First week with an NEX-3

Only in the lens not in the body.
The 18-55 has, the 18-200 has too.
The 16 has not.
I wonder how much do you really gain using Leica Legacy glass like a 35 lux with IS. I would think little. I can shoot wide open on an M6 at 1/8 sec or even sometimes at 1/4 sec. Could I shoot at a slower speed with IS on an M4/3?
 
I've had a NEX-5 for a short while but haven't had much opportunity to take it out shooting yet. I got the Voigtlander adapter from CameraQuest. I mainly use the CV Nokton 50/1.1 on the NEX-5, though I've tried it out with my collapsible Summicron 50/2 and my Summilux 35/1.4.

The tiny little NEX-5 body is dwarved by the beastly 50/1.1, but together they're a comfortable pair. I love the combo. Because of sensor science I don't fully understand, the shallowness wide open isn't like what you'd get from using the lens on a Leica M body. However, you can still get pretty sweet results. One particularly spectacular flickr photostream has featured a number shots using this combination:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=44290369%40N08&q=sony&m=text.

I've posted one photo so far with the NEX-5 and 50/1.1:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wintershrooms/5155740237/. More to come -- especially after this weekend. I'll try to take some with the 35/1.4 to show some comparison.

As for video: I have the new firmware but I haven't figured out all the controls, especially for optimizing video, but when I shoot 1080p at low light, I get beautiful shallow depth of field. In brighter light, I think the frame rate quickens to compensate for exposure and the results aren't as "cinematic."

It's fun to experiment with this camera and I haven't been hampered by the menu system so far. Hope you all enjoy yours! Keep posting more photos!

Oh, one last thing: The kit zoom (18-55) is seriously lacking in quality; I had never taken a shot with barrel distortion before and didn't fully comprehend what the term meant until I saw an image I took at the wide end. It could almost pass for fish-eye! I would have bought the camera without a kit lens if I could. Because I had to choose, I figured I'd buy it with the zoom instead of the pancake because I thought it might be handy to have a zoom lens, especially if I hand my camera off to family or friends to use, and since I have M lenses to serve as primes. Now I kind of regret not trying the pancake.
 
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Aye, the NEX kit zoom is actually very good for a basic kit zoom...but it is still not going to measure up to high end lenses. I do believe that Lightroom 3 has built in correction for that lens (at least I know it has it for the 16mm.)

As for hand holding NEX, although it doesn't have a mirror, it has a very robust shutter to deal with 7fps, and, since it is a live view camera, the shutter has to close/open/close/open for every shot, so it is still a little violent. I would say "handhold-ability" is a little better than a DSLR, but not quite to actual rangefinder levels.
 
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Personally I think they started with the zooms and the 16mm to give users something decent on the extra wide end. If you use FF lenses on an APS-C camera you are going to miss that. Still, a fast 40-50mm equivalent is eagerly awaited here...
 
Personally I think they started with the zooms and the 16mm to give users something decent on the extra wide end. If you use FF lenses on an APS-C camera you are going to miss that. Still, a fast 40-50mm equivalent is eagerly awaited here...

I agree. While a 24mm (equiv.) lens isn't my #1 choice for a walk around prime, it gives the NEX system a unique advantage. Hopefully, they release more lenses soon.
 
Personally I think they started with the zooms and the 16mm to give users something decent on the extra wide end. If you use FF lenses on an APS-C camera you are going to miss that. Still, a fast 40-50mm equivalent is eagerly awaited here...

Agreed, but in the meantime, I make do with the digital zoom interpolation option available with the 16mm (up to 10x). In fact, I set my Soft Key B for that "zoom" option.
 
Well after spending a pretty enjoyable week wiht the NEX-3 I've encountered a bit of a problem. Actually a pretty big problem. I was updating the software from my iMac and everything was going fine until I got the the 'run' stage. At that point my monitor got darker and it told me to restart in four or five languages. The camera is now pretty much unrepsonsive. I recharged the battery, leaving it out for hours and still nothing.

After trying to re-run the update I still get the same problem. It's a huge pain because it's only borrowed. I even redownloaded the software to see if I could figure this out.

If anybody has a solution for me please let me know!

P.S. I am counting this as a fluke. I still plan on getting one of these in the near future.
 
hmm

hmm

CV made lenses for Sony??

The distortion is wicked.

Lenses, currently, are the problem. If you can get past the styling. Which I don't mind so much. From everything I've read about it, it is an outstanding camera. When, and if, the lens line catches up I may have to take a look.
 
What I don't understand is why do camera manufacturers require a specific software to do that. To upgrade by Canon I only need to put the firmware on the flash card. Why doesn't Sony (or Olympus) do that? It would cost them much less.
 
Just got a NEX 3. Is it me or does this body seem a little too breakable? Should I trade up to the NEX 5 with the Magnesium alloy body?
 
no focus assist w/ adapter?

no focus assist w/ adapter?

i tried a summitar? 35mm with adapter on my nex-3 and the focus assist magnification setting wouldn't work. is there a setting i missed or does the adapter have to be a certain make. i have a coyo adapter.
 
i tried a summitar? 35mm with adapter on my nex-3 and the focus assist magnification setting wouldn't work. is there a setting i missed or does the adapter have to be a certain make. i have a coyo adapter.

Go through the menu -- Enable the option to Release without lens.
 
not sure

not sure

I've handled both, and the build quality didn't feel substantially stronger on the 5 (I did remove and mount lenses on both), but I did significantly notice the smaller size of the 5, in the hand.

Just got a NEX 3. Is it me or does this body seem a little too breakable? Should I trade up to the NEX 5 with the Magnesium alloy body?
 
I've handled both, and the build quality didn't feel substantially stronger on the 5 (I did remove and mount lenses on both), but I did significantly notice the smaller size of the 5, in the hand.
After 2 weeks the NEX 3 is a keeper.
 
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