Sony Alpha NEX-5

Description

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Global description

The Sony Alpha NEX-5 has proved an extremely popular choice with photographers and is an excellent option for those looking to find the perfect balance between image quality and versatility. It may be the world's smallest, mirrorless digital camera, but it is certainly making a big impression.

Everything about this sleek digital camera oozes a sense of class. With a 14.2 megapixel APS-C sized sensor on hand to capture the sharpest images, as well as Sony NEX series' first interchangeable lens design to support continuous autofocus during 1080i AVCHD video recording, the Sony Alpha NEX-5 is an extremely exciting innovation.

The camera also sports a wide 3-inch slim LCD with 921,000-dot resolution and brand new Sony E-mount to benefit from interchangeable lenses - take your choice between a standard 18-55mm lens with Optical SteadyShot or a 16mm pancake prime lens.

At just 288g, it is light enough to be carried up hills with the minimum amount of fuss, using the strap provided to sit comfortably in front of your body - although the camera will weigh another 500g once a lens is added.

On top of the portability, it has good storage with two memory card standards and a 7.2V 1080mAh lithium-ion battery, tested to the CIPA standard - generating an approximate 330 shots per charge.

The price of the this camera is competitive to the market and you certainly get fantastic value for money with the quality and range of photographs it can produce.

Features/Characteristics

When it comes to the technical specifications and features of the stylish Sony Alpha NEX-5, it is a genuine competitor to its rivals on the market.

The newest feature to join this camera is an extensive range of interchangeable lenses that will dramatically expand the artist's everyday shots.

Using the improved E-mount camera system, beautifully crafted with an aluminium barrel, the photographer can opt for an 18-55mm kit lens SteadyShot image stabilisation for hand-held images, or a 16mm kit pancake prime lens to minimise bulk when being lugged around. If you fancy a little bit more power, then you can also choose an optional kit with 18-200mm for an 11x magnification range

It is also the first camera to offer HD video recording at the touch of a button. Full HD (1920 x 1080i) video can be captured when high quality AVCHD files are connected to an HD television. You will also be able to listen to a high quality soundtrack using the compact ECM-SST1 Stereo Microphone.

Another groundbreaking feature to get the mouth watering is the newly-developed 14.2 megapixel APS-C sensor. Although it is much larger than normal sensors, it reduces interference with low-noise pixels of APS-C format chips with advanced high-speed features.

This loud and proud camera has plenty more to shout about with a super-slim LCD that tilts 80 degrees up and 45 degrees down to give the photographer a greater view of what they have taken. The display also uses Sony's Clear Photo LCD Plus and Tru Black technology for excellent visibility. Still and video camera quality is further refined by a powerfully charged BIONZ processor that ensures an extremely fast burst of images up to 7fps.

The Sony Alpha NEX-5 is also very easy to use - with controls to suit even the amateur photographer. You could almost throw away the handbook as shooting tips are built into the camera. Shooting parameters can be accessed via an intuitive control wheel and two soft keys - turning the control dial allows depth of focus changes to be previewed 'live' on the 3-inch wide LCD.

Another interesting feature is the sweeping panorama view when holding down the shutter button, resulting in panorama up to 12,416 pixels wide, covering a horizontal angle of 149-226 degrees. For a narrower panoramic view just sweep vertically. This will result in a panorama up to 5,536 pixels wide covering a vertical angle of 106-151 degrees.

Other features of this product include a dust removal system, smile detection, two autofocus modes AF-S for single focus and AF-C for continuous focus, and white balance options to match your surroundings. Dynamic Range Optimisation will also enhance shadows and maintain highlights.

Although there is very little to the NEX-5'S lightweight magnesium body beyond the handgrip and the flip-out screen, the camera is easy to hold and provides a stable shot when holding with both hands.