And so, the task of finishing the Sony NEX5
review was passed on to me, the Phoblographer’s resident Minolta shooter. Here, I’ll cover video briefly, and offer my final thoughts as a film shooter.
With the advent of this camera, and now the a33, a55, and a560, a nifty little dedicated “Movie” button has been added. This is a handy shortcut because navigating through the NEX menus requires a map and a few ancient texts. Be prepared, however, because once you press it and the camera finishes the brief shift between modes, it begins recording immediately. So make sure that the camera is aimed in the direction you want to begin your award winning film.
Here’s a small video I took of myself attempting an impression of Herbert from Family Guy.
It took a few tries because I didn’t initially realize that the camera immediately started recording with the push of the button. Once I finally got the video, I took it straight it from the SD card. I tried going through the included PMB software, but it only recognized the image files on the SD card, not the lone video file. At the time of this writing, the video issues noted in earlier posts by Chris Gampat have not yet been resolved.
But it is in 1080i. Hooray 1080i!
And now for some final words
I’ve been a Minolta film shooter for about a year and a half. I own a Minolta Maxxum Htsi-Plus body, and a number of lenses: 50mm f/1.7, 28mm f/2.8, 135mm f/2.8, 35-70mm f/4 macro, and a 28-80 f/3.5-5.6. All of these are from the AF line of Minolta lenses, so all of them are compatible with the Sony alpha camera I will eventually buy.
With that having been said, I’m accustomed to the heft and style of a DSLR; the grip, the optical viewfinder, etc. The NEX-5 is incredibly different, and the transition is awkward. I understand what Sony is trying to do with the NEX line, but it’s not working yet. Don’t get me wrong, the image quality is stellar, but the camera leaves a great deal to be desired.
The first thing I noticed was that the 16mm lens was larger in length, not mass, than the camera itself. I don’t know if others have an issue with this, but I do find it awkward. I also find that the camera is too small, and with its size, buttons are sacrificed in favor of more menu space.
I like buttons. I’m pro-button. I can image that the majority of consumers won’t have the patience to navigate the excessive amount of menu space. Set to Program and go is what I imagine most will do.
I also imagine that most of the NEX-5’s consumers have really small hands. I’m a large-handed individual. Three of my fingers barely made it on the camera’s grip. And I’m not used to the lack of a viewfinder, be it electronic or optical. I’m pro-viewfinder.
When I make the move to digital, it will not be with the NEX line of cameras. I love Sony. Most of products are Sony, but the NEX-5 will not become a part of my Sony family. One of the new alpha cameras will.
I eagerly await those.
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