Sony NEX-5N Review

October 31, 2011 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The Sony NEX-5N is a new compact system camera, the fourth model in the NEX series. Featuring a 16.1 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, 25-point contrast-detect autofocus system, 49-segment exposure meter and 3-inch tilting LCD panel with 921,000-dot resolution, the NEX-5N also offers a brand new touch-screen interface, an expanded ISO range of 100-25600 and both a mechanical and electronic shutter. The magnesium bodied NEX-5N can also capture fast-moving action at 10fps at full resolution, shoot Full HD 1920 x1080p video as high-quality AVCHD files, and is supplied with a compact clip-on flash that attaches via an accessory terminal. Lenses can be fitted via the E mount system, but the NEX cameras can also use regular Sony Alpha lenses via the optional new LA-EA2 adapter. In the UK the Sony NEX-5N costs around £600 with the 18-55mm f/3.5-6.3 kit lens or £700 with the 16mm f/2.8 lens. A double-zoom kit, comprising the Sony NEX-5N camera body and the 18-55mm as well as the new 55-210mm lens, costs £800. In the US the NEX-5N ships body-only for $600 or with the 18-55mm f/3.5-6.3 kit lens for $700.

Ease of Use

The NEX-5N is outwardly very similar to the NEX-5 model that it replaces, so some of the comments that we made about that camera apply equally to the 2011 update. There are a lot of changes under the hood, though, which we'll cover in more depth.

The NEX-5N's rectangular body shape and blocky grip still looks 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 the supplied 18-55mmm kit lens attached the NEX-5N also looks and feels top heavy, and that's without fitting an existing Alpha DSLR lens proper, compatibility offered with pre-existing optics via the new LA-EA2 accessory adapter which allows phase-detection AF with almost all of the A-mount lenses. The camera does undoubtedly feel solid when gripped in the palm, though with the lens attached it's too large for most jacket pockets.

The LCD 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. Sony has also included High Definition video shooting, now at Full HD 1080p at 60fps with stereo sound with the welcome ability to control shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation during recording. 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, while Tracking Focus allows a target object to be selected via the touchscreen LCD, even when the subject is moving, for both stills and video.

The NEX-5N isn't quite the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera, but at 210g and 23.3mm in depth if not counting its grip or lens mount, it's hardly a large model. Low light sensitivity without flash also theoretically looks set to show rivals a thing or two by ranging from ISO 100 to a maximum ISO 25600 equivalent setting. Impressive stuff, and matching the sort of spec we're used to seeing on mid-range DSLRs.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Front Rear

Like Panasonic's directly competing GF3 (and unlike the Olympus Pens) there's no in-body image stabilisation offered by the NEX-5N unfortunately, so this is via lens only, the optically stabilized 18-55mm zoom offered as part of a kit deal for £600 / $600 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-5N's set up, but with or without it screwed on to the front via Sony's 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 a slightly revised ridged surface for a firmer hold, plus the shutter release button on the forward-sloping edge at its top.

The top plate looks similarly functional rather than fashionable. The NEX-5N 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.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Front Tilting LCD Screen

To the left of this switch on the slope that melds into the back plate is a dedicated playback/review button and 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 and Olympus PEN cameras, this proves essential with regard to spur of the moment filming.

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 a lens attached, screwing the flash into position proves 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°.

Press the shutter release button down halfway and, after a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment of focus/exposure adjustment, the AF point/s highlight in green accompanied by an optional 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 satisfyingly brief shutter click thanks to a release time lag of just 0.02 seconds, a full resolution JPEG is written to memory in about 2 seconds, a marked improvement on the previous NEX-5.

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.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Pop-up Flash Top

Not everything on the NEX-5N is located exactly where you might expect it to be found. For example ISO settings are discovered within a Brightness menu 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-5N'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, Anti Motion Blur, Intelligent Auto, Sweep Panorama and 3D 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. New to the NEX-5N are further controls for Brightness, Color, Vividness and Picture Effects, all part of the so-called Photo Creativity Touch interface.

The NEX-5N'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. In our review of the NEX-5 we commented that the screen almost begged to be controlled by touch alone, in addition to the regular controls, and Sony has seen fit to introduce just such a system on this new model. For the first time on a NEX camera you can interact with onscreen icons and menus by touching the screen, and also set the focus point, handy for off-centre shooting and tracking moving subjects, although you can't actually fire the shutter as on some rival cameras. Thankfully you don't have to use the touchscreen at all if you prefer a more conventional approach, as you can still use the external controls to fully operate the camera (you can even turn off the touchscreen altogether if you prefer).

To the right of the screen 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 top-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.

The user moves through these options and makes selections either via the scroll wheel just below the menu button, which has its own central (and again unmarked) set button, or the new touchscreen interface. 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.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

Set at three points around this scroll wheel/pad are a means of adjusting the display, 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 (2 or 10 seconds). There's also options to enable the camera to be utilized with the aid of a remote - sold separately of course - and a bracketing control for exposure.

Disappointingly you now have to delve into the Camera main menu system to access the various flash modes. The flash options more unusually include rear sync as well as slow sync, plus the regulars of auto and fill in. Somehwat confusingly the NEX-5N's red eye reduction setting isn't also found here - instead it has to be first enabled via the aforementioned Setup 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-5N - 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.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5Mb.

The Sony NEX-5N produces photos of excellent quality. Noise is very well handled, being virtually absent from ISO 100-3200 and not being too obvious at the fast speed of ISO 6400. At ISO 12800, noise is more easily detectable when viewing images at 100% magnification on screen, but the images are still perfectly usable for small prints and resizing for web use. The fastest setting of ISO 25600 looks good on the specification sheet, but proves much less so in reality. The RAW samples illustrate just how much processing the camera does by default, though, as they're much noisier at all ISO values than their JPEG counterparts.

Colours were vibrant without being over-saturated in the default Standard Creative Style, and you can always choose Vivid if you want even more punch. The 11 creative effects quickly produce special looks that would otherwise require you to spend a lot of time in the digital darkroom, while the 6 Creative Styles provide a quick and easy way to tweak the camera's JPEG images. The Dynamic Range Optimizer and High Dynamic Range modes both work really well, although we'd advise caution over using some of the higher and more extreme levels, while Sony's now tried-and-trusted Sweep Panorama is still a joy to use.

Image stabilisation via the lens is a very useful feature that works well when hand-holding the NEX-5N in low-light conditions or when using the telephoto end of the zoom range. The 16.1 megapixel images were a little soft straight out of the camera at the default sharpening setting and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting. The pop-up flash provides an adequate level of exposure and thankfully no red-eye. Chromatic aberrations were only really noticeable by their absence, a great credit to the 18-55mm kit lens.

Noise

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

JPEG RAW  

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

 
 
     

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)

 
 
     

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (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-5N 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.

16M Fine (4.34Mb) (100% Crop) 16M Normal (3.06Mb) (100% Crop)
   
14M RAW (16.1Mb) (100% Crop)  
 

Chromatic Aberrations

The Sony NEX-5N 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)

Flash

The flash settings on the Sony NEX-5N 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 (27mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (27mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Flash Off - Telephoto (82.5mm)

Flash On - Telephoto (82.5mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

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-5N'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)

Steadyshot

The Sony NEX-5N has an antishake mechanism built into the camera body, which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, I took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with Shake Reduction turned off, the second with it turned on. Here is a 100% crop of the image to show the results. As you can see, with Shake Reduction turned on, the images are sharper than when it's turned off.

Shutter Speed / Focal Length

Shake Reduction Off (100% Crop)

Shake Reduction On (100% Crop)

1/2 / 27mm
     
1/4 / 82.5mm

Dynamic Range Optimizer

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

Off

Auto
   

1

2
   

3

4
   

5

 
 

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

Auto

   

1

2

   

3

4

   

5

6

Intelligent Sweep Panorama Mode

The Sony NEX-5N 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

The NEX-5N has 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 sample below to experience the full 3D effect.

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

Picture Effects

Just like Olympus and Panasonic, the Sony NEX-5N offers a range of eleven creative Picture Effects.

Off

Toy Camera

   

Pop Color

Posterization

   

Retro Photo

Soft High-key

   

Partial Color (Red)

High Contrast Mono

   

Soft Focus

HDR Painting

   

Rich-tone Mono

Miniature

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony NEX-5N camera, which were all taken using the 16 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-5N 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

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920 x 1280 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 16 second movie is 43.9Mb in size.

Product Images

Sony NEX-5N

Front of the Camera

 
Sony NEX-5N

Front of the Camera

 
Sony NEX-5N

Isometric View

 
Sony NEX-5N

Isometric View

 
Sony NEX-5N

Isometric View

 
Sony NEX-5N

Pop-up Flash

 
Sony NEX-5N

Pop-up Flash

 
Sony NEX-5N

Rear of the Camera

 
Sony NEX-5N

Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed

 

Sony NEX-5N

Rear of the Camera / Turned On

 
Sony NEX-5N
Rear of the Camera / Main Menu
 
Sony NEX-5N
Rear of the Camera / Main Menu
 
Sony NEX-5N
Rear of the Camera / Help Screen
 
Sony NEX-5N
Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen
 
Sony NEX-5N
Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen
 
Sony NEX-5N
Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen
 
Sony NEX-5N
Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen
 
Sony NEX-5N
Top of the Camera
 
Sony NEX-5N
Side of the Camera
 
Sony NEX-5N
Front of the Camera
 
Sony NEX-5N
Front of the Camera
 
Sony NEX-5N
Memory Card Slot
 
Sony NEX-5N
Battery Compartment

Conclusion

While the original NEX-5 and NEX-3 models left us a little cold, the new NEX-5N is an excellent all-round compact system camera (CSC) that successfully appeals to beginners and more experience users alike. While it looks almost identical to its predeccesor, faster focusing, less shutter lag, better video and stills, and an intuitive touchscreen interface are just some of the many improvements that have taken place under the hood, making this the best NEX camera and one of the best CSC's that we've reviewed.

With its tiny body, boxy styling and big lenses, the NEX-5N still lacks the charm of the Olympus PEN series or the futuristic styling of the Panasonic G range, but don't let that put you off what is otherwise and excellent camera that delivers fantastic stills and videos. The new 16 megapixel sensor somehow offers more resolution and an expanded ISO range without introducing unwanted noise artifacts at the faster settings, while full 1080p video at 60fps is simply class-leading. Add in the ability to use both E-mount and A-mount lenses thanks to the new LA-EA2 SLT alpha mount adapter, not to mention the myriad of third-arty adapters that have been released since the NEX series was launched, and you have the basis for a truly versatile system that can be as simple or as complex as you like.

While the touchscreen interface feels like an intuitive and natural addition to the NEX range, it is possible to use the camera fully using the external controls, so much so that you may not realise that the camera can be controlled via the tilting screen at all! For us the faster auto-focusing and greatly reduced shutter lag have a much bigger impact on the camera's handling and are worth upgrading from the NEX-3 / 5 or a simpler compact camera on their own.

With all of this extra functionality available, it's good to see that the NEX-5N retains its predecessors price-point of £600 / $600, earning it a higher score in the value-for-money department. It may not be the smallest (at least with a lens attached) or sexiest compact system camera on the market, but a winning combination of excellent image quality even in low-light, a refined and customisable interface, and fast and responsive operation does make the Sony NEX-5N one of our current favourites. Highly Recommended!

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 4
Image quality 5
Value for money 4.5

Review Roundup

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

dpreview.com »

The Sony Alpha NEX-5N is the fourth model in Sony's NEX line of APS-C format mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. Just as the NEX-C3 replaces the NEX-3, the 5N is a direct replacement for its predecessor the NEX-5, using the company's latest 16.1MP CMOS sensor in place of the previous 14MP chip. Although the 5N is nearly indistinguishable from the NEX-5 on the outside (and is bound to be regarded as such by many casual observers), it is actually a very different camera, and one that is worthy of serious attention.
Read the full review »

stevehuffphoto.com »

Yep, the Sony NEX-5N, after using it for a week or so has impressed me quite a bit with its abilities. This came at a time when I was almost ready to write off the whole NEX series after getting unsatisfactory color from my Old NEX-5 (after comparing with the Olympus E-P3).One thing is for sure, these are Exciting times for us camera gear head nuts.
Read the full review »

reviews.cnet.co.uk »

We love the feel of this compact/dSLR crossover. The quality of its images is impressive, too, with vibrant colours, sharp detail and balanced exposures. If you can't decide whether to buy a pocket snapper or a semi-pro camera, check out the £660 Sony Alpha NEX-5N. It could well suit you down to the ground.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Lens Mount

Sony A-mount

NO

Sony E-mount

YES

Lens Compatibility

All types of Sony A-mount lenses

YES (Requires A-mount adaptor)

All types of Sony E-mount lenses

YES

Minolta & Konica Minolta α/MAXXUM/DYNAX lenses

YES (Requires α-Mount adaptor)

Image Sensory

Image sensor type

CMOS sensor

Image sensor colour filter

R, G, B, Primary color

Size (mm)

23.5 x 15.6mm (APS-C size)

Camera

Total sensor Pixels (megapixels)

Approx. 16.7

Effective Pixels (megapixels)

Approx. 16.1

Automatic White Balance

YES

White balance: preset selection

Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Flash

White balance: custom setting

YES

White balance: types of color temperature

YES (G7 to M7,15-step) (A7 to B7,15-step)

White balance bracketing

NO

ISO Sensitivity Setting

ISO100 - 25600 equivalent

SteadyShot INSIDE

System: Sensor-shift mechanism

NO

SteadyShot INSIDE scale (in viewfinder)

NO

Camera-Shake warning (in viewfinder)

NO

SteadyShot INSIDE capability

NO

SteadyShot INSIDE compatibility

NO

*SteadyShot INSIDE was previously known as Super SteadyShot

 

Anti-Dust

Charge protection coating

coating on Optical Filter and ultrasonic vibration mechanism

Auto Focus System

TTL phase-detection system

NO

Contrast AF system

YES

Sensor

25 points

Sensitivity Range (at ISO 100 equivalent); EV

0 to 20 (at ISO100 equivalent with F2.8 lens attached)

Eye Start AF System (on off selectable)

YES (with FDA-EV1S, LA-EA2)

AF Area: Wide focus area

NO

AF Area: Spot

NO

AF Area: Local focus area selection

NO

AF Area: Multi Point

YES (25 points)

AF Area: Center Weighted

YES

AF Area: Flexible Spot

YES

AF Modes

Single-shot AF, Continuous AF

Predictive Focus Control

YES

Focus Lock

YES

AF Illuminator

YES (with built-in LED type)

AF Illuminator range (meters)

Approx. 0.3m - Approx. 4.0m (E 16mm F2.8),Approx. 0.5m - Approx. 3.0m (E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS)

Auto Exposure System

Light metering type

1200-zone evaluative metering

Light metering cell

Exmor™ CMOS Sensor

Light metering: Multi segment

YES

Light metering: Spot

YES

Light metering: Center weighted

YES

Exposure: Automatic

YES

Exposure: Program Auto

YES

Exposure: iAUTO

YES

Exposure: AUTO+

NO

Exposure: Shutter priority

YES

Exposure: Aperture priority

YES

Exposure: Manual

YES

Exposure: Scene selection

YES

Sweep Panorama

YES (2D, 3D)

Anti Motion Blur

YES

AE Lock

AE is locked when focus is locked in multi-segment metering mode.

Exposure compensation

YES (+/-3EV with 1/3EVsteps)

AE Bracketing

With 1/3 EV / 2/3 EV increments, 3 frames

Shutter

Type

Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type

Shutter Speed Range (seconds)

1/4000 - 30 and bulb

Flash Sync Speed; second

1/160

Flash

Type

External flash (supplied) attachable to Smart Accessory Terminal

Flash Metering System

Pre-flash TTL

Flash Compensation

+/-2.0 EV (1/3 EV steps)

External Flash Recycling Time (approx. time in seconds)

4

Flash Mode

Flash Off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync

Wireless flash mode

NO

Red-Eye Reduction

NO

Flash Popup

NO

Viewfinder

Type

NO

Focusing Screen

NO

Field of View (%)

NO

Magnification (with 50mm lens at infinity)

NO

Eye Relief

NO

Diopter Adjustment

NO

Live View

Live View

YES

LCD screen

Screen Size

7.5cm(3.0type)

Monitor Type

Xtra Fine TruBlack LCD

LCD Total Dot Number

921.600

Brightness adjustable

YES

Tilting screen

YES

Rotating screen

NO

Recording

Drive Mode

Single, Continuous, Speed-priority Continuous, 10 seconds and 2 seconds Self-timer, Self-timer continues (with 10 sec delay 3/5 exposures selectable), Bracketing

Continuous-Advance Rate (approx. frames per second at maximum)

Speed priority continuous shooting: 10 fps

Recording Media

Memory Stick PRO Duo™,Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™, SD memory card, SDHC memory card, SDXC memory card

Recording Format

JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.3, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.2 format), 3D MPO (MPF Extended compliant) 

Image Size L - JPEG (pixels)

4912 X 3264 (16M)

Image Size M (pixels)

3568 X 2368 (8.4M)

Image Size S (pixels)

2448 X 1624 (4M)

Panorama size:Max. degrees of sweep angle(focal length 16mm/18mm)

Wide: horizontal 12416 x 1856 (23M), vertical 5536 x 2160 (12M), Standard: horizontal 8192 x 1856 (15M), vertical 3872 x 2160 (8.4M)

3D Panorama size:Max. degrees of sweep angle(Focal length:16mm/18mm)

Wide: 7152 x 1080 (7.7M), Standard: 4912 x 1080 (5.3M), 16:9: 1920 x 1080 (2.1M)

Still Image quality

RAW, RAW + JPEG, JPEG Fine, JPEG Standard

Movie Recording Format

AVCHD / MP4

Video Compression

MPEG-4 AVC (H.264)

Audio recording Format

Dolby Digital (AC-3) / MPEG-4 AAC-LC

Movie recording mode - AVCHD

1920 x 1080(50p, 28M, PS), 1920 x 1080(50i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080(50i, 17M, FH), 1920 x 1080(25p, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080(25p, 17M, FH)

Movie recording mode - MP4

1440 x 1080(25fps, 12 Mbps), VGA(640 x 480, 30fps. 3Mbps)

Noise Reduction (Long exp.NR)

On/Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 second

Noise Reduction (High ISO NR)

YES

Noise Reduction (Multi Frame NR)

NO

Color Space (sRGB)

YES

Color Space (Adobe RGB)

YES

Color mode/DEC/Creative styles

Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, B/W, Saturation, Sharpness

Dynamic Range Optimizer

Off, Auto, Advanced: Level

Playback/Edit

White/Black Out Alert

NO

Index Playback

YES

Enlarge (Maximum magnification)

L: 14x, M: 11x, S: 7.3x, Panorama (Standard): 24x, Panorama (Wide): 34x

Image Rotation

YES

Auto Image Rotation

YES

General

InfoLITHIUM Battery Indicator

YES

Histogram Indicator

YES

Exif

Exif Ver.2.3

Exif Print

YES

PictBridge

NO

Menu Language

English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Greek, Turkish

Zone Matching

NO

Depth-of-Field Preview

NO

PRINT Image Matching III

YES

Remote Release Terminal

NO

IR Remote Control

NO

DPOF(Digital Print Order Format)

YES

Indicator of remaining memory space (CF)

YES

Beep Sound

On,Off selectable

File Number Memory

On,Off selectable

Folder Name Mode

Standard and Date

Operating Temperature (degrees C)

0 - 40

Jacks

Video Out

NO

HD/HDMI® Out

YES

USB 2.0 Hi-Speed

YES

USB Mode

Mass-storage, MTP

Power/Others

Battery System

NP-FW50

Supplied Battery

NP-FW50

Stamina (battery life in CIPA condition)

Approx. 410 shots with 2GB Memory Card, Image Size 16M (3:2)

Weight (g) (Body only)

Approx. 210

Dimensions

Width (mm)

110.8

Height (mm)

58.8

Depth (mm)

38.2

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