DxOMark on the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5

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DxOMark have just released a review of Sonys latest EVILs

Read here

If you examine their camera rankings then you can see that the sensor quality is actually on the same level as a Nikon D300s the NEX-5 being ranked 5th out of all the APS-C cameras tested.

Even as a bit of a Sony fanboy, I wasn't expecting it to do so well!
 
DxO is interesting, but you really have to read the fine-print on how they weight the various performance factors to get a full feel for what they're saying (not saying I've done this, merely that I've read the rants of those who have!).

The NEXs should be good, and it wouldn't surprise me for another APS-C sensor to be on the level of the D300s, it was never really cutting edge (D90 is at least as good and came earlier).
 
Interesting looking cameras these, some chap over on POTN has even bodged the Canon 85mm f1.8 onto his :D
 
DxOMark do weight those measures in a slightly odd way, but I do look at and understand the results that their tests give. The D90 is probably the best of the APS-C cameras tbh.

Some Japanese company has announced it will be releasing adaptors so you can fit any Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Leica lenses onto this new E-mount. Sony have already got an alpha-mount adaptor for it. It's a really tempting little camera tbh.

But I think it bodes well for Sonys next higher end releases, as long as they keep up the sensor development, they could have an APS-C camera really competing at the top end of that market!
 
AFAIK the SOny NEX camera use an APS-C sized sensor no? And Sony and Nikon share the same sensor technology (Nikon seems to modify some stuff to improve the noise though). Therefore it is not so surprising that the quality is good.
 
The NEXs should be good, and it wouldn't surprise me for another APS-C sensor to be on the level of the D300s, it was never really cutting edge (D90 is at least as good and came earlier).

As you'd expect, it's the same sensor in the D300, D90 and D300s (in order of release), the image processors vary a little I believe but the sensor is the same.
 
As you'd expect, it's the same sensor in the D300, D90 and D300s (in order of release), the image processors vary a little I believe but the sensor is the same.

Considering the AA filter as part of the sensor, I don't think you can say this. The performance varies, so whilst I'm sure there are commonalities, obviously from a pragmatic standpoint the commonalities don't mean a lot. I'll admit I'm a bit down on the D300s though, something about the D90 sings (ditto the D700) that just didn't (for me) with the D300s.
 
Well if Some Japanese company has announced it will be releasing adaptors so you can fit any Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Leica lenses onto this new E-mount. Then this really does raise the usefulness of owning the NEX camera. I would not say not to having a smaller high image quality camera to take around with me. My current EOS 7D is an amzing camera and I love it to bits. It is some what big to kart around to all those places I might need a camera.
So I will be watching this space for developments on the EX-5 !
 
Great timing to read this, just ordered my NEX 5 twin lens kit, arrives tomorrow, cannot wait - finally a decent camera I will take everywhere with me!!

Adam
 
Whether or not the adapters will have any AF ability, we'll have to wait and see. Even Sonys own adapter from A to E has a rather vague description as to it's compatibility with alpha lenses.
 
Well if Some Japanese company has announced it will be releasing adaptors so you can fit any Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Leica lenses onto this new E-mount. Then this really does raise the usefulness of owning the NEX camera. I would not say not to having a smaller high image quality camera to take around with me. My current EOS 7D is an amzing camera and I love it to bits. It is some what big to kart around to all those places I might need a camera.
So I will be watching this space for developments on the EX-5 !

First one to fit it to a Canon 800 f/5.6 gets a cookie!:p

Problem with using full sized lenses is you sort of ruin the point of having a small camera. For most people the lenses are what take up most space.
 
Well if Some Japanese company has announced it will be releasing adaptors so you can fit any Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Leica lenses onto this new E-mount. Then this really does raise the usefulness of owning the NEX camera. I would not say not to having a smaller high image quality camera to take around with me. My current EOS 7D is an amzing camera and I love it to bits. It is some what big to kart around to all those places I might need a camera.
So I will be watching this space for developments on the EX-5 !

It still looks like they've "Sony'd" it, though.

Personally, I had (probably overly) high hopes as to what these bodies could achieve based on their core hardware, but it looks like I won't be ditching the DSLR yet.
 
please let us know how you get on

Arrived at 0830 this morning, never gotten out of bed so fast :)

Initial impressions:
- Build is superb, feels like quality in your hands, makes Oly EPL1 feel toy-like
- Same goes for lenses
- It's a tiny package with the 16mm on the body, with the 18-55 not so much but still very portable
- The screen is a total finger print magnet and hard to handle without touching it, protector is a must
- Getting to fine tune controls is a pain as all reviews have said. For me it's not a big deal as I just wanted a good quality point and shoot with options there if I want them

First few test shots came out brilliantly, easily a match for my D80, probably not so for a more recently SLR but the fact it now means I'll actually be able to take a decent camera with me everywhere (rather than always saying that I wish I'd packed the SLR) is a massive thing for me.

I'll post some photos when I've had a chance to go outside with it ...

Cheers,
Adam

PS: The panorama option is VERY clever indeed, bit of a gimmick but the results are highly impressive.
 
PS: The panorama option is VERY clever indeed, bit of a gimmick but the results are highly impressive.

I tried that feature on my mates Sony bridge camera and found it impressive and something I think I would use often
 
I actually played with one briefly this afternoon (a NEX5) and I was quite impressed with the feel and build quality, with a high res APS-C sensor (cough, higher res than anything Nikon have yet put in a DSLR) and good quality results it looked like a nice landscape and travel camera.

But dpreview fairly panned it in their review...
 
I actually played with one briefly this afternoon (a NEX5) and I was quite impressed with the feel and build quality, with a high res APS-C sensor (cough, higher res than anything Nikon have yet put in a DSLR) and good quality results it looked like a nice landscape and travel camera.

But dpreview fairly panned it in their review...

I know ... those reviews nearly put me off but I'm glad I got it. With a compact body and light weight it's always going to be compromised but I can live with them so I'm a happy camper - I think they'll sell loads.

Adam
 
If it had more controls I'd be all over it, but having played with my wife's Sony camera (one of those thin cybershot things) I'm not surprised the NEXs got panned for hiding things several menus deep. Part of me is still holding out for an EVIL that will natively take F-mount lenses, even if it's just for the Voigtlander pancakes...though Nikon's track-record on point and clicks is pretty poor.
 
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