- Brand Name: Sony
- Model: NEX5A/B
- Optical Sensor Resolution: 14.2 MP
- Optical zoom: 3 x
- Weight: 0.00 pounds
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Product Description
Color: Black
From the Manufacturer
The NEX-5 has all picture quality of a DSLR, yet it's about half the size, half the weight and far less complex. Pulling off this minor miracle took some clever innovations in glass, silicon and software code.
Sony Alpha NEX-5 Overview
Bigger Sensor, Better Pictures
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The NEX-5 is equipped with a powerful new 14.2-megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, specially tuned to deliver uncompromising still-photo and movie image quality. Equal in surface area and performance to the large, APS-C image sensors used in Sony's acclaimed a system digital SLR cameras, it offers exceptionally rich tonal gradation and true-to-life color. Proprietary Sony processing technologies are also incorporated directly into the sensor, assuring clean, low-noise signal output and ultra high-speed data transfer.
World's Smallest and Lightest
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Equipped with an image sensor that's 13 times the size of the typical compact camera's sensor, a NEX cameras turn snapshots into photographs. The bigger sensor means images with softer background that make your subject stand out and stunning low-light shots.
Expect More from a Camera
Sony has always recognized that a digital camera could take pictures in ways that film cameras never dreamed of. That's why we've created new capabilities to take your photography further than ever. These include Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR, Handheld Twilight and Anti Motion Blur modes.
Thanks to their powerful Exmor CMOS image sensor and BIONZ image processing engine, both these cameras can offer high-speed continuous shooting at up to 7 fps (approx.) in Speed Priority Continuous mode, and at up to 2.3 fps (approx.) in Continuous Advance mode. In addition, their 10-second self-timer also has a 3-shot continuous shooting setting.
High Def, Not Half Def
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When you're shooting movies in AF mode with an E-mount lens, the camera smoothly adjusts focus and exposure in response to changes in the scene, and you can use the control wheel to instantly adjust exposure compensation on the fly. If desired, you can also preselect white balance and Creative Style settings before movie recording begins.
The Creativity of Changing Lenses
The beauty of SLR photography is the ability to change lenses to match your shooting situation. Now Sony brings that beauty to a compact camera. The NEX-5 gives you a choice of dedicated E-mount lenses, plus a choice of 28 A-mount lenses via an adaptor, sold separately.
Sophistication Made Simple
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Automatically apply exposure values and Scene Selection modes that are optimized to suit each scene. What's more, they combine this full-auto convenience with a Background Defocus Control function that lets you enjoy one of the biggest creative advantages of interchangeable lens photography--the ability to defocus the background to make your main subject stand out from the scene. Just press and rotate the control wheel to set the level of background defocusing you want--it's easy and intuitive because you can confirm the level of defocusing on the LCD monitor in real-time.
The main menu features six clearly labeled icons that can be selected simply by rotating and pressing the control wheel. Inside, standard scrolling menus provide quick access to settings for shooting and playback functions, as well as a host of other user preferences and camera settings. The wide-screen format of the LCD monitor also contributes to enhanced menu legibility, so text and icons are always easy to see and select.
Product Description
The performance of a DSLR, in about half the size and weight.5 The NEX-5 is the interchangeable lens camera that goes wherever you do. Enjoy Full HD 1080/60i movies,2 astounding low-light pictures, continuous shooting up to 7 fps, incredible panorama shots, and Live View on a tilting 3.0-inch6 LCD.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Black
I purchased the Sony Alpha NEX 5 as a gift for someone with lots of artistic ability, but who is intimidated by the typical DSLR. So far, it seems like a good choice.
For me, there were four possibilities:
- The Sony NEX 5
- Olympus E-PL1
- Panasonic GF1
- Leica X1 (I'm a "red dot" softie)
In retrospect, I wish I had spent more time thinking about a small DSLR, such as the Nikon D3100. The price difference isn't too great, and it would have opened up the door to a more versatile collection of lenses and accessories. The NEX 5 is about the most compact of any of the above though, so perhaps the size versus quality trade-off will come in handy. The NEX 5 body is about 10 ounces - half the weight of most of the others (although it gets closer when you compare camera plus lens).
In terms of construction quality, I found the Sony to be very solid and well made, even though it's more compact than its peers. The body is a mix of magnesium alloy and plastic parts, and it feels rugged and comfortable in my hands. To be clear though, the Sony lenses seem quite a bit larger than the competition, and the combination of a small body plus enormous lens can look quite weird till you get used to it.
Most of the camera's functions are only accessible through an extensive menu system. I use Nikon's DSLRs, but was able to adjust to the Sony menus pretty quickly. Still, I think the camera might have benefited from a few more user-assignable buttons that let you keep commonly used functions closer than wading through the menus. Otherwise, I found the operation pretty straightforward. The screen is large and easy to read, even in daylight. There are a lot of built-in tips to guide you through the more complex or seldom-used features...another plus.
Speaking of lenses, Sony has the typical fixed 16mm wide-angle and an 18-55 zoom, with a 18-200 zoom supposedly coming soon. To their credit, Sony also makes an adapter that lets you use their DSLR lenses on the NEX 5, although you lose autofocus this way. To me, this is a big plus, even without autofocus. I found the images created by the 16mm to be quite good, but the 18-55 seems a little soft in the edges. It's also a slow f/6.3 at 55mm, which makes it a challenge to use in dark locations. Also, because Sony is using a bigger sensor, the 16mm seems quite a bit wider (it's like a 24mm in 35mm film camera equivalents) - great for landscapes, no so great for portraits.
As for image quality, the Sony uses a full APS-C size sensor - the same one they use in their larger DSLRs - so it has an advantage over micro four-thirds and any point-and-shoot, especially at high ISO in low light. I found the photos to be about what you'd expect from any modern camera: sharp, contrasty, vivid colors and so on. More to the point, they're about the best you can get without breaking out a high-end DSLR and pro-grade lenses, or breaking the bank on something like the Leica M9.
The NEX5 also has extensive video capabilities, and seems to be one of the few that can zoom, adjust exposure and so on while taking a video. I don't use video much so I won't comment further other than to say that it seems well implemented, easy to use and it produces very high quality results.
Sony also bundles in all their usual wizardry, including their panorama and built-in HDR (High Dynamic Range) capabilities. You can do most of this in the computer after the shoot, but it's nice to also have this stuff in the camera to get a sense of how it might look. The NEX comes with a built-in flash that you can remove if you want to keep the weight down as low as possible. It's not the most powerful, but it's nice that Sony includes it with the camera rather than making it an add-on.
In conclusion, I like the Sony a lot...it's small, easy to use and takes about the best pictures I've seen for a total system weight under two pounds. My only gripe would be the relatively limited range of lenses and accessories available for it, but as a second camera for casual or travel use, it probably deserves a place in the bag.
For me, there were four possibilities:
- The Sony NEX 5
- Olympus E-PL1
- Panasonic GF1
- Leica X1 (I'm a "red dot" softie)
In retrospect, I wish I had spent more time thinking about a small DSLR, such as the Nikon D3100. The price difference isn't too great, and it would have opened up the door to a more versatile collection of lenses and accessories. The NEX 5 is about the most compact of any of the above though, so perhaps the size versus quality trade-off will come in handy. The NEX 5 body is about 10 ounces - half the weight of most of the others (although it gets closer when you compare camera plus lens).
In terms of construction quality, I found the Sony to be very solid and well made, even though it's more compact than its peers. The body is a mix of magnesium alloy and plastic parts, and it feels rugged and comfortable in my hands. To be clear though, the Sony lenses seem quite a bit larger than the competition, and the combination of a small body plus enormous lens can look quite weird till you get used to it.
Most of the camera's functions are only accessible through an extensive menu system. I use Nikon's DSLRs, but was able to adjust to the Sony menus pretty quickly. Still, I think the camera might have benefited from a few more user-assignable buttons that let you keep commonly used functions closer than wading through the menus. Otherwise, I found the operation pretty straightforward. The screen is large and easy to read, even in daylight. There are a lot of built-in tips to guide you through the more complex or seldom-used features...another plus.
Speaking of lenses, Sony has the typical fixed 16mm wide-angle and an 18-55 zoom, with a 18-200 zoom supposedly coming soon. To their credit, Sony also makes an adapter that lets you use their DSLR lenses on the NEX 5, although you lose autofocus this way. To me, this is a big plus, even without autofocus. I found the images created by the 16mm to be quite good, but the 18-55 seems a little soft in the edges. It's also a slow f/6.3 at 55mm, which makes it a challenge to use in dark locations. Also, because Sony is using a bigger sensor, the 16mm seems quite a bit wider (it's like a 24mm in 35mm film camera equivalents) - great for landscapes, no so great for portraits.
As for image quality, the Sony uses a full APS-C size sensor - the same one they use in their larger DSLRs - so it has an advantage over micro four-thirds and any point-and-shoot, especially at high ISO in low light. I found the photos to be about what you'd expect from any modern camera: sharp, contrasty, vivid colors and so on. More to the point, they're about the best you can get without breaking out a high-end DSLR and pro-grade lenses, or breaking the bank on something like the Leica M9.
The NEX5 also has extensive video capabilities, and seems to be one of the few that can zoom, adjust exposure and so on while taking a video. I don't use video much so I won't comment further other than to say that it seems well implemented, easy to use and it produces very high quality results.
Sony also bundles in all their usual wizardry, including their panorama and built-in HDR (High Dynamic Range) capabilities. You can do most of this in the computer after the shoot, but it's nice to also have this stuff in the camera to get a sense of how it might look. The NEX comes with a built-in flash that you can remove if you want to keep the weight down as low as possible. It's not the most powerful, but it's nice that Sony includes it with the camera rather than making it an add-on.
In conclusion, I like the Sony a lot...it's small, easy to use and takes about the best pictures I've seen for a total system weight under two pounds. My only gripe would be the relatively limited range of lenses and accessories available for it, but as a second camera for casual or travel use, it probably deserves a place in the bag.
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By Uncle
Color Name:Silver|Amazon Verified Purchase
OK - I just love new gadgets and technology. I had been using a D90 for nearly 2 years but upgraded to a D700 and use it for all of my heavy lifting photo shoots. (what a great camera). However, I wasn't using my D90 except on the rare occasion that I wanted to use two bodies on a shoot and used the D90 for my 70-300 lens for telephoto shots, giving me up to 450mm. OK, I digress.
I sold my D90 and bought the Sony NEX-5 (silver because I couldn't wait for the black one). I just bought the 16mm lens and will wait until later this fall when I hear they are coming out with a 18-300 E-type.
This is a really cool camera. I basically keep it in my pocket almost all the time. It is pretty bulky in my pocket ever with the smaller 16mm lens (and protective lens & cap). I know I have read some bad reviews about the menu system but it really only took me about 20 minutes to get used to it.
The focus ring kind of reminded me of my Blackberry when I had one.
It was a little slow to get used to not having a view finder but there is a great feature that you can use to help fine tune your focus (it only works with E type lends and not the A with adapter. You basically can get it to auto focus and then lightly touch the focus ring and it ZOOMS in to help you FINE TUNE the focus. If I knew how to upload some sample pics I would but trust me, the picture quality is great. There are just too many other features for me to comment on but I highly recommend this camera form not just a step up for an amature but a pro wold use it just like I try to do. I get a lot of great shots just because I have this camera buldging out of my pocket.
I sold my D90 and bought the Sony NEX-5 (silver because I couldn't wait for the black one). I just bought the 16mm lens and will wait until later this fall when I hear they are coming out with a 18-300 E-type.
This is a really cool camera. I basically keep it in my pocket almost all the time. It is pretty bulky in my pocket ever with the smaller 16mm lens (and protective lens & cap). I know I have read some bad reviews about the menu system but it really only took me about 20 minutes to get used to it.
The focus ring kind of reminded me of my Blackberry when I had one.
It was a little slow to get used to not having a view finder but there is a great feature that you can use to help fine tune your focus (it only works with E type lends and not the A with adapter. You basically can get it to auto focus and then lightly touch the focus ring and it ZOOMS in to help you FINE TUNE the focus. If I knew how to upload some sample pics I would but trust me, the picture quality is great. There are just too many other features for me to comment on but I highly recommend this camera form not just a step up for an amature but a pro wold use it just like I try to do. I get a lot of great shots just because I have this camera buldging out of my pocket.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Silver|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought the Nex5 hoping to do video and still photography, but needed the quality compareable to my Canon XH A1 pro video camera. I was NOT disappointed with the Sony Nex5! The image quality is superb. It is fantastic in outside light and indoor light. The fact that you can interchange lenses is a massive plus because my broadcast quality camera cannot do that.
Funny thing is, I went to a photography store to look at lenses and they scoffed at the size of the camera not knowing it was a new product with very high specs. After looking it up, they found out that almost every lens in the place could fit it with the adapter I bought - and they said the sensor was MASSIVE for a camera that small.
The quality of video is unreal. You have to see it to believe it. I bought a 500MM lens, a zoom lens 60-300MM, a 135MM lens and the wide angle lens that came with the camera. With those lenses, I have a pretty amazing video camera. I also purchased the mic attachment and will be buying the viewfinder attachment.
I took all kinds of video in daylight, at night and in various situations. Because the camera can be fully manual, it allowed me to set my ISO small and make adjustments so low light looked clear and crisp - dark, but clear and crisp. Don't set the ISO to high or you will get a lot of digital noise (gain) in your video. Because it shoots in 1080p 60i, the quality is on par, if not better, than my broadcast quality video camera. In fact, I could swear it is actually more clear and higher quality. Simply astounding.
The picture quality is superb - 14MP is pretty big, so your images look great and can be used for full page spreads in magazines! At the same time, the lenses allow me to achieve everything from up close macro shots to shooting a player's face from the stands at a ball game.
The screen is gorgeous and tilts. It IS hard to see in direct sunlight, so the option viewfinder is nice for photography. For video, it's a bit tough, but doable. I wish there was a sun shade for it. The focus feature is great - the camera will zoom way in on a subject so you can properly focus. It works very well, though I am used to focusing using a viewfinder, so once I have the optional one, my shots and video will be perfect.
In a nutshell, you get Sony quality in a small package, but with big results. I have no regrets buying this camera and know I will get great images and video from it. This tiny camera packs one massive wallup!
Mike
Funny thing is, I went to a photography store to look at lenses and they scoffed at the size of the camera not knowing it was a new product with very high specs. After looking it up, they found out that almost every lens in the place could fit it with the adapter I bought - and they said the sensor was MASSIVE for a camera that small.
The quality of video is unreal. You have to see it to believe it. I bought a 500MM lens, a zoom lens 60-300MM, a 135MM lens and the wide angle lens that came with the camera. With those lenses, I have a pretty amazing video camera. I also purchased the mic attachment and will be buying the viewfinder attachment.
I took all kinds of video in daylight, at night and in various situations. Because the camera can be fully manual, it allowed me to set my ISO small and make adjustments so low light looked clear and crisp - dark, but clear and crisp. Don't set the ISO to high or you will get a lot of digital noise (gain) in your video. Because it shoots in 1080p 60i, the quality is on par, if not better, than my broadcast quality video camera. In fact, I could swear it is actually more clear and higher quality. Simply astounding.
The picture quality is superb - 14MP is pretty big, so your images look great and can be used for full page spreads in magazines! At the same time, the lenses allow me to achieve everything from up close macro shots to shooting a player's face from the stands at a ball game.
The screen is gorgeous and tilts. It IS hard to see in direct sunlight, so the option viewfinder is nice for photography. For video, it's a bit tough, but doable. I wish there was a sun shade for it. The focus feature is great - the camera will zoom way in on a subject so you can properly focus. It works very well, though I am used to focusing using a viewfinder, so once I have the optional one, my shots and video will be perfect.
In a nutshell, you get Sony quality in a small package, but with big results. I have no regrets buying this camera and know I will get great images and video from it. This tiny camera packs one massive wallup!
Mike
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Published on May 10, 2011 by kkc
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