sony-50mm-f1-8-lens/

  • Tom Barry

    I have been using the NEX 7 since the end of December, was one of the lucky few who purchased it early. I have used it a lot leaving my Canon equipment on the shelf.  A couple of comments: 
    1. I travel for business and take it along with me now, much easier to tote it around than a larger profile DSLR. Carrying it with me makes business trips much more enjoyable. I never did that with my bigger cameras. 
    2. I have the 18-200mm lens and keep it on the camera almost full time. I have the 16mm and the 18-55, use the 16mm but don’t use the 18-55 at all. Even with the larger size 18-200mm lens, the profile is small enough to work.  I stick the NEX 7 with the 18-200mm attached in my briefcase and it is amazingly simple for travel. 
    3. The 16mm has several clip on lens converters. I love the fish eye. For about $120, well worth the investment. Great fun in cities. 
    4. The low light option mentioned in a prior note is a great feature. I highly recommend it. Taking and combining 7 photos into one picture, adds detail and minimizes noise.
    5. The panos are great and very simple to produce. They work best with nothing moving.  
    5. All in all, it is a perfect walking around/travel/vacation camera. 
    6. Its major constraint is precisely what you mentioned: the lack of good lenses to get the full impact of the camera. When the line is filled out, it could easily replace a DSLR for most normal shots.

  • Gerg1967

    Thanks for this real use review of the camera. I’ve read some techy reviews of the camera, but not one from a photographer who has actually used one. I was also surprised at first that you put it in auto mode a lot. After thinking about it some, it made sense to me. When all you want to do is get the shot and not worry that it wasn’t exposed right, this is the way to go. Many situations would work just fine in auto because the camera can figure out the technical stuff for you while you take the creative side. As you learned there are times when you need to switch to a manual mode to get a shot that iA mode can’t figure out. What would be interesting is to add a vibration sensor to detect motion for low light shots. If the camera isn’t moving, then an iA would know to switch to a long exposure and low ISO for low light.

    Minor nit-pick on the review – there’s a grammar error in your decision tree section.

  • foosion

    Consider the micro four thirds cameras, such as the Panasonic GH2 or the new Olympus OM-D E-M5. 

    Approximately the same image quality as the NEX-7, smaller camera plus lens, much better lens availability, great controls.  The cameras are a bit bigger, but the lenses are smaller, which leads to a much smaller kit (if you have many lenses).  Panasonic has announced 12-35/2.8 and 35-100/2.8 (equivalent ot 24-70 and 7-200 in 35mm), which are among my favorite focal lengths.

  • http://profiles.google.com/unfranchise33 Chris Livingston

    Very Impressive.  Nice to see they can do so much with the smaller sensor!  I thought it also had some crazy night mode where it would fire off 6 shots rapid fire and select and save the one that was the least blurry.  That seems like a good idea.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EYVSFOXQGG4COOFVJN4PMUY53I Jerry P

    Thanks for the review. I just received my NEX 7 last week and have been pleasantly surprised. My normal camera is the Sony A850 but I love how light the NEX 7 is and how quick everything works with it. I keep hoping Sony will upgrade the firmware to improve the bracketing, hey, we can hope. I have the kit (18-55) lens and I also purchased the Sony 50mm 1.8. That 50mm is very nice for $300.

  • treyratcliff

    Good point – I will play more with those wheels and add to the review!

  • treyratcliff

    Interesting – thanks I will try this shadow!

  • treyratcliff

    I’ve never used that a77, so I can’t say for sure

  • adambindslev

    You should try out the A77 – it is the same sensor but with a translucent mirror (the pelicle mirror that John C. Dvorak talked about on TWiT). And it does a better bracketing and has faster focus – it does 3 exposures up to -3 / 0 / +3

    Really worth a look for HDR shooters

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1553550198 Patrick Lu

    The sensor size for the Nex 7 is still APC.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ricardo-Lagos/100002117237294 Ricardo Lagos

    Trey – Talk to Ricardo Liberato on G+, he has one of these, and has tried just about every kind of lens on his through the use of adapters, i think he’s even planning on hooking up his Phase1 lenses to this camera.

    The interesting part comes from the fact that using adapters makes almost all lenses fully manual.

    We tried several lenses over the weekend on it with interesting results (Nikon 10-24mm DX), (Lensbaby composer for Nikon), etc.

  • http://twitter.com/evannuil Edwin van Nuil

    I also have the Sony α NEX-7 since december and totally love it. I sold my complete Canon DSLR set with L-glass and bought the NEX-7, the Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.8 ZA and the Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50mm ZF.2. Also have the translucent mirror adapter now with the Sony DT 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM, great walk-around set.

    Here are a few of my favorite NEX-7 shots: http://nuil.eu/5f

  • http://twitter.com/Appdaptation Chris with an iPhone

    Thanks for posting this review. The images look great!

    I haven’t purchased the NEX camera yet but I did buy the E 50mm F1.8 because it is so hard to find and my local camera shop happen to have 1 in stock. I’m still debating between the NEX 5N and the NEX 7. I like that the separate EVF is adjustable on the NEX 5N and think it would shoot more comfortable. Even with the EVF the 5N is $350 cheaper than the 7 which affords me an additional lens. I’m not too worried about the mega pixels since either camera is a huge upgrade over my current camera which is my iPhone. :-)

  • http://danhawk.com/ Dan Hawk

    Thanks for the great review Trey!  I also love that you can use many older film lenses like the Olympus OM, Pen F and of course M mount Leica on the sony NEX bodies.  My current favorite is the Olypus Zuiko OM 50mm 1.8.  

  • Kenneth2890

    As a Sony Alpha photographer for going on 4 years now, I must say Sony is very impressive and has grown a lot in recent years. The NEX system is really innovative with the new technologies that has came about from it, with exceptional quality. I have the older a300 Alpha body and the newer a560 and being a 3 year diff in the bodies, Sony really improved the image processor in the newer body.
    I love how you really mentioned the pros and cons in an unbiased way being a Nikon buff! (= Being a Sony photographer for this long, but also using the Nikon systems… Low Light on a Sony compared to a Canon & Nikon is very far off. Sony isn’t fully there like the others, but then again, who’s going to be shooting in a cave?? Lol. I think Sony does a whole lot better now than it did 3+ years ago. I’d watch out for Sony in maybe the next couple of years… I think they may have something for Nikon and Canon then! (=

  • Ashley Walters

    Great review. I like it when people agree with me :)

    I bought a NEX5n 2 months ago, and my DSLR has not been out of it’s bag since. The mirrorless cameras have drawbacks (on the NEX-5n it’s the lack of a hotshoe) but the pluses far outweigh them so far. I can’t see using it for a studio camera ( not that it would not perform, it’s a “feel” thing) but for walking around it is perfect. I have no problem using it for landscapes, the only limitation in that sense is the lens selection which should be better soon. 

    It’s the way of the future, and I am OK with it. 

  • Matty Gilbert

    Trey, i have tried to resist but being an early adopter i thought what the hell. The NEX 7 is fantastic, kept all my Canon L-Glass and i can say i love using these lenses more than the Sony ones. The 24 1.8 Ziess is a killer and my bet is that the camera is almost snobbish in that is doesn’t like being treated as average. Let it have the great glass and she will respect you in spades. This is definitely the start of an evolution, even though the industry has been moving along through this phase for some time. Love ya work as always. 

  • lnicholls

    My son, Sam is crazy about HDR.  He is persuading me to buy the Sony.  He referred me to your site.  I currently use a Leica D-Lux4.  I have two problems with this camera.  One, there is only a 3X zoom, and secondly, there is no viewfinder, making composition, or reading the meter a problem in bright light.  What do you think of the zoom on the Sony?  and the viewfinder?
    Should I wait to buy until the next generation comes out?
    ps.  I like the way you write.

  • treyratcliff

    hehe thanks – well this camera is VERY good – but if you wait one year, it will be even better… but this is always the case.  !  The zoom in the Sony is pretty good – but you’ll need a bigger lens if you want to go further, which you rarely need to do with landscapes

  • lnicholls

    You are up Late!!!  I am in Holland, and it is 9am.  Thanks for the snappy reply. But you didn’t mention the viewfinder?

  • Fly Moon

    There is a viewfinder on NEX 7!! You’re not talking about NEX 5N, right?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sam-Nicholls/703947811 Sam Nicholls

    juuuust to be clear, I am suggesting Mom buy the NEX-7 as her carry around, not necessarily to shoot HDR.   She currently uses the Leica D-Lux 4 and has the inevitable zoom and viewfinder woes..  one can wait and wait, but for whats on the market the NEX-7 looks like the ‘one’, though the Fuji X-pro looks great too.  My questions is, do you forsee the NEX-7 compatible glass being available for awhile, or will their lifetime be limited as they are riding a new crest of tech?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sam-Nicholls/703947811 Sam Nicholls

    she was curious about how good the viewfinder is on the NEX-7, being electronic and all..  of course, its has an amazing viewfinder.

  • adambindslev

    I think it is the same viewfinder as the A77 … and it is really really good

  • http://www.graffitivisuals.com/ Bill Dodd

    love the review and great – great shots as always!

  • itaintrite

    The E-mount is here to stay IMO. Sony have invested too much for it to fail. It’s also being used on their high-end video cameras as well.

  • itaintrite

    APS-C.

  • itaintrite

    I think the statement applies to pretty much all APS-C cameras.

  • itaintrite

    You can find studio comparison shots over at DPReview. The mirrorless NEX-7 is about 1/2 a stop better than the A77.

  • NEXmanDan

    Hi Chris. I have had the NEX 5N for around 8 months now and just bought the EVF for it. The best advantage of this particular EVF is that it has an upward swivel function and is not fixed in place as with the NEX 7. The 5N is an amazing camera and I use it mainly for HDR imaging with Photomatix. cheers- Dan.

  • Keith Kesler

    I am basically a Nikon shooter, using a D3S and D3X. I also own an Olympus EP2 and have had mixed feelings and results with it. Obviously the weight and  capacity to use all of my old Nikon or Olympus film lenses (with adaptor ring) has been fun. Reading this review, the most persistent question has been- does this camera suffer the same shutter lag as the EP2? I find myself having to shoot only relatively slow objects, as there is a frustrating lag from click to capture! The other con regarding the EP2 is the relative “softness” of the image. I have basically relegated the EP2 to the “it’s fun for toting around when playing tourist and don’t want to carry the Nikon brick around and scare the BeJesus out of the natives” but then come home and find the images lacking the edge contrast that the Nikon’s provide. Appreciate your reviews, as always. Thanks for the response. (BTW: I live about 4 miles from you here in Ausitn and offer an open invite for a beer!)

  • LisaOsta

    Glad to see you stepped up to the plate on mirrorless cameras. (I knew you would get a D800 too). I shoot a  combination of camera’s up to full frame DSLRs. I like the Sony NEX-7 for a walk around camera too, I love how it locks focus quickly. I think the 50  and 24 lenses are excellent but I also like the 18-200 as it is quite sharp and has a tremendous range while being so light. Also you should look at the new Fuji X-Pro1 it has excellent image quality, however the focus system is quite wonky and the lens selection even more limited than the Sony E mount line up at this time.

  • http://mike.heller.ca/ Mike

    Trey, I knew you couldn’t resist the 36mp of the D800 :)  I’m sure you won’t be able to resist the 54mp of the D4X either ;)  (if it actually becomes reality).

    Thanks for the review, one question.  I photography dogs on a regular basis and one of the reasons I love a DSLR is the near zero shutter delay.  There is only a split second to get the right shot, dogs won’t sit still for you and pose the way you want them to.  Frame rates also matter, especially when a dog is running or catching a Frisbee.  Since you were shooting your kids, I’m sure you ran into some of the same things I did, I suspect they don’t always sit still for you :)  You mention that the NEX-7 is good for action, but can you comment on the shutter lag and frame rates?  Are they good enough to capture the moment?

    Thanks,
    Mike

  • RonaHe

    Thanks for the great review! Yours gave me more useful information than all of the other reviews I’ve read put together. You avoid technical details that for the most part mean nothing to me as they apply to real-life. I really got a feel for what it is like to shoot with this camera in a real-world situation. Those of us who are not professional photographers (like me) take most of our photos while “doing life” and this is just what I need to help me decide which camera will best meet my needs. Re: your comments about shooting mode- I think it’s perfectly ok to shoot on auto or aperture priority (my favorite), but it is important to know HOW to shoot in manual, or at least know what those different settings DO, so that we know WHEN and WHY to shoot in manual. You clearly know that, but I know people who have DSLRs who shoot in manual and wonder why they can’t get decent photos in “trickier” situations.

  • Dave Larson

    Thanks Trey for a great review for the NEX-7.  I chose to get this camera (for the time being) over the Nikon D800.  I got mine on Wednesday this week (now Sunday).  And have shot about 400 photo’s.  This camera is so light and easy to use and takes amazing photo’s.  The feature I like the most is Direct Manual Focus.  The ability after auto-focus to zoom in and do manual focus on your object, has resulted in fantastically sharp photo’s.  I alway try and focus on the eye’s of my subject and the autofocus, sometimes focus’s on the nose or something else all together. Usually through an optical viewfinder, you can’t always tell how sharp or in focus the eye’s are.   At a short field of focus, I’ve had many photo’s that didn’t have the sharpest point being the Eye’s and had to do some photoshop magic to bring back sharpness.  With the NEX-7, this minute (zoomed) focus, give me the ability to get Amazing Sharpness, that my Nikon D-90 doesn’t seem to be capable of.

    the one thing I’m missing, that you pointed out in your review is Good Bracketing for HDR.  Doing manual EV adjustments just seems so labor intensive on the NEX-7.  (okay, it only take about 10 seconds to do 5 Brackets shots, manually).  But still, I would have preferred better Bracketing capability on this camera.  (this is my only pet peeve).  

    I’ve already got 3 lenses for the camera (Kit Lens 18-55mm, 55-210mm, and 50mm f/1.8).  I opted not to get the 18-210mm lens.  I’m very pleased with the lenses I have so far.  I will probably get the either a 16mm or the 24mm lens later this year, or wait to see what sony announces next.  

    I have tried the Anti-Blur mode on the camera, and I’m very impressed at how it takes the 6 images and merge’s them together to a single photo at amazingly sharp detail in low light, with very little noise.  

    Trey thanks so much for a great and honest review.  This is my new walking around and vacation camera.  I’m going to do a photo shoot with it next and take about 50% of my photos with it. 

  • Trey Ratcliff

    Thanks everyone. 

    I am adding new photos soon…  I am still really enjoying the camera! :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1646012720 Dennis Clark

    Dave Larson, below, wrote my comment!  I also have the D90 and I also have the 3 lenses for my NEX-7 like him.  I’ve had the camera for about 1 week with 350 shots and love it.  I set the AF/MF button to toggle so after autofocus I toggle to manual to tweak it further, I love the peaking feature to aid in the focus but don’t care for the enlargement that occurs, back to the manual to turn that feature off!  I’m amazed how much I can crop and still get a sharp image.  Its a great camera.

  • Dave Larson

    The enlargement feature can be tricky sometime.  I’ve found, that as long as I don’t reframe my shot, that I can just finish depressing the shutter and get a perfectly sharp photo of what I was manually focusing on.  I was out taking some photos today at the lake of some kite surfers and using my 55-210mm lens and I was able to use center focus manual focus on the surfer as he was going by and take the photo immediately.  Then used 10 consecutive shots and got some great action (all in focus) and got to choose the best shot.  

    Here are a few images I took today with the NEX-7.  http://goo.gl/jtqmJ

  • soujanna

    I am sure some of you would have tried out the video shooting option?  I see Trey himself has tried out; not sure how much.

    Is the camera able to do auto-focus during video without the translucent mirror adapter (that’s separately purchasable for ~$400)

  • Jesse Warren

    Nice review. The  If there was a mirrorless full frame, I would go for it!  Until then…

  • Arthur Brownlee IV

    Trey, I’ve been following you for some time (you got me started in HDR) and picked up a NEX-7 to compliment my Canon 50D last week. Man, I’m glad I let your review talk me into this little camera. Hope you’re having a safe flight! 

  • Victor Soledad

    Hi Trey ! Thanks for your post and videos, now I’m a happy owner of a NEX 7 ! Nice camera.! 

  • David Orriss Jr

    What adam said.  If you like the NEX-7 (and who wouldn’t) I think you’d like the A77 too.  Here are some examples of what I’ve done with the A77… not that I’m as good as you… but I think they are pretty good.

    https://picasaweb.google.com/115825501776109300791/RecentWork

  • Keith Lancaster

    Thanks for the review and pics, Trey. I wish this camera had better bracketing. What a great camera!

  • Dave Larson

    This week I wrote my own blog entry (review) on my experience these past 5 weeks of using the NEX-7 and my impressions.  Please check it out!

    http://davelarsonphotography.com/2012/05/sony-nex-7-review/#more-912

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Brad-Mitchell/1812052027 Brad Mitchell

    Trey,

    You mention a “new Leica f/1.2″ lens for the Sony NEX-7 in your recent “What’s in Trey’s Bag” video.  Which focal length is that?

    I’m looking for a wide-angle manual focus lens for NEX-7 with good old printed depth-of-field markings on it.  I’m becoming less interested in fiddling around trying to get auto-focus to work and trying to ensure a certain range is in focus.  I also like the idea of manual aperture ring that doesn’t require me to look through the viewfinder since I shoot aperture priority most of the time anyway.

    Thanks,
    Brad Mitchell

  • Marius Bulla

    Hello Brad

    Trey is using a Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f 1.2 M-mount lens on his NEX-7. I think you should look for another lens if you want a real wide angle lens, because the Voigtländer will have an effective focal length of  50mm on your APS-C NEX-7, due to the fact that this lens is made for the FX sensor found in the Leica M-system.

    Best regards
    Marius

  • http://davelarsonstudio.com/ Dave Larson

    I am still loving the NEX-7 after the review I did a few weeks ago. http://goo.gl/FBEWY

    I got a chance to take my NEX-7 to Boston and a behind the scene’s tour at Fenway and take some photo’s in the evening using a higher ISO. Everything was handheld, since I didn’t have my tripod with me. See these NEX-7 Photo’s at http://goo.gl/WiZLP

  • http://www.facebook.com/dave.sperrazza Dave Sperrazza

    Omg!! your are an amazing Photographer……….I can see the NEX -7 coming into future play…..geez and I just bought my first DSLR. Coming out of my Nikon 8008 & N90 film world. How can anybody keep up with this Financially?? I’ll stick with my D40x 10mp seems to be more than enough.

  • Diana Thornton

    I am planning an Alaska cruise, so of course I need to get a better camera than my Iphone 4S (which takes amazing pics anyway). I am leaning towards the NEX-7, even though it’s more than I wanted to pay.
    There is a good deal for the NEX-7 with both the 18-55 and 55-210 lens, BUT….
    Question: Should I splurge instead for the 18-200 so I can keep one lens on it at all times so I can quickly go from taking expansive pics of the mountains (looking forward to the panarama feature) to zooming into a bear up on that mountain before it disappears without having to change lenses.

    Any thoughts on whether I’ll miss the 18 if I go with the 55-210 and use that most of the time? (I’ll still have the 18 with the separate lens but I hate changing lenses.) The reviews of the 18-200 seem to say it’s good, but more expensive than it should be.
    One more question – the cruise is not until May of 2013. Should I wait until next spring to get the camera in case a new version comes out? I would like better bracketing and a touch screen, but I want plenty of time to use it ahead of time.

  • Kristi Knupp

    Thanks for this review. I recently went to Europe for the first time with my 5D Mark II and 24-70 lens and noticed that more often than not I didn’t have a desire to take it out while walking around, I was more prone to using my iphone because it was quick. When I got home I started doing research on Micro 4/3 cameras and what Leica has to offer as well. Being that I can’t quite afford a Leica Body and Lens I became interested in the Sony Nex 7 with Leica Glass. My question is if I had a 35mm Leica lens would it stay 35mm on the Sony?

    Thanks!
    Kristi

  • http://www.facebook.com/cameron.balch Cameron Balch

    Hi Trey,

    I was just curious what your thoughts are on the NEX 6 and whether it would be worth purchasing the 7 over it. I am in the market for a new camera and am very interested in the two, but the 6 doesnt come out for another two months :(

    Any thoughts around why I would spend the extra 250 on the 7 over waiting for the 6?

    Thanks

  • http://www.facebook.com/miacol Miacol Garcia

    Trey was thinking of saving for a d600, but now because of you might wait for a full frame mirrorless camera, maybe a NEX-9….

  • http://twitter.com/DigiCamJerry Jerry Nelson

    I sold all my Canon gear and got the Sony NEX 5n and Sony NEX 7…love em. I use the kit lens,Sony 16mm, Sony 50mm, and Sony 55-210mm lenses. You can see pics here (pics are labeled Sony NEX 7 etc. and are from mid to end of galleries): http://digicamman.smugmug.com/

  • Pingali Sivasehubabu

    JUST Fantastic. I really appreciate SONY NEX 7.

  • Ben734

    Hi Spike, is that this lens; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-50mm-F1-8-E-Mount-Lens/dp/B005JZ7ZEU

    Looking to buy one and just wanted to check.

    Thanks

  • Sam

    Sony NEX cameras have a x1.5 crop factor, so a 35mm lens becomes a 52.5mm focal length. If you’ve got the $$$ for leica glass, then enjoy!… but for anybody that hasn’t..I use a Voigtlander f1.7 35mm on my NEX-5 and I love it. Pin sharp.

  • jeffrey asmus

    I was about to post my month old NEX 7 on Ebay, but now that I read this and watched your podcast I am going to give it another chance. I have been disappointed with the amount of grain/noise in my photos. This is mostly visible in low light indoor shots. I also hate the on-board flash. It is way too bright for my tastes. I have gotten used to my Sony a850 and thought the NEX7 would be a better camera for casual shooting because of its size. I’m using the kit 16-80 lens with the NEX7 and I would like to get the adapter to let me use my a-mount lenses (I have a ton of Sony/Zeiss and Minolta lenses that I love with my 850). I’m just not sure I want to invest any more in the NEX7 at this point. Perhaps another go around will change my mind. I’ll update soon. Anyway, thanks for a very informative and fun podcast!

  • Marc Schwartz

    Trey, now that the NEX-6 is out with some additional features, have you had a chance to look at it and offer any opinions relative to comparisons between the 6 and 7? Obviously, there is a difference in MPs, but beyond that, any other considerations that would steer a prospective buyer in one direction or the other? I am looking at buying the 6 in the next month or two and am considering going with the 16-50 and the 55-210. Thanks!

  • Scott

    I took a slight loss and dumped Canon–after 20+ faithful years as I was tired of being $-jacked for ancient DSLR technology from the film-phase! Not to mention shutter, auto-focusing issues–even noise! The Sony line of both the DSL-TM (transulent mirror) and the NEX cameras are the way to go! I can’t believe the quality for the price! As you say, the A+ feature works flawlessly! I don’t have issues with low-light noise though, like you and “SOME” others are saying–even DP Review claims this but they weren’t shooting for low-light noise in “real-world” situations though. ISO speed is another term from the bygone film era: Of COURSE YOU WILL EXPERIENCE NOISE AT HIGH ISO RATINGS; CONSIDER WHERE THE “ISO” TERM ORIGINALLY DERIVED FROM. WE’RE IN THE DIGITAL AGE NOW. BTW: Sony as you say more or less, has the best quality, feature-filled cameras for the absolute best prices, indeed! They work so well and lenses are available everywhere it seems. I even picked up the A77 to test it and everything that the E line has it does well and the OLED viewfinder is top-notch plus, all quality Minolta A-lenses fit! An update corrected many slight issues so remember, update and you’ll be golden!

  • Alex Lee

    actually there is. It’s called the leica m and it has 24 mp.

  • andy weiss

    i just bought your lightroom presets, its so awosome thx.
    i cannot get a hold of sony nex-7 in my country, is the sony nex-5d also a good option? thx

  • andy sasmita

    i just bought your lightroom presets, it awesome, thx.

    i have a question, i cannot get a hold of nex-7 in my country, but they do have the nex-5n a good choice? thx

  • http://www.facebook.com/bora.dundar Bora Dündar

    Hi, the article is awsome. I need help i have nex7 but i ll buy a new lens. i am looking to “Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 24mm f/1.8″. i ll want to use it for casual photos and landscape photography. you recomend “Sony 10-18 F/4″ for landscape but f4 will be fail in night shot. isn’t it?

  • http://www.facebook.com/nero.zhang.9 Nero Zhang

    Hi Trey.

    I am a newbie and decide to choose Nex 7 to be my first camera.

    I am thinking about buying a Tamron 18200 lens, coz it’s cheap and its versatility.

    If I may, hear some advice from you?

    Best Regards
    Nero

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002135236040 Luis Gomez

    You have a great family and a fantastic taste for HDR’s and photography in general. Thanks for all the knowledge I get from you and your site.

  • Mac

    I like some of the technology in these 3rd gen cameras, but as a wildlife photographer, I require big focal length lenses and good low light functionality. These 3rd gen cameras and their lenses aren’t there yet, and maybe never will be.

  • http://www.stuckincustoms.com/ Luke Lakatosh (SIC Support)

    Never say “never” when it comes to technology. Moore’s Law creates a constant balance between things getting smaller and getting more powerful. At first, both the size decreases and power increases are very small, because they’re balancing each other out.