Sony Nex -5 UR Opinion

[krishnanv]

Nikon V1 seems another option.

A wonderful review here below

http://phototravelasia.blogspot.in/2012/01/myanmarminimalist.html (also 3 part series)

http://phototravelasia.blogspot.in/2012/02/v1-in-vietnam.html
http://phototravelasia.blogspot.in/2012/02/v1-in-vietnam-part-2.html
http://phototravelasia.blogspot.in/2012/03/nikon-v1-in-vietnam-pt-3-final-thoughts.html

---Krishnan
http://www.shootyourvision.com
http://www.facebook.com/krishphoto

[Looking Glass:Rajkumar]

Thanks Krishnan. Hope all good with you. We met at CNP meet Rajkumar

[rajib]

Two of my friends own the NEX-5 and I have used them on a few occasions. My two cents:
- Sensor size is APS-C. A big plus over all other Compact System Cameras. Images turn out consistently well-lit and noise-free in ISO 800.
- It's small. My friends keep it in their pant pockets when we step out. No camera bags with them.
- It's fast. From start-up to shoot is very quick. Shot to shot is very quick. Shooting speed is very quick. Sony claims 10fps. I asked my friend to move is hand from right to left while I kept the shutter button pressed. Got 4 in between images.
- It's sharp. The bundled 18-55mm is amazingly fast to focus, accurate and results in images that can cut you. Auto-focusing on my Nikon D5100 seems so much longer and getting sharp images challenging.
- Battery Life: One of my friend uses the camera for casual photography (not much into science of photography, simply wants instant gratification) and the camera delivers. He shoots 100 images, most of them using flash and the camera has enough juice for a second night-out.
- Controls: The Sony NEX interface is dumbed down for instant gratification. Manual control is available, but requires using the jog-dial quite a bit. Not too many buttons on the camera.

HTH

[Looking Glass:Rajkumar]

Thanks Rajib. that last part you mentioned is the only one I need to evaluate. I tend to do a lot of manual exposure adjustmtents.  Is it too  cumbersome on Nex-5 , too much fiddling. I am ok that there are no knobs but should not be a two or three step approach

[krishnanv]

Yes I recall :-)
All good thanks Raj !

best
---Krishnan

http://www.shootyourvision.com
http://www.facebook.com/krishphoto

Thanks Krishnan. Hope all good with you. We met at CNP meet Rajkumar

[Looking Glass:Rajkumar]

any comments on using it with manual exposure controls ? too much fiddling  and navigation

[rajib]

The NEX-5 does have the PASM modes. Changing the values is a matter of rotating the dial. Its no more fiddly than P&S/Bridge cameras like the Canon PowerShot.

The newer NEX-5N are supposed to touch screen driven and maybe easier/harder to use (depending on how the touch screen is received by individual).

Most Reliance Digital stores stock the NEX-5 and allow customers to fiddle with it to experience the interface and image quality first-hand.

[sandy9868]

I am looking for a carry around camera that can give me the DSLR quality but does not  require much thought to take around .

My guess after reading is that, you probably looking for DSLR like quality and control but dont want to carry THAT BIG unit while on move. You are looking for a ultra portable unit with DSLR like qualities and that can fit in your shirt pocket (my guess .

If the above right then the best option is Canon GX (G series). All 4/3 and mirrorless having lenses in front of them,  though they are light and compact but not fit in your pockets at all. Check the GX as well. This is expensive but will suits you in every manner.

If you are ok with carrying the camera in your hand then 4/3 will be fine.   

[Brendon]

^^ The G series has a 1/1.7 sensor that can't compete with m43s forget about APS-C sensor DSLRs.

The GX1 is the only G series camera that boasts a sensor that fights with even APS-C sensor DSLRs but falls flat with regard to versatility, size and most importantly price.

Here is a comparison in sizes with the Panasonic GX1. The GX1 is more versatile (ability to use different lenses), smaller in size and cheaper in price.



Image source : dpreview.com

[sandy9868]

^^ my bad, my intention was to mention Panasonic GX and Canon G series and I combined both at one place.

[Manish Bansal]

Yes I really haven't a clue why Sony keeps the lenses so big when rangefinder lenses that cover full frame are so much smaller in size. To give credit where it is due however the Sony lenses are mostly metal so they are very sturdy and should last for some time.

Angle of incidence!

[Brendon]

ok ill admit that the wiki explanation of angle of inscidence went waay over my head. Do you perchance have any easy to follow link explaining the same ?

My point is that small rangefinder lenses covering full 35mm sensors fit NEX bodies properly and are substantially smaller than the NEX equivalent lenses which are (in all probability) covering only the APS-C range.

[amitk26]

ok ill admit that the wiki explanation of angle of inscidence went waay over my head. Do you perchance have any easy to follow link explaining the same ?

My point is that small rangefinder lenses covering full 35mm sensors fit NEX bodies properly and are substantially smaller than the NEX equivalent lenses which are (in all probability) covering only the APS-C range.

On digital sensors light should be perpendicular to plane of sensor ideally so that microlens can focus it on pixels.
On film this never mattered ,Rangefinder lenses were designed to keep the size small so a small rear element making a large image circle ( 43mm roughly for 35mm film) and light at the corners was incidented at a smaller angle ( smaller then 90 degree) so this causes purple fringing at the corner.

This is not specific to NEX but also true for all digital cams with APS-C ,In micro 4/3 crop factor is higher so offended portions at corner are copped anyway

[VikramF]

Rangefinder lenses were designed to keep the size small so a small rear element making a large image circle ( 43mm roughly for 35mm film) and light at the corners was incidented at a smaller angle ( smaller then 90 degree) so this causes purple fringing at the corner.

 

@ Amit - I'm afraid you're going to need to draw little diagrams (I get what you meant, but I'm a Physics major ...).

[amitk26]

@ Amit - I'm afraid you're going to need to draw little diagrams (I get what you meant, but I'm a Physics major ...).

Here is the diagram , Explanation follows in subsequent posts


but something more important first for argumentative folks (my kind of people  )

<Mandatory Disclosure on how I landed up with this info >
Being an El-Chepo internet junkie last year I noticed on KEH that Canon Rangefinder lenses which are replica of Leica design were going under 50$ despite better coating and the fact that they can be mounted on Canon EOS ( Please don't rush now m 4/3 and Nex crowd has pushed prices between 250 - 600 $ so please read on)

So I thought there should be some catch and digged more and found the catch , but some how I do not agree fully to technical reason provided by the websites and added my own explanation here.

However I do not own any Lecia / Canon RF lens to perform tests myself but I am providing some sample pics from web to give forewarning to NEX / Canon owners not to waste money on ultra costly RF lens.
 
Anyway Please take everything presented here with buckets of salt and don't castigate me for degrading big names or presenting wrong facts

< Disclosure Ends>

[amitk26]

Part 1 : The problem

Please have a look the the following image courtsy Stefn Huff , you can see the magenta cast at the corners
This is on APS-C , NEX 7 with a RF lens meant for 35mm



Is this problem of Sony NEX 7 sensor ?

Even more dramatic is this pic on Leica M9 ( full frame digital) with older Leica lens meant for Rangefinders
courtsy Shri. Rockwell


Since M9 has bigger sensor the problem is more pronounced.

Lots of websites provide various reasons for this mostly related to IR filter but  I have a slightly different opinion on this.

The reason and diagram is in next post

[amitk26]

Before we go in to the reason of this strange behaviour lets revisit some basic facts.

1.  Sensor of DSLR has an array of micro lenses which focuses the light falling on it to the actual sensor
In the process of focussing light travels from one medium ( material covering microlens) to another ( material of micro lens) and refraction takes place the relationship between angle of incidence and angle of refraction is given by law-of-refraction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snell's_law

2. If the light ray falls perpendicular on a light sensitive material then the amplitude of generated signal is maximum but as the angle becomes more obtuse / acute ( slanted rays) signal amplitude will reduce.
This is analogous to intensity of sun being more at equator then at poles.

This is how so called "pixel vignetting" occurs.

3. Sensor + Array of micro lens is covered with IR filter / AA filter.

The point 1,2 and 3 were moot in Film era , Film has huge dynamic range and angle at which the
Film has higher sensitivity ( and thus huge dynamic range) and the energy loss due to angle at which the light ray falls is not  that important.


Now coming back to Range-finder lens they were designed to be of smaller size and for films so typically the   rear element was smaller ( compared to SLR lens) and spread light to cover image circle of 35mm film.

Look at the following diagram for understanding this point , I have quickly drawn it in paint so pardon the scale , As you can see angle of incidence at corner for range finder lens is larger scompared to lens with bigger rear element.

This results in 3 things on digital sensor.
1. Pixel vignetting : As the amplitude of light falling at corner is less this results in vignetting despite the image circle of lens being bigger.

2. Color shift / Chromatic aberration :
The simplistic law of refraction are for monochromatic light not all wavelengths are refracted equally .
So as the angle of incidence increases the difference in refraction between various colours becomes more pronounced and visible.

3. Bigger the sensor bigger is the problem so this is visible easily on APS-C and quite dramatic on FF M9





Tail Piece : How some manufacturers claim to reduce this in later models.

My guess : It is not fully established that this effect could be reduced but probably processing power of Camera CPU can be used to do some in-camera processing like you do out-of camera on Photoshop.

Some more examples from NEX5-N

http://www.flickr.com/photos/episa/6315302815/

[Image]

Amit, What does dynamic range have to do with angle at which the light falls ?

[amitk26]

Amit, What does dynamic range have to do with angle at which the light falls ?

I have used dynamic range and sensitivity to light energy interchangeably but dynamic range is actually function of sensitivity over the spectrum.

Dynamic range in other words is response of the recording media to incident energy ( light falling on it)
Light sensitive molecules on film are much more sensitive ; loss of energy due to change in angle of incidence at the corner does not matter this is one of the main reason (In my understanding) why film generally has more dynamic range.

Digital sensor as a whole has much restricted dynamic range depending on the bias applied ( exposure bias) the sensor responds more to certain wavelengths , And is more prone to the loss at corners  ( Also called pixel vignetting )

So DR is effect and not cause,
 rephrased in the post above but I may still be wrong

[Image]

My understanding of dynamic range (recorded) is how of much "light" (measured in Stops) can be compressed on the media between anything getting over exposed (pure white without any detail) or under exposed (pure black without any detail).

Now I understand that Light in reality of a particular intensity (lets say A) will hit as A-a (a being something that's eaten away by the lack of perpendicularity) and what was exposed as white might register as bit of a Cream.

Are you saying that the highest stop is now not recorded (that it should have), so one additional stop is now likely to show up as a detail-less dark blob ?

Not sure I am penning my thoughts correctly..but if its not understandable, I can try explaining again.