Leica and Iphone users will love the Nex 5n and here is why

[rdeleskie]

I own all three, and while I like the images the NEX5N produces very much, the menus are the worst I've ever used (I've used Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, Olympus, Ricoh and Leica digital cameras). Placing camera controls such as flash compensation and meter mode into "brightness/colour" (which sounds like it should be connected with playback, LCD options or possibly image post-processing) while "flash mode" and "soft skin" (whatever that is) remain under "camera" strikes me as perverse and frankly still confuses me after several weeks. I also don't care at all for the touch screen implementation. It's not as responsive as the iPhone, and not as fully featured as, say, the Panasonic GH2. I avoid it like the plague.

To each their own. I love the peaking, have grown accustomed to the ergonomics particularly with MF lenses, and the image quality is really top notch. The camera looks like some kind of cruel joke with the plastic kit lens, but slap a black metal MF prime on it and it's the belle of the ball. I don't find it a match for the M8 in terms of what I look for in IQ, but I much prefer the output to any of the M43 cameras I have used, and it goes places I wouldn't take a DSLR. For me it's a keeper.

 

[séamuis]

Agreed. The iPhone is the most useful devices I've ever owned, and one of the best-designed.

that may be a huge understatement in general terms. easily one of the most brilliantly useful personal devices of the 21st century so far.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Always the contrarian. 🙂

No I'm not!

(from "The Ministry of Arguments Bumper Response Book")

Cheers,

R.

 

[dbm]

Can't wait to try the 5n

Can't wait to try the 5n

I set mine with:
right key ael toggle-it's an auto exposure lock, which I didn't realize the camera had at first.
soft key b (bottom button) as mf assist - screen zoom
soft key c (center button) as custom, with iso first, metering mode second, then whatever else I want. It's too bad you can't set the shooting mode that way.

That's been working well for me. We'll see what happens when I get my EVF in the mail, if I'll have to change anything, but for now it's good. I do wish I could add the peaking settings in soft key c...

I have a 7 on order (Who knows when that will arrive), and I have a 5n on order which is expected to arrive Friday. Thanks for listing your custom setup. I was thinking about how best to arrange this. You have the same list of items I expect to use most often:

1. MF assist
2. AEL
3. ISO
4. Metering mode

I wasn't' sure whether to put ISO on the right key or leave it as Custom-1. Which I use more often between AEL and ISO, will probably decide.

Too bad so many of the buttons (A, up, left, down) are fixed functions (Menu, Display, Drive, and Exposure). And C can only be shoot mode, or custom menu. I can see why the Tri-Navi on the NEX-7 appeals to many people.

I know focus peaking remains on during MF assist. Does anyone know if the EVF zooms as well during MF assist?

 

[semordnilap]

I have a 7 on order (Who knows when that will arrive), and I have a 5n on order which is expected to arrive Friday. Thanks for listing your custom setup. I was thinking about how best to arrange this. You have the same list of items I expect to use most often:

1. MF assist
2. AEL
3. ISO
4. Metering mode

I wasn't' sure whether to put ISO on the right key or leave it as Custom-1. Which I use more often between AEL and ISO, will probably decide.

The thing is, AEL and MF assist can either be on the bottom button or right dial press... the Center dial press calls up an onscreen menu which lists your choices left to right on the bottom, and their settings along the right side. So it's good for things like ISO and Metering Mode, but MF assist and AE lock aren't even available on the center dial. I actually started out with ISO on the right key, until I realized that you could set that as AEL.

Too bad so many of the buttons (A, up, left, down) are fixed functions (Menu, Display, Drive, and Exposure). And C can only be shoot mode, or custom menu. I can see why the Tri-Navi on the NEX-7 appeals to many people.

I know focus peaking remains on during MF assist. Does anyone know if the EVF zooms as well during MF assist?

Even one more dial on the nex-5n would have been great and improved functionality significantly... as it is you're right–too many functions are wedded to particular buttons.

I don't have the EVF yet (waiting on hong kong post!) but I assume it would work in the same way.

And yes, the menu system leaves a lot to be desired, as does the lack of saved user settings. I hope they will add something like that in a firmware update, maybe even a customizable menu?

 

[semordnilap]

True enough, but what would an iPhone do that I can't do at the moment? I work from home, so I have my 'phones and internet here.

Play angry birds, of course!

It's actually quite nice to have all your information/calendars/etc. in one place, and if you need to have access/be available (not just by voice) when you're out. Compared with most similar devices, it is incredibly well designed and useful. Not for everybody, and again, not essential, but undeniably useful.

A wonderful mistype in the last para (now corrected) was iPhobe. that describes me perfectly...

You should've kept it in!

 

[segedi]

leica owners will love it?
Why, is it a bottom loader? 😀😀

Well yes, the battery and SD card go in the bottom 🙂

I'm holding off. I really want a NEX to put M/CV/Zeiss lenses on and even have the fancy Hawk's adapter. But after demoing a 5n, the menus were a bit off putting. Spoiled by simple film cameras. Too cheap (or wise) to get an M9.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

The iPhone has made my work life much, much more efficient--I have every single word processor document I have ever written synced via dropbox, and can access and edit any of them at any time. I can dispense with email at times when I would otherwise have been idle. I listen to podcasts with it, have my entire library of music synced to it via iCloud, available to me at any time. It has a decent snapshot camera on it, my work calendar, and all of the addresses and phone numbers of every single person I know. It's got musical instruments on it, and an app for recording and arranging them. There's a light meter on it, and a level. Dictation software. Document scanner. My kindle library is on it, so there's always something to read. Pretty much everything that's important to me I can get to through it.

The only thing that it doesn't have on it is my friends and family, but at least I can call 'em!

Really, it is not "essential," but it makes the bureaucratic professional stuff in my life much, much easier, leaving more time for important stuff like my family, fiction writing, photography and music.

That's the last I'll say about the iPhone, though. ;-)

 

[kosta_g]

leica owners will love it?
Why, is it a bottom loader? 😀😀

No really, you made me curious. I have a M2 and i have an iphone (both very very old 😀 )
Though i am on the verge of selling my M2... i love it except the bottom loading and small mag VF.
So, i got curious abt that Nex5n.

Yeh, it is a bottom loader! You plug the USB in the bottom and load in all your songs!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Play angry birds, of course!

It's actually quite nice to have all your information/calendars/etc. in one place, and if you need to have access/be available (not just by voice) when you're out. Compared with most similar devices, it is incredibly well designed and useful. Not for everybody, and again, not essential, but undeniably useful.

All counterfactual conditionals are true (Umberto Eco).

What I'm questioning is 'need'. A very few people do, in fact, need this, often because they have submitted to the wills of others.

Many want to think that they need it, because it makes them feel indispensable. Very few of us are indispensable. In fact, none of us is, because after we die (or even retire), we ain't there.

Some people's bosses want to make people they think they need it, as a means of controlling their lives still further. As far as I'm concerned, ___ 'em (lines rather than asterisks, because it can be 3, 4 or more letters).

In fact, an iPhone is quite deniably useful, except for the relatively tiny number of people who really need one.

Life is for living, not for using an iPhone.

Cheers,

R.

 

[---f]

I had to put duct tape over the logo on my Leica so it wouldn't get ripped of and hence not work for me anymore. I also have a problem with it ~ after pressing the shutter 36 times, it just stops working. BUt that's ok, I've worked out a weird way of pushing and turning things, then I pop it open and a couple more steps and voila, I can press the shutter 36 more times before it stops working again.

Do you have to stick a piece of duct tape on it to make it work?
Does the battery die within 4 hours of charging?
🙂

 

[Andy Kibber]

In fact, an iPhone is quite deniably useful, except for the relatively tiny number of people who really need one.

That could be said about any piece of technology. I'm not sure what your point is other than you don't have an iPhone and don't want one. Carry on.

 

[hlockwood]

Agreed. The iPhone is the most useful device I've ever owned, and one of the best-designed.

My Nokia is better than your iPhone. It doesn't even have a camera! So, there. 😀

Harry

 

[Roger Hicks]

That could be said about any piece of technology. I'm not sure what your point is other than you don't have an iPhone and don't want one. Carry on.

I was making no other point. My argument is simply a counter to those who wet themselves about how wonderful and invaluable an iAnything is.

Why "Carry on"? If you meant this to be as dismissive and pointless as it sounds, I invite you to do the same. Otherwise I apologize for my rudeness.

Cheers,

R.

 

[semordnilap]

What I'm questioning is 'need'.

But you're just being silly, and whipping up argument. That is why I wrote useful ≠ essential. I have no illusions that I need an iphone, or even a mobile phone. It is just convenient, useful, and occasionally fun (perish the thought!)

Your '10 year old mobile phone' is not different in kind, only in capability–it makes you accessible (and gives you access) to others when you're out of the house. And I'm sure you consider it 'useful', do you not? I'm sure the next guy up the curmudgeonly luddite ladder thinks that everyone with a mobile phone is a 'busy fool'. We all got by before they existed, computers too, cameras and motorcycles as well, right? It's an infinite regression, the game you're playing.

Anyway, all technology has those who succumb to its particular capacities for over-indulgence. Such as it is.

Anyway, I'm with mabelsound–that's the last I'll say about iphones!

Let's talk about the Nex-5n, then shall we? Anybody able to hack the firmware? 😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

But you're just being silly, and whipping up argument. That is why I wrote useful ≠ essential. I have no illusions that I need an iphone, or even a mobile phone. It is just convenient, useful, and occasionally fun (perish the thought!)

Your '10 year old mobile phone' is not different in kind, only in capability–it makes you accessible (and gives you access) to others when you're out of the house. And I'm sure you consider it 'useful', do you not? I'm sure the next guy up the curmudgeonly luddite ladder thinks that everyone with a mobile phone is a 'busy fool'. We all got by before they existed, computers too, cameras and motorcycles as well, right? It's an infinite regression, the game you're playing.

Anyway, all technology has those who succumb to its particular capacities for over-indulgence. Such as it is.

Anyway, I'm with mabelsound–that's the last I'll say about iphones!

Let's talk about the Nex-5n, then shall we? Anybody able to hack the firmware? 😉

Well, you can regard it as silly if you like, but I prefer to regard it as prodding people in the direction of thinking, rather than just regurgitating received wisdom. It's part of what I do for a living; part of what I do for fun; and part of what we should all do to one another. Asking yourself "Do I really need this technology? Why? How is it improving my life?" strikes me as something more people need to do.

You say that you have no illusions about needing an iPhone. Fine. But read some of the other posts here. I think that some do have such illusions. Or at least, they say they do.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Shade]

I find my ep3 more user friendly than the nex 5n imho..

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I find my ep3 more user friendly than the nex 5n imho..

I find the Oly cameras really maddening out of the box, but once set up to your satisfaction quite user friendly. I mostly switched to the NEX for the wonderful sensor.

 

[RObert Budding]

I clicked into this old thread because I was thinking of buying a 4/3 camera or a Nex5n. Now I'm not so sure, and I'm thinking of dropping my iPhone in the garbage disposal. Damned annoying device, IMHO. My old Motorola flip phone was better - fewer interruptions. I think 'smart phones' create the illusion that we're being productive. My most productive moments come when I have uninterrupted time to think.

 

[Richard G]

My iPhone is set to charge each night with more than 50% battery mostly. I lost one a year ago and had to wait 4 days for the replacement. Those were 4 difficult days. The iPhone is turning my wife into a photogrpaher. As Homer said of donuts after stopping the runaway Springfield monorail with a donut on a rope: "Is there nothing they can't do?" My Leicas, even digital, are more like my fountain pens and my Scarpa boots, and my scythe. Love them all.