NEX-7 It Is

Pretty Flowers -- Panasonic G1 & Kodak 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens. Click for larger.

Thanks to all who have given me your thoughts on NEX-5N/NEX-7.  Today, I took out the Panasonic G1 since my NEX-5 is in the shop, and I can't believe how much I missed the EVF, and how much easier it is to focus manually through it.  The EVF is already very good in the G1, I can't imagine how much better it is in the NEX-7.  Therefore, I have decided to wait for the NEX-7.  Will sell the NEX-5 and get the NEX-7 with the black kit lens and the E-Mount 50mm f1.8.  I would love to get the Zeiss 24mm f1.8 but it's more than a grand.  It will have to be in the next year's toy budget.

I know it will be a torturous couple of month before I can get my hands on the NEX-7, I just hope I won't be disappointed with the image quality.

Gear Thoughts

Lights -- Canon 1D Mark III & EF 85mm f1.2. Those black dots are birds, not dust!

Since I got the 1D III (the second time), I have had used it a few times. I am quite happy with it so far and it seems to be a lot more reliable (in terms of focusing) camera than the Mark III I bought originally.  Focus seems to be very accurate, with the exception of the manual focus is slightly out of whack, possibly due to the shims missing on the focusing screen.  But I really do not use manual focus lenses on the Mark III.  Looking at the ISO 1600 and even 3200 pictures, I am happy to say that it's very clean.  Much better than those from the NEX-5.

Now that we know what to expect from the NEX-5N, which has amazing low light capabilities.  If this camera has a built-in EVF, I would have bought one today, but adding the EVF to the NEX-5N is almost the same price as the NEX-7!  Sony should really make a NEX-6: a camera with NEX-7 body and NEX-5N sensor.  As optimistic as I am, I don't think the sensor in the NEX-7 will be anywhere close to be as good as the one in NEX-5N.

Originally, I wanted a full frame body, and my eye was set on the 5D II, and I will have something like 1D III, 5D II and NEX-5.  But I have really been spoiled by the NEX-5.  I took it with me everywhere I went and took a lot of pictures with it.  You can't beat the portability of the NEX bodies.  Now that the NEX-7 will be out in a couple of months, and it almost has everything I want in an EVIL camera, except the sensor, and unfortunately, it not cheap.  If I buy the NEX-7, I will have no funds for the 5D II.  On the other hand, if I buy a 5D II, I can probably squeeze out enough money to upgrade to the NEX-5N.  And then there is the 50mm f1.8 OIS that I really want too!  Now you can see why I am slowly going insane!

NEX-5N or NEX-7?

The net is abuzz about the NEX-7 but we have not really seen any sample pictures from it yet.  We can only infer from the A77 samples about NEX-7 image qualities.  On the other hand, the NEX-5N samples are available from many well known sites.  What I have seen, especially the high ISO samples, are nothing less than astonishing.  It almost rivals that of the 5D II.   Sony has finally caught up and perhaps surpass Canon/Nikon on clean high ISO image quality.  I really like what I see and can't help but thinking that if Sony puts the NEX-5N's sensor in the NEX-7, I will have no hesitation buying one, even at $1200 for the body.  Or, if the NEX-5N has a built-in EVF, I will not hesitate to buy one either.  Adding the external EVF to the NEX-5N will almost cost about the same as buying the NEX-7.  Why does Sony have to torture us like this?!?

I will patiently await tests on the NEX-7 when it becomes available.  If the image quality turns out to be at least as good as the current NEX-5 (not 5N), I will most likely buy one, although I really have no need for 24MP.

On the note of EVIL cameras, I think Canon has  missed the boat here.  Even Nikon is rumored to introduce one soon, but we have heard nothing from Canon.  EVIL camera segment is the fastest growing part of the digital camera business, and I don't know how Canon not see that.  By the time to do introduce one, it may be a bit too late to capture the lost market share.

Sony NEX-5 & Kodak Ektagraphic 50mm f1.2 Projection Lens. Click to see larger.

Image Quality from the Sony 24MP Sensor

I am excited about the NEX-7, but unfortunately it's pricey and the image quality may disappoint.  I haven't found any sample pictures from the NEX-7, but I looked some from at the A77, which shares the same 24MP sensor as the NEX-7 and probably the image processing engine as well.  What I can see is that Sony is still one of the worst when it comes to jpeg image quality.  The A77 samples don't look very good.  Shadow noise is excessive at ISO 200. Why don't manufacturers understand that most of us want quality, not quantity pixels.  ISO 1600 looks ok, but lacks details.  I hope it's due to the jpeg engine and that RAW files will perform much better.  If not, I guess my NEX-5 will be with me, and I will end up with a 5D II instead.

New Building -- NEX-5 & Vivitar Series-1 28mm f1.9.