- Smallest in class: This is the world’s smallest interchangeable lens digital still camera.
- Sony has removed the conventional mirror box, AF sensor and viewfinder, reducing the “flange back” distance from 44.5 mm to 18 mm.
- Compatible with Sony’s E-mount series of smaller, lighter lenses designed specifically for Alpha compact interchangeable lens cameras.
- APS-C size HD image sensor: With 13 times the area of the typical image sensor, APS-C makes the difference between “snapshots” and “photographs,”
- HD movie recording: Capture vivid, lifelike HD movies in the PC-friendly MP4 format.
- Shoot 720/30p high definition or standard definition 480/30p.
- 14.2 megapixel resolution: You get incredible detail and gorgeous enlargements.
- Thanks to the APS-C sensor size and Sony Exmor APS HD CMOS technology, the camera achieves high resolution.
Product Description
Presenting the world’s smallest, lightest interchangeable lens camera, the Sony Alpha NEX-5. The quality of a DSLR with just about half the size and weight. Experience Full HD 1080/60i movies, astounding low-light pictures, continuous shooting up to 7 fps, incredible panorama shots and Live View on a tilting 3.0-inch LCD. Additionally, this Alpha NEX-5 camera comes with an E-mount 18-55mm lens.
FEATURES:
- Smallest in class - This is the world’s smallest interchangeable lens digital still camera (as of April 2010). We removed the conventional mirror box, AF sensor and viewfinder, reducing the “flange back” distance from 44.5 mm to 18 mm. The result has all the quality of an DSLR, but is 48% smaller and 49% lighter than the a230.
- First in class with 1080/60i movies - This is the world’s first interchangeable lens still camera with 1080/60i AVCHD Full HD, exactly the same resolution and frame rate as most broadcast and cable HDTV channels. Records in 1080/60i AVCHD format, 1080/30p high definition in PC-friendly MP4 format and standard definition 480/30p in MP4 format.
- ISO 12800 sensitivity - Incredibly clear low-light pictures without sacrificing detail. As of April 2010, this is best-in-class performance, made possible by low-noise Exmor APS HD CMOS image sensor and refined BIONZ image processor.
- Hand-held Twilight Mode - Corrects for subject movement to capture amazingly clean and sharp images in low light. The camera leverages the large, APS-C image sensor and captures six images in a fraction of a second. Combining the data from all six creates a single image that minimizes subject blur.
- Tiltable 3″ LCD screen - Empowers your photography with a different point or view. Tilts down 45° and up 80° to frame high- and low-angle shots that would otherwi
T. W. Grimes @ 3:05 pm
OK – I just love new gadgets and technology. I had been using a D90 for nearly 2 years but upgraded to a D700 and use it for all of my heavy lifting photo shoots. (what a great camera). However, I wasn’t using my D90 except on the rare occasion that I wanted to use two bodies on a shoot and used the D90 for my 70-300 lens for telephoto shots, giving me up to 450mm. OK, I digress.
I sold my D90 and bought the Sony NEX-5 (silver because I couldn’t wait for the black one). I just bought the 16mm lens and will wait until later this fall when I hear they are coming out with a 18-300 E-type.
This is a really cool camera. I basically keep it in my pocket almost all the time. It is pretty bulky in my pocket ever with the smaller 16mm lens (and protective lens & cap). I know I have read some bad reviews about the menu system but it really only took me about 20 minutes to get used to it.
The focus ring kind of reminded me of my Blackberry when I had one.
It was a little slow to get used to not having a view finder but there is a great feature that you can use to help fine tune your focus (it only works with E type lends and not the A with adapter. You basically can get it to auto focus and then lightly touch the focus ring and it ZOOMS in to help you FINE TUNE the focus. If I knew how to upload some sample pics I would but trust me, the picture quality is great. There are just too many other features for me to comment on but I highly recommend this camera form not just a step up for an amature but a pro wold use it just like I try to do. I get a lot of great shots just because I have this camera buldging out of my pocket.
Brook Norton @ 3:31 pm
I have a pocket point-and-shoot and wanted to upgrade. My wife and I use zoom on about half our shots. I saw the NEX-5 (with pancake lens) had digital zoom and realize you loose resolution when you digitally zoom. But I figured I’d get much better shots (than my point-and-shoot) when not zooming and shots about equal to my point-and-shoot when I used full digital zoom. But when I tried out the NEX-5, there is no dedicated zoom control – you have to dig down a menu to zoom – not really usable for real-time zoom decisions. Further, the video does not shoot with digital zoom, and I use zoom all the time when I shoot video. So having just a pancake lens is a real step back from my point-and-shoot. To me, this is a serious performance draw back sure to disappoint customers who didn’t realize this when they “upgraded”. So I returned it and have ordered the NEX-5 with the zoom lens. Now it will be too large to take with me everywhere and will need to just keeping using my point-and-shoot for various occasions where I am active.
I would not have re-orderd with the “right” lens unless I liked a lot about the rest of the camera. A mode to show clearly parts of the photo in bright light AND shadow (works very nicely). There is a panorama mode (great for upcoming trip to Greece) but no paranormal mode. Great low-light performance and many other valuable features. I imagine the NEX-5 with 18-55mm zoom lens will get four stars (too bulky for five).
Other nits: cheap shoulder strap is included; I bought a new one. Nothing to hold the lens cap after you remove it. I bought a lens cap leash. Initial tests went through the battery quickly – will need to use a while in real life for a firm conclusion. Even with the zoom lens on, I only get 3x (optical) zoom and the digital zoom will be effectively unavailable real time (deep in a menu), as opposed to my point and shoot that does optical zoom as far as it can (3x) then auotmatically adds digital zoom for a total 10x zoom.