Sony Alpha NEX-5N (with 18-55mm lens, Black)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: NEX-5NK/B
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- Bottom Line:
- An especially good option for people who want a relatively inexpensive ILC for shooting video, the Sony Alpha NEX-5N's photo quality's about the same as its cheaper sibling's.
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CNET editors' review
Sony Alpha NEX-5N (with 18-55mm lens, Black) price range: $629.95 - $699.99
- Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
- Reviewed on: 09/14/2011
- Released on: 09/01/2011
The good: A small-bodied interchangeable-lens model with excellent video, the Sony Alpha NEX-5N also offers some nice features, including a tilting LCD, EVF port, and a hybrid touch-screen/traditional interface.
The bad: The user interface won't be to everyone's taste, and the body feels almost too small for the typical E-mount zoom lenses.
The bottom line: An especially good option for people who want a relatively inexpensive ILC for shooting video, the Sony Alpha NEX-5N's photo quality's about the same as its cheaper sibling's.
Slipping into Sony's compact Alpha interchangeable-lens camera line between the not-much-cheaper NEX-C3 and seriously equipped but substantially more expensive NEX-7, the Sony Alpha NEX-5N's solid quality, performance, and features offer surprisingly good value for the money.
The NEX-5N is capable of shooting some very nice photos, and has an excellent noise profile for its price class. JPEGs look clean and artifact-free as high as ISO 400, with a little smearing from noise suppression starting to appear at ISO 800. But even as high as ISO 1600 detail on the main subject looks pretty clean (artifacts do appear on peripheral areas). It will be interesting to see how well the raw version stands up and if there's some latitude to be gained there once the codec is available. Overall, the camera's noise profile and images look very much like the C3's although the choices in the program exposure mode seem to be 1/3-stop darker. But there was even sufficient dynamic range to recover detail on the horribly blown out flash photos produced by the optional bundled flash. The colors are good--accurate and not overly saturated--and it doesn't blow out detail on saturated reds.
If I sound hesitant to call the photos excellent, that's because I think the camera takes a hit on sharpness. Perhaps the kit lens could use some better coatings to improve clarity and brightness, though I shot with the 18-200mm lens as well (which performed better).
Video looks very good, with bright, saturated colors, relatively sharp edges, and with no rolling shutter or moiré, rock solid in 60p. You can see some compression artifacts on especially busy scenes (like splashing water in front of trees or bushes) which may affect editing--it looks fine played back on a display or large-screen TV--but detail and dynamic range are better than many of Sony's similarly priced camcorders. The autofocus works quickly and quietly while shooting video as well.
There have also been reports on the Web about a mystery clicking noise and overheating potential. I did hear the clicking, but unlike others I could hear it when I moved the camera near my ear--it sounds like one of the controls is just perceptibly loose on the inside, plus it's quite easy to hit them while you're gripping the camera in your right hand. (Update 9/19/11--Sony has confirmed the phenomenon exists, but has no further information about how many units have been affected, its cause or possible cure.) As for overheating, I shot up to the full possible clip length indoors--for legal reasons, it (like all cameras) maxes out at just under 30 minutes--but the camera felt quite warm when it stopped, so in hotter conditions it could very well overheat at shorter intervals. How important that is to you depends upon what you plan to shoot.
| Sony Alpha NEX-C3 | Sony Alpha NEX-5 | Sony Alpha NEX-5N | Sony Alpha NEX-7 | |
| Sensor (effective resolution) | 16.2-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS | 14.2-megapixel Exmor CMOS | 16.1-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS | 24.3-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS |
| 23.5mm x 15.6mm | 23.4mm x 15.6mm | 23.5mm x 15.6mm | 23.5mm x 15.6mm | |
| Focal-length multiplier | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 200 - ISO 12,800 | ISO 200 - ISO 12,800 | ISO 100 - ISO 25,600 | ISO 100 - ISO 16,000 |
| Continuous shooting | 2.5 fps 18 JPEG/6 raw (5.5fps with fixed exposure) |
2.3 fps unlimited JPEG/8 raw (7fps with fixed exposure) |
3 fps 10 JPEG/6 raw (10fps with fixed exposure) |
3 fps unlimited 10 JPEG/6 raw (10fps with fixed exposure) |
| Viewfinder magnification/ effective magnification |
None | None | Optional | 0.5-inch 2.4 million dots 100 % coverage 1.09x/.73x |
| Autofocus | 25-point contrast AF | 25-point contrast AF | 25-area contrast AF | 25-area contrast AF |
| Shutter speed | 30-1/4000 sec.; bulb; 1/160 sec x- sync | 30-1/4000 sec.; bulb; 1/160 sec x-sync | 30-1/4000 sec.; bulb; 1/160 sec x-sync | 30-1/4000 sec.; bulb; 1/160 sec x-sync |
| Metering | 49 zone | 40 segment | 1200 zone | 1200 zone |
| Flash | Included optional | Included optional | Included optional | Yes |
| Image stabilization | Optical | Optical | Optical | Optical |
| Video | 720/30p H.264 MPEG-4 | 1080/60i AVCHD | AVCHD 1080/60p @ 28, 24Mbps, 1080/24p @ 24, 17Mbps, 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps | AVCHD 1080/60p @ 28, 24Mbps, 1080/24p @ 24, 17Mbps, 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps |
| Audio | Stereo; mic input | Stereo; mic input | Stereo; mic input | Stereo; mic input |
| LCD size | 3-inch tilting 921,600 dots |
3-inch tilting 921,600 dots |
3-inch tilting 921,600 dots |
3-inch tilting 921,600 dots |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 400 shots | 330 shots | 430 shots | 350 shots |
| Dimensions (inches, WHD) | 4.4 x 2.4 x 0.9 | 4.4 x 2.4 x 1.6 | 4.4 x 2.4 x 1.6 | 4.8 x 2.8 x 1.7 |
| Body operating weight (ounces) | 10.7 | 10.2 (without flash); 10.9 (with flash) | 9.3 (without flash) | 12 (est) |
| Mfr. price | n/a | n/a | $599.99 (body only) | $1,199.99 (body only) |
| $599.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $649.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $699.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $1,349.00 (with 18-55mm lens) | |
| $549.99 (with 16mm f2.8 lens) | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Ship date | August 2011 | July 2010 | September 2011 | November 2011 |
Performance was solid but a bit disappointing given how fast its competitors are getting (in the chart, the E-P3 is a proxy for the E-PL3, which is supposed to have similar performance but which we haven't yet tested). It takes 1.2 seconds to power on and shoot, which isn't bad but is relatively slow. For single shots it does match competitors, with a time of 0.3 second to focus and shoot in good light and 0.6 second in poorer conditions. The camera stumbles on image processing, though, taking about a second for two sequential shots, increasing a bit to 1.3 seconds with the flash. And it gets noticeably slower at high ISO sensitivities, briefly throwing up a "processing..." message. It can burst at about 3.3fps, which is sufficient for occasionally shooting kids and pets, as long as they're not moving too fast.
One of my biggest problems was the LCD, which gets really difficult to view in direct sunlight; the ability to tilt it helps, but there are some angles that I wanted to shoot where I couldn't effectively position it because of the light. I highly recommend getting the new add-on EVF if you buy this camera (although I haven't tested it, so I can't vouch for any other issues it may have).
The 5N uses the typical NEX design. Though the thin body sports a relatively large grip, it's not very comfortable to hold single-handed because of the minimal free space for your thumb. Even supporting the lens with my left hand, the body feels just a little too small for me, and my hands aren't that large. So that's an important aspect to try before you buy. But it feels solidly built, with sufficiently large controls.
I keep waffling on the interface, one of the hallmarks of the NEX series. It consists of a combination of onscreen menus and context-sensitive buttons, along with a back dial and a movie record button that you operate with your thumb. The 5N introduces a hybrid touch interface, which lets you perform operations via either the screen or the hardware. I'm not crazy about the touch-screen implementation; the screen feels too small for some of the areas you need to press, and it takes multiple touches for some things to register, so ultimately it's not faster or more intuitive to use than the buttons. On the other hand, it does make useful features like touch focus possible. I wish it were possible to disable the touch interface and just enable touch focus, and I wish the camera had touch exposure. Overall, though, I think Panasonic's touch-screen interface works better.
When I reviewed the C3, I was happy with the changes Sony had made to streamline the camera's operation. But I occasionally found shooting with the 5N annoying, even after customizing the buttons appropriately. In part, I think it's because the dial has a tendency to move to easily, and I end up flying past the setting I want. I also find the location of some of the settings I use semi-frequently a bit arbitrary, and get annoyed when I have to go digging for them. Your shooting experience with the 5N will rely on how much work you put in beforehand to map some of the soft keys to your needs, but in order to change them significantly you have to forego direct access to the virtual mode dial.
Ultimately, I rated the design and interface highly, but I think whether or not you like it will depend upon your previous shooting experiences: point-and-shoot upgraders will probably like it a lot, but dSLR shooters going compact will likely feel more friction. You definitely should try it out before you buy.
| Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 | Sony Alpha NEX-5N | |
| Sensor (effective resolution) | 12.3-megapixel Live MOS | 12.1-megapixel Live MOS | 16.1-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS |
| 17.3mm x 13mm | 17.3 x 13.0mm | 23.5mm x 15.6mm | |
| Focal-length multiplier | 2.0x | 2.0x | 1.5x |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 200 - ISO 12,800 | ISO 100 - ISO 6400 | ISO 100 - ISO 25,600 |
| Continuous shooting | 4.1 fps n/a (5.5fps without image stabilization) |
3.8fps unlimited JPEG/7 raw |
3 fps unlimited 10 JPEG/6 raw (10fps with fixed exposure) |
| Viewfinder magnification/ effective magnification |
Optional | None | Optional |
| Autofocus | 35-area contrast AF | 23-area contrast AF | 25-area contrast AF |
| Shutter speed | 60-1/4000 sec; bulb to 30 minutes; 1/4000 FP sync | 60-1/4000 sec; 1/160 sec x-sync | 30-1/4000 sec.; bulb; 1/160 sec x-sync |
| Metering | 324 area | 144 zone | 1200 zone |
| Flash | Included optional | Yes | Included optional |
| Image stabilization | Sensor shift | Optical | Optical |
| Video | 1080/60i AVCHD @ 20, 17Mbps; 720/60p @ 13Mbps | 1080/60i/50i @ 17 Mbps 720/60p @17 Mbps AVCHD or Motion JPEG QuickTime MOV | AVCHD 1080/60p @ 28, 24Mbps, 1080/24p @ 24, 17Mbps, 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps |
| Audio | Stereo; mic input | Mono | Stereo; mic input |
| LCD size | 3-inch tilting 460,000 dots |
3-inch fixed touch screen 460,000 dots |
3-inch tilting 921,600 dots |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 300 shots | 320 shots | 430 shots |
| Dimensions (inches, WHD) | 4.3 x 2.5 x 1.5 | 4.2 x 2.6 x 1.3 | 4.4 x 2.4 x 1.6 |
| Body operating weight (ounces) | 11 (est) | 9.3 | 9.3 (without flash) |
| Mfr. Price | n/a | $499.95 (body only, est) | $599.99 (body only) |
| $699.99 (with 14-42mm lens) | $599.95 (with 14-42mm lens) | $699.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | |
| $699.99 (est, with 17mm lens) | $699.95 (with 14mm f2.5 lens) | n/a | |
| Ship date | September 2011 | July 2011 | September 2011 |
In addition to the aforementioned capabilities, the camera offers a broad, functional feature set that includes full manual control while shooting video; Sony's various multishot modes, like Auto HDR and Sweep Panorama; tracking autofocus; and peaking (highlighted edge display) in manual focus. That's along with a handful of special effects, color modes, and the usual face-recognition-based autofocus assists.
Conclusion
The NEX-5 was a decent camera, and Sony's fixed a lot of our quibbles with it. Plus it takes the new A-mount adapter, and that should make shooters who just want a decent body on which to hang their expensive Zeiss glass really happy.
I don't know that I can recommend the NEX-5N as the best option for point-and-shoot upgraders; for that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 offers the more familiar interface and performance worth stepping up to. And I think the body itself might be too small for some people looking for a dSLR alternative, and for some of those folks a hardware mode dial or traditional hot shoe can be a deal killer. But it's a solid camera with extremely good video quality and capabilities for its class, and though its performance isn't best in class, it's certainly good enough. I only suggest that you try before you buy because it feels and operates differently than what you may be used to, and if you're not comfortable with it, it's hard to get good images from even the best camera.
User reviews
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Sony NEX-5N awesome camera with excellent APS-C sensor
by lalitbs on October 28, 2011
Pros: Excellent sensor, very good image quality and awesome video.
Cons: It takes sometime to learn the menu.
Summary: After reading Lori's review that said "I don't know that I can recommend the NEX-5N as the best option for point-and-shoot upgraders; for that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 ...
Summary: After reading Lori's review that said "I don't know that I can recommend the NEX-5N as the best option for point-and-shoot upgraders; for that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 offers the more familiar interface and performance worth stepping up to." I bought Panasonic GF3, and I was happy with that camera. However, one of my very good friend bought Sony NEX-5N at the same time and when we compared images taken from both the cameras NEX-5N came on top each time. In fact, in many cases where we shoot at the same time to test the cameras you could easily see the difference in image quality. NEX-5N was constantly giving better results when compared to GF3. After doing this for two weeks and thanks to a very generous Amazon return policy I returned my GF3 and bought a NEX-5N.
I don't know why Lori wasn't able to spot the difference in image quality on Sony NEX-5N and Panasonic GF3. The NEX-5N has a bigger APS-C sensor and it clearly shows up in the image quality. I think Lori was so focused on the camera menu that she forgot to consider one of the biggest reason why someone would upgrade from point-and-shoot, and that's picture quality. And Sony NEX-5N beats the Panasonic GF3 in that department.6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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NEX 5n An Excellent Substitute for an Expensive DSLR
by EdwardDuran on October 24, 2011
Pros: Show in summary
Cons: Show in summary
Summary: There are so many positive reviews, that I will stick to just a couple of items. 1) The problem with the clicking noise during movies appears to be gone with ...
Summary: There are so many positive reviews, that I will stick to just a couple of items. 1) The problem with the clicking noise during movies appears to be gone with the newer versions of the NEX-5N. At least my NEX-5N is completely noise free. 2) The menu system leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to simplicity of operation. However, if you are taking pictures in the IA mode (Intelligent Automatic), the camera is wonderfully simple to operate, and the results are outstanding. You can take a picture of a complex scene and then select just a tiny portion for viewing using the touch screen.
The blown up tiny portion will be sharp, properly colored, and noise free. The same is almost true for dim indoor scenes, with only the slightest hint of noise in the shadows of an object against its background. This is better than most DSLRs costing twice as much. The next unusual feature of this camera is the ability to take panorama pictures. The default is horizontal left to right. An arguably better mode is holding the camera vertically and sweeping left to right (or right to left). To change this setting, after you have selected panorama from the virtual wheel, you have to go into the menu system.
You might search for something to do with panorama - wrong. You have to go to "Image Size" and then down to Panorama to change direction. The instruction manual details this. If this were the only slightly buried item, I would say no problem. The bottom line on the panorama capability is that is produces excellent results with almost no effort. This feature alone makes SONY cameras an outstanding buy for people who do not wish to spend their lives in Photoshop.
One of the strong features of this camera is being able to go into manual mode on the virtual wheel. Then, of course, you would like to change shutter speed, f/stop, and the ISO setting. The mechanical wheel will change the shutter speed, and then pushing in the lower portion of the wheel will switch to the f/stop. Now, how do you get to the ISO, which is displayed right next to the f/stop. It's simple, just switch to the Menu mode and then select Brightness/Color and ISO setting is right there. By then, the picture you are trying to take is no longer available. It should be directly reachable from the screen that allows the shutter speed and f/stop without going back in the menu system.
I must say, that everything you might want to do with the NEX-5N is there in the menu system - somewhere. The learning curve for this camera can be steep, and frequently changing modes is unnecessarily awkward. For most of us, there are only a few special settings that we change with any frequency. You can program these settings for quick access. This saves the day and makes the camera much more useful. The touch screen is surprisingly useful for switching between the many options and returning to the main menu, switching between pictures in the image review mode, zooming in electronically on existing images, and selecting an object to focus on when shooting an image.
This is an excellent camera. Hopefully, SONY will provide some modifications in firmware upgrades to make the camera a little easier to use. This is one of those cases where you have such an excellent camera that just a few tweaks could make it even better, easier to use and more intuitive (and if you will buy the NEX-5N I suggest you have to compare prices before you decide at: lowest-pricing.info/SonyNEX-5N ). As it is, the NEX-5N is already easy to use for most picture taking selections. I highly recommend this camera.6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Disagree with Debbie Downer aka Lori G.
by gjohnnyj on September 17, 2011
Pros: Great image quality for stills and video. Easy to hold and performance is very good.
Cons: Need better lenses and built in flash
Summary: I've yet to see Lori G. really enjoy a camera and I've watched many of her reviews. The Sony NEX-5N is a great camera. I moved over from ...
Summary: I've yet to see Lori G. really enjoy a camera and I've watched many of her reviews. The Sony NEX-5N is a great camera. I moved over from a Panasonic GF1. That was a great camera as well, but the JPEG's really never impressed me. The layout of the GF1 was and still is excellent. Everything was easily accessible, but now that I've played with the NEX-5N it's easy to get to what you need. Sony being as big as they are need to add lenses at a much quicker pace. Better lenses will only improve the image quality. I know that everyone has their own preferences as to what they enjoy shooting with, but turst me you will enjoy this camera.
Quick update. Unfortunately, the "click" got me. It truly isn't a deal breaker for me as I don't shoot a whole lot of videos. This could really kill the NEX-5N. I am very curious as to how this blunder didn't make it into the CNET review. Are the cameras really being looked ove before their review? The clicking is so noticeable that anyone reviewing their videos will notice immediately. It really makes me wonder the validity of the reviews that are being posted. Sony has yet to release a statement, but this happens on all NEX-5N's.
Updated on Sep 22, 20112 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Understand what this camera is about & nothing beats it
by ArtInvent on September 20, 2011
Pros: Incredible low light performance
Overall image quality and color - fantastic
Great video in any shooting mode
larger sensor than 4/3 for low light and shallow DOF
24p and 60p video
Innovative manual focus assist
touch screen and object focus innovative aCons: lens selection is the biggest problem with the NEX system, very limited so far
probably would prefer a built in flash, though the included flash is decent and low light is so good I'll hardly use it
autofocus is generally good but falls down following jerSummary: This camera is not for everyone, being on first impression a rather odd duck with a small body and lenses that seem large (though they really are not that big.) ...
Summary: This camera is not for everyone, being on first impression a rather odd duck with a small body and lenses that seem large (though they really are not that big.) Once you understand the logic behind this, and understand the benefits of all this thing does, it is quite a camera at any price - plus it's quite inexpensive versus the competition.
I considered getting the impressive Panasonic GH2, and I must say the Micro 4/3 lenses have a better selection, including new ones that are quite a bit smaller than the Sony E-Mount lenses. However, in pretty much every other way the NEX-5N has it equaled or beat and is much less expensive.
Lots of people are waiting for the NEX-7 but it costs literally twice as much, it's resolution is arguably overkill, and it will not beat the 5N in low light or features. It has a built in EVF but that is not that compelling to me, and I honestly prefer the 16mp sensor to a 25mp.
I have shot extensively with a friend's Canon full frame 5D with wonderful lenses. Nice camera, great in low light, but shooting video is very difficult on it, without good exposure control or focus and mediocre sound. Wonderful image though. I wanted that kind of image quality and low light performance with much better automated video control - and this is the camera that delivers that, in a much smaller and cheaper package. Also, dealing with the 24mp images off the 5D convinced me that I don't need that much resolution and it just needlessly fills up your memory card and takes too long to transfer files.
This replaced a bulky and heavy 10mp SLR with no video at all, and a Canon HD camcorder, cost less than either of them, (I sold them used on eBay for more than what this cost) is smaller, and has much better image quality. It's really the first hybrid camera I thought was really worth owning and could truly replace both for my needs. The fact that I no longer have to choose whether to take the still or the video camera is just fantastic. And now I can invest in lenses knowing that they can be used for both still and video. There aren't too many compelling E mount lenses so far, but I got a Nikon adapter and for now I will have fun using some nice old Nikkor glass on this body.
At this point, the only things my old video camera did better were: it had a much longer zoom on it, and the autofocus was a bit better on moving subjects. Now, you can always get a longer lens for the NEX, and the NEX has a wider angle lens stock, which I really love. And as for focus, the camcorder was not very good when your subject was not centered in the frame. And the camcorder had much poorer color, white balance, low light image, and no shallow DOF. Much of this I did not fully grasp until comparing the wonderful footage from the NEX to the old camcorder. Definitely a trade up in so many ways.
I have read about a mysterious clicking noise in video soundtracks on some people's 5N's. I definitely have not experienced that. Sound seems exceptionally clear on my footage, probably better than my HD camcorder was. That I was not expecting, as there are just two small holes for the mics. I can't hear any focus noise or stabilization motor noise (this can be a problem on the 5D with Canon stabilized lenses making a whirring sound.)
As for stills, the big thing here is low light. This camera practically sees in the dark. ISO 3200 is not bad at all, and I would absolutely use 1600 any time. It's literally as good at 1600 as my Pentax K10D was at 200. Okay that camera was nearly 4 years old, but still.
The kit lens has little distortion or CA fringing in the corners that I have noticed. Press the button and the shutter goes RIGHT NOW. And unlike a number of other video shooting SLR's I've seen, the low light absolutely translates to the video shooting.
Color is nearly as fantastic. Color just looks like you remember the scene looking. It looks like reality. I've never seen color accuracy like this except in perfectly lit and color gelled film shooting. It's both more saturated and more accurate than any digital camera I've seen. Skin tones are no problem. White balance is very good on this camera, it never seems to get fooled too badly even in highly mixed light.
Next is dynamic range. The single shot DRO setting is quite good. And the 3-shot HDR mode with three bracketed exposures combined into one frame really works (though the camera pauses about 4-5 seconds to process the shots which is unfortunate, but understandable.) All in all, I have experienced very few shots that had blown highlights or murky shadows, and that's the bottom line. In short, best still camera I've ever seen in JPG output anyway.
If they improved the auto focus on fast moving subjects, added a built in flash, and broadened their lens selection this would be nigh on perfect. The lenses will get there eventually, and. As it is, close enough for me.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great camera that suitably replaces my d90!
by monkeymanmiles on September 18, 2011
Pros: Low lights and higher iso performance is great! Handheld twilight feature allows me to easily get great shots indoors with no flash. Video is great. Feels study and fits really comfortably in my hand. Shooting any any angle is easy with the great high
Cons: Auto focus is a little slow, coming from a d90. Digging thru menus and submenus takes some getting used to. Click noise in video is mildly annoying. Images are not as sharp as my d90. tracking focus in video is not reliable for a moving child.
Summary: This camera is not as good as my d90. But it is pretty freaking close, and about $500 less expensive and infinitely more portable. I tried high end point and ...
Summary: This camera is not as good as my d90. But it is pretty freaking close, and about $500 less expensive and infinitely more portable. I tried high end point and shoots as well as a GF2 and they all went back. This blows the GF2 out of the water! Faster, feels better, better images, better low light performance.
I won't tell you that I am great photographer. I used the d90 in Auto most of the time and got incredible pictures. I wanted something easy with great results that I didn't need to spend $1300 on or have to carry an extra bag around. Something that would fit in the wife's purse and be dope! If you want great pics with minimal effort but still retain the ability to dig in to the camera to learn about the different modes and grow as a photographer than this sony is for you!1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Absolutely love this camera
by jeremycarves on May 3, 2012
Pros: very light compared to my d300s , smooth video even in very low light, very clear hi-res screen, very convenient size, programable soft keys really help for fast changes while shooting, battery life is great, face recognition works really well
Cons: takes a little to get used to the menus, would be nice if the flash was built in, it takes a little to find the best way to hold the camera, battery life with the flash is reduced quite a bit
Summary: I bought this camera to compliment my D300S . I was looking for a lighter alternative for trips ,disneyland .......where I would be on my feet all day. I find this ...
Summary: I bought this camera to compliment my D300S . I was looking for a lighter alternative for trips ,disneyland .......where I would be on my feet all day. I find this to be the camera I grab most of the time for family outings due to the convenient size and weight. I found all the menus a bit trying in the begging but now that I have the soft keys programmed I find the camera a pleasure to shoot. The touch screen is a nice alternative and great addition to the 5N. I use the touch screen about 50% of the time and find it great for tracking subjects. In public areas I found the face recognition pulls my daughter and wife out of a crowd nicely and gets the shot I want. The battery life is very good for such a small camera apart from when using the flash. The low light capabilities are so good with this camera that I tend to use the flash a lot less than I would with other cameras anyway. I still might recommend a couple of batteries for a full day if you are planning on over 400 shots.The video is so good that I will not be brining my video camera with me anymore. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a light alternative or compliment to a DSLR or as a main camera for a beginner or novice looking for great quality shots out of the box.
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This is a great camera, I use it every day.
by Teslawill on February 24, 2012
Pros: Spectacular image quality. Low weight. Good compatibility with legacy glass. Custom buttons work well to help aid the slow UI.
Cons: Tripod mount doesn't get camera tight. Viewfinder is expensive and hard to find.
Summary: I am on a tight budget, so I decided to use old manual focus lenses for my photography. They are cheaper, and personally, I like them better than auto-focus. Manual ...
Summary: I am on a tight budget, so I decided to use old manual focus lenses for my photography. They are cheaper, and personally, I like them better than auto-focus. Manual lens adapters are plentiful and cheap on the internet for this camera, and the camera itself is very good in manual focus because of focus peaking, and manual focus assist. It is also very intuitive to beginners, and it is easy to learn to use the custom key settings to tailor the camera to your shooting style. I would highly recommend this camera to beginners who would like to get deeper into photography, and enthusiast-pro photographers looking for a light travel camera to take everywhere.
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It is amazingly small and shoots great videos
by electronicbazaar1 on October 12, 2011
Pros: I love slim design, storage is my favourite feature
Cons: None of that I have found
Summary: Hi friends, We prefer for using this Camera it has a lot of good qualities, it is amazingly small and shoots great videos, the graphics on it are good, the ...
Summary: Hi friends, We prefer for using this Camera it has a lot of good qualities, it is amazingly small and shoots great videos, the graphics on it are good, the applications.
By http://www.****************.com.au/ -
Excellent with low light
by amaier on October 1, 2011
Pros: The image quality at low light its outstanding. In combination with a good lens there is no need for a flash anymore. At low light, it simply beats any camera I know.
Cons: No usable .raw support yet.
Summary: I have big hands and I have no problem holding the camera and manipulating the interface with just one hand. You just have to get used to holding the cam ...
Summary: I have big hands and I have no problem holding the camera and manipulating the interface with just one hand. You just have to get used to holding the cam with the thumb along the bottom.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: NEX-5NK/B
- Description: The performance of a DSLR, in about half the size and weight. The NEX-5N is the interchangeable lens camera that fits in your pocket. Enjoy Full HD 1080/60p or 24p movies, astounding low-light pictures, continuous shooting up to 10 fps, incredible panorama shots, and 3.0-inch tiltable Live View touch screen LCD.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Mirrorless system
- Enclosure Color Black
- Resolution 16.1 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Type Exmor APS HD CMOS
- Total Pixels 16,700,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 16,100,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 15.6 x 23.5mm
- Field of View Crop Factor 1.5
- Sensor Dust Reduction Yes
- Sensor Features Dust Reduction (image sensor vibration),
Anti-Dust coating - Image Processor BIONZ
- Image Stabilizer Optical (Steady Shot)
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) Qty 25
- AE/AF Control Subject-tracking AF
- Digital Video Format AVCHD,
H.264 - Image Recording Format JPEG,
MPO,
RAW,
RAW + JPEG - Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
- AV Interfaces HDMI
Exposure & White Balance
- Light Sensitivity ISO auto (100-3200),
ISO 100-25600 - Exposure Metering Multi-segment,
Center-weighted,
Spot - Exposure Metering Zones 1200
- Exposure Modes Program,
Bulb,
Automatic,
Shutter-priority,
Manual,
Aperture-priority - Shooting Programs Sports mode,
Sunset,
Night portrait,
Handheld twilight,
Night view,
Macro,
Portrait mode,
Landscape - Special Effects Portrait,
Landscape,
Miniature,
Posterization,
Toy camera,
Pop Color,
Vivid,
Soft Focus,
Black & White,
HDR Painting,
Rich-tone monochrome,
Soft High-key,
Partial color,
High contrast monochrome,
Sunset,
Retro - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Daylight,
Shade,
2500K - 9900K,
Fluorescent,
Incandescent,
Cloudy,
Flash - Max Shutter Speed 1/4000 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 30 sec
- Exposure Compensation ±3 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- Auto Exposure Bracketing 3 steps in 1/3 or 2/3 EV steps
- X-sync Speed 1/160 sec
- Exposure Range EV 0-20 ( ISO 100 )
Lens System
- Type Sony,
3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6 - Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 27 - 82.5 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual,
Automatic - Min Focus Range 9.8 in
- Max View Angle 76 degrees
- Zoom Adjustment Manual
- Lens Construction 9 groups / 11 elements
- Filter Size 49 mm
- Lens System Mounting Sony E-mount
- Features Aspherical lens
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Detachable flash
- Guide Number (m / ISO 100) 7
- Flash Modes Rear curtain sync,
Fill-in mode,
Slow synchro,
Auto mode,
Flash OFF mode,
Red-eye reduction - Features Flash +/- compensation,
AF illuminator - External Flash Name Sony HVL-F7S
Additional Features
- Continuous Shooting Speed 10 frames per second,
3 frames per second - Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
10 sec - Flash Terminal Hot shoe
- Additional Features Digital image rotation,
Intelligent AUTO (iAUTO),
Display brightness control,
24p Cinema Mode,
Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN),
3D Sweep Panorama technology,
NR Slow Shutter,
Predictive Focus Control,
High ISO NR,
PRINT Image Matching,
Constant AF Live View,
Saturation control,
Face Recognition,
Smile Detection technology,
Date/time stamp,
Exif Print support,
AF lock,
DPOF support,
Sweep Panorama technology,
Face detection,
RGB primary color filter,
Built-in speaker,
Auto HDR mode,
Smile Detection Auto Shutter,
AE lock,
Digital noise reduction,
Dolby Digital AC-3 (2 channel) recording,
Touch-screen control,
Histogram display,
Automatic display brightness adjustment,
Dynamic Range Optimizer,
Camera orientation detection,
Built-in help guide,
Sharpness control,
Contrast control,
1080p Full HD movie recording,
USB 2.0 compatibility Display
- Type 3 in LCD display
- Display Features Folding
Microphone
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Hi-Speed USB,
1 x HDMI output - Memory Card Slot SD card,
Memory Stick PRO Duo card Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows XP SP3,
MS Windows Vista SP2,
MS Windows 7 SP1,
Apple Mac OS X 10.3 - 10.6 - Peripheral Devices USB port,
CD-ROM drive Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Battery charger,
USB cable,
Lens cap,
Shoulder strap,
Dust cap,
Body cap,
Flash carrying case Software
- Software Sony Image Data Lightbox SR,
Drivers & Utilities,
Sony Image Data Converter SR,
Sony Picture Motion Browser Battery
- Supported Battery Sony NP-FW50
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 1080 mAh ( Included )
Memory / Storage
- Supported Memory Cards SDHC Memory Card,
SD Memory Card,
Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo,
SDXC Memory Card,
Memory Stick PRO Duo,
Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX - Image Storage Standard JPEG,
Fine RAW 4912 x 3264,
4912 x 2760,
3568 x 2368,
3568 x 2000,
2448 x 1624,
2448 x 1376 - Video Capture AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 28Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 24Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 17Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 24Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 17Mbps,
H.264 - 1440 x 1080 - 12Mbps,
H.264 - 640 x 480 - 3Mbps Dimensions & Weight
- Width 4.4 in
- Depth 1.5 in
- Height 2.3 in
- Weight 7.4 oz
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Parts and labor - 1 year
Main Features
- Image stabilizer feature Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom. This camera utilizes built-in Super SteadyShot stabilization to assist in taking sharper pictures.
Product series
-
Sony Alpha NEX-5N (Body Only, Black)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: 16.1 megapixels,
15.6 x 23.4mm,
Exmor APS HD CMOS -
Sony Alpha NEX-5N (with 18-55mm lens, Black)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: 16.1 megapixels,
27 - 82.5mm F/3.5,
3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6,
15.6 x 23.5mm,
Exmor APS HD CMOS,
Optical (Steady Shot) -
Sony Alpha NEX-5N (Body Only, Silver)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: 16.1 megapixels,
15.6 x 23.4mm,
Exmor APS HD CMOS -
Sony Alpha NEX-5N (with 18-55mm lens, Silver)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: 16.1 megapixels,
27 - 82.5mm F/3.5,
3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6,
15.6 x 23.5mm,
Exmor APS HD CMOS,
Optical (Steady Shot) -
Sony Alpha NEX-5N (Body Only, White)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: 16.1 megapixels,
15.6 x 23.4mm,
Exmor APS HD CMOS -
Sony Alpha NEX-5N (with 18-55mm lens, White)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: 16.1 megapixels,
27 - 82.5mm F/3.5,
3 x x Zoom lens - 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6,
15.6 x 23.4mm,
Exmor APS HD CMOS,
Optical (Steady Shot)
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Sony
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
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