Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Touchscreen Camera

What customers say about Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Touchscreen Camera?

1. 677 of 730 people found the following review helpful

   
   NEX 5N vs NEX 7 vs NEX C3 vs other Mirrorless Cameras Mini Review, September 1, 2011

   By 

   Hassan B. Bn Hadhram –
   
     

   This review is from: Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Touchscreen Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Black) (Camera)

   Update : Changed rating to 4 stars instead of 5, Original review remain below, So why i did that? it’s because the video capture “audio” quality is awful if you shoot in silent environment (shooting a baby or at home with no noise around) the camera does a lot of UNAVOIDABLE annoying clicking sounds nonstop if you don’t use a tripod, every NEX 5N is effected by that, until SONY fix this issue i don’t recommend this camera for anyone who plan to take a lot of casual videos with it

   Update 2 : Sony finally admitted the flaw of the issue and they offer a fix/upgrade according to them here : […]

   (Original review) : First of all i just gotta say that I’m extremely satisfied with the NEX 5n, If you are like me you will spend hours/days researching about Camera samples/reviews/etc before buying a new Camera, problem is many websites are biased or contradict each other, many fans of a system whether it’s Micro Four thirds/Sony NEX series and others might say our system is the best but in reality none of these 2 are the best, M43 can be the best for you or NEX series can be the best for you, some even prefer Fuji X100 etc there are plenty of mirrorless cameras right now, i have just gathered all the facts about each system for you here so the final call is yours and i wont be biased i assure you my fellow photographers

   *NEX 5n advantages over NEX 7 (I will speak about NEX 5n vs M43 and NEX5n vs previous Sony NEX Cameras in a second)

   1-If portability and size is your biggest concern NEX 5n is actually smaller and fits much easier in your pocket, It’s also lighter

   2-Price wise, It cost about half the price of NEX7, and cameras advance so fast now, Investing in a body is not the best option if your budget is limited, Invest in better lenses is much better idea, like the Zeiss 24mm F1.8 E-Mount lens, you will get better results with NEX5n+CZ 24mm over NEX7+Kit lens, so if your budget is limited this can be a huge advantage

   3-The external Viewfinder of the NEX5n have 2 advantages over the one in NEX 7 first it can be titled, so you can shoot while looking at your feet instead of looking at what is front of you (good for stealth shots) and the second it’s more comfortable to use in my honest opinion because it’s placed in much better position

   4-Sensor Quality, Ignore the Mega pixels marketing race, Sony 16MP sensor is being used by Nikon D7000 which is a 1200 dollar camera yet the Sony NEX5n use an advanced 16mp sensor (better than the one in D7000) While the NEX7 got a 24mp it really lose to NEX5n performance in high ISO SO if HIGH ISO is a huge issue for you NEX 5n will win this round (It doesn’t mean NEX7 performance is bad, It’s just the NEX5n perform better at High ISO)

   5-The TouchScreen, First thing in your mind now is properly Touchscreen = Toy camera and useless, Well it’s not and here is why, You can access ISO/Shutter/UI/etc much faster with the touch screen, we are talking about cameras with bare minimum set of buttons here the NEX7 got 1 more button only over the NEX5n, you can customize your buttons as you wish too, That’s not the only advantage of the touchscreen, Sony is using a new “track focus” you can basically touch your target on the screen and he will be AF Tracked, much faster than moving to track a target via none-touch methods, the Focus track combined with the touch screen deliver amazing results really.

   6-NEX5n max ISO is 25.600 and MAX 16.000 ISO for NEX7 (for those who care about maximum ISO available)

   *NEX 7 advantages over NEX 5n

   1-24MP Sensor, this can be an advantage depends on your use, Do you do a lot of prints and low ISO? then this is the best option for you (over NEX5n) while NEX5n beat it at high iso, the NEX7 beat the NEX5n in low ISO, you will get more details,easier to crop/edit your photos due the higher details.

   2-NEX5n External viewfinder cost 350box…. so you are already near NEX7 price Territory if you plan to get NEX5n EVF

   3-With the NEX5n you can’t use an external flash+EVF at the same time because both use the same propriety input slot, the NEX7 has a hot shoe (For Sony flashes) and Built in EVF so you can use both at the same time, even if you don’t plan to use the hot shoe for a flash there is a built in flash which the NEX5n lack

   4-The NEX7 got this new TRI dial UI (there are 3 dials on the NEX7 versus 1 only for the NEX5n, there is a second virtual dial though in the touchscreen but i don’t count it as real dial) The UI for the NEX7 will be more professional while the NEX5n UI is mostly for amateurs,

   So in Short it depends on the advantages of each camera, NEX7 might be better for you, however for me even after ignoring the price different a side the NEX5n is the better camera for me due the better high iso performance and portability mainly (I got access to a DSLR when needed but i want a smaller…

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2. 168 of 180 people found the following review helpful

   
   Review of the Sony NEX-5N by a dSLR owner, September 18, 2011

   By 

   LGO “LG10″ (QC MM RP) –
   
     

   This review is from: Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Camera with Touchscreen – Body Only (Black) (Camera)

   I am writing this review from the point of view of a (Nikon) dSLR user. My review will consist primarily of reviewing how a dSLR owner would assess the qualities of the Sony NEX-5N, how it fits in and how it can be integrated into an ecosystem where continued ownership of a dSLR is a given. In the process, someone who does not own a dSLR will nonetheless get an understanding as to how the Sony NEX-5N is seen from the perspective of a dSLR owner, and will see its relative strengths and limitations vis-a-vis a dSLR.

   SENSOR

   The Sony NEX-5N uses a Sony 16mp APS-C sensor that is very similar to the sensor used in the Nikon D7000 and the Pentax K-5, both excellent performing dSLRs. In all respects, my initial testing showed that the sensor in the Sony NEX-5N is almost at parity as my Nikon D7000, e.g., excellent dynamic range at base ISO 100 and excellent S/N performance at ISO 1600, 3200 and even the occasional foray to ISO 6400.

   SIZE, WEIGHT, HANDLING AND POCKETABILITY

   As a long-time dSLR user now used to the size and weight of a dSLR with its fairly large and heavy weight lenses (e.g., Nikon D700+MB-D10 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lens), the NEX-5N’s most startling aspect for me was its small size and light weight. Holding the NEX-5N without any battery and lens, the NEX-5N is so light and compact that it is practically like holding a point and shoot camera, only that it comes with a hefty hand-grip that makes it possible to hold the camera more securely and quite comfortably.

   Adding on the battery and the pancake 16mm f/2.8 prime lens adds substantially to its weight and heft but not to the extent as to be objectionable as a light carry compact camera. This combo however is no longer what one would consider as a camera that can comfortably carry in a pocket unless the pocket is in a jacket or cargo/tactical pants pocket. The Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 is substantially an even bigger package but still fairly light weight.

   Despite its decent grip, I highly recommend that one buys a wrist strap for use with this camera. While this camera comes with a shoulder strap, the light weight of this camera makes it very easy and comfortable to carry with one’s hand and/or wrist. The wrist strap also ensures that the camera is immediately available for use. A shoulder strap is normally use to distribute the heavy weight of a camera over a bigger area but the light weight of this camera makes a shoulder strap unnecessary. Moreover, a shoulder strap allows the camera to sway and dangle dangerously unless one holds it down. This makes a wrist strap more ideal and convenient.

   CONTROLS

   The NEX-5N does not come with the many dedicated buttons common to dSLRs but it functions well enough given its compact size and limited buttons. The NEX-5N is controlled primarily either through the touch screen, the rear-rotary dials or a combination of both. The touch screen lags a bit while the rotary dial is fast and instantaneous.

   As someone who shoots primarily on Manual Mode and on Aperture Priority, it was fairly easy to set the camera on this preferred mode. Pressing the button above the rotary dial or touching the upper right hand corner of the touch-screen LCD will bring the user to the Menu Option. From there, the Shoot Mode is accessed.

   What took a bit longer to find was where the controls are for the shutter and the aperture on manual mode. It is obvious that the documentation that Sony provided with the camera was not designed for an experienced dSLR user but once I figured out where the shutter and aperture mode was on manual mode, it was very easy to set and use.

   On Manual Mode, the rotary dial controls the shutter setting. Pressing on the “Down” button shifts the rotary dial control to Aperture and turning the rotary button allows the user to change the aperture setting.

   On Aperture Priority Mode, the rotary dial controls the aperture setting and pressing on the “Down” button allows the user to adjust the exposure compensation function.

   On both modes, pressing the “Left” button allows the user to change the Shooting Mode (single, continuous, timer, remote, bracketing).

   The ISO, White Balance and Metering Mode are easily accessed through the more ponderous menu option. For whatever reason, Sony chose to group these functions under the “Brightness/Color” menu instead of under the “Setup” menu.

   Under the “Setup” Menu, there were a few goodies that are worth mentioning. This camera allows the user to choose from 3 grid lines in the EVF. The options available were: Rule of 3rds Grid (3 x 3 grid) , Square Grid (6 x 4 grid) and Diagonal + Square Grid (6 x 4 grid plus an x-grid). In addition, the NEX-5N has an AF Micro Focus Adjustment function. This is a very useful function when using prime lenses – something that the NEX-5N is well suited for…

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3. 77 of 84 people found the following review helpful

   
   My back says this camera is great!, October 16, 2011

   By 

   mousepotato (San Francisco, CA) –

   Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Touchscreen Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Black) (Camera)

   After dragging an 18MP dSLR with 18-200 lens to Disneyland and taking only 200 shots. I have realized that for somewhat serious amateurs like me, the dSLR is no longer the answer. I need the quality without the bulk. I need wide angles. I need smart focus, face focus, face exposure because, well, I have a 1 1/2 year old who is moving fast in many different situations. Pointing a fat dSLR lens at him which cannot track him only looks worse at 18MP. I have previously used the Sony Nex 5, which is a totally different camera. The 5N is much more a serious amateur camera with better high ISO, higher Auto ISO, corrects for lens distortion (huge benefit) and no longer automatically underexposes to save the highlights. Serious amateur photographers know that every camera has certain unique aspects about them. This model year camera underexposes a bit, this one overexposes a bit, etc. This only comes by experience using the camera. I have not used the 5N long enough, but I can already tell it is in a just a bit higher league than the 5. But all these new mirrorless camera are better for amateurs because they help us frame the shot. Many people will say that a viewfinder is critical for photography. I am not on that side. I think that during the brief moment from film SLRs to digital SLRs, many photographers were using compact cameras with their screens on the back. Like myself, many people learned to frame a picture better like this. Of course, the older photographers don’t like this because their near sight is not good due to age, but by framing a larger view (from a screen on the back), you can still keep 2 eyes on the subjects and enviorns. I don’t expect many people to understand this, but you get better framing with a large screen on the back, hence the inclusion of “live view” with dSLR. Also, with the Sony NEX cameras, the camera will easily and silently focus video, which a dSLR cannot. I’ve been seeing all these videos shot with dSLRs lately and can tell 2 things: 1. the focus doesn’t move because they can’t do it easily, 2. when there is motion, either panning or subject motions, everything is a blur. Forget all of that, with kids, you need wide angles because you want to catch a kid with their enviornment. Try finding an affordable wide angle (<28mm) on a cropped dSLR sensor. None of them cheap. With the Sony NEX you can get a 24mm for cheap and then add a cheap adapter and get 18mm. Try finding an 18mm lens for a dSLR, it’ll cost as much as the body itself. The compactness, the lightness, the quality of the sensor (as good as my dSLR by all measures), the ease of wide angles makes this a no brainer. It has the latest tech all to help the photographer like Auto highlights to even out exposures because sometimes we have to shoot at noon. It has face recognition exposure to keep faces exposed correctly. It has a cool stop motion 6 merged shots to look even better than one with super high ISO. A fun auto stiching panorama mode. Before I forget, it has a touch screen to pinpoint focusing and to swipe playback like an Iphone. Sony has everyone beat at this point because they have more real feature to help the photographer and have the best performing sensor in the market. 10FPS! on a consumer camera- that is amazing. They should’ve called it the ‘Amazing’ 5.

   EDIT: After a few months of becoming my standard carry with me camera, I have these thoughts: The ability to attach any lens is great but time consuming. Generally, the standard zoom is more revealing and more convenient. Technique is more important. The sensor quality is just as great as originally- Images have bite, but some may say that it is not Leica-like smudgey/creamy. Just wait for Sony’s 35mm F1.8 E series. That will put the cream in your coffee. Not really a PRO camera as the spinning wheel is too easy to activate with your thumb. Really a good stealth camera like a Leica- “snick, snick” is all anyone will hear. Tech helps- faces expose better, tracks eyes better. Rarely use flash, but flash itself is good. Tough- I even dented the lens. Very stealth with the flipout screen. Feels like a more intimate camera to get creative with than a machine gun. My uncle has a Sony 900 with 85mm large aperature lens which he really enjoys, “shooting.”

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