New Sony, all I can say is, "WOW!"

[Vivek]

Douglas, It is not just the size of the opening but the green shaded area in the diagram you posted (various materials) also absorb light thus reducing the amount that reaches the photo active area.

On the question of cost. Sony's EXMOR-R sensored cams aren't that much more expensive than other P&S cams with a CCD or plain vanilla CMOS sensor, are they?

 

[douglasf13]

The green space is empty. Imagine that same diagram with an APS-C sensor, and the wiring would be much smaller. The wiring in a front-illumintaed APS-C sensor blocks much less light proportionally to a P&S sensor.

The big advantage that I think would apply to EXMOR-R in the NEX is the improved response to angled light at the edges. As we were talking about the other day, that would certainly shrink down the sensor topping thickness, which would bode well for M glass.

As for cost, I would imagine manufacturing costs would certainly go up to switch to an EXMOR-R APS-C line.

 

[Vivek]

Even if the green space is "empty" (it is not) there is still light loss. The plain vanilla CMOS have undergone many a change in the past years and now the height of the green area also has come down, making the photo site more accessible to light.

Front vs Back illuminated- we are looking at 90-97% vs ~85% efficiency.

The big advantage that I think would apply to EXMOR-R in the NEX is the improved response to angled light at the edges. As we were talking about the other day, that would certainly shrink down the sensor topping thickness, which would bode well for M glass.

There are different issues at play there. The AA/UV/IR filter thickness will come down with the development of better materials. They do (especially UV/IR cut filter) need to be there. While the thickness of this glass would certainly affect the aberrations, it would not affect the angled light at the edges.

The AA/UV/IR cut filter stack of a G1, for example, isn't a simple glass. It is a composite of 4 to 5 different materials (how they affect light and to what extent, only Pana would know).

 

[monza]

Pogue reviews the NEX 5:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/technology/personaltech/20pogue.html?hp

 

[Vivek]

Thanks, Robert.

From that link:

Most painfully, there’s no physical mode dial. To switch from Auto mode to a scene mode (like Panorama or Macro), you call up an on-screen dial — that’s up to six button presses. Adjust the light sensitivity? Six presses plus a dial turn. Switch to manual focus? Eleven presses. It gets old fast.

Similarly, in playback mode, you can’t view photos and videos together. Switching takes six button presses.

Is that review cam a "preproduction" model? I could not find any reference to it. There are lots words about water and collecting rain.

 

[m3photo]

Re: Language

Pogue reviews the NEX 5:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/technology/personaltech/20pogue.html?hp

Just made me smile when he writes: "For that price you get a non-zooming 16-millimeter lens (24-millimeter film equivalent) . "
"Non-zooming" being one of those "inferior" fixed lens things I suppose.

 

[Rawfa]

Rayqual developing lens mount adapters for Sony NEX cameras:
One of the things that helped make Micro Four Thirds popular among photographers was the ability to mount other-mount lenses on M43rds cameras. Today DC Watch Impress notes that Rayqual has announced that it is developing lens-mount adapters for the NEX cameras that will allow the mounting of Leica M, Contax-Yashica, Pentax K and DA, Canon FD, Nikon G (with/without adapter rings). Please note this is based on computer-translation so it may contain errors or confusions
source: http://www.1001noisycameras.com/201...lens-mount-adapters-for-sony-nex-cameras.html

 

[RichA]

Remember, though, that trade offs abound. The D3s is wonderful in lowlight, but its green separation isn't great, and you're better off with other cameras for landscape. That's why we still need different cameras tailored for good and bad light.

As far as the Exmor-R thing, there have been many, many arguments made against its usefullness in larger sensors, even before Sony themselves mentioned it. Of course, that's not to say there aren't other ways to improve.

All digitals fall short in the green, I wonder why sensors can't quite manage it?

 

[Vivek]

Rich, It is my understanding that the G2 would have better green channel response than the G1 due to the (G2) sensor's 4 channel readout compared 2 channel readout of G1.

 

[douglasf13]

All digitals fall short in the green, I wonder why sensors can't quite manage it?

The CFA has a lot to do with it. That's why a few that I know traded in their D3x for the A900. The A900 has the best color separation currently in 35mm digital (the D3x has the better shadow detail.)

 

[Rawfa]

There are a bunch of pictures taken with it here by a forum user:
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699224&page=2

 

[Amin]

Thanks Rawfa, those samples look pretty good to me.

 

[RichA]

Rich, It is my understanding that the G2 would have better green channel response than the G1 due to the (G2) sensor's 4 channel readout compared 2 channel readout of G1.

Damn! I could have checked that out at the Henry's show, they had the G1, GH1, G10 and G2 there. Thanks!

 

[Rawfa]

Thanks Rawfa, those samples look pretty good to me.

Amin, not only that but the guys says the camera is REALLY fast. Yesterday I went out with the E-P1 and the 20mm and I lost my share of street shots due to slow AF.

 

[ptomsu]

Amin, not only that but the guys says the camera is REALLY fast. Yesterday I went out with the E-P1 and the 20mm and I lost my share of street shots due to slow AF.

I never lost any shot due to AF speed with my EP2 and I do not think it is so much faster than the EP1.

?????????????????????????????

 

[Rawfa]

Lucky you. Action shots are really not the EP-1's selling point. And I'm using the latest firmware. I've read a couple of reviews that put the NEX system as considerably faster than the GF1 (which is already considerably faster than the Ep1/2).

 

[ptomsu]

Lucky you. Action shots are really not the EP-1's selling point. And I'm using the latest firmware. I've read a couple of reviews that put the NEX system as considerably faster than the GF1 (which is already considerably faster than the Ep1/2).

I only believe these reviews once I tried myself. What some find to be faster often turns out to be not or only under certain circumstances.

If I turn on face detect and put the EP2 into iA mode (or however it is called - all auto anyway) I found it is very fast - at least in combination with the 2.8/17 and this is what I use for street shots. I do not think I missed any shot wit that combination and mode.

 

[Terry]

Here is a speed of focus video between all three.

http://www.slrclub.com/bbs/vx2.php?...&ss=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=167

 

[Martin S]

SLRClub certainly performed quite a few tests.

In some of the tests, the Sony seemed to be do pretty well.

In the speed focussing tests, the Panasonic seemed to be a bit faster.

The high Iso test results were quite good for the Sony.

Thanks Terry for posting these early test results.

Martin

 

[grum]

It seems to me that Sony's product planners have definitively identified the person switching from a point and shoot to something with interchangeable lenses as their target market. With the NEX they have eschewed much in the way of manual controls and opted for a dumbed down user interface in an attempt to make the mysteries of camera use that much easier to understand.

It's my opinion that in this they have failed. The green Intelligent Auto setting that Sony has on their other cameras is really all that a beginner needs to be able to stay out of trouble and take decent pictures. The NEX-5 has this as well, but then proceeds to cripple the rest of the camera's user interface with roadblocks and complications, just the thing to turn off the budding photographer because in fact it makes climbing the learning curve tougher rather than easier.

There's a saying – If it ain't broke don't fix it – and in the case of Sony's NEX user interface design I'm afraid that it rings all too true.

Correct this and I believe that Sony has a very strong competitor to the rest. Leave it alone and I believe that the NEX series will be ignored by anyone other than those attracted by the pretty cosmetics and the Sony name.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sony-nex5.shtml