NEX-3 and a microphone question

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INTRO:
After a recent disastrous X100 buying experience on ebay and somewhat intoxicated by the video of that camera I started looking elsewhere. Tried buying the GH2 several times locally to no avail and was about to finally putting an order through yesterday [for EU residents there is currently a very good offer in the UK – GH2 + 14-140mm + 5 years warranty, a copy of LR and some other material all for 1049£] but it should not be.

Because as I was shopping groceries I found a new NEX-3 with 18-55mm for 199€ in the local Carrefour – the last one they had. I immediately bought it having always been fond of Minolta and Sony products and while the € still had any value 😱

This morning I updated the firmware and I must say this exceeds all my expectations. There is so much to love about this camera. The general performance is quite speedy. IQ is very good even with the kit lens. The customisation is adequate and in general there are many, many settings to manipulate. The on/off switch is excellent and the body/lens combination is very comfortable to hold. And finally a camera that can be used at waist level like my beloved Coolpix 4500 with that wonderful screen! The back dial is in a totally different class than what found on m4/3 offerings and in general the interface is uncluttered. Autofocus is fast (and so far precise) and the image stabilisation is very effective. And the build quality even for the NEX-3 is second to none in this (original) price range. Finally the newish peaking functionality makes the possibility to buying adapters to other lenses very alluring.

Although it is very much early days I think I will only end up having four gripes – of which none are showstoppers:
1) The flash interface is horrible :bang: (the guy that designed that should be subjected to a 9 course dinner at a three person table: him, me and my mother in law!)
2) The shutter is frightening loud
3) The battery (at least from the outset) takes forever to charge
4) The screen is very prone to recording finger prints
I would not hesitate to recommend this little camera to anybody looking to get into video or having only one camera and I think this will translate into my best camera buy quality/price wise ever.

All in all I am one very happy camper presently looking to get more into video capturing – so:

QUESTIONS:
a) How do you find the ECM-SST1 microphone?
b) And are there any alternatives at all due to the flash/microphone interface?

All input– including general advice on the NEX line – much appreciated
Thanks in advance

Xpanded

 

[Bugleone]

I have been using my NEX 3 for about 7 weeks and it has already earned my respect as a serious imaging tool. It completely (and quickly)replaced my pentax DSLR which is currently being sold.

Strangely, I bought the NEX largely for negatives,.....ie., NOT a DSLR,...NOT expensive,...NOT large,......NOT locked into one lens fitting,....NOT intimidating to others,.......NOT encumbering to the user,.....NOT forced to put across ones face to use,....etc etc. I have already been more than satisfied and made more good images in less than two months than I did in three YEARS using 'the black plastic blob' Other people largely ignore the NEX and treat one as just another digicam toting passer-bye, so I basically take shots of who and what I like, when I like,...important in a country that is more and more camera phobic.

The two 'cons' which took some sorting out before I made the purchase were the unique flash connection/synch, and the 'Sony' maker. Both of these were very nearly 'deal breakers' and I'm still much less than happy about trusting my image making to such a giant company with such a dismal track record for customer service, product support and dubious business policies. The flash 'problem' can be largely overcome by the use of the right (adjustable) slave connector although I'm not planning on shooting any very rapid action using flash,.....just getting the use of other flash heads off camera.

With the NEX 'adventure' Sony has put virtually all of it's video 'eggs' in the one basket, namely the NEX 5. I can't help but feel that the video in NEX 3 is but a token gesture similar to God's in giving men nipples but not really expecting them to be used much.

The NEX 3 documentation both paper and disc have more or less no imformation about video, other than the urge to start video recording using the video button,..!!?! And, that camera noise can be cured by turning off the sound completely,..!!!!!??? As far as I can see there is no video software provided apart from simple download into 'PMB' which allows ones clips to be 'trimmed' but not edited,..???!!

There is an additional drawback with the camera in that one cannot compose the video shot properly before starting to record since the camera switches to another screen fit when recording either HD or VGA.

As regards the accessory mic;.....I had hoped that by now our Chinese friends would have hacked the 'data link' plug fitting but this has not happened yet for some reason. A pity because it would enable both flash synch and mic options from ebay! Sony have always kept to full retail price for accessories and it is extremely unlikely that one will find the accessory mic at anything less than full price (at least here in Europe). I have been unable to find the mic at anything much under £100 so far. At that price a more sensible alternative for sound might be one of the cheaper digital sound recorders such as the smaller Tascam units,..there is one for about £100 and it offers much more sophistcated sound control than the camera with mic. The recordig from the Tascam could then be easily edited onto the final cut, provided that one can use some convenient editing software.

So far I have not found any editing software that is appropriate for the relatively casual videos that I want to use the NEX 3 for. Windows comes with 'Movie Maker II' as an integral part but I have not been able to load movie clips into it thus far,..If anyone knows anything about this, or what other inexpensive software is available I would much like to know.

 

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I have been using my NEX 3 for about 7 weeks and it has already earned my respect as a serious imaging tool. It completely (and quickly)replaced my pentax DSLR which is currently being sold.

Strangely, I bought the NEX largely for negatives,.....ie., NOT a DSLR,...NOT expensive,...NOT large,......NOT locked into one lens fitting,....NOT intimidating to others,.......NOT encumbering to the user,.....NOT forced to put across ones face to use,....etc etc. I have already been more than satisfied and made more good images in less than two months than I did in three YEARS using 'the black plastic blob' Other people largely ignore the NEX and treat one as just another digicam toting passer-bye, so I basically take shots of who and what I like, when I like,...important in a country that is more and more camera phobic.

The two 'cons' which took some sorting out before I made the purchase were the unique flash connection/synch, and the 'Sony' maker. Both of these were very nearly 'deal breakers' and I'm still much less than happy about trusting my image making to such a giant company with such a dismal track record for customer service, product support and dubious business policies. The flash 'problem' can be largely overcome by the use of the right (adjustable) slave connector although I'm not planning on shooting any very rapid action using flash,.....just getting the use of other flash heads off camera.

With the NEX 'adventure' Sony has put virtually all of it's video 'eggs' in the one basket, namely the NEX 5. I can't help but feel that the video in NEX 3 is but a token gesture similar to God's in giving men nipples but not really expecting them to be used much.

The NEX 3 documentation both paper and disc have more or less no imformation about video, other than the urge to start video recording using the video button,..!!?! And, that camera noise can be cured by turning off the sound completely,..!!!!!??? As far as I can see there is no video software provided apart from simple download into 'PMB' which allows ones clips to be 'trimmed' but not edited,..???!!

There is an additional drawback with the camera in that one cannot compose the video shot properly before starting to record since the camera switches to another screen fit when recording either HD or VGA.

As regards the accessory mic;.....I had hoped that by now our Chinese friends would have hacked the 'data link' plug fitting but this has not happened yet for some reason. A pity because it would enable both flash synch and mic options from ebay! Sony have always kept to full retail price for accessories and it is extremely unlikely that one will find the accessory mic at anything less than full price (at least here in Europe). I have been unable to find the mic at anything much under £100 so far. At that price a more sensible alternative for sound might be one of the cheaper digital sound recorders such as the smaller Tascam units,..there is one for about £100 and it offers much more sophistcated sound control than the camera with mic. The recordig from the Tascam could then be easily edited onto the final cut, provided that one can use some convenient editing software.

So far I have not found any editing software that is appropriate for the relatively casual videos that I want to use the NEX 3 for. Windows comes with 'Movie Maker II' as an integral part but I have not been able to load movie clips into it thus far,..If anyone knows anything about this, or what other inexpensive software is available I would much like to know.

Thank you for a wonderful post with many good insights. I have an old version of Adobe Elements Premiere (something) - I will try to load it later today and see how it fares. Also I will update if I find the original mike at a lower price.

I have found out that there are both adapters for Contax G lenses and Xpan lenses - both of which I have. That is brilliant 🙂

Cheers,
Xpanded

 

[d__b]

There is an additional drawback with the camera in that one cannot compose the video shot properly before starting to record since the camera switches to another screen fit when recording either HD or VGA.

On my NEX-5, when I turn on the grid in the display, it shows small markings for the corners of the video crop as well. Maybe it's the same on the NEX-3?

 

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On my NEX-5, when I turn on the grid in the display, it shows small markings for the corners of the video crop as well. Maybe it's the same on the NEX-3?

You are absolutely right. They are a little difficult to see, but they are indeed there on the NEX-3 as well.

 

[kshapero]

Gosh when I have used the flash (which is very seldom), I found it remarkable as a fill flash. That being said, the high ISO is very tight and quite usable in low light sans flash.

 

[Bugleone]

Yes,..thank you, I too see it now. However, for instruction readers like me it would have been nice for Sony to at least mention it in their documentation along with how the focus points work when making movies as that is quite confusing and can't be seen without actually recording.

 

[Bugleone]

Kashpero,.....yes the flash may well be excellent in use as, personally, I have not got to it yet! However, the point is that one is not able (at present) to gt the flash away from the camera.

 

[Nokton48]

Regarding the fingerprints on the screen, buy a Nex screen cover for $9 on Ebay.

Regarding the slow battery charge, buy some spares! I have two Nex-3's, and five batteries for them. And no worries.