Introduction

Ease of Use

As when Sony bought into Konica Minolta's DSLR expertise in 2005 and then unexpectedly swallowed the company's camera-making arm wholesale at the start of 2006, launching its own re-branded version in the Alpha 100 that summer, to a degree the NEX-5 again feels like the electronics giant playing catch up. This is because the 14.2 effective megapixel APS CMOS sensor-sporting interchangeable lens camera, also bearing the Alpha name, arrives some time after well-received turns from its direct competitors.

First off the blocks were Panasonic and Olympus. The former's Micro Four Thirds system G1, which started the whole 'compact camera, DSLR quality' race appeared in late 2008, while the latter's retro-styled 'Pen' was announced last summer, winning over not only the minds of photo enthusiasts starved of fresh (or even recycled) ideas, but hearts as well.

Since the beginning of this year we've seen the debut of the innovative lens and sensor swapping GXR system from Ricoh arrive to some praise but largely skepticism, and then Samsung introduce its own mirror-less Micro Four Thirds' rival in the DSLR-styled NX10, a look it shares with most of Panasonic's G-series options (save the mighty DMC-GF1). Both once again maintained compact dimensions but delivered better-than-compact quality.

So, while it appears that Sony has arrived late to the party, with it already successfully in full swing, in fairness other big names such as Canon, Nikon and Pentax are yet to declare their hands as regards their own 'hybrid' camera - lacking the development and marketing might of Sony - so there are 'worse' ditherers out there.

Examining the playing field as it stands, we'll be looking to establish what there is about the NEX-5 to recommend it over existing trailblazers. For those not wanting to take both compact and DSLR with them on holiday, but go for just the one high image quality best-of-both-world's alternative, is this now the premier option Sony hopes the NEX will be?

Our first 'play' with the NEX-5 was at a Sony evening event to celebrate its launch that saw models in outlandish fashions strut their stuff on a catwalk, and, despite the heady atmosphere we came away feeling the camera's design, handling and performance were - in comparison with what has gone before - slightly underwhelming.

Front	Rear

First off, the rectangular body shape and blocky grip looked to our eyes closer to the austere 'built in a Russian tractor factory' style of Ricoh's GXR system camera than the immediately appealing retro finesse of an Olympus Pen, or modernist rubber clad curves of the Panasonic G series.

With 18-55mmm kit lens attached the NEX-5 also looked and felt top heavy, and that's without fitting an existing Alpha DSLR lens proper, compatibility offered with pre-existing optics via accessory adapter. We then struggled to gain access as fast as we'd like to the camera's key settings via its fiddly back plate scroll wheel - in place of traditional control pad, cross keys, or short-cut buttons - while, in the interior evening setting, too many of our images came out soft, despite optically stabilized kit zoom.

Our attempts at utilising the NEX-5's fun Sweep Panorama feature, previously witnessed on Cyber-shot models but here debuting in the Alpha range and stitching together a single image from a series of shots taken in a 226° arc, were then met with an error message, the NEX-5 unable to keep up with our panning motion/s. Though the resultant image appears flat on the camera's LCD, Sony claims it can be enjoyed in 3D with one of its new Bravia TVs via mini HDMI output.

We also felt that the 3-inch, very high 921k-dot resolution widescreen format display - in absence of optical viewfinder - lent itself to touch screen operation, a la Panasonic's G2. The large friendly-looking icons detailing the various shooting options made us instinctively want to press them, which would also conceivably have sped up operation, but our inquisitive prods were to no avail. Sony already uses the technology on several Cyber-shots, so something to feature on the next (NEX) generation model/s perhaps.

A week and a bit later and the NEX-5 hits the Photography Blog test slab for a second, more considered appraisal. And happily, in the cold light of day there are some positives to be found. We'll begin with the fact that the camera feels solid gripped in the palm, though with lens attached it's too large for most jacket pockets (so we weren't able to ferret one away for appraisal at the launch).

So, with provided shoulder strap attached via side-mounted lugs, we headed this time for the daylight. One thing we hadn't paid much attention to on initial inspection, but comes into its own when you start to experiment, was the fact that the screen can be tilted back and forward - if not, unfortunately swung outwards at 90° - to allow for low and high angle compositions we might not have attempted without. What Sony has also included here, again for the first time on an Alpha camera, is High Definition video shooting, at Full HD 1080i with stereo sound. It even matches Panasonic G-series options and the Olympus E-PL1 by featuring a dedicated red camcorder-style video record button for instant thumb-operated video access, which is useful.

18-55mm Lens	16mm Lens

Let's not forget also that Sony is hoping to win one over on the competition by pitching the NEX-5 as the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera, at 229g and 'just' 24.4mm in depth if not counting its camera grip and lens mount; something of a stretch as neither could conceivably be done without. Low light sensitivity without flash also theoretically looks set to show rivals a thing or two by ranging from ISO 200 to a maximum ISO 12800 equivalent setting. Impressive stuff, and matching the sort of spec we're used to seeing on mid range DSLRs. So how does it perform?

Like Panasonic's directly competing GF1 (and unlike the Olympus Pens) there's no in-body image stabilisation offered by the NEX-5 unfortunately, so this is via lens only, the optically stabilized 18-55mm zoom offered as part of a kit deal for £599 all-in. Though we did get occasional softness, this appears to work well - at least as effectively as the in-camera or lens based anti shake methodology deployed by rival brands.

For sure the provided lens is one of the most important components of the NEX-5's set up, but with or without it screwed on to the front via Sony's new E-mount (as opposed to standard Alpha mount utilized by the rest of the DSLRs in its family) the camera design looks a little 'basic' compared to competitors - certainly when viewed from the front.

Sony branding and DSLR-style lens release button aside, all we find on the faceplate is a small porthole-shaped window for AF assist/self timer lamp, rectangular CR3 battery-sized and shaped handgrip with lightly ridged surface for a firmer hold, plus shutter release button on the forward-sloping edge at its top.

Perhaps it's because the NEX-5's flattened body design makes it look part of a component rather than the complete finished article that our feelings of being initially under whelmed lingered on second viewing.

The top plate looks similarly functional rather than fashionable. The NEX-5 is turned on or off via a thumb-flick of a chunky, nicely rigid switch to the far right, rather than via the recessed button we usually find on cameras with a smaller form factor. Do this and it's a wait of 2-3 seconds before an image materializes on the LCD allowing the first shot to be framed - slightly slower than we expected in this regard, and certainly no match for a DSLR proper. To the left of this switch is a dedicated playback/review button, and just below the switch, on the slope that melds into the back plate, the dedicated movie record button. Press this and the user is instantly recording video, whatever alternative shooting mode might previously have been in use; like the same control found on latter Panasonic G-series camera and the E-PL1, this proves essential with regard to spur of the moment filming.

Front	Flash

Also positioned atop the camera are a left and right (stereo in combination) microphone, each sitting either side of the lens mount, with the clip-on flash/accessory port positioned in between. To the right of this is also a small built-in speaker, for reviewing audio in the field.

Incidentally, should you already have lens attached, screwing the flash into position roves a tad fiddly, as there's not much room to fit your fingers between the curve of the lens barrel - which stands slightly proud of the top and base of the camera - and the front of the flash, which features a small tightening nut via which it is secured in place. Though the flash can be stored flat to the body to aid portability and adds hardly any additional weight or bulk, when in use the head needs to be manually raised at a angle of approximately 45°. Certainly overall it's a more elegant solution than the flash that's an optional extra with the Olympus E-P1 and E-P2, resembling an airport control tower imagined by the makers of 60s/70s era Thunderbirds. And, even with bundled lens and flash, the NEX-5 is a cheaper option than either of those two more swish-looking alternatives were on launch.

Press the shutter release button down halfway and, after a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment of focus/exposure adjustment, AF point/s highlight in green accompanied by a beep of affirmation to indicate that the user is good to continue on and take the shot. Do so, and in single shot mode to the sound of a satisfying shutter click, a full resolution JPEG is written to memory in a slightly sluggish 4-5 seconds.

As you'd expect in this price bracket, there is the option to also shoot Raw files, or even more usefully for those who wish to hedge their bets Raw and JPEG images in tandem. These settings are accessed within the Image Size folder and are found within the Quality sub folder. You also get Fine or Normal compression levels offered for JPEGs.

As other early reviews have touched on, not everything on the NEX-5 is located exactly where you might expect it to be found. For example ISO settings are discovered within a brightness option that from the look of the icon that denotes it initially appears to be for adjusting screen brightness only. One would reasonably expect ISO adjustment to be found within the 'camera' folder with the other key shooting options. And so there's a fair amount of familiarisation with the NEX-5's quirks required up front. Shoot mode gets its own virtual dial though - so at least selecting the options here, including standard P,A,S,M, 9-strong scene mode, intelligent auto and Sweep Panorama, prove easier. Even in intelligent auto mode users still have the ability to get hands on to a degree by controlling background defocus, with a half moon shaped indicator appealing on-screen to the side of the scroll wheel, defocus at the bottom of the arc, 'crisp' at the top.

The NEX-5's external backplate is a similarly pared down affair, the majority of it taken up by the 3-inch widescreen ratio angle-adjustable LCD that stretches from base to top plate. To the right of this is a trio of controls - the top and bottom buttons unmarked until the screen is activated, at which point their purpose is detailed alongside it. The topper-most control is revealed as the 'menu' button, a press of which brings up the shooting icons - six in total - the contents of we've already briefly touched on. Instead of the screen-full of text you might expect to be presented with upon press of the menu control, from top left to bottom right of screen, presented instead are Shoot Mode, Camera, Image Size, Brightness/Colour, Playback and Setup icons.

Memory Card Slot	Battery Compartment

The user moves through these options and makes selections via the scroll wheel just below the menu button, which has its own central (and again unmarked) set button. As mentioned this wheel is quite responsive to the touch, which, on a positive note, means that tabbing through options is a swift process, but on the other hand it's easy to slip past the setting you actually wanted when hurrying through them as a photo opportunity suddenly presents itself.

Set at four points around this scroll wheel/pad are a means of adjusting the display, calling up the various flash settings (accessible only if the flash has first been attached of course), exposure compensation (+/- 2EV selectable), and drive mode (single shot, continuous, continuous with speed priority, so focus/exposure fixed from the first shot), or self timer option (10 seconds). There's also the option to enable the camera to be utilized with the aid of a remote - sold separately of course. The flash options more unusually include rear sync as well as slow sync, plus the regulars of auto and fill in. The NEX-5's red eye reduction setting isn't found here - instead it has to be first enabled via the aforementioned set up folder if you're shooting portraits with flash.

The bottom button on the camera back provides a means of calling up the on-screen shooting tips, via which Sony no doubt hopes to provide a crutch for new users trading up from a bog standard point and shoot compact. Examples of textual advice, complete with small pictorial thumbnail alongside, include 'increase the ISO sensitivity to make the shutter speed faster', and then, the thoughtful addition: 'higher ISO sensitivity may make noise stand out.' Hand holding for those who want it then, while others may feel Sony has wasted one of its very few dedicated buttons on a feature that, like the manual, many will choose to ignore.

At the base of the camera we find a screw thread for a tripod directly beneath the lens mount, and, in the nether regions of the grip, a compartment storing both rechargeable battery and optional memory card - here Sony reaching out to a wider audience by offering SD/SDHC/SDXC compatibility alongside its own Memory Stick.

While the right hand side of the NEX-5 - if viewing it from the back - features a continuation of the ridged grip but is otherwise devoid of ports or controls, the left hand flank is where users will find separate covered ports for HDMI connectivity and USB output. Only the USB cable was provided with our review sample; there's no standard definition AV output.

So what of the images themselves, once downloaded and examined? Has the Sony come crashing into battle on a steed designed to pummel the existing Micro Four Thirds cameras and their mirror-less ilk into the ground, or gambled its stake too late and been left to pit its chances on a lame nag already destined for the glue factory? Read on to find out…

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 14 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 4.5Mb.

Viewed on the desktop there's an overall softness to the NEX-5's images that we hadn't expected - a soft sheen rather than digital crispness - which could well be down to the all-purpose nature of the zoom lens we had in for testing as much as sensor performance. Where it didn't disappoint was in the reproduction of colour, an area in which Sony traditionally excels.

The warmly saturated colours most closely reminded us of the performance of Panasonic's G-series - the GF1 readily trumping Olympus' Pens in head to head comparisons on image quality alone - while the Sweep Panorama images are a definite improvement on the video grab-style results we'd formerly seen from Cyber-shot point and shoots. We wouldn't suggest that you should buy the camera for this feature alone - visually arresting though the results can be - but throw in High Def video in a choice of AVCHD or more readily compatible MPEG4 format (as utilized by our test grabs) with stereo sound, and this feature, coupled with a better lens than traditionally found on a camera with this small a form factor, means the NEX-5 starts to look more appetizing when viewed as an a capable all-rounder rather than specialist tool.

With sharp results achievable when shooting handheld at maximum telephoto - and even at night-time thanks to the handheld Night Shot mode unexpectedly found within the scene mode options which fires a brief rapid burst of images to compensate for shake - at maximum wideangle there is some slight barrel distortion, but this is not overly distracting. Edge to edge sharpness is similarly reasonable, though - another Sony regular - pixel fringing makes an appearance between areas of high contrast.

Like its rivals the NEX-5 is not a like-for-like direct replacement for your DSLR just yet, but a better option to take out when you can't be bothered to lug around a DSLR than the other alternative of a point and shoot pocket compact. In that regard, for many the Sony's picture quality will be more than 'good enough'.

In terms of low light photography the NEX-5 does pretty well. Noise is fairly unobtrusive up to ISO 6400, the look of the image at that high-ish setting as good as results taken at ISO 800 on standard compacts. This suggests ISO 12800 as not a stretch too far, and so it proves. Inevitably you're getting a noisier image but not one that's very noticeably much softer. Thus low light shooters have broader options at their disposal, and spec that isn't just there for spec's sake.

Noise

There are 7 ISO settings available on the Sony NEX-5. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting:

JPEG	RAW
ISO 200 (100% Crop)	ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)	ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)	ISO 800 (100% Crop)
ISO 1600 (100% Crop)	ISO 1600 (100% Crop)
ISO 3200 (100% Crop)	ISO 3200 (100% Crop)
ISO 6400 (100% Crop)	ISO 6400 (100% Crop)
ISO 12800 (100% Crop)	ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are soft at the default sharpening setting. You can change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default look.

Original (100% Crop)	Sharpened (100% Crop)

File Quality

The Sony NEX-5 has 3 different image quality settings available, with Superfine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

14M Fine (4.83Mb) (100% Crop)	14M Normal (3.18Mb) (100% Crop)
14M RAW (14.3Mb) (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations

The Sony NEX-5 handled chromatic aberrations very well during the review, with limited purple fringing mainly present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the example below.

Example 1 (100% Crop)

Macro

The 18-55mm and 16mm lenses don't allow you to get very close to your subject in Macro mode, as shown below. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

18-55mm Lens	16mm Lens

Flash

The flash settings on the Sony NEX-5 are Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow sync and Rear flash sync, with Red-eye reduction available in the Main Menu. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (18mm)	Flash On - Wide Angle (18mm)
Flash Off - Telephoto (55mm)	Flash On - Telephoto (55mm)

And here are a couple of portrait shots. Both the Auto setting and the Red-eye reduction mode caused a small amount of red-eye.

Flash On	Flash On (100% Crop)
Red-eye reduction	Red-eye reduction (100% Crop)

Night

The Sony NEX-5's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds and there's also a Bulb mode for even longer exposures, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 4 seconds at ISO 200.

Night Shot	Night Shot (100% Crop)

Dynamic Range Optimizer

D-Range Optimiser (DRO) is Sony's solution to improve shadow detail in photos taken in contrasty light.

Off	On

High Dynamic Range

High Dynamic Range Optimiser (HDR) is Sony's solution for capturing more contrast than a single exposure can handle by combining two exposures into one image.

Off	On

Intelligent Sweep Panorama Mode

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 allows you to take panoramic images very easily, by 'sweeping' with the camera while keeping the shutter release depressed. The camera does all the processing and stitching and now even successfully compensates for moving subjects. The main catch is that the resulting image is of fairly low resolution.

3D Sweep Panorama Mode

Upgrading to firmware version 2.0 installs an additional 3D Sweep Panorama mode on the virtual on-screen shooting dial alongside the regular (2D) Sweep Panorama. If you're lucky enough to own a compatible 3D HDTV, download the samples below to experience the full 3D effect.

Download the Full Size Image

Download the Full Size Image

Creative Styles

There are 6 Creative Style preset effects that you can use to change the look of your images.

Standard	Vivid
Portrait	Landscape
Sunset	B/W

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony NEX-5 camera, which were all taken using the 14 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Sony NEX-5 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

Product Images

Front of the Camera / 18-55mm Lens

Front of the Camera / 16mm Lens

Front of the Camera

Pop-Up Flash

Pop-Up Flash

Isometric View / 18-55mm Lens

Isometric View / 18-55mm Lens

Isometric View / 16mm Lens

Isometric View / 16mm Lens

Rear of the Camera

Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed

Rear of the Camera / Turned On

Rear of the Camera / Main Menu

Rear of the Camera / Camera Menu

Rear of the Camera / Help

Top of the Camera

Bottom of the Camera

Side of the Camera

Side of the Camera

Front of the Camera

Front of the Camera

Memory Card Slot

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

Lacking the charm of the Olympus Pen series, the usability of the Panasonic G range and Samsung NX10, or the quirkiness and lateral thinking behind the Ricoh GXR, Sony is majoring on its all-conquering brand name and ready-made mass-market audience/appeal to make the NEX-5 (and NEX-3 little brother) a practical if not quite loveable option.

While the debutant interchangeable lens camera may not be (yet) the game changer that its manufacturer hopes it will be, there is still much here to admire. You have to give Sony the fact that, even if at times you feel the flair is lacking, overall it's a competent performer nonetheless.

We weren't blown away by the NEX-5's image quality - coming as it does after some very capable contenders who got there first - but there's a reasonable degree of consistency and the ability to tweak shots to a limited degree in camera if you desire; otherwise Raw shooting is the way to go.

Add in HD video, a tilting LCD and while not cheap for anyone investing in the system from scratch, the NEX-5 at least feels like it is earning your pennies and perhaps, begrudgingly and gradually, your respect. There are improvements to be made to usability and intuitiveness, and a touch screen version is only surely a matter of time. So the only real question that remains is: (ahem) what NEX?

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	3.5
Features	4
Ease-of-use	3
Image quality	4
Value for money	4

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony NEX-5 from around the web.

Specifications

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