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Sony NEX-5 Compact System Digital Camera

August 16, 2010 | Digital Camera | Comments Off

The NEX-5 and its sister camera the NEX-3 represent the beginning of Sony’s booming market for compact camera. Since the launch of the Panasonic G1 Lumx just under two years has demonstrated that it is possible to have the versatility, performance and image quality of a DSLR in a smaller form factor, manufacturers increasingly have followed suit. Olympus, Samsung and Ricoh (GXR review forthcoming) have all launched compact cameras with bodies and interchangeable lenses.

Sony NEX-5

But Sony has eclipsed all with the smaller unit compact system yet. The NEX-5 has a full sensor APS-C sized 14.2-megapixels, a large articulated 7.5cm monitor and 1080p HD video with stereo audio, with a body no larger than a standard compact camera.

The price is obviously a key factor in a competitive market. The slight decline spec NEX-3 with a 18-55mm lens kit is currently selling for around £ 450, while the NEX-5 with the same objective which is going for £ 530. By an amazing coincidence, those prices are exactly the same as the recently launched Panasonic Lumix G10 and G2, against which the models are in direct competition with Sony, while the Samsung NX10 is not much cheaper from £ 440 . I expect the three manufacturers begin to offer substantial discounts to the approach of Christmas 2010, each hoping to beat their rivals in the Bonanza annual purchases.

NEX cameras are designed as a system with interchangeable lenses and a range of accessories including an external flash miniature clip-on optical viewfinder and an external microphone. The system has only just started, so naturally the range of lenses available is somewhat limited, with only a 16mm f/2.8 pancake lens, a lens 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 optical superzoom stabilized 18-55mm f / 3.5 to 6.5 standard zoom optically stabilized kit presented here. But the 16mm lens has two teleconverters available, and there is also an adapter that allows cameras to be used with NEX targets Sony Alpha SLR existing, older and Minolta Maxxum lenses. This potentially gives access to a system NEX wider range of optics than any of its closest competitors.