Sony nex 7 comparison. ⇡ Scope of delivery and additional accessories

Sony Alpha NEX-7 Review | About Mirrorless

Sony is good at not only making interesting products, but also to create an aura of the desired. At the same time, the Japanese developer prefers to follow its own technological and market strategy. But what about the competitors? Wait, what are the competitors?

Models at the time Sony Alpha NEX-5 and NEX-3 made a very strong impression on the amateur photography community: still - a full-fledged APS-C matrix in a very compact package. Stylish design, high level of assembly and quality materials, good quality photos. At the same time - reasonable prices and bright prospects for the development of the system. In other words, the NEX got off to an impressive start, and Sony effortlessly established itself as the market leader in mirrorless systems.

The past year was marked by the appearance on the shelves of stores of solutions from competitors - the eternal rivals of the giants of the photo industry represented by Pentax, Nikon, Panasonic, Fujifilm, Samsung. Some limited themselves to removing the mirror from the system, others to simply disconnecting the lens from the camera body. Still others decided to focus on functionality, while sacrificing compactness (Panasonic GH2 model).

True, in that barrel of honey, which the NEX system looked like at its beginning, there was also a fair portion of tar. There was a feeling that already in the process of fine-tuning the cameras, marketers were horrified that the NEXs were cannibalizing the younger cameras in the Alpha line of cameras. In principle, their assumption was not unfounded. The NEX system really could force Sony's junior DSLRs out of the market. But marketers did not let her do this, using whole line limiting actions, such as, for example, installing a custom-designed hot shoe on NEX cameras, under which there were no flashes or accessories. And if we recall the equipment of cameras with a deliberately primitive interface, more typical for soap dishes? Even the first adapter for the more common A-mount lenses first appeared in an autofocus version, and then, suddenly, by the start of sales, it abruptly turned into a non-autofocus one.

Sony Alpha NEX-7 and branded case

All this, despite the great potential of the system, left the NEX cameras in the place of the Sony camera product line, where it was planned by marketers - just below mirror systems, but noticeably higher than any soap dishes. And for a few disappointed potential buyers the company left little hope in the form of the imminent appearance of the flagship of the NEX system, the design of which would already be uncompromising. This flagship became the model Sony Alpha NEX-7. However, does it deserve the title of the best mirrorless camera?

Sony Alpha NEX-7 Review | Specifications Sony Alpha NEX-7

Specifications Sony Alpha NEX-7
Matrix	Type: APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm), Exmor APS HD CMOS with primary color filters Number of pixels: 24.3 MP (effective), approx. 24.7 MP (total) Aspect ratio: 3:2
Excerpt	1/4000 to 30 s Lamellar shutter, with electronic control and vertical travel of curtains
digital zoom	1.1x to 10x
Taking a photo	Format: JPEG, RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format), RAW+JPEG, JPEG Fine, JPEG Standard, 3D MPO Dimensions at 3:2 aspect ratio: L (6000x4000), M (4240x2832), S (3008x2000) Dimensions at 16:9 aspect ratio: L (6000x3376), M (4240x2400), S (3008x1688)
Shooting video	AVCHD 2.0 (progressive): 1920 x 1080 dots, 50p: 28Mbps (PS), 50i: 24Mbps (FX), 17Mbps (FH), 25p: 24Mbps (FX), 17 Mbps (FH) MP4: 1440 x 1080 (12 Mbps) MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) Dolby Digital sound (AC-3); MPEG-4 AAC-LC
Shooting types	Single frame, continuous, speed-priority continuous, self-timer (up to 10/2 second delay), self-timer (continuous shooting up to 10 second delay with 3/5 frames selectable), bracketing, remote control
Shooting speed	10 fps in continuous shooting mode with speed priority; 3 fps in standard continuous shooting mode
LCD display	Widescreen, 3" (7.5 cm) diagonal, TFT, Xtra Fine with TruBlack technology, 921,600 dots Brightness control: automatic, manual (5 steps from -2 to +2) Tilt angles: up - 90°, down - 45°
white balance	Auto white balance, daylight, shade, cloudy, incandescent light, fluorescent light, flash, custom, temperature and color filters
Focusing	Type: contrast autofocus 25 focus points Focus Modes: Autofocus, DMF (Direct Manual Focus), Manual Focus Autofocus modes: AF-S: Single; AF-C: Continuous Focus area: multi-point (25 points), center-weighted and universal spot Focus Tracking, Predictive Control, Auto Focus Activation When Bringing the Camera Close to Your Face (for LA-EA2), Focus Lock Built-in LED autofocus light
Flash	Type: built-in Guide number: 6m (ISO 100) Control: TTL (with pre-flash) Flash compensation: +/- 3 EV in steps of 0.3 EV Operating modes: auto, fill, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, off
ISO sensitivity	ISO 100 to 16000 Auto (ISO 100 to 1600)
exposition	1200 measuring zones Sensitivity: EV 0 to 20 (equivalent to 100 ISO with F2.8 lens) Metering: multi-segment, center-weighted, spot Correction: +/- 5 EV (0.3 EV steps) Modes: iAUTO, Program AE (P), Aperture Priority (A), Shutter Priority (S), Manual (M), Sweep Panorama, 3D Sweep Panorama, Anti Motion Blur, Scene Selection Bracketing: Continuous, 3 frames in steps of 0.3 or 0.7 EV
Electronic viewfinder	Diagonal 0.5", XGA OLED Frame coverage: 100%
speaker	Built-in, mono, 8 volume settings (0 to 7)
carriers	Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, SD, SDHC, SDXC
Interfaces	USB 2.0 HDMI Mini Connector (Type C)
Dimensions	119.9 x 69.9 x 42.6 mm (WxHxD, excluding protrusions)
Weight	With battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo: Approx. 350 g Camera only: 291 g
Links	Description Sony Alpha NEX-7 on the manufacturer's website Specifications Sony Alpha NEX-7 on the manufacturer's website Sony Alpha NEX-7 prices at market.yandex.ru Sony Alpha NEX-7 prices at price.ru

Looks Sony Alpha NEX-7 very attractive. The body of the camera is made of black metal. The shape and shape of the handle, the surface of which is covered with textured rubber that is pleasant to the touch, are reminiscent of the belonging of the device to the Alpha family.

In terms of design, the new camera is a success, that's for sure. Modern appearance model indicates that the solution applies specifically to the NEX-series. The device has gained weight, but this does not prevent it from being attractive and solid at the same time. Also, it can not be called the most compact in the class.

On the front surface Sony Alpha NEX-7 there is a bayonet ring, an autofocus backlight sensor, an infrared port for controlling the camera from the remote control, a microphone.

The right end is devoid of any functional load, while on the left surface under the rubber plug there are mini USB, mini HDMI, and a microphone port.

Below is a hole for mounting the device on a tripod. The battery and memory card compartment are combined. They are located at a decent distance from the tripod socket, so you don’t have to remove the camera from the tripod to insert a new card.

Despite the fact that Sony Alpha NEX-7 has not lost its compactness, there are new additional controls, a hot shoe and an electronic viewfinder.

Sony Alpha NEX-7 top side view

On the top surface Sony Alpha NEX-7 there are two drums, a shutter release button, a programmable button and a camera power lever. In addition, there was even a place for a built-in flash. It must be admitted that it was the flash and hot shoe that many owners of previous NEX models really lacked (although, in some updated models, a built-in flash began to appear). And suddenly - two "gifts" at the same time! The flash recycle time is about four seconds, the guide number is 3.

Thanks to the massive ledge, the shutter button is located directly under the index finger, which is very convenient.

Sony Alpha NEX-7 built-in flash

Most of the back Sony Alpha NEX-7 occupies a rotary display. Above the screen is a button to turn on the flash and a button to switch to viewing mode. To the right is the autofocus/exposure lock button, a navigation pad with a ring, a video recording button, and two programmable buttons.

Together with Sony Alpha NEX-7 Several lenses have arrived at the test lab, including the new wide-angle Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.8 ZA, which looks very natural on the camera. It is he who emphasizes the main trump card of the solution - compactness.

adapter for A-mount LA-EA2

SLT (Single-Lens Translucent) is a technology promoted by Sony in its other cameras. Once upon a time, amateur photographers around the world were divided into two warring camps. The first camp is those who hate SLT fiercely, miss pentaprisms and rejoice at the sound of a slamming mirror. The second category is users who have adopted Sony's technological innovations and now look at the world through an electronic viewfinder, while using the advantages and disadvantages of a translucent mirror.

The advantages of SLT are the compactness of the cameras, high speed continuous shooting, continuous phase detection autofocus (video lovers love it). The system also has disadvantages. Many people prefer to focus on less light that hits the matrix, noise, cosmetic problems of the mechanics of the system. In other words, everything is as usual - there are both pros and cons.

V Sony Alpha NEX-7 the same matrix is ​​​​installed as in the notorious Sony A77 SLR camera. On the this moment The NEX-7 is one of the best sensors on the mirrorless market with a very high resolution of 24MP. And in this case, we are not talking about the banal marketing inflation of megapixels to obscene values. The camera produces honest 6000x4000 pixels. The question is - will the existing optics cope with such a resolution?

Everyone is used to the fact that when another gadget, especially a camera, gets on the review, it is considered primarily in terms of improvements and changes compared to its predecessor. But what if the camera is simply the best among the family of its kind and takes the top line from the manufacturer? There really is only one way out: to consider it as an independent device.

This happens infrequently - as a rule, every year the manufacturer announces a new product that keeps pace with scientific and technological progress and meets the most latest requirements. But sometimes the device turns out to be very, very viable and, despite all its shortcomings, leads among the models and offered features, sometimes causing only a slight bewilderment of the consumer.

The logic of companies is not always clear, and no matter how much you want to change something, you have to endure, gritting your teeth, without finding an adequate replacement.

Announced back in 2011, the model still has neither a suitable follower nor a worthy ancestor. professional model offers top features in a compact package and is suitable primarily for those who want to get the maximum without burdening themselves with excess weight and size. Today we're looking at Sony's top end mirrorless camera. Sony Nex-7.

Video review Sony NEX-7:

What will please the outside?

It is not for nothing that the camera is called the most solid in its class. The body is encased in magnesium alloy, but it's not light at all. When you first take the Nex-7 in your hands, you don’t understand what such weight can give. "Seven" really lies well in the hand, is pleasant to the touch, does not slip and does not strive to fall out. It is assembled in the way it should be for a model of the upper price range - nothing crunches or bends, solidity is felt even before attempts are made to achieve the slightest deformation of the case.

Ergonomics are also at a high level. I never thought that with the “shallowness” of the Nikon D3200 for my grip, the Sony carcass would fit perfectly in my hand, and there would be no discomfort. Quite the opposite. All controls are exactly where they need to be, and after twenty minutes of use, you completely stop thinking where this or that wheel is.

The front side of the camera is quite concise. An autofocus assist lamp, an E-mount release button and a protrusion for a comfortable grip - that's all you can find here. If you look closely, you can see two microphones on either side of the lens, which are responsible for stereo recording when shooting video.

On the upper part there is a shutter button framed by an on / off lever, a functional programmable button, two wheels for controlling shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation and other parameters depending on the shooting mode. A built-in flash was hidden in the center of the carcass. When it is opened, the mechanism jumps out as if it were an aggressive cobra. Very sharp and strong. The button is mechanical, so the "shot" is possible even in the off state. Near the shoe for external accessories. Two years ago, Sony was not so kind and installed not a standard connector, but their own proprietary one. Therefore, if you want to buy external "puff", for example, be kind, pay for Sony style.

Most of the rear side is occupied by a large display with a diagonal of 3 ″ and a resolution of 640 x 480, it is made using proprietary XTra Fine True Black technology. Viewing footage on it is very convenient. The screen has excellent viewing angles and rich colors. To call it rotary is somehow wrong, non-rotary - too. The screen moves in two planes, which greatly facilitates shooting from the upper and lower angles, but you cannot turn it to the side. The viewfinder, located in the upper left corner of the camera, is electronic, 0.5”, XGA OLED, covers 100% of the frame. But I can't say that it's as good as the screen. The viewfinder is a little noisy and distorts colors, but displays all the necessary information. There should be no extra glances at the screen. Naturally, there is a diopter adjustment wheel and a proximity sensor. The eyecup is made quite interesting. Too protruding, on the one hand, it definitely excludes the ingress of light, and on the other hand, it interferes with working with glasses.

All other controls are located on the right side of the body under the thumb.

To the right of the viewfinder are buttons to open the flash and view footage. Also in the top row is the AF / MF-AEL selection lever and the selection button itself. The top row ends with a quick video button. Despite the fact that it is located in the far right corner, it is not difficult to reach it.

Below are two buttons that are responsible for accessing various settings and menus depending on what is happening on the screen, and a multi-position joystick-wheel with an OK button inscribed.

Unlabeled buttons are salient feature models. Here, neither the control wheels on top, nor the additional button have a specific function, and the action for which they are responsible depends on what is currently happening. I'll try to explain. If mode M is on, then the drums on top are responsible for changing the shutter speed / aperture. If A, then one is for changing the aperture, and the second is for exposure compensation. It's the same with buttons.

The right side is clean, the left side is occupied by connectors. Hidden behind a plastic cover are the HDMI, Mini USB and external microphone ports.

On the bottom side - only a connector for mounting on a tripod, speaker and battery compartment. There is also a slot for SD memory cards next to the battery. In this case, the compartment for it is located directly under the open cover. Inserting a card is convenient, but getting it out is not very.

What's under the hood?

Matrix Exmor APS HD CMOS has a resolution of 24.3 MP and works in conjunction with a proprietary Bionz processor. This pair delivers superb low-noise images, clean and sharp images, and high overall camera responsiveness and speed. The shooting speed is 10 fps. I did not notice lags and brakes even when processing series or recording video on a card.

Image quality

The sensitivity of the matrix lies in the range from 100 to 16000 ISO. The overall noise level is low, up to 1600 units you can shoot in JPEG without worrying. When using the values ​​above, it is worth working in RAW with the post-processing of the image in the editor.

ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600 ISO 3200 ISO 6400 ISO 12800 ISO 16000

Image quality is good as expected. The picture is rich, beautiful, and the dynamic range is enough for most standard situations. If you want to achieve more subtle transitions, then turn on DRO or HDR - an extended dynamic range will save the situation.

Naturally, in order to reveal all the possibilities of a multi-megapixel matrix, you should think about buying an additional lens, but you can get excellent results on a standard lens. Due to the lack of a built-in stabilization system, it is worth looking at the glasses that have the inscription Optical SteadyShot, otherwise you can forget about shooting video or photos at high shutter speeds without a tripod.

You can shoot only in two sizes. Is it classic 3:2 or widescreen 16:9. If you want to get variations, you will have to build a frame adjusted for crop in the editor.

autofocus

The consumer can count on 25 autofocus points. Contrast autofocus. The camera has three types of focusing: AF - automatic mode, MF - manual mode, and DMF - direct manual focusing. If everything is clear with the first two, then the third option makes it possible to adjust the focus manually after the automatics work. Conveniently.

Autofocus is fast, tenacious, almost no false choices were noticed. Manual mode also convenient. When you try to aim with the knobs, an enlarged image immediately pops up, which gives you more control over sharpness. For convenience, there are two modes - x5.9 and x11.7. A variant with the selection of contours is also possible. On the screen during manual focusing, all objects in the sharpness zone are highlighted with contours of different colors - red, yellow or white.

Cinematic Features

The camera can record videos in AVCHD 1080p at 50p/60p or 50i/60i. Specifically, our model can shoot 50p / 50i - it depends on the release, and you can check the information either through the menu or by the sticker on the bottom. Of course, there is a mode and 25r.

Despite the fact that the camera does not have phase sensors, focusing is present in the video. The subject is not lost, the focus does not go to infinity. The camera also allows you to view through the viewfinder, which reduces the level of shaking and allows you to work even in very sunny weather. Although the viewfinder is not a “cake”, as soon as you press the red button, the situation changes in better side- noise disappears, colors return to normal.

Despite the fact that the product is focused more on the professional segment, it implements the functions of the initial models. There are HDR, all kinds of effects and scenes, the ability to shoot panoramas by simply swiping on the arrows. Not forgotten function and 3D panoramas. But one of the most interesting features was shooting with anti-shake. At the same time, the automation takes six shots in speed priority mode, processes them, and at the output you get good frame. This functionality will be useful if you are shooting something at slow shutter speeds or at long focal lengths handheld. Or in poor lighting conditions. Or on the move. The picture is clear and low noise.

ISO 800, lighting - two candles. Shooting during the day, the speed of the car is about 100 km / h, the camera was behind the car.

Which glass to choose

Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

This is the best choice if you don't know which lens you need yet. Universal focal lengths will save in almost any situation, good sharpness will allow you to get beautiful picture, and the built-in stabilization system eliminates blurring when shooting video or photos at slow shutter speeds. And given the low cost bundled with the camera, the lens is simply a must have.

Sony 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS

A universal lens that can more than cover almost all focal lengths, with the exception of highly specialized ones. The wide angle is suitable for architecture, and the long end is suitable for shooting birds. The SteadyShot stabilization system is built into the body, which eliminates shake when shooting in tele-mode handheld.

Sony 10-18mm f/4.0 OSS

Lovers of landscapes and architecture are well aware of the benefits of wide-angle optics. And turn its disadvantages into advantages. If you are one of those people, then good choice becomes a wide-angle zoom lens with a constant f-stop. Viewing angles of 109 * and 76 * will help to cover even the widest scene in one frame. And the built-in stabilizer will remove trembling and blurring in the picture.

Sony 50mm f/1.8

If shooting portraits is a priority, then in addition to the whale glass, a light "fifty kopeck" is perfect, which will allow you to shoot in difficultly lit places and get good results, correct bokeh and avoid distortion. In addition, the focal length will help you not to move the camera for long distances when trying to shoot a group portrait and not to come close to the model for a close-up.

Snapshot gallery

(Click on the top right corner to view full screen)

Liked:

• input for an external microphone;
• long life from one battery charge;
• ergonomic and durable body;
• blur elimination system;
• the ability to shoot video while looking through the viewfinder;
• manual fine-tuning focus;
• the ability to autofocus in video.

Did not like:

• difficult to remove the memory card;
• grainy viewfinder;
• two options for aspect ratio;
• rather high price - $1200 for a bodysuit and $1300 with an 18-55mm lens;
• non-standard hot shoe;
• lack of phase sensors.

Alternative

It stands out for two main features: hybrid autofocus and Wi-Fi support, which allows, among other things, to download additional applications for the camera. The "stuffing" is built on the basis of a 16.1-megapixel APS-C format matrix with sensitivity up to ISO 25,600. But there is one big drawback - for all the balance of the camera, there is no input for an external microphone.

The 4/3″ sensor at the heart of the camera has a number of excellent features. A 16 MP sensor will allow you to get high-quality pictures, a swivel touch screen in all axes will make it easy to shoot video, and a cool autofocus will make it smooth and cinematic. Enough ports - a headphone jack, microphone, HDMI and more. The only downside is the price. Starts from $1500.

Hitting your pocket almost twice as weakly, the camera will be able to offer you excellent picture quality, which is responsible for the 20MP APS-C matrix, Full HD video recording at 30p and audio output. An electronic viewfinder will help out in sunny weather, a three-axis swivel screen - when shooting from uncomfortable angles or video, and a dual-core processor will significantly speed up focusing and writing information to a memory card. It seems that one of the few significant disadvantages here is the lack of a microphone input.

Fujifilm X-E1

A work of art for those who love retro style, despite only 16 MP, can give odds to many. Thanks to the proprietary photo quality is really amazing. The picture is sharp, rich and vibrant. If everything is fine with the photo component of the model, then the video recording is worse. The ability to record video in 1080p at 24fps is not as convenient without a swivel display, and the lack of microphone and headphone jacks make this an alternative for videographers. The price is less than $100.

Another camera with a Micro 4/3 sensor format and a price tag of about $ 1300 can easily compete for superiority in the class. The 16MP sensor, five-axis sensor-shift stabilization system, the fastest autofocus system (according to the company), and 1080p at 60fps and progressive scan are impressive. Throw in a cool retro design and you've got a good camera for everyone. Well, almost everyone. There are no headphone and microphone inputs, and this, I'm sure, can overshadow the impression of many.

Panasonic G6

G6 is an inexpensive representative of the micro 4/3 with a price tag of $700. For this money, the camera will please with really wide opportunities for shooting: an input for an external microphone, an audio input and a swivel three-axis display will simplify the work of operators. The camera writes 60p in Full HD and photos in 16 MP. For amazing shots behind your eyes.

Panasonic GX7

The camera is really: a 4/3 format matrix with a resolution of 16 MP, a stabilization system due to shift. All the characteristics of the photo and video recording are on top, but the most interesting thing concerns the design. The display and electronic viewfinder are rotatable, making it much easier to take both photos and videos. The camera is made in a retro design of magnesium alloy. The declared cost is $1000 for America. We have, I think, not less than 1500.

Summary

Sony Nex-7 good camera for those who want to get the most out of their working tool, but at the same time not burden themselves with the need to carry kilograms on their shoulders. Photographers will appreciate the high-quality and juicy picture, videographers - the ability to shoot high-resolution video with autofocus. That being said, the camera has some shortcomings that could be easily forgiven if the price tag were a bit lower.

Video review Sony NEX-7:

Traveling with large cameras in front of your eyes is becoming a thing of the past: it is both inconvenient and impractical.

Mirrorless system cameras, once thought of as a temporary craze, have three significant advantages:

• Performance. In terms of focusing speed, shutter release delay and other indicators, which together form the concept of speed, the camera is not inferior to large mirror counterparts. Here it is worth noting the relatively quick turn on of the camera, which is important for lovers of street photography.
• Choice of optics. The ability to use a lot of lenses, including third-party ones, unties the hands of any photo maniac. And as you understand, it makes it possible to obtain excellent quality images without sacrificing the compactness of the camera.
• compactness-compactness-compactness. Without compromise. If with a DSLR the question of whether to take it with you today or not has always been urgent, now it’s enough to throw the camera in your backpack, and it is always with you.

For these simple reasons, almost all tourists now go either with soap dishes, or with iPhones, or with mirrorless cameras. The rest are inveterate enthusiasts, like the Russian couple, who took 24-70 and 70-200 with them to the carcass. I'll be surprised if they don't have grenades with them.

What is remarkable about the Sony NEX-7 camera in this story? In this regard, Sony has made a very interesting camera, and what exactly it is interesting for, you will learn from our article.

Equipment

The kit includes the body, SEL1855 E18-55mm F3.5-5.6 lens, strap, battery, charger, and USB cable. You won't find detailed instructions on paper (a tribute to the global struggle to conserve natural resources), so if you are too lazy to read the instructions in in electronic format, then be prepared to study the camera by trial and error, that is, a scientific poke.

Appearance and ergonomics

Surprisingly, Sony designers managed to make a very ergonomic and easy-to-use camera. The first impression when you take it in your hands is a comfortable grip. It is achieved by a thoughtful shape and high-quality materials from which the camera is made. All this provides a good grip.

Unlike other cameras in the NEX series, the seven has a black whale lens, which emphasizes the status of the camera as the top of its line.

Camera control is well thought out, everything is at hand. Most of the work with the camera goes through the main control dial, which also works as a joystick.

The additional two control wheels change their functions depending on the shooting mode. The functions of each control are displayed on the screen in the position corresponding to the location of the buttons or dials, making the process of exploring the camera intuitively, and this is especially true given that short instruction teaches only to charge the battery. The button next to the shutter button can be programmed to switch between certain settings.

Fortunately, the display is not touch-sensitive, and all camera control is concentrated on the body, which is very pleasing, because cameras with control on the display sometimes look worse than a condom used for its intended purpose.

Turning on the camera is very fast, however, under some conditions, the camera needs up to 1 second, or even more, to navigate the lighting and adjust the exposure pair. This moment is not critical, but it should be taken into account when talking about instant turn-on.

This is Sony's first mirrorless camera with built-in flash and a hot shoe.

The only problem is that the hot shoe is not the standard one used by the whole world, but our own. However, this is a well-known feature of the Sony-style phenomenon, born by Minolta designers. If you want to shoot in the studio or wear a third-party flash - buy an adapter. (The 2012 Sony camera models introduced a traditional-style hot shoe, but this remark is not relevant to the topic of this article.)

Specifications

Number of effective pixels 24.3 million Sensitivity ISO 100-16000 Picture format RAW, JPEG, 3D MPO, DPOF Image resolution 6000×4000, 4240×2832, 3008×2000 Video Format AVCHD/MP4 Video resolution AVCHD:
1920×1080 (50p, 28Mbps, PS)
1920×1080 (50i, 24Mbps, FX)
1920×1080 (50i, 17Mbps, FH)
1920x1080 (25p, 24Mbps, FX)
1920×1080 (25p, 17Mbps, FH)
MP4:
1440×1080 (25 fps, 12 Mbps)
640x480 (30 fps, 3 Mbps) Lens construction Interchangeable lenses (E-mount) Display Swivel 7.5 cm (3.0-inch), 921,600 dots Viewfinder Electronic, -4.0 to +4.0 diopters. Focus modes Continuous Focus Mode, Single Shot Mode, Direct Manual Focus, Manual Focus Focus zones Spot, multi (25 points), manual metering 1200-segment matrix metering. Exposure metering: multi-zone, center-weighted, spot Exposure compensation-5EV to +5EV in 1/3 EV steps excerpts 1/4000-30s and continuous white balance Daylight, shade, cloudy, incandescent, fluorescent, flash, color temperature setting, manual and auto modes Descent timer 2 s, 10 s flash guide number 6Flash modes No flash, auto, fill-in, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, wireless flash Microphone Stereo Speaker Mono Memory cards Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, SD, SDHC, SDXC Source of power Li-ion battery NP-FW50 7.7 Wh Dimensions (WxHxD) 119.9×66.9×42.6 mm, without lens Weight 400 g including battery

Matrix

CMOS sensor 23.5×15.6 mm (APS-C size)

During the test and travel, I saw several tourists with DSLRs and caught myself thinking: how cool it is to have such a small and convenient camera at hand. After all, the Sony NEX-7 with a kit lens weighs less than a 24-70 lens from Nikon. This is not to mention the weight of any DSLR with a similar lens.

Matrix

The camera is equipped with a 23.5×15.6mm (APS-C size) CMOS sensor with a real resolution of 24.3 megapixels. The matrix perfectly holds high sensitivity values ​​\u200b\u200bfor its physical size.

The camera saves images in the sRGB or Adobe RGB color space.

ISO range 100-12800. Quite worthy values.

I specifically so dryly list the characteristics of the matrix. The fact is that Sony does everything in a very Japanese way. It seems that they take the usual cropped matrix and, with the help of additional camera functions, squeeze 120% of efficiency out of it. I will discuss these features in more detail below.

Display

The display of the camera is bright, clear and rich in colors, it is pleasant not only to aim and shoot, but also to watch the footage. I remind you, unlike the NEX-5n, it is not touch-sensitive.

The display tilts up 90 degrees and down 45 degrees. This is very convenient when shooting from the top or bottom points.

As you understand, with this scheme, the screen is always open and is not protected from damage during transportation. If the camera hangs around the neck all day, like a typical tourist, the risk of scratching the screen is not so small. It's good that when you look into the viewfinder (if you, like most photographers, look into the eyepiece with your right eye), your nose does not rest on the screen and does not leave annoying imprints. By the way, the angular placement of the viewfinder eyepiece has another significant plus: using the left eye, it is easier for you to keep control of the surrounding space.

The screen, indeed, is easily scratched during everyday use, so for those who want to play it safe, not relying on their own accuracy, we advise you to seal it with a protective film.

Unlike lower models, the NEX-7 adds a digital OLED viewfinder, which is only an option for other Sony mirrorless cameras. The viewfinder provides 100% frame coverage and is very a high resolution- 2.4 megapixels.

The viewfinder turns on when you bring the camera close to your face (using the proximity sensor, like the iPhone), at the same time the monitor turns off. The digital viewfinder has a number of disadvantages: its operation consumes the camera's energy supply, the matrix heats up, some users say they feel discomfort when looking at the electronic screen from such a short distance.

On the other hand, this is not a DSLR, and either a digital viewfinder or an analog, optical one is possible here, which will more or less inaccurately match what the matrix will eventually “see”, as it was on the Canon G1 X test. And this argument confidently outweighs all previous shortcomings!

The display has three brightness controls:

• Automatic, like on the iPhone, adjusts the brightness of the screen depending on the ambient light. And, just like on an iPhone, even in bright sunlight it never raises the brightness to the maximum. Don't be alarmed if you suddenly experience a jump in brightness and/or saturation when shooting video outdoors or indoors, it's just a display tweak.
• Manual brightness mode, here you can unscrew it to the maximum.
• Sunny weather mode. This mode brightens the display and increases the saturation of the picture. Otherwise, under the rays of the sun, it seems that you are shooting something very faded.

The viewfinder has two brightness modes: automatic and manual.

Shooting modes

In addition to the P, A, S and M shooting modes familiar to us on SLR cameras, the NEX-7 has an intelligent auto mode. This is the same machine that makes masterpieces, only it determines what scene you are shooting and what happens there. How is this mode different from normal auto? Only a clever definition of what is happening in the scene. For example, in this mode, when shooting an evening city, the flash will not jump out and illuminate the next two meters of the landscape for you. The camera evaluates the scene and selects the settings for the landscape. But if a person is standing in front of you against the background of a sunset, then the camera will determine this as a night portrait with backlight and fire a flash.

If you do not trust the camera to select the shooting mode, then there is a separate function for setting the mode. But on my journey, I didn’t need it, the machine coped with this task perfectly. And for other things, it's easier to work in the usual PASM modes.

Shooting panoramas with wire

Another interesting mode is panorama shooting with camera wiring. You choose a direction, press the shutter button, pan, that is, calmly move the camera around a vertical or horizontal axis, after which you get a finished panorama in jpg format. The only thing worth paying attention to is that when panning very fast, the camera will complain that you are panning the camera too fast, and if you pan too slowly, it will complain that you are panning too slowly. But this is a matter of habit.

The quality of gluing panoramas is very high, even when shooting handheld and shooting water. Maximum Resolution horizontal panoramas - 12 416 × 1856 pixels, and vertical 5536 × 2160.

This is very true for the landscape. The fact is that a wide angle does not give you the opportunity to get large details of the landscape, everything is compressed into one frame and turns out to be extremely small.

And the panorama just allows you to include really large details in the landscape.

There is a panorama mode for 3D TVs that works exactly the same, but due to the lack of a 3D TV, we have not yet tested this mode.

Night shooting without a tripod

Among individual regimes you can also find one that is designed specifically for handheld shooting in low light conditions. In this mode, the camera raises the ISO value to the maximum possible, takes six shots in a row with one press of the shutter and immediately glues one clear frame from these frames with a minimum amount of noise, which it saves. You have to pay for this by writing data only in jpg format. I believe that at the same time, the noise suppression function is actively included in the work.

Sony NEX-7, 1/160s, f/5.0, ISO6400

100% crop

whale lens

In the kit version, you get a camera with a SEL1855 E18-55mm F3.5-5.6 lens. For a whale lens, it gives a very decent picture in terms of detail and contrast, especially given the high resolution of the matrix - 24 megapixels.

See for yourself at 100% crop below the original image (it's clickable).

27mm, 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 100

Photography

A whale lens camera focuses as fast as SLR camera. This is amazing! After trying to shoot kids with the rather slow Canon G1X, it's doubly impressive. And the response delay after the descent seems to be hundredths of a second!

After that, the entire argumentation of opponents of mirrorless cameras causes only a condescending smile, similar to the one that appears at the sight of a three-month-old kitten baring its fangs and menacingly hissing.

The speed of the camera is amazing: the first frame can be taken 0.6 seconds after turning on the camera. Focusing a kit lens takes from 0.11 to 0.22 s at a focal length of 18 mm and 55 mm, respectively. In fact, the NEX-7, like the iPhone, constantly adjusts focus even if you don't press the shutter button; that is, at any moment you can focus and take a picture much faster, and when you press the shutter lightly, the camera will instantly focus.

High-speed shooting is possible at a speed of 3 and 10 frames per second. At three frames / s, the camera works like a SLR, takes frames and shows what is happening on the screen. But 10 frames / s is already a high-speed mode, here the camera focuses and measures the exposure for the first frame and does not even show what is happening on the display when shooting. At 10 fps in raw+jpg format, the buffer fills up after 12-13 frames. The speed of saving files and, accordingly, clearing the buffer depends on the speed of data transfer that your memory card provides.

In the menu, you can choose what service information you want to see on the display during shooting.

By the way, the camera has a very comfortable level of camera position. Firstly, it is called as service information, and for this you do not need to wade through the jungle of menu settings. Secondly, the level is displayed both horizontally and vertically. The scale is very sensitive, so you can tune quite accurately.

The camera has a dynamic range optimization function, DRO (Dynamic Range Optimization). This function programmatically tightens dark and light areas in such a way that details remain. The mode can work in automatic mode, or in one of the five activity options you choose.

DRO has two differences from HDR. Firstly, DRO requires one frame to work, and not several, as for HDR. And secondly, DRO saves the photo in RAW, while HDR can only make JPG. Of course, DRO is a kind of software correction that can be done in the editor, but the camera itself gives quite a decent result, after which you don’t really want to tinker with such things in the editing program.

Of course, the ability to create an HDR image is built into the camera, but for this, as you understand, it will be necessary to shoot three frames already. And this is not as convenient as working with the DRO function.

White balance often makes mistakes, but when shooting in RAW, I don’t pay attention to these nonsense for a long time.

Use of third party optics

Here the choice is very large. First, Samyang manufactures optics for the NEX system. We recently published the test results of the Fisheye 8 mm lens, designed specifically for the NEX system. Secondly, the company Novoflex, known to us from the tests of the panoramic head, also produces a whole line of adapters for cameras of the Sony NEX system. Thanks to them, the following lenses can be used with the camera: Canon FD, Nikon, Olympus OM, Pentax K, Minolta AF/Sony, Minolta MD, Leica M, Leica R, M42, Contax/Yashica, T2.

Using non-autofocus lenses

For manual focusing in live view, there is a 5.9x and 11.7x zoom function for precise focusing. When shooting portraits, a 5.9x magnification is enough, and for landscape and architectural photography, when working from a tripod, 11.7x magnification helps a lot.

The NEX-7 automatically enables this mode when a non-AF lens is installed.

To make it easier to work with manual focus, there is a peaking mode that highlights the outlines of the image that is in focus with color. But in practice, this hindered the author more than helped. Enlargement of the image is more than enough for focusing.

Hand-held focusing in bright sunlight is difficult, even at maximum display brightness. This problem is partially solved by the viewfinder, although it is digital, it is closed from sunlight.

Additional functions

The camera has a “Picture Effect” section, which contains a large set of presets for in-camera photo processing. The number of options is amazing: slide imitation, different options for translating to b/w, posterization, and even fashionable Lately online miniature effect.

Battery

The first charge of the battery takes a very long time, and for the first hour of charging, our battery could not even turn on the camera and say that everything was working. So don't panic if the same thing happens to you.

The battery itself is only 1080 mAh in capacity. But at the same time, it can withstand about 900 frames mixed with video. Of course, with active video shooting, the battery sits down noticeably faster.

As a result, we come to the conclusion that the battery must withstand an active tourist day.

Video filming

The camera shoots video in AVCHD and MP4 formats at 1920×1080 and 1440×1080 respectively.

AVCHD allows you to shoot interlaced and progressive video at 50 fps (or 25 fps for cinematic effect). For MP4, such rich settings are not provided. This is easily explained by the fact that the AVCHD format is the brainchild of Sony and Panasonic.

Unfortunately, such a problem as the jelly effect (Rolling Shutter) when moving the camera is noticeably noticeable, although not critical if you are not going to shoot action films for Hollywood.

When working in the heat for a long time, especially when shooting video, the matrix overheats, as a result of which a thermometer icon appears on the screen, after which the camera shoots another minute of video and turns off. It cools down quickly and after 2-3 minutes it is ready to work again.

You can connect an external microphone via a standard 3.5mm jack. However, the camera has no microphone sensitivity level adjustment.

conclusions

We really liked the camera. It is compact, lightweight and highly functional. And also very fast and well thought out in terms of ergonomics. Of course, the price bites, but the camera works out its money one hundred percent.

Let's look at the bare facts.

pros

• A high resolution
• Quality matrix
• Good picture at high ISO
• Good ergonomics
• Rich functionality
• Large number of third-party lenses

Minuses

• High price
• Own hot shoe
• Auto ISO limited to 1600
• Unprotected display

original files

You can download and view RAW files taken with the Sony NEX-7 camera from this link. JPG files are shot in modes that do not allow shooting in RAW.

Snapshot examples

18mm, 1/125, f/13, ISO 100

45mm, 1/125, f/13, ISO 100

18mm, 1/1250, f/9, ISO 100

18mm, 1/160, f/13, ISO 100

18mm, 1/125, f/13, ISO 1600

18mm, 1/160, f/3.5, ISO 1600. Shot using night mode

18mm, 1/50, f/3.5, ISO 6400

18mm, 1/200, f/10, ISO 100

18mm, 1/100, f/11, ISO 100

8mm, 1/500, f/4, ISO 100

8mm, 1/800, f/4, ISO 100

26mm, 1/320, f/13, ISO 100

42mm, 1/50, f/4.5, ISO 1600

18mm, 1/250, f/11, ISO 100. Photo is clickable.

Sony Alpha NEX-7 Review | About Mirrorless

Sony is good at not only making interesting products, but also creating an aura of what they want. At the same time, the Japanese developer prefers to follow its own technological and market strategy. But what about the competitors? Wait, what are the competitors?

However, here, alas, not without a few fly in the ointment. For example, EVI is very demanding on the viewing angle - you can work with it only by bringing the camera strictly at a right angle to the eye's line of sight. I looked at the EVI a little from the side and that's it - the picture starts to double, the image quality drops. This moment is very unpleasant when shooting quickly, when there is no time to apply the camera to the eye accurately and evenly. Moiré and digital artifacts in EVI are also very noticeable and often interfere with building a frame normally, unfortunately. Under artificial lighting, flickering is observed from time to time in the viewfinder.

For those who wear glasses, EVI is not so convenient, because the activation sensor does not always work when the camera is brought close to the lenses of the glasses. Other cameras with similar EVI did not have such problems. For this reason, you need to press the camera more tightly against the lenses of the glasses. However, EVI has a diopter corrector of +/- 4 units and it can partly correct this situation.

Sony Alpha NEX-7 with Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L

In addition to branded LA-EA1 and LA-EA2 adapters, NEX camera owners can find solutions from third-party manufacturers such as Fotodiox, RainbowImaging in online stores. Their cost is incommensurable with the price of the same LA-EA2, but at the same time, the functionality of these models is much more modest. Buying an adapter for a couple of tens of dollars, one cannot even dream of autofocus.

It still remains one of the most attractive mirrorless cameras on the market. Unlike other models of the NEX line, which are clearly designed for a beginner amateur photographer, the NEX-7 has a set of features that, on paper, are attractive even for a serious photographer. But how good is the camera? real life? This is what we are trying to figure out now.

Specifications Sony Alpha NEX-7

• Permission: 24 MP (6000x4000).
• Matrix size: 23.4x15.6 mm (APS-C).
• Technology, matrix manufacturer: CMOS, Sony.
• Dust cleaning system: yes, ultrasonic.
• Image stabilization: In lenses (optical stabilizer).
• autofocus: contrast autofocus; the ability to select the focus area.
• Shutter speed range: 1/4000-30s
• Built-in flash: Yes; Minolta/Sony hot shoe for connecting external flashes.
• exposure compensation: ±5 EV (1/3 stop increments).
• metering: matrix, center-weighted, spot.
• Supported lenses: Sony E, Sony/Minolta A (via adapter).
• Burst shooting: 3 fps or 10 fps.
• Storage device: SD/SDHC memory cards or Memory Stick PRO Duo.
• File formats: JPEG, RAW (ARW), RAW+JPEG.
• Screen: 3" TFT, 921k dots.
• Viewfinder: Built-in OLED viewfinder, 2.4 million dot resolution, diopter adjustment.
• Nutrition: Li-ion battery NP-FW50 (1080 mAh).
• Dimensions and weight: 120x67x43 mm, 353 grams (without memory card, battery and lens).

Appearance and control

The Sony NEX-7 looks like every other camera in the NEX line. The main features of the device can be called a very thin body with a bayonet protruding beyond its limits and a massive "handle" for the right hand, making it easy and convenient to hold the NEX-7 with one hand. The body of the camera is made of magnesium alloy, the "handle" is covered with a layer of soft rubber and does not slip in the hands - in general, the materials are first-class.

Unlike the cheaper NEX cameras, the NEX-7 comes with Minolta's signature hot shoe and a built-in flash that pops out of the top like a jack-in-the-box. Alas, the camera cannot remotely control Sony system flashes - to get this functionality, you need to purchase a Sony HVL-F20AM compact flash.

Pay attention to the two control wheels located on the top of the camera. They are part of TriNavi's innovative control scheme, which consists of three control wheels and one button. The wheels are used to change camera parameters (for example, in aperture priority mode, they change aperture, exposure compensation and ISO sensitivity), and the button allows you to quickly switch between different parameters - and, which is especially nice, the user can choose which functions to “hang” on which wheel. This organization of the interface allows you to almost never access the main menu - which is very cool, because the main menu in the Sony NEX-7 is just awful.

In addition to the TriNavi interface, the user can assign the desired functions to the traditional NEX camera line soft keys located to the right of the screen.

Screen and viewfinder

Sony NEX-7 is equipped with a built-in electronic viewfinder that uses OLED technology. The viewfinder has a resolution of 2.4 million dots and produces a very clear and smooth picture: individual pixels are completely invisible to the eye. The main disadvantage of the NEX-7's viewfinder is its small dynamic range and its tendency to cast shadows into pure black, which can sometimes make framing uncomfortable. This problem can be minimized if you set the contrast value to -3 in the camera JPEG settings (this, of course, implies that you are shooting in RAW; otherwise, it is not clear why you need such a camera). I also cannot but note a very hard eyecup, which makes sighting uncomfortable.

The folding screen in the Sony NEX-7 has a resolution of 920 thousand dots and is made using TruBlack technology. It has a very high maximum brightness and is clearly visible even in bright sunlight. Also, like all flip screens, it gives the user the ability to crop from awkward positions.

Optics

The Sony NEX-7 is equipped with the Sony E mount and uses optics for this mount. The following lenses are available on the market right now:

• Sony E 16mm f/2.8;
• Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS;
• Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS;
• Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE;
• Sony (Carl Zeiss) 24mm f/1.8;
• Sony E 30mm f/3.5 Macro;
• Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS;
• Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS;
• Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN;
• Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN;
• Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III VC.

Unfortunately, with the exception of the 24mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.8 OSS lenses, the Sony NEX optics are unable to resolve the NEX-7's 24MP sensor, especially at the edges of the frame. This is due to the poor design of the microlenses. In addition, all lenses with a focal length of 24mm or less, including the "whale" zoom, when used in conjunction with the Sony NEX-7, show a color shift in the corners of the frame.

One option for the NEX-7 is to use old handheld optics through adapters. The camera is perfectly suited for this due to the short working distance (only 18 mm) and the presence of a peaking mode, which helps with manual focusing.

Video mode

Sony NEX-7 does not have a separate video mode as such - you can start recording video at any time by pressing the appropriate button. The camera allows you to record video in AVCHD Progressive format with a refresh rate of 50 fps and a bit rate of 28 Mbps. During video recording, manual exposure and sensitivity control is possible. In general, in my opinion, the video mode in the NEX-7 is implemented inconveniently, since the image area during cropping does not correspond to the real frame during video recording.

Image quality

Given the above, I can not help but note that the Sony NEX-7 provides a very good image quality. most strong point camera is the widest dynamic range and the ability to recover lost information from overexposure.

Camera JPEG: information in highlights is lost

RAW, processed in Lightroom 4.1: the Highlights tool allows you to restore not only tonal information, but also color information

On the other hand, the 24-megapixel sensor does not have a particularly low noise level and is very sensitive to underexposure, so the optimal strategy when shooting on the NEX-7 is to set a permanent exposure compensation of +0.7 EV (especially since overexposures, as I already mentioned, can easily be restore when developing RAW files).

RAW, Lightroom 4.1, noise reduction: Color 0, Luminance 0

test shots

As usual, test shots can be found in a separate gallery on Torba.com.

In the dry matter

Without a doubt, the Sony Alpha NEX-7 is an excellent camera overall. It delivers very good overall image quality (although the noise level could be lower) and has decent ergonomics (although Sony's menus definitely need some work). As a separate point, I would like to note the excellent electronic viewfinder, which is definitely one of the best, if not the best, on the market. In addition, the NEX-7 finally has a built-in flash and hot shoe, for the absence of which advanced users often criticized previous cameras in the NEX line.

However, the current range of Sony E-mount optics leaves a lot to be desired, which goes against the camera's positioning. It is impossible not to mention the fact that the existing optics, with rare exceptions, do not behave very well together with the 24-megapixel matrix installed in the NEX-7. Given the high cost of the camera (12,000 hryvnias for a “carcass” and almost 14,000 hryvnias for a kit kit), it can be recommended for purchase only if you know exactly why you need it.

6 reasons to buy Sony NEX-7:

• high real resolution, especially when shooting in RAW;
• excellent dynamic range and margin in the "highlights";
• large and high-quality electronic viewfinder;
• convenient TriNavi control;
• high-quality metal case;
• burst shooting at up to 10 fps.

4 reasons not to buy Sony NEX-7:

• the level of color noise could be lower;
• a meager assortment and dubious quality of optics for the Sony E mount;
• inconvenient menu;
• bad video mode.