Sony NEX and PlayStation PlayMemories Image Viewer

Sony PS3 PlayMemories Image Viewer

Here is a quick video of NEX panoramas viewed with PlayMemories on the PlayStation 3. PlayMemories supports 3D photos from the NEX, unfortunately our TV is not 3D capable. What we can show you is a panorama taken with the NEX-5 at Monza during the 2010 Italian Grand Prix.

We have not printed out a panorama and PlayMemories is a great alternative of sharing ultra-wide photos from the NEX. The exif information of the photo can be seen by press the X button on the controller. 12416 x 1856 pixels is difficult to print but easy to view on a large screen.

The video was taken with the older NEX-5 with a Contax 28mm f/2.8 Distagon.

White Sony NEX-5N with Electronic Viewfinder

Here is Conrad A-B's NEX-5N in White livery with the FDA-EV1S electronic viewfinder. Are these the first white bodied NEX-5Ns to the the Americas? It's good looking kit.

Sony NEX-5N in White by Conrad A-B

Stock Image of NEX-5N in White

Thanks Conrad!

Canon EF Smart Adapter on NEX-FS100 Camcorder

Sony NEX-FS100 with Conurus Smart EF Lens Adapter

Here is a video by Luc Buelens showing the Sony NEX-FS100 Super 35mm Camcorder and the Conurus Canon EF Smart lens adapter with aperture control. The NEX-FS100 is shown to control the Canon 50mm f/1.4, 17-40L, and 70-200/f4L. Unfortunately the Canon 300mm f/4 lens did not work properly with the NEX Canon EF Smart Adapter.

Read more about the NEX EF Smart Adapter from our post here.

Sony NEX-FS100 with Canon 17-40L

Check out more videos by Luc Buelens.

Thanks Luc!

Sony NEX-7 Video Tips from Luminous Landscape

Sony NEX-7 with 50mm f/1.8 OSS Lens

Luminous Landscape posted their review of the NEX-7's video capabilities. They have an overall favorable review of the NEX-7. The article is very informative - read it.

Here is what they say about the NEX-7 as a video camera.

The Sony NEX-7 is a decent camera for shooting video. Like all DSLRs and CSCs it has its limitations, but it's not as bad as some. The scaling that Sony uses to go from 24MP down to about 2MP for video does produce some artifacts, but in many ways is better than the line skipping that Canon uses.
...
The reality is that in its price range it's an excellent choice. There are the usual video DSLR problems of moire, aliasing and rolling shutter, but no worse than many, and better than some. Indeed the highly regarded Canon 5D MKII's video quality is, in my opinion, worse than that from the NEX-7 in many respects.

Here's a summary of tips we learned from Luminous Landscape NEX-7 the Video Camera Review:

• Set the NEX to 16:9 mode. The LCD preview will match the video for framing.
• Shoot in M (manual mode), set the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed desired, and then rotate the variable ND until you have the appropriate exposure.
• Equipment
• Sony E 18-200mm OSS for a general purpose video lens, for its silent AF and OSS.
• Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS and Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 ZA Sonnar for speed and field of view.
• Turn of OSS when shooting video with the NEX on a tripod.
• For maximum malleability in color correction, set the NEX Creative Style to Natural and set Contrast, Saturation and Sharpness each to -3. Adjust color in your editing / grading software e.g. Final Cut Pro X.

Standard vs Natural Creative Style by Luminous Landscape

Serious about video?

consider the Sony FS100. It has a full raster sensor of 3.43 M pixels (2464 x 1394), which means that no scaling is required, reducing colour artifacting. The relatively large pixels also mean extreemly good low light sensitivity as well. It has a full range of cine oriented controls and features and is simply head and shoulders a better video camera than the NEX-7, or any video DSLR for the matter.

Read the complete NEX-7 Video Capabilities review with video samples at Luminous Landscape.

Thanks LuLa!

Sony NEX 30mm Hood on 16mm Pancake Lens

Sony 16mm Pancake with ALC-SH113 Hood

Are you looking for more flare protection for your Sony 16mm f/2.8 E Pancake lens? The 16mm pancake does not come with a lens hood but Alphaman came up with a solution. He used the ALC-SH113 hood from the Sony NEX 30mm Macro Lens on the 16mm Pancake. The provides full coverage from the side and has a rectangular cutout in the middle. The 16mm and the ALC-SH113 hood does not cause vignetting. The combination looks great.

Photos by Alphaman of 30mm Macro Hood on 16mm Pancake

ALC-SH112, the flower petal hood for the 18-55mm OSS E-mount lens will also work with the 16mm pancake but it does not provide the same coverage as the ALC-SH113 hood.

Thanks Alphaman!

Sony NEX-7 RRS L-Plate

Sony NEX-7 with RRS L-Plate Mount

Here is a nice accessory for your new Sony NEX-7. The L-plate from Really Right Stuff (RRS) provides a stable mounting platform for the camera in the landscape and portrait orientations. The need to tilt the tripod head for a portrait shot is eliminated with the L-plate meaning more stability.

Here is Really Right Stuff's description of their L-plate.

L-Plate Set for Sony Alpha NEX-7. This modular L-Plate mates beautifully with the new NEX-7 camera. This custom L-plate was designed to fit Sony NEX7's ultra-thin body as snugly as possible, but still make room for opening and positioning its LCD panel. The gap below the LCD screen provides clearance for the screen to be tilted up or down; with L-plate installed, you can still hold the camera over your head and swivel the screen so that it can be seen from below.

LCD clearance for tilting

Check out RRS for more details on the Sony NEX-7 L-Plate.

Canon EF Sony NEX Smart Lens Adapter by Conurus

Control Canon EF Lens Aperture on NEX Cameras

The adapter most Canon EOS users are looking for is now available for ordering. The Conurus Canon EF to Sony NEX/E-mount Smart Lens Adapter allows the NEX to control the EOS lens' aperture. The NEX can control the EOS lens aperture in both Program and Shutter modes. The aperture can also be changed through the camera in Aperture and Manual modes.

The EF to NEX Smart Adapter works with most Canon EF and EF-S lenses. Image Stabilization (IS) on EOS lenses is also fuctional. The only feature not working is of course Autofocus.

Here is the description from Conurus.

This Smart AdapterTM has the following features:

■ True electronic integration of aperture diaphragm - let camera automatically choose aperture in P or S exposure modes, or dial in yourself on the camera body in A or M modes.
■Powered by camera body. No external power source required.
■Wide open button (opposite of depth-of-field preview function) makes manual focusing easy.
Disclaimer: we are NOT licensed, approved or endorsed by Sony or Canon. This product is developed independently without any involvement of Sony or Canon.

Canon to NEX Smart Adapter Co-developed with Metabones.

Click here for more details on the Conurus Canon EF/EOS Sony NEX Smart Lens Adapter.

NEX-5N and Tamron 18-200mm by Rob van Keulen

Here are some shots with the Tamron 18-200mm E-mount lens on the NEX-5N. The shots are by photographer Rob van Keulen and the Tamron lens was from the Dutch Tamron importer Transcontinenta.

The Tamron 18-200mm is an alternative to the Sony 18-200mm E-mount lens. We posted a comparison last December when it was announced by Tamron.

Tamron 18-200mm DI III VC E-mount Lens in Silver or Black

Check out the complete gallery by Rob van Keulen / Transconenta.

Thanks Rob!

Zeiss 24mm ZA vs 18-55mm OSS Lens

Zeiss 24mm vs E 18-55mm OSS Lens on the NEX-5N

mco_970 took out the Sony NEX-5N and tested the kit 18-55mm OSS against the Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 Sonnar ZA. The camera was set on a gorrilla pod and self-timer was used for stability. Autofocus was used on both lenses.

Here is the overall scene.

All the crops have the Zeiss on the left and the kit lens on the right. Thanks John.

Now lets look at the focus point, yellow sign, at f/4.

The focus point at f/8.

Left corner at f/8.

As we can see the 18-55mm OSS kit lens does not do too bad when it is stopped down in landscape situations where the subject is distant. There is also plenty of light where the speed of the Zeiss 24mm is not required.

The photo below is indoors and close quarters. Here is where the Carl Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 Sonnar Lens shines. You can see a lot of detail that the 18-55mm lens did not resolve.

Check out the full post by mco_970 with more samples at fredmiranda.

Thanks mco_970!

NEX-C3 in the Sahara Morocco and High Atlas

A Owens posted pictures of his adventure with his sons in the Sahara desert. Here is what he wrote:

Left all the Canon gear at home for this trip and went light with the NEX C3 only together with Voigty 15mm, Zeiss 21/4.5 and 50/2 and Elmarit 90/2.8. My youngest 2 sons were with me camping into the desert to sample life without Xbox, TV, western comforts etc.. They loved it.

Here are A Owens shots with the Sony NEX-C3 and some manual focus lenses. It's nice to see that the C3 won't be a stumbling block for making great memories.



















Check out more of A Owens NEX-C3 Western Sahara / Morocco shots in his dpreview gallery.

Thanks A!

NEX Sigma 19mm and 30mm DN Lenses Announced

Here are quick mockups of what the new Digital Neo lenses from Sigma will look like on the Sony NEX-5N. Both prime lenses from Sigma will work with the NEX's autofocus system. The 19mm f/2.8 DN lens translates to an FOV of 28.5mm and the 30mm f/2.8 DN translates to an FOV of 45mm due to the NEX APS-C sensor. Both lenses have a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and f/22 as a minimum. The filter size is also the same at 46mm. The Sigma Digital Neo lens system was announced at CES 2012. We are hoping for more DN lenses soon.

NEX-5N with Sigma 30mm f/2.8 Digital Neo Lens

The Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN is a 7 element in 5 group lens construction. The lens weighs a mere 4.8 oz (135 grams). The minimum focus distance for the 30mm DN is 11.8 inches which means a maximum magnification of 1:8.1.

from Sigma

This high-performance standard lens is designed exclusively for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras and has the equivalent angle of view as a 45mm (35mm equivalent focal length) on the E-mount system.

Two glass mold aspherical lenses, including a double-sided aspherical lens, provide excellent correction for all types of aberration. The inner focusing system corrects the fluctuation of aberration to maintain image quality regardless of the focal distance. Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting as well as provides sharp and high contrast images even at the maximum aperture. The superior telecentric optical design improves the image quality throughout the frame. The optical design also allows the lens to be compact and lightweight. This lens benefits from a newly developed linear AF motor which moves the lens elements directly without the need for gears or the drive of other mechanical parts. This system ensures accurate and quiet autofocusing, making the lens suitable for video recording as well as still photos. The lens features a rounded 7 blade diaphragm creating an attractive blur to the out of focus areas of the image. This Sigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN has a minimum focusing distance of 30cm/11.8in and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:8.1.

NEX-5N with Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens

The Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN is a 8 element in 6 group lens construction. The lens weighs 4.9 oz (140 g). The minimum focus distance for the 30mm DN is 7.9 inches which means a maximum magnification of 1:7.4.

from Sigma

This high-performance wide angle lens is designed exclusively for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras and has the equivalent angle of view as a 28.5mm (35mm equivalent focal length) on the E-mount systems.
Three glass mold aspherical lenses provide excellent correction for distortion, color aberration and field curvature. The inner focusing system corrects the fluctuation of aberration to maintain image quality regardless of the focal distance. Sigma's Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images even at the maximum aperture. The superior telecentric optical design improves image quality throughout the frame. This lens benefits from a newly developed linear AF motor which moves the lens elements directly without the need for gears or the drive of other mechanical parts. This system ensures accurate and quiet autofocusing, making the lens suitable for video recording as well as still photos. The lens features a rounded 7 blade diaphragm creating an attractive blur to the out of focus areas of the image. This Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN has a minimum focusing distance of 20cm/7.9in and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:7.4.

Thanks Sigma!

Sony NEX-7 vs Fuji X-Pro1

Sony NEX-7 (top) vs Fuji X-Pro1

Here is another challenger for the Sony NEX system. The new Fuji X-Pro1 builds on the success of the Fuji X100 first to introduce a hybrid viewfinder. It has a 2nd generation hybrid viewfinder and a new "organic" aps-c cmos sensor. The X-Pro1 is being introduced with 3 prime lenses: 18mm f/2.0, 35mm f/1.4, and 60mm f/2.4 macro. The 1.5x crop factor of X-Pro 1 means that the 3 lenses provide an equivalent FOV of 27mm, 52mm, and 90mm. Here is what we know so far and this will be updated when the X-Pro1 stats are officially announced.

Combatants	Sony Alpha NEX-7	Fuji X-Pro1
Number of effective pixels	24.3 million pixels	16.3 million pixels
CCD Sensor	APS-C CMOS Sensor 23.5 x 15.6 mm	APS-C CMOS Sensor 23.5 x 15.6 mm
Crop Factor	1.5x 50mm lens = 75mm FOV	1.5x 50mm lens = 75mm FOV
ISO Range	100 - 16000	200-6400 (100-25600 with boost)
Lens Mount	Sony NEX E-mount	Fujifilm X Mount
Flange Focal Distance	18mm	17.7mm
Focusing	25 Point Contrast AF and Manual Focus	External AF
Image Stabilization	In Lens (Optical Steady Shot)	None.
Shutter Speed	30s to 1/4000 with Bulb Mode	30s to 1/4000 with Bulb Mode
Continuous Shooting Speed	10 frames per sec.	6 fps.
LCD	Tiltable 3" Diagonal 921,600 Pixels	Fixed 3" Diagonal 1,230,000 Pixels
Viewfinder	Electronic OLED 2.4m dot	Hybrid Optical / Electronic Viewfinder 1.44m dot
Video Capability	1920 x 1080 / 60p-24p AVCHD and MPEG4	1920 x 1080 / 24p H.264
Dimensions	4.75 x 2.75 x 1.7 in. (119.9 x 66.9 x 42.8 mm)	5.4 x 3.3 x 1.5 in. (138 x 83 x 38 mm)
Weight	10.3 oz (291 g)	14.1 oz (400 g)
Battery Life (CIPA)	430 Shots per charge	300 Shots per charge
Price	$1349.99 with 18-55 OSS Lens	$1700 Body Only

Sony NEX-7 vs Fuji X-Pro1 Rear

Fujifilm X-Pro1 System Camera and Lenses

Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Uses a NEX-3

While watching the trailer for the new "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", 4004's keen eye saw the NEX-3 being used by Rooney Mara - Lisbeth Salander. This is a remake of the Swedish film which was excellent. The film deals with strong subjects and is rated R for good reason.

The movie was filmed a while ago when the NEX-3 was new. Maybe the NEX-C3 or even the NEX-7 will be in Lisbeth's hands in the following films of this trilogy. Don't blink or you may miss the NEX-3.

NEX-5 Leica 50mm Summilux and High ISO

I was lucky enough to catch a few drinks with another photo enthusiast who happen to have a Leica M8 and a chrome 50mm Summilux-M ASPH. I had my NEX-5 with a Voigtlander 35mm Ultron since I needed the speed whilst at the drinking hole. He was generous enough to slap the Summilux-M onto my Leica-Nex lens adapter and allowed me to use it.

All the shots here were taken with the 50mm lens wide open at f/1.4, thus Summilux. The NEX-5 was set to Aperture Priority and ISO 3200 and with the dim lighting conditions at the bar forced the Shutter speed at 1/20th of a second. I would have preferred a shutter speed of 1/75 or higher (50mm x 1.5 crop factor) to keep camera movement at a minimum. The 50mm Summilux-M ASPH is a brick of a lens and I think the weight help stabilize the camera or was it the fear of dropping someone else's lens? The focusing was very well damped, a big difference from my Voigtlander. This made focusing a bit easier with the Leica.

The shots were taken in RAW and processed with Raw Photo Processor. The adjustments were minimal and there was no noise processing utilized. I'm a novice with RPP so I try to keep it simple. The photos were also heavily cropped for posting except the first one.






These last two photos are the same shot, the first was RAW converted with RPP and the second a JPEG straight from the NEX-5.





Thanks Full Raze for the drinks and the use of the Summilux!