2nd year brings a much bigger salon than before. The big trend this year is about micro dSLRs (I call them like this because their are small cameras with interchangeable lenses) and small companies making moves that relate closer to the minds and needs of today's camera users. This year I decided to go to the salon to get information on things I needed to clarify and discovered more than I could expect.
As I arrived on site, I was given a free Sony Alpha bag that made me curious of looking at the NEX system cameras. for those who don't know much about them, they represent the first generation of mirrorless micro dSLRs by Sony. I was first amazed at how fast the live view focussing was. Then I moved on to try the pancake lens and handling the camera was fun thanks fot the quality an attention to detail Sony puts in the design of the interface.
Sony prides itself at making a wet dream of a micro dSLR by using the same sensor as their conventional cropped-sensor dSLR line (which means an ISO performance comparable to the Nikon D300s). The NEX also supported sd cards which makes going from SD card devices to the NEX an easier transition. It seems that this was as close as what consumers want as it gets (the next step being a fullframe sensor in a body the size of the NEX).
When I got the time to think, I realized how flawed the NEX was.
1- The sensor being a 1.5x crop, it requires lenses that are as big as the ones used on my Nikon. Aside from the Canon DO 70-300 is, there hasn't been a successful zoom lens shortening in history... I think.
2- The minolta/alpha mount adapter for the NEX isn't fully compatible as advertised (only manual focus can be achieved throwing us back to the days of the Nikon D40 crisis)
3- The NEX doesn't have super steadyshot. While this can be understood to save energy on the camera's already average battery life (300 shots), this is a complete abandon of the design that made the Sony Alpha series so great (the Olympus PL1 has super steady shot inside... why can't the NEX do that?)
4- The interface design is sooo unphotographic with all the functions inaccessible on the fly and hidden through layers of menus. The mode dial is even hidden within the menus. It's like a camera that handles like a cellphone...
The Salon D-Clic 2010 Reports: NEX series (incomplete)
1 comments:
Hmm well the m4/3 lenses are all smaller than the 4/3 lenses, especially the collapsible ones. I guess that creates the distortion that has to be corrected... but at least it means that the lenses CAN get smaller! ;)
I'm sure they'll make an adapter with AF soon, but I don't think many people will actually use it... It's made to be used as a P&S/second cam anyways. Doubt anyone would use it for "serious" photography without a viewfinder/hot shoe. But for the menus... it does seem quite hard to change settings, and it's weird how there are even less buttons than on a P&S... o_o
And btw, apparently the E-PL1's IS is much weaker than the "regular" IS (like in the E-P1). I don't know about the specifics, but maybe they're already at their limits for now. :/
Oh well, I guess you can't really have everything at the same time ;)
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