Streetshooter
Administrator Emeritus
- Location
- Philly, Pa
I will post my thoughts and feelings about this camera and update this thread as I have more to say either with words or images. If your looking for info about pixel peeping techie jargon, yer waisting yer time here. This is about making images with the Nex 5 on the street.
Let's get to it....
First off the camera is a pleasure to start, as it works in 3:2 as a native aspect ratio. That is a big plus as we don't have to loose IQ due to the sensor being cropped from 4:3.
The Lens (a little)
I have the 18-55 lens and the 16 is on it's way so I'll just talk about the zoomie. The Panny 14-45 is probably the best KIT zoom ever produced by anyone at anytime. The Sony 18-55 is not as good but it's not bad either and it does one very important thing us street shooters need....it fits in your pocket.
With a hood on, the camera fits in my coat pocket. You won't do that with too many cameras. Why is this important? Glad ya asked. See, we need to be casual and discreet in our search for the NEXt image. We sometimes like to drink a cup of coffee and the camera can't interfere with the coffee drinkin' or holding procedures.
The SCREEN.
It was a very bright day in Philly today, Sunday. I walked for miles thru Center City as I always do and what happens is, the sun comes out from behind and over buildings at different times. So, in shady or normal brightness the screen is fine.
Then, it happened. I raised the camera to frame an image and the sun was directly on the screen...blindness I tell ya, blindness. All to many times with the GF1 this would cause me to loose the image.
Eureka. My mind woke up and remembered what Ray told me about the Sunny setting on the screen. So, intuitively, I hit the menu and set the screen to Sunny. OH, MY!
I could see like never before. I have never used a camera with a screen so easy to see in bright light. I have used them all, well, all the good ones at least.
The AF.
I decided to use Center AF as Ray explained how using the Flexible mode interferes with the Button setup. He's right so I used Center. The lens focuses rather fast but very accurate in good to normal light. It hunts a little in lower light but not bad.
It is very accurate at any rate. I have no images OOF at all.
The Buttons.
Here's where we get into issues. Well, that's what I read for 6-8 months. It's said that the Nex is very difficult to navigate. Bulldinky. This is one of the easiest, most intuitive cameras ever designed.
Hit the center button on the dial and MODE is right there. In A mode, rotate the dial and you change fstops. Hit the lower button and ISO is right there.
The dial also controls EV, Flash, Drive (single shot etc) and Display.
So, I don't get all the complaints about how the camera is too slow to operate and change settings. Gimme a break. If I knew how easy the NEX was, I would have had it many months ago. So don't listen to anyone about anything. Get your own mind on things and bunk to all the other opinions...even me...
Still here huh....ok
Ok, we're there....
I used a wrist strap with a tripod socket adapter on the strap. I have the Luigi's tiny in black. The camera and lens is Silver like many of my M cameras and lenses.
With the strap on the wrist, what happens is..... if your hold the grip of the camera with your fingers, the strap then creates a triangle between the tripod socket area, the fingers on the grip and the wrist supporting everything.
The hold is very comfortable and SECURE. You will not feel like the camera can get away from you. It's the most perfect design. See, the lens is set to the left of the body, from the rear view.
This left space for Sony to put the amazing grip there just for street shooters.
I have the camera set to fall asleep after 1 minute. I never do this but I don't have the spare battery yet. This week. So the only complaint I have so far, and I'm not looking for them, they just find they're way to me, is....the wake up time.
I wake up faster in the morning than the Nex does.
Seriously, it seems to take a long time but in practice, it's ok but I'd like it to wake up faster.
The camera handles beautifully. It's comfortable good looking, well kinda in a strange sort of way. You young single guys. Your not meeting Miss Right with this camera around....luckily it fits in your pocket. Keep it in there for woman meeting procedures.
So, all in all I think it's a great Street Camera. Everything feels like quality. The fit and finish is really nice with a nice metal feeling. Remember that metal feeling?
I'll post a few images and the rest are on my Flickr page in the NEX5 Set.
I'll write more later and get more serious, nah...if this isn't fun for you like it is for me....I'm feeling really bad for ya.
Remember, never ever take yourself serious...share a little joke with the world...
Independence Hall Visitor Center
Franklin Mills
Color for BB, but the way I see color...
Subway Concourse. There were about 75 people sleeping down here today as it was cold.
Subway Concourse.
More in my Gallery on this site or at Flickr...
Thanks
shooter
Let's get to it....
First off the camera is a pleasure to start, as it works in 3:2 as a native aspect ratio. That is a big plus as we don't have to loose IQ due to the sensor being cropped from 4:3.
The Lens (a little)
I have the 18-55 lens and the 16 is on it's way so I'll just talk about the zoomie. The Panny 14-45 is probably the best KIT zoom ever produced by anyone at anytime. The Sony 18-55 is not as good but it's not bad either and it does one very important thing us street shooters need....it fits in your pocket.
With a hood on, the camera fits in my coat pocket. You won't do that with too many cameras. Why is this important? Glad ya asked. See, we need to be casual and discreet in our search for the NEXt image. We sometimes like to drink a cup of coffee and the camera can't interfere with the coffee drinkin' or holding procedures.
The SCREEN.
It was a very bright day in Philly today, Sunday. I walked for miles thru Center City as I always do and what happens is, the sun comes out from behind and over buildings at different times. So, in shady or normal brightness the screen is fine.
Then, it happened. I raised the camera to frame an image and the sun was directly on the screen...blindness I tell ya, blindness. All to many times with the GF1 this would cause me to loose the image.
Eureka. My mind woke up and remembered what Ray told me about the Sunny setting on the screen. So, intuitively, I hit the menu and set the screen to Sunny. OH, MY!
I could see like never before. I have never used a camera with a screen so easy to see in bright light. I have used them all, well, all the good ones at least.
The AF.
I decided to use Center AF as Ray explained how using the Flexible mode interferes with the Button setup. He's right so I used Center. The lens focuses rather fast but very accurate in good to normal light. It hunts a little in lower light but not bad.
It is very accurate at any rate. I have no images OOF at all.
The Buttons.
Here's where we get into issues. Well, that's what I read for 6-8 months. It's said that the Nex is very difficult to navigate. Bulldinky. This is one of the easiest, most intuitive cameras ever designed.
Hit the center button on the dial and MODE is right there. In A mode, rotate the dial and you change fstops. Hit the lower button and ISO is right there.
The dial also controls EV, Flash, Drive (single shot etc) and Display.
So, I don't get all the complaints about how the camera is too slow to operate and change settings. Gimme a break. If I knew how easy the NEX was, I would have had it many months ago. So don't listen to anyone about anything. Get your own mind on things and bunk to all the other opinions...even me...
Still here huh....ok
Ok, we're there....
I used a wrist strap with a tripod socket adapter on the strap. I have the Luigi's tiny in black. The camera and lens is Silver like many of my M cameras and lenses.
With the strap on the wrist, what happens is..... if your hold the grip of the camera with your fingers, the strap then creates a triangle between the tripod socket area, the fingers on the grip and the wrist supporting everything.
The hold is very comfortable and SECURE. You will not feel like the camera can get away from you. It's the most perfect design. See, the lens is set to the left of the body, from the rear view.
This left space for Sony to put the amazing grip there just for street shooters.
I have the camera set to fall asleep after 1 minute. I never do this but I don't have the spare battery yet. This week. So the only complaint I have so far, and I'm not looking for them, they just find they're way to me, is....the wake up time.
I wake up faster in the morning than the Nex does.
Seriously, it seems to take a long time but in practice, it's ok but I'd like it to wake up faster.
The camera handles beautifully. It's comfortable good looking, well kinda in a strange sort of way. You young single guys. Your not meeting Miss Right with this camera around....luckily it fits in your pocket. Keep it in there for woman meeting procedures.
So, all in all I think it's a great Street Camera. Everything feels like quality. The fit and finish is really nice with a nice metal feeling. Remember that metal feeling?
I'll post a few images and the rest are on my Flickr page in the NEX5 Set.
I'll write more later and get more serious, nah...if this isn't fun for you like it is for me....I'm feeling really bad for ya.
Remember, never ever take yourself serious...share a little joke with the world...
Independence Hall Visitor Center
Franklin Mills
Color for BB, but the way I see color...
Subway Concourse. There were about 75 people sleeping down here today as it was cold.
Subway Concourse.
More in my Gallery on this site or at Flickr...
Thanks
shooter