Digital Camera Review: Sony Alpha NEX-5

A stellar first shot from Sony

Digital Camera Review: Sony Alpha NEX-5

by Trevor Tan
05:55 AM Sep 17, 2010

THE mirrorless interchangeable lens camera market is becoming increasingly crowded, with Sony becoming the latest to jump on the bandwagon with its Alpha NEX-5.

Without the pentaprism and the reflex mirror of digital single-reflex (DSLR) cameras, mirrorless cameras become very compact while managing to retain the sensor (and picture quality) of a DSLR.

Available in black or silver and capable of shooting full high-definition (HD) 1080i videos, the NEX-5 boasts a 14.2-megapixel Exmor APS-C HD CMOS image sensor (with 1.5x crop factor), a BIONZ image processor, a tiltable three-inch LCD screen and dual memory card slots (Memory Stick and SD card).

Without any lens attached, the NEX-5 looks like any digital compact camera. Measuring 10.8x58.8x38.2mm and weighing 229g (without battery), it is the world's smallest and lightest mirrorless interchangeable lens digital body, says Sony.

The body feels sturdy in the hand despite its diminutive size and light weight. But the rubberised grip is so small that I had to use my ring finger and pinky to support the grip in order to hold the camera properly.

The compactness of the NEX-5 means fewer buttons can be placed on the body. On the top right of the camera sit the power, play, shutter release buttons and video record button. The rear right hosts three buttons and a wheel dial.

Although this button layout allows you to access the controls quite easily, it is labourious to change most settings, as it has to be done via the menu screen. For example, to change the ISO settings, you will need to access the home menu, go to "Brightness/Color", and browse to ISO before you can turn the dial to change to the setting you desire.

Fixing the metallic-barrelled E-mount lens (maybe except the 16mm f/2.8 pancake lens) will increase the camera profile substantially. Even the 18-55mm kit lens makes the camera a tad imbalanced at times when you hold it.

The startup and shutdown performance is good, clocking 1.2 seconds and 0.6 seconds respectively. Auto focus performance is equally impressive, at 0.4 seconds in good lighting. In low-lighting conditions, it takes up to a second to lock on a focus. Shutter lag is around 0.4 seconds, with shot-to-shot timing clocking around a second.

Picture quality is fantastic, with smooth gradation of pixels and vivid colour reproduction. Auto white balance, while accurate, tends toward the warmer side. Noise levels cannot be picked up until ISO 800. At ISO 1600, noise is not very visible but the image does get a bit soft. Even at ISO 3200, where noise is visible, it looks natural and film-grained.

HD video quality is crisp and sharp. And with the NEX-5's ability to re-focus automatically during video recording, you will not miss a thing. The drawbacks are the limited video control that only allows you to de-focus the background, and obtrusive ambient audio that is picked up readily.

Sony's first shot at the mirrorless interchangeable lens system is a real bargain at $1,199 with the 18-55mm kit lens. This is especially so given the stellar image and video quality, which easily compensate for the camera's less than ideal handling. TREVOR TAN

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Techreviews/EDC100917-0000033/A-stellar-first-shot-from-Sony

alpha NEX-5 Compact Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/18-55mm Zoom Lens (Black)

Sony Alpha NEX-5 Digital Camera Body & E 16mm f/2.8 Compact Interchangeable Lens (Silver) with 16GB Card + Battery + Case + Tripod + Accessory Kit