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Coolest camera to be release this year sony NEX-7 (year 2011)
- Thread starter singveld
- Start date
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2011/10/23/the-sony-nex-7-digital-camera-review-by-steve-huff/
The Bottom Line Conclusion and my full thoughts on the Camera
Ok, so there you have it. I shot with this camera each and every day that I had it. I shot it with the Zeiss 24 1.8 and the new Sony 50 1.8. I even slapped on a Leica lens and did a side by side with the Ricoh GXR. Sony did in fact “Grow Some Balls” when they decided to design and release the NEX-7. On paper it appeared to be absolutely PERFECT and I ordered one through Amazon the day they started taking orders. In fact I pre-ordered the 24 1.8 and the NEX-7 kit. I just KNEW it had to be amazing. A small body, great build, EVF, fantastic controls and a 24 MP sensor that has Sony tech behind it. I mean, how could the NEX-7 be anything but absolutely GORGEOUS?
Well, when I first started shooting with this camera I was not that wowed or impressed. But I am jaded. I am used to my Leica glass and the M9 putting out stunning 3 dimensional beautiful files and that is what my brain has gotten used to. There has not been any camera that has come close to the M9 IQ until the little Fuji X100 came along, but as wonderful as the Fuji is, it is still tough to shoot with (at certain times) due to its slow speed and clunky interface. Another favorite of mine that I adore is the Olympus E-P3. The new lenses for Micro 4/3 are nothing short of spectacular and helped to make the E-P3 a daily shooter for me along with it’s super speed and great out of camera color. The one problem I have with the Olympus though is there is no built in EVF or swivel LCD. Once I shot with the Sony for over a week I was spoiled with its best ever OLED EVF and swivel LCD.
So here I am raving on and on about the perfect body of the NEX-7. What about the image quality? Well, judge for yourself. I posted tons of images in this review with all lenses. I posted out of camera JPEGS, I posted RAW conversions and I posed a couple of comparison shots with a GXR and E-P3. What I noticed with the NEX-7 files during this whole process is that they seem a little bit flat out of the camera, but this is the same look that every NEX camera has had, even the 5n. Nothing that can’t be fixed in a RAW conversion or by using a good old fashioned Leica lens. When I attached a $300 Leica 50 Summitar the 3D pop surfaced.
The NEX-7 is not a camera you will open up and shoot on day 1 and get amazing results with. You have to shoot it, learn it, learn the controls, and learn when to apply Exposure Compensation (which is simple with the Tri Navi controls). Once you dig in and set it up to your liking you will be able to shoot just about anything with this camera. In many ways it is like a computer instead of a camera, but that is Sony for you.
The Bottom Line Conclusion and my full thoughts on the Camera
Ok, so there you have it. I shot with this camera each and every day that I had it. I shot it with the Zeiss 24 1.8 and the new Sony 50 1.8. I even slapped on a Leica lens and did a side by side with the Ricoh GXR. Sony did in fact “Grow Some Balls” when they decided to design and release the NEX-7. On paper it appeared to be absolutely PERFECT and I ordered one through Amazon the day they started taking orders. In fact I pre-ordered the 24 1.8 and the NEX-7 kit. I just KNEW it had to be amazing. A small body, great build, EVF, fantastic controls and a 24 MP sensor that has Sony tech behind it. I mean, how could the NEX-7 be anything but absolutely GORGEOUS?
Well, when I first started shooting with this camera I was not that wowed or impressed. But I am jaded. I am used to my Leica glass and the M9 putting out stunning 3 dimensional beautiful files and that is what my brain has gotten used to. There has not been any camera that has come close to the M9 IQ until the little Fuji X100 came along, but as wonderful as the Fuji is, it is still tough to shoot with (at certain times) due to its slow speed and clunky interface. Another favorite of mine that I adore is the Olympus E-P3. The new lenses for Micro 4/3 are nothing short of spectacular and helped to make the E-P3 a daily shooter for me along with it’s super speed and great out of camera color. The one problem I have with the Olympus though is there is no built in EVF or swivel LCD. Once I shot with the Sony for over a week I was spoiled with its best ever OLED EVF and swivel LCD.
So here I am raving on and on about the perfect body of the NEX-7. What about the image quality? Well, judge for yourself. I posted tons of images in this review with all lenses. I posted out of camera JPEGS, I posted RAW conversions and I posed a couple of comparison shots with a GXR and E-P3. What I noticed with the NEX-7 files during this whole process is that they seem a little bit flat out of the camera, but this is the same look that every NEX camera has had, even the 5n. Nothing that can’t be fixed in a RAW conversion or by using a good old fashioned Leica lens. When I attached a $300 Leica 50 Summitar the 3D pop surfaced.
The NEX-7 is not a camera you will open up and shoot on day 1 and get amazing results with. You have to shoot it, learn it, learn the controls, and learn when to apply Exposure Compensation (which is simple with the Tri Navi controls). Once you dig in and set it up to your liking you will be able to shoot just about anything with this camera. In many ways it is like a computer instead of a camera, but that is Sony for you.
http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Sony_Alpha_NEX_7/
Sony Alpha NEX-7 verdict
The Alpha NEX-7 is the flagship in Sony's range of NEX Compact System Cameras, CSCs. The NEX range began with models aimed at compact point-and shoot upgraders, but photo enthusiasts have always been beguiled by the quality potential and low light performance offered by its APS-C sensor - the largest of any CSC outside of the Leica M9.
Until now the lack of proper manual controls and a built-in viewfinder compromised the suitability of NEX models as DSLR replacements, but the arrival of the NEX-7 changes all that. The NEX-7's ultra high resolution OLED has 2.4 million pixels making it the highest resolution EVF on any compact system camera by a large measure. It's big, bright and the closest you'll get to optical viewfinder performance in a mirrorless camera.
In contrast to earlier NEX models, the NEX-7 doesn't scrimp on physical controls and its three-dial system makes exposure adjustment as easy as on a DSLR. Although the default setup could be improved upon, ample opportunities for customisation make it possible to access virtually all of the camera's functions without recourse to a menu. The NEX-7 also offers an impressive array of movie modes with a best quality mode of 1080p50/60. But what sets it apart from from many other compact system cameras is the total control it offers over exposure, with the bonus of an external microphone input too. Throw in excellent image quality, great low light performance and outstanding continuous shooting performance and it all adds up to a very compelling 'pro' compact system camera.
Sony Alpha NEX-7 verdict
The Alpha NEX-7 is the flagship in Sony's range of NEX Compact System Cameras, CSCs. The NEX range began with models aimed at compact point-and shoot upgraders, but photo enthusiasts have always been beguiled by the quality potential and low light performance offered by its APS-C sensor - the largest of any CSC outside of the Leica M9.
Until now the lack of proper manual controls and a built-in viewfinder compromised the suitability of NEX models as DSLR replacements, but the arrival of the NEX-7 changes all that. The NEX-7's ultra high resolution OLED has 2.4 million pixels making it the highest resolution EVF on any compact system camera by a large measure. It's big, bright and the closest you'll get to optical viewfinder performance in a mirrorless camera.
In contrast to earlier NEX models, the NEX-7 doesn't scrimp on physical controls and its three-dial system makes exposure adjustment as easy as on a DSLR. Although the default setup could be improved upon, ample opportunities for customisation make it possible to access virtually all of the camera's functions without recourse to a menu. The NEX-7 also offers an impressive array of movie modes with a best quality mode of 1080p50/60. But what sets it apart from from many other compact system cameras is the total control it offers over exposure, with the bonus of an external microphone input too. Throw in excellent image quality, great low light performance and outstanding continuous shooting performance and it all adds up to a very compelling 'pro' compact system camera.
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/nex7-review
Conclusion
The Sony Alpha NEX-7 is the flagship camera in Sony's mirrorless lineup, and it doesn't disappoint in the least. It has a fairly compact, exceptionally well-built body that's made of a magnesium alloy. The camera is easy to hold, thanks to a good-sized grip, and important controls are easy to reach. Speaking of controls, the NEX-7 uses Sony's new Tri-Navi interface, which involves three dials on the camera body (two on the top, one on the back). While it makes changing camera settings a lot easier than on previous NEX models, I think that it's actually a little too complicated now. The bottom line is that should definitely get your hands on the NEX-7 before you buy it. As with the other models in the NEX lineup, the NEX-7 supports Sony's new E-mount, and there's a growing selection of lenses available. The included kit lens is well-built and pretty solid optically. If you want to use an A-mount lens, you have two adapters to choose from, with the difference being AF speed and lens support. On the back of the camera are two very impressive displays: an articulating 3-inch LCD and a beautiful 0.5" OLED electronic viewfinder. Both of these are very sharp and offer good outdoor and low light visibility. The NEX-7 supports external flashes (via its proprietary hot shoe), a stereo microphone, and a wireless remote control.
Despite its premium price and enthusiast target audience, the NEX-7 still has plenty of features that will appeal to the point-and-shoot crowd. You've got your Intelligent Auto mode, face detection and recognition, plenty of scene modes, and fun sweep panorama features. The Anti Motion Blur and Handheld Twilight modes also do a great job of producing sharp photos in low light. Enthusiasts will enjoy full manual exposure controls, white balance fine-tuning, a very customizable interface, an electronic level, and a unique "peaking" function for manual focus. A feature I found particularly useful is HDR, which combines three exposures into one, for dramatically improved contrast. I used it many, many times with the NEX-7, and the results were impressive. The NEX-7 doesn't just take stills -- it can record Full HD movies, as well. The camera records at 1920 x 1080 at either 60i or 60p using the AVCHD codec, with stereo sound, continuous autofocus, and full manual controls.
Camera performance was excellent. The NEX-7 is ready to shoot in a little more than half a second. The NEX's contrast detect AF system is super fast in good light, and about average in low light (focus times will hover around the one second mark in those situations). Shot-to-shot delays are minimal, regardless of the image quality setting or whether you're using the flash. Given all of its multi-shot features (HDR, Anti Motion Blur, etc), it should come as no surprise that the NEX-7's burst mode is very nice. You can take 17 RAW or 28 JPEGs at 3.3 frames/second, with the camera refocusing between each shot. If you want more speed and don't mind having AF and AE locked with the first exposure, then switch over to speed priority mode. There you can take 13 to 16 photos in a row at 10 frames/second. The NEX-7's battery life of 430 shots per charge (with the LCD) is the best of any camera in its class.
As I said on the previous page, I was very skeptical about what kind of image quality you could get with 24 million pixels crammed onto an APS-C sensor. Sony exceeded my expectations (by quite a lot) with the NEX-7, which can produce photos of excellent quality. Exposure was generally spot-on, with highlight clipping being relatively low. Colors looked very good, even under our studio lights. Noise is kept in check until around ISO 1600, and ISO 3200 in good light (and higher sensitivities are still usable for small prints). Shooting RAW should allow you to squeeze even more detail out of the camera (I'll have examples of that in the near future). Purple fringing is a lens-related thing, and it was not a major issue for me. One thing that was an issue was redeye, which isn't surprising, given the proximity of the pop-up flash to the lens. Unfortunately, there's no tool on the camera that can remove it, so expect to spend some time doing that on your computer. I also had problems with dust getting on the sensor, as I did with the NEX-5. Change lenses carefully, and keep your air blower close at hand!
Overall, the Sony Alpha NEX-7 is a pricey, yet excellent mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Whether we're talking performance, photo quality, or features, the NEX-7 does just about everything right. The one thing that may bother some folks is the user interface, so you'll definitely want to try the camera out in person if you can. Even with the complex interface, the NEX-7 is still a camera that I can highly recommend.
Conclusion
The Sony Alpha NEX-7 is the flagship camera in Sony's mirrorless lineup, and it doesn't disappoint in the least. It has a fairly compact, exceptionally well-built body that's made of a magnesium alloy. The camera is easy to hold, thanks to a good-sized grip, and important controls are easy to reach. Speaking of controls, the NEX-7 uses Sony's new Tri-Navi interface, which involves three dials on the camera body (two on the top, one on the back). While it makes changing camera settings a lot easier than on previous NEX models, I think that it's actually a little too complicated now. The bottom line is that should definitely get your hands on the NEX-7 before you buy it. As with the other models in the NEX lineup, the NEX-7 supports Sony's new E-mount, and there's a growing selection of lenses available. The included kit lens is well-built and pretty solid optically. If you want to use an A-mount lens, you have two adapters to choose from, with the difference being AF speed and lens support. On the back of the camera are two very impressive displays: an articulating 3-inch LCD and a beautiful 0.5" OLED electronic viewfinder. Both of these are very sharp and offer good outdoor and low light visibility. The NEX-7 supports external flashes (via its proprietary hot shoe), a stereo microphone, and a wireless remote control.
Despite its premium price and enthusiast target audience, the NEX-7 still has plenty of features that will appeal to the point-and-shoot crowd. You've got your Intelligent Auto mode, face detection and recognition, plenty of scene modes, and fun sweep panorama features. The Anti Motion Blur and Handheld Twilight modes also do a great job of producing sharp photos in low light. Enthusiasts will enjoy full manual exposure controls, white balance fine-tuning, a very customizable interface, an electronic level, and a unique "peaking" function for manual focus. A feature I found particularly useful is HDR, which combines three exposures into one, for dramatically improved contrast. I used it many, many times with the NEX-7, and the results were impressive. The NEX-7 doesn't just take stills -- it can record Full HD movies, as well. The camera records at 1920 x 1080 at either 60i or 60p using the AVCHD codec, with stereo sound, continuous autofocus, and full manual controls.
Camera performance was excellent. The NEX-7 is ready to shoot in a little more than half a second. The NEX's contrast detect AF system is super fast in good light, and about average in low light (focus times will hover around the one second mark in those situations). Shot-to-shot delays are minimal, regardless of the image quality setting or whether you're using the flash. Given all of its multi-shot features (HDR, Anti Motion Blur, etc), it should come as no surprise that the NEX-7's burst mode is very nice. You can take 17 RAW or 28 JPEGs at 3.3 frames/second, with the camera refocusing between each shot. If you want more speed and don't mind having AF and AE locked with the first exposure, then switch over to speed priority mode. There you can take 13 to 16 photos in a row at 10 frames/second. The NEX-7's battery life of 430 shots per charge (with the LCD) is the best of any camera in its class.
As I said on the previous page, I was very skeptical about what kind of image quality you could get with 24 million pixels crammed onto an APS-C sensor. Sony exceeded my expectations (by quite a lot) with the NEX-7, which can produce photos of excellent quality. Exposure was generally spot-on, with highlight clipping being relatively low. Colors looked very good, even under our studio lights. Noise is kept in check until around ISO 1600, and ISO 3200 in good light (and higher sensitivities are still usable for small prints). Shooting RAW should allow you to squeeze even more detail out of the camera (I'll have examples of that in the near future). Purple fringing is a lens-related thing, and it was not a major issue for me. One thing that was an issue was redeye, which isn't surprising, given the proximity of the pop-up flash to the lens. Unfortunately, there's no tool on the camera that can remove it, so expect to spend some time doing that on your computer. I also had problems with dust getting on the sensor, as I did with the NEX-5. Change lenses carefully, and keep your air blower close at hand!
Overall, the Sony Alpha NEX-7 is a pricey, yet excellent mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Whether we're talking performance, photo quality, or features, the NEX-7 does just about everything right. The one thing that may bother some folks is the user interface, so you'll definitely want to try the camera out in person if you can. Even with the complex interface, the NEX-7 is still a camera that I can highly recommend.
