Switched camps to Sony today with the Sony NEX 6

[calloyd]

My beloved Canon has become much to heavy for me carry around on a day out so today I jumped in at the deep end and bought the Sony NEX 6 with twin lenses.

I didn't get much of a chance to "play" before the battery went flat but I think I'm in for a huge learning curve before my Indonesian holiday on Dec 9th. The image quality of the few "snaps" I took look promising but conditions weren't ideal and I really felt that half the time I didn't know what I was doing - and when I put the pics on the computer Photoshop didn't recognise the RAW files so I had to convert them first with the Sony software.

One thing I did find unsatisfactory was the battery charger. The charger which comes with the camera only allows the battery to be charged while in the camera - something I really hate So I've had to buy another charger. I feel they could've done away with the international plugs which came in the box and put a decent battery charger in instead!

I have to say though I'm really looking forward to the challenge of mastering a camera new system as well as not having my backpack feeling as if it's filled with bricks.

It's really cute

[ricktas]

Looking forward to seeing some photos from it soon.

[Boo53]

I think you'll be happy when you work through the menu's.

I've only had a brief play with a friends nex7, but apart from body form & menu system "the innards" are the same as the alpha cameras.

[cphosavanh]

Hope you have a great holiday!
Looking forward to seeing pics and further reviews from you.
I'm also checking out the NEX-6 as a new camera but am unsure about it's strengths and weaknesses. It would be great to hear (read?) first hand

Incidently, how's the battery life?

[N*A*M]

congrats. welcome to the fold. i'm such a big fan of my 5N that i sold my D700. my wallet, wrist, neck and shoulders are eternally grateful.

[dulvariprestige]

And you can also get an adapter to use you canon lens, the better ones let you retain all the lenses functions including AF

[Analog6]

Look forward to seeing how it shapes up. I have read great things about this camera and am considering it as a replcement for my handbag Lumix (when I get some dosh of course).

- - - Updated - - -

congrats. welcome to the fold. i'm such a big fan of my 5N that i sold my D700. my wallet, wrist, neck and shoulders are eternally grateful.

Please tell us more. How is the quality of the images compared to the D700? Does the dynamic range hold up? Anything else you can think of, please. What size / resolution are its RAW photos?

What lenses do you have - are the zooms any good (if you have any). Seeing some good prices for them out there.

[Rattus79]

If the Sony sensor in my Pentax k5 is anything to go by DR will be the least of your problems ...

From what I hear, these are great little cameras. Enjoy!

Now, stop teasing us, get out there and get some pics for us to drool over!

[JM Tran]

I will be buying a NEX5 N or R model over the next week for my travel website, the much smaller weight of the body with the prime lens, combined with what is possibly the best APSC sensor on the market today makes for an excellent travel package.

[Analog6]

I will be buying a NEX5 N or R model over the next week for my travel website, the much smaller weight of the body with the prime lens, combined with what is possibly the best APSC sensor on the market today makes for an excellent travel package.

The 5N is the one I was keen on, do let us know what you think of it.

[calloyd]

I haven't been around much over the festive season but thought I'd come back and mention that the Sony NEX 6 is really great and since I've had it haven't taken my Canon out of its bag. Carrying a lighter load on holidays made travelling so much easier and much more enjoyable!

I shot my photos in RAW and JPEG so I could compare the two when I got home. I mostly used the 16-50mm kit lens and found quite a bit of barrel distortion in the Raw photos when taken at 16mm. This distortion decreased, in fact was barely noticeable as I got closer to 50mm. In the Jpegs straight out of the camera it was "fixed" automatically so anyone taking just Jpegs wouldn't know it was there. There was also some vignetting in corners but no more than with the Canon and its lenses. Both are easily fixed in photoshop.

Apart from that the image quality is excellent with lots of detail across the whole photo, excellent colour and noise much better controlled at higher ISO than my Canon.

I've used Canon's for many years and wasn't as quick at altering the settings so on quite a few occasions I resorted to auto but generally the menu is easy to get around and the camera comfortable to use. For the first time I've used a camera with an adjustable screen and love it. Also for the first time I'm using a power zoom (on the 16-50mm lens), still not sure I like it though and ended up manually adjusting the zoom on most occasions. It was quicker and I could get it to where I wanted it more accurately.

I've heard and read quite a bit about the quality of the Sigma prime lenses, namely the 19mm and 30mm and eventually hope to get them when the finances settle down a bit but for now I'm really happy with the NEX 6 and find because its smaller and lighter I'm taking it with me more often. Not quite pocket size but it fits into my large handbag perfectly.

Raw Image.jpg
Raw image showing distortion from 16-50mm lens at 16mm

Jpeg from Camera.jpg
Jpeg straight from camera.
Slight cropping done to straighten both images otherwise no adjustments.

[Analog6]

Thanks Carole, that is really helpful. I really want to get one of these and hope I may be in a position to do so in a month or two. I planned to get the 16-50 lens for a starter lens too, seems a useful range.

I take it then you have the NEX 6R with the rotatable screen? There seem to be a lot of variations on it.

[calloyd]

On the box it just says NEX 6Y twin lens kit but on the Sony website there's the NEX 6B (body only), the NEX 6LB (single lens kit) and the NEX 6YB (twin lens) - which is what I have. The actual camera is the same for each (NEX 6) it just depends how many lenses you get in the box as to what letters come after the 6.

The screen flips up approx 90 degrees and down 45 degrees so I guess its not a true rotatable screen but a vast improvement on the screen I have on the 550D which doesn't move at all.

I nearly bought the NEX 5N and did think half heartedly about the NEX 7 so the 6 seemed to be a good compromise as I wanted the flash and EVF but didn't really want the 7's 24 mp.

The other alternative was the 5R which came out at approx the same time as the 6. The 5R screen flips up 180 degrees and has a touch screen like the 5N but also like the 5N it has no built-in flash or EVF. I believe the difference in the two is a re-designed sensor. The 5R also comes with the 18-55mm lens instead of the 16-50mm.

I have to admit I researched the NEX's (and other brands) for months, as you said there's lots of variations and letters and it was quite confusing to start with as none seemed to have everything I wanted until the NEX 6 came out. A good website to compare cameras is www.snapsort.com which lists all specifications as well as their opinion on its rating.

It seemed a large outlay financially, especially as I had eventually got my Canon kit set up but at the moment I certainly don't regret buying the Sony.

Good luck with your purchase

[N*A*M]

oh i forgot to check back in on this thread.

as for comparing to the D700, it's a different type of camera.
i love the dynamic range, compact size, light weight, quiet operation. i miss the high ISO ability (but not that greatly), flash system, AF speed.

i was never sold on the EVF to start with, but i've since decided to get one. except now they seem to be hard to come by, sony australia have no ETA.

i love the two sigma primes. the next lens purchase will probably be the 10-18. probably pass on the 35/1.8 and save my money up for the new zeiss lenses when they come. have also been mulling over getting a speedbooster and some canon glass (maybe 135L, or 17ts). blasphemy?

[Rattus79]

I reckon a 17TS would kick Butt on one of these with a speed booster. I could see myself getting a Canon DSLR to cut the speed booster out of the equation though.

[laitaktak911]

i also has a nex6 with zeiss 24f1.8. It works perfectly.