Would it be insane to own both nex and alpha?

I am seriously tempted to skip upgrading to the a77 and jump into NEX7. But my delemma is would the NEX7 with 18-50 and the new zoom (50-210?) render my a500 and 18-250, 50mm 1.4, and 17-50 2.8 tammy as expensive paper weights. I know about the adapter for a mount lenses and to me that set up seems a bit silly and pricy, I could see it if I were shooting with Ziess glass, but I'm not.

Is anyone here shooting with both systems? how is it working for you? would you do it the same again? Would it make more sense to own the 3 or 5 rather then the 7 if I keep the DSLR? Please let me know your thoughts

I keep going back and forth with this one. On one hand the a77 sounds like everything I've been waiting for since my now dead KM7D. But the portabillity and the fact that 90% of my snaps are candids, I find the NEX very attractive.

No, not insane. At one point, the NEX and the Alpha will become "one" anyway.
I wouldn't even call them two separate systems now. It's really one system.

I own both, use nex for quick light stuff, or when lending my camera to my sister or wife. All options work really, but if you don't get the nex 7, get the 5n, not the 5 or the 3, at least get the 3C, but the 5n would be first choice. Don't worry your head too much with this, wait till you can hold each of them side by side and try them at the store, then you can decide based on what you feel that you like, the new e mount zeiss lens is very nice! I tried it yesterday.

dbose said:

I am seriously tempted to skip upgrading to the a77 and jump into NEX7.

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The only way I could be tempted would be if the new EA2 adapter with my Alpha lenses resulted in a setup that's as quick & responsive as a DSLR for the things I shoot that need me to be quick & responsive. It might be, AF-wise, but ergonomically, control-wise I highly doubt it, and the impact of the adapter on already poor battery life rules it out. And NEX with native lenses & CDAF focusing doesn't interest me for much of what I shoot.

So to me, NEX is just an alternate camera. Sometimes it's either/or, sometimes I carry both. But I have to believe that an awful lot of mirrorless buyers are DSLR owners looking for a compact alternative with a small set of lenses.

dbose said:

But my delemma is would the NEX7 with 18-50 and the new zoom (50-210?) render my a500 and 18-250, 50mm 1.4, and 17-50 2.8 tammy as expensive paper weights.

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It's much, much more tempting to grab the little NEX on the way out the door, but much less satisfying (only some of the time) actually shooting it. (NEX-7 may alleviate some of the frustrations).

You'd be lacking a fast lens unless you added the 50/1.8, which would do the same job as your Alpha mount 50. The short zoom is slower, too, of course.

dbose said:

Is anyone here shooting with both systems? how is it working for you?

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Well enough. I tend to choose the NEX:

• whenever I want to tote along a camera on a wrist strap instead of a neck strap
• in the car when I wouldn't normally carry a camera
• with the 16mm pancake in a coat pocket, on the ski slope, parasailing, oddball places
• with a small shoulder bag on a vacation where photography isn't the priority, but p&s results won't do, like our trip to Disney last year
• with the 16mm alongside my DSLR with the 85 or some other lens, to avoid lens changes
• with my DSLR if I want to shoot both video and stills

dbose said:

would you do it the same again? Would it make more sense to own the 3 or 5 rather then the 7 if I keep the DSLR?

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Tough call, since we don't know exactly how the 7's controls work. To me, the 5n is about perfect, and if I owned it, I would likely spring for the optional EVF. The control layout makes it easy enough to control exposure. It really deserves a mode dial like on the little HX-series digicams; it should be able to change LCD brightness without menu-diving (like you can do on the HX-series digicams), and if you shot any manual focus lenses, there should be an easier way to turn peaking on/off. Also image stabilization. The problem is, I don't see any of these issues as likely to be improved on the NEX-7.

Given your DSLR setup, a NEX alternative is an interesting proposition. I use a 70-200/2.8 and the 70-300 quite a bit, and couldn't imagine doing a lot of what I shoot with NEX. I'd highly recommend trying one out before switching.

dbose said:

I keep going back and forth with this one. On one hand the a77 sounds like everything I've been waiting for since my now dead KM7D. But the portabillity and the fact that 90% of my snaps are candids, I find the NEX very attractive.

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I don't know how the AF is on the newer NEX models, but it can be a little frustrating shooting candids, watching the focus waver in & out until it's just right. It's not that slow, but if you're grabbing a momentary expression, it can't match your DSLR. (Then again, if you're used to a KM7D, maybe it can match it !!!)

• Dennis

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Gallery at http://kingofthebeasts.smugmug.com

Owning both systems isn't insane at all. I am thinking about adding a NEX-7 after I get the A77 because there are situations where carrying a large camera is dangerous, intrusive, or extra weight. While waiting for the NEX-7 and A77 to be released I bought an HX-100V that is a great value for what it does.

if you have the money, nope. In fact, buy the $43,000 Hasselblad H4D-200MS Digital Camera

dbose said:

I am seriously tempted to skip upgrading to the a77 and jump into NEX7. But my delemma is would the NEX7 with 18-50 and the new zoom (50-210?) render my a500 and 18-250, 50mm 1.4, and 17-50 2.8 tammy as expensive paper weights. I know about the adapter for a mount lenses and to me that set up seems a bit silly and pricy, I could see it if I were shooting with Ziess glass, but I'm not.

Is anyone here shooting with both systems? how is it working for you? would you do it the same again? Would it make more sense to own the 3 or 5 rather then the 7 if I keep the DSLR? Please let me know your thoughts

I keep going back and forth with this one. On one hand the a77 sounds like everything I've been waiting for since my now dead KM7D. But the portabillity and the fact that 90% of my snaps are candids, I find the NEX very attractive.

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Has anyone compared the A35 to the Nex5n with regurds to size? It seems that the Nex5n can be put in a pocket, but with the kit lens (18-55), how much smaller is it than the A35 with a kit lens that is similar (18-55).

I have been tempted as well in getting the Nex 5n (I already have the A77 on pre-order that I plan on getting) but if the nex5n cannot be put in a pocket, then that quick grab for portability goes away, and then I am stuck with getting a separate set of E mount lens.

Sorry NEX fans, just giving my honest opintion.
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Dave

Not insane at all. I own an a700 (a77 on pre-order) and a Nex 3 and they are perfect companions. The Nex I usually carry camping or places I don't feel like carrying around a big lens and body. I also have the alpha adapter which I sometimes use with the 50mm 1.4 but mostly because it is fun to manual focus and this combination is still small and light enough to carry most places. I never use it with my longer/larger lenses because it sort of defeats the purpose and AF is very slow so if you are looking for this, I would stay with the alpha.

What really makes the Nex fun is the ability to adapt just about any lens. The possibility of small rangefinder lenses, old Contax G, Contax C/Y, and old Pentax lenses really makes it interesting. These are some of the highest quality lenses ever made and they are just a lot of fun to use. I thought about getting the Nex 7 instead of the a77 and may eventually go that way but right now I am happy with both.

I don't know I am insane. One year after having Nex5, I still feel the traditional DSLRs are more responding and suits my need more

dbose said:

I am seriously tempted to skip upgrading to the a77 and jump into NEX7. But my delemma is would the NEX7 with 18-50 and the new zoom (50-210?) render my a500 and 18-250, 50mm 1.4, and 17-50 2.8 tammy as expensive paper weights. I know about the adapter for a mount lenses and to me that set up seems a bit silly and pricy, I could see it if I were shooting with Ziess glass, but I'm not.

Is anyone here shooting with both systems? how is it working for you? would you do it the same again? Would it make more sense to own the 3 or 5 rather then the 7 if I keep the DSLR? Please let me know your thoughts

I keep going back and forth with this one. On one hand the a77 sounds like everything I've been waiting for since my now dead KM7D. But the portabillity and the fact that 90% of my snaps are candids, I find the NEX very attractive.

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Mark K

I bought into the NEX system as a middle camera in between my A550 and an ultracompact...only after the NEX system fixed itself up with the firmware changes. When it first came out, I seriously disliked the interface and controls, and wasn't interested. But with the updates and newer versions, they've completely transformed and after checking out some other mirrorless options, the NEX stood out as the best choice.

For me, the NEX is an ideal compliment to the Alpha - it can't do everything the DSLR can do, but can do a few things the Alpha can't...and being much smaller and lighter, it can either travel alongside the DSLR or take its place when you want to travel a little lighter but without losing the image quality.

I could not live without a DSLR, so a NEX system still isn't something that could take the place of my DSLR - some types of shooting, such as wildlife and action, just aren't competitive with what a DSLR can do. But I have found the NEX to be an excellent companion when wanting to travel lighter, such as business trips, or casual unplanned days - it can ride along in the car cupholder for random or spontaneous shooting, yet still give you full APS-C quality and capability.

At the same time, the NEX has its own perks that carve it its own niche - in particular, the pure joy of reconnecting to traditional, old style photography. Set up the controls the right way, and the camera body gives you control over shutter speed and ISO, while a good old manual lens via adapter gives you control over aperture and focus, all manually. It's lots of fun discovering old lenses and superb bargains, and taking time to do a different type of photography than my usual - slow, taking time, setting up shots manually...like film days.

My NEX often travels along with my DSLR to the wetlands when I'm birding - it can sometimes take a bird snap when they're really close, or let me shoot a landscape or flower closeup scenic type shot without having to swap lenses and take off my big birding lens. For me, this is a much better second body alternative because it's light enough to hang around my neck or in a small belt pouch. And my NEX has gone in place of the DSLR, such as a business trip where I needed to travel light in a carryon bag, but had an extra day to spend in Disney World before my business - I was able to take everything I could with the DSLR with something no bigger than my old superzoom - even the handheld ISO6400 stuff and indoor dark stage show shots, that couldn't be done with a P&S.

I'd say go for it - I have become so secure with the decision to buy into the NEX as a middle system, that I'm already considering not only my next DSLR upgrade, but also my next NEX upgrade - mine's only 6 months old, but it's already a definite part of my camera arsenal, with its own collection of 14 lenses built up, and new update bodies are now a fact of the future for me!

--
Justin
galleries: http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg

Dennis said:

.. the impact of the adapter on already poor battery life rules it out.

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Does the adapter have its own battery? if not, that is a real concern stated there, Dennis.
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Ralf
http://RalfRalph.smugmug.com/

I wasn't convinced myself - until the Nex-7 arrived. When I travel, I always carry my A900, 24-70 mm, 70-200 mm or 50-500 mm, 50 mm macro and 12-24 mm, but if i want or need to travel ligth on a day trip, I only have the 24-70 mm with me.

With a Nex-7, I could have two lenses and the body ... and save both weight and volume. I'd still bring most of the usual stuff for those other days

It's very tempting.

Dennis said:

Tough call, since we don't know exactly how the 7's controls work. To me, the 5n is about perfect, and if I owned it, I would likely spring for the optional EVF. The control layout makes it easy enough to control exposure. It really deserves a mode dial like on the little HX-series digicams; it should be able to change LCD brightness without menu-diving (like you can do on the HX-series digicams), and if you shot any manual focus lenses, there should be an easier way to turn peaking on/off.

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Hi Dennis, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I own the NEX-3 and use it with quite a lot of manual lenses, and peaking automatically comes on when I mount one, and goes off again as soon as I mount the AF kit lens. It works pretty well for me, as I wouldn't want to shoot manual without peaking anyway. THe LCD just can't render enough detail to show focus, and I can't get used to the magnification method.

Love the images that come out of the a900, but my spinal chord is requesting a break when I go on overseas travels. If the Nex now produces images as good as my old a700, then it will be in my travel bag. Just have to decide on which model to get...
--
Galleries: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/glennjude

Sony a900, a700; CZ135mm, CZ24-70mm, SAL70-300mmG, 50mm F1.4, 100mm F2.8 macro, KM17-35mm, CZ16-80mm, KM11-18mm, SAL18-250mm

What would be insane, is NOT having a lot of photograpic gear floating around in the house.

The problem usually is (at least from very unscientific statistics based on DPR-forums) not having too much photographic gear, as 98.37 % of the talk is about the next camera or lens or accessory needed. Not want, but need!

Based on the statistics above, it is NOT insane to get the A77 and the NEX7 - but it would be insane NOT to get both cameras!

I have both my A700 and a Nex 5. It's easy for me to chose what camera to use, if I go cycling it's the Nex 5 you can't feel the weight and gives very good results. If I go out to take photos then it's my A700. I do have to say I enjoy using my A700 much more than my Nex 5.





This photo I took yesterday, and feel perhaps, I could have took it better with my A700, the reason I say this is I know I can hold my A700 more steady than the Nex, the way you hold the A700 to your eye helps give more support.

Thanks for your prospective. You have answered a lot of my questions. but when you said....
(Then again, if you're used to a KM7D, maybe it can match it !!!)

My poor 7d died about the time the a500/50 came out so I have been shooting with a faster focusing cam for a while, and it would be hard to take a step back in focusing ability. In fact thats why I never got into digital until they came up with the DSLR.
Thanks,
Dave

MarinoDiMare said:

Hi Dennis, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I own the NEX-3 and use it with quite a lot of manual lenses, and peaking automatically comes on when I mount one, and goes off again as soon as I mount the AF kit lens.

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I'd love it if it worked like that - so far, my NEX-5 does not - I have to turn it on/off, but I'll see if I can find any other menu options, then maybe ask here for help.

MarinoDiMare said:

It works pretty well for me, as I wouldn't want to shoot manual without peaking anyway. THe LCD just can't render enough detail to show focus, and I can't get used to the magnification method.

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Agreed. Magnification is great for critical focus, but much too slow for my usual shooting.

Thanks,

• Dennis

--
Gallery at http://kingofthebeasts.smugmug.com

Thanks for your help. I know that along with your wildlife photography you also go to Disney alot. Do you tend to take your a550 or your nex there more? This is alot of the kind of photography I do (places we visit as a family) My main concern is of the CDAF keeping up with all the movement.
Thanks for your input
Dave