Trying to Choose New Camera and Lenses: Sony NEX vs Olympus OM-D

I would probably opt for the Oly.

NEX has a crummy menu, but it's of decreasing importance as you need to use it less & less on new bodies, and OTOH, the Oly has a cramped & complex control layout.  It's customizable, flexible, but a common refrain is that it takes some getting used to.

Neither system has great zooms; Sony has good primes (with IS, too, in some cases) but on the large side and in FL/aperture combinations that don't reflect what photographers really want.  Oly has better primes IMO, both in terms of size, quality and usefulness.

I would not consider a body without an EVF if it were to be my primary system.  That leaves you with the Panny G series (with no built in IS), the Oly EM5 and the Sony NEX-6/7 in those two systems.

Beyond that, NEX still strikes me as a "second system" or a backpackers system (put it in a backpack and go), but not so much a general purpose system yet.  Micro 4/3 seems more flexible.

As others have said, so long as you verify your personal requirements (triggering lighting, etc) you can't go wrong with either.  All else equal, I'd prefer a NEX-6 over the EM5 if Sony had a selection of lenses that suit my needs, but would opt for the EM5 for its lenses.  But my NEX-5 mostly sits at home and I use my DSLR most of the time.

- Dennis

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