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Thinking about a NEX-6

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Gregh42

Gregh42

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I have been searching for a good camera that helps me balance compact size with as close to DSLR quality as possible. After weighing pro's and con's of different options, I think the NEX-6 is my best option. I also considered other models, including Olympus, lecia, Fuji, and Samsung. In the end the NEX-6 seemed to have the best censor (APS-C) and the fastest AF- which seems to be the most important criteria for me (size, profile, and budget coming close behind). I am hoping to get some feedback from others in this forum to weigh in.

My background: I shoot a lot of pictures with my Canon 7d. I normally shoot with Canon L lenses and usually have the 70-200mm F2.8 on the end of it, mostly for sport activities as well as landscape photography. I'm used to very solid IQ, great portrait bokeh, fast shooting, great low light performance. I know it's not realistic to expect that kind of quality from a mirrorless camera in my price range, but that is where I'm coming from. (side note: I am also pretty heavily invested in Canon lenses and I know there are adapters for the Sony)

A big reason I'm considering the NEX-6- we take an annual vacation and I need something that is lighter and easier to carry. (Not just for the vacation, but for other situations that it's not feasible to bring the huge DSLR to). For the past few years I have taken along a tiny Canon Powershot s100 - and the shutter lag and low light performance made me extremely frustrated. Almost to the point where I wanted to chuck the camera. It also has poor battery life- I was lucky to get 200 shots before recharging the battery. In low light situations, I have to crank up the ISO to 3200 and ended up with a ton of noise. The sensor is just not good enough for half the shots I take. Lastly, the lack of a viewfinder makes it really difficult to shoot in bright sunny light- which is where we are when we're not in low light situations.

I considered the Canon EOS M but it seems like a waste of money based on slow AF and shutter lag complaints. I want something that will let me get a shot without having to wait for AF. I have two young kids and they move around a lot- so fast AF is very important. I also considered the NEX-7 but it seems like the AF is slower based on what I read. It also is a bit pricier.

Would love to hear feedback- based on my background and needs, would you recommend the Nex-6? Anything else I should consider?
 
Solution
J
I switched from a 7D to the NEX-7. The Sony image quality is far superior and low-light performance is better. The 7D does have much fancier AF capabilities but they worked against me just as often as not. I even sold my 5DII and most of my L glass last week which freed up some cash to add to my Sony lens collection. The only Canon lens I still have is a 300mm f4 IS, which is awesome on the Sony. I don't mind so much because any 300 will be big and I just use a tripod, so not even manual focus bothers me.

But most of the time I do not want to give up autofocus, my eyes not being what they used to be. There are far fewer lenses for the Sony E Mount, and none of the zooms are worth the time, not compared to the 70-200s (all), 16-35, etc...
I will just say this:

Once you get your hands on an NEX-6, with a few lenses and an adapter for your Canon L lenses.....you will not put it down. I will guarantee that your 7D will start gathering dust.

I had a Nikon D700 with a few heavy lenses. Switching to the NEX system camera was the best decision I ever made.

Here is a GREAT video to motivate you....it is long, but please try to bear and watch it. It is mainly about the NEX-5N and the NEX-7, but all the features you will see are included in the NEX-6 and even more (with its hybrid AF which is not on the NEX-7). This was the video that finally made me pull the trigger, and boy am I glad I did.

 
I think the NEX 6 is overlooked and underappreciated in large part because of the NEX 7 coming before it. What lenses are you considering?
 
I'm also a Nex-6 user; seeing that you have a full-fledged Dslr system with L-lenses and all, quality of photos you can take won't be an issue. In any case, with a basic adaptor, you will be focussing manually with your L-lenses.

However, I feel the AF performance will not be to your expectations. Nex-6 AF is fast for static subjects in good light. For fast moving kids and pets, I'm afraid the Nex-6 AF tracking is nowhere as useable as a Dslr, even compared to a basic dslr as Nikon 5100.

Nex-6 Phase detection AF is only available up to F6.3 and only with selected Nex-e-mount lenses.

Above F6.3 it switches to CD AF.

I like my Nex-6; just don't expect the AF to be comparable to your Dslr.

On more positive notes, the ergonomics fit my medium hands very well, while alot of people seem to hate its menu system, I for one love it, once you get to know it and use its few programmable functions. I find it clean, clear and uncluttered once you switch the display background colour to black.

Shutter response is near instantaneous once focus is locked.

Battery life is average. I use the evf 90% of the time and it drains power quickly. For trips, expect to carry minimum three batteries.

Charging time with the usb cable in camera is 4 hours, so external charger is mandatory.

My unit also has quirks from time to time; things like zooming in and out on its own, freezing for 10 secs on shutdown, evf goes bonkers after taking a shot (but picture taken is unaffected). About 3 to 6 times each battery cycle.

If you are not used to it, the evf shimmers, is noisy and has terrible moire patterns in low light when looking at fine textures and patterns and small lights. In good light, it is good.

That's it for now.
 
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I switched from a 7D to the NEX-7. The Sony image quality is far superior and low-light performance is better. The 7D does have much fancier AF capabilities but they worked against me just as often as not. I even sold my 5DII and most of my L glass last week which freed up some cash to add to my Sony lens collection. The only Canon lens I still have is a 300mm f4 IS, which is awesome on the Sony. I don't mind so much because any 300 will be big and I just use a tripod, so not even manual focus bothers me.

But most of the time I do not want to give up autofocus, my eyes not being what they used to be. There are far fewer lenses for the Sony E Mount, and none of the zooms are worth the time, not compared to the 70-200s (all), 16-35, etc. Primes are a slightly different story: Sigmas are excellent and very cheap. The Sony 35mm f1.8 is my latest acquisition and it compared very favorable in DXOmark testing on the NEX-7.



I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what a better sensor can do for your pictures.
 
Solution
I have the nex6. It is a lovely camera in my opinion, but there are certain aspects of it that you should take into account.

1. IQ - shouldn't be a problem. The image quality is very good, good enough for very large prints. This however depends on lenses used. And sony does not offer a high quality (bright) zoom. You could use your canon glass but then - the portability factor is lost.

2. Lenses availability - as above. Zoom (long range) is not covered very well. Some primes are pretty expensive (Zeiss 12, 24, 32mm), Sony 35mm and 50mm are nice but not "good enough" for some.

3. Autofocus - don't expect this to perform equally well as a DSLR. The phase detection pixels will also not help too much in lower light.

4. Electronic viewfinder - some don't like it. I love it.

5. Low light/high ISO - is very good in the nex6 - there, you shouldn't be dissapointed.

6. Controls/handling - will require some time to adjust. But that would also be true if you'd buy the A99 from Sony. I find the controls to be OK. I shoot mainly in aperture priority mode and switching aperture values and ISO is very easy.

I would recommend trying to buy from a shop with 30 day money return or rent it and try it out.
 
lesnapanda said:
lesnapanda wrote:

I have the nex6. It is a lovely camera in my opinion, but there are certain aspects of it that you should take into account.

1. IQ - shouldn't be a problem. The image quality is very good, good enough for very large prints. This however depends on lenses used.
Click to expand...
And/or at what aperture or depending on how sensitive the subject is to softer corners if it's one of the less-perfect lenses.... IMO, for most users, the quality is so far above the usual P&S cameras, even using the kit lenses.

The OP mentioned ISO 3200. You still get noise at 3200, but you also get a ton of detail. It's actually pretty usable at 3200 (except perhaps for "very large prints"!).
lesnapanda said:
And sony does not offer a high quality (bright) zoom. You could use your canon glass but then - the portability factor is lost.

2. Lenses availability - as above. Zoom (long range) is not covered very well. Some primes are pretty expensive (Zeiss 12, 24, 32mm), Sony 35mm and 50mm are nice but not "good enough" for some.

3. Autofocus - don't expect this to perform equally well as a DSLR. The phase detection pixels will also not help too much in lower light.
Click to expand...
So far, it seems to work OK in lower light, but maybe it depends on what you mean by lower. For me, indoor events look light enough to our eyes, but can be difficult for the camera. I didn't have any problem with the focus so far in these situations except for the camera sometimes focusing on things other than what I wanted.... Anyway, it feels to me like an improvement over my older Nex-5. Even my old DSLR would sometimes refuse (refuse!) to lock focus if light was marginal; I had to set it to shutter release to force it to let me take my chances and take the shot.
lesnapanda said:
4. Electronic viewfinder - some don't like it. I love it.

5. Low light/high ISO - is very good in the nex6 - there, you shouldn't be dissapointed.

6. Controls/handling - will require some time to adjust. But that would also be true if you'd buy the A99 from Sony. I find the controls to be OK. I shoot mainly in aperture priority mode and switching aperture values and ISO is very easy.
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ISO is easy if you set up a custom button for it, I suppose!
lesnapanda said:
I would recommend trying to buy from a shop with 30 day money return or rent it and try it out.
Click to expand...
 
If fast AF is your biggest criteria, go for the Olympus instead. I'm crazy about my NEX bodies (6 and 7) and I really wouldn't shoot anything else, but AF is a big downgrade from a DSLR (where I come from) and you'll be sorely disappointed if somebody let you to believe the 6 has fast AF it is NOT the case. The Fuji is slightly worse, but by a hair. m4/3 bodies are much, much faster. I wouldn't trade my NEX for anything, because IQ is top notch and I like the overall operation and responsiveness over the Fuji X bodies. But fast AF, no, that's a blatant marketer's lie. I have both 6 and 7 and the so called "improved" PDAF almost doesn't improve anything at all. I'm happy, I've adapted to it and learned to shoot differently. But if fast AF is of paramount importance for you, don't go with the current NEX.
 
Marla2008 said:
Marla2008 wrote:

If fast AF is your biggest criteria, go for the Olympus instead. I'm crazy about my NEX bodies (6 and 7) and I really wouldn't shoot anything else, but AF is a big downgrade from a DSLR (where I come from) and you'll be sorely disappointed if somebody let you to believe the 6 has fast AF it is NOT the case. The Fuji is slightly worse, but by a hair. m4/3 bodies are much, much faster. I wouldn't trade my NEX for anything, because IQ is top notch and I like the overall operation and responsiveness over the Fuji X bodies. But fast AF, no, that's a blatant marketer's lie. I have both 6 and 7 and the so called "improved" PDAF almost doesn't improve anything at all. I'm happy, I've adapted to it and learned to shoot differently. But if fast AF is of paramount importance for you, don't go with the current NEX.
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I have had a NEX-6 for just over a month and love it. Before that I had a Lumix FZ50 but have had SLRs (not DSLRs) in the past. Others have commented on the details of the DSLR->NEX transition. You mentioned vacation so I'll comment as a very new NEX-6 user -- I upgraded mainly because I do a lot of backpacking and the NEX is perfect (light and portable and very high IQ). I've mainly been using the Sigma 30 mm e-mount although the 16-50 mm zoom is pretty good. My eventual plan is to settle on a single prime lens and use that most of the time. I did pick up a 50 mm Rokkor 1.7 and a Minolta 70-200 mm zoom on ebay and have been very happy with those. I shoot mainly in manual. Peak focussing and the DM focussing mode on lenses that support that feature it is very nice; it lets you AF and then zooms in to allow you to manually fine tune the focus.

It does take a bit of getting used to -- at least for me. The menus are OK once you get used to them. Also, there are various modes/features that seem "secretly" correlated so, if you are in mode X you can't do Y which can be a bit confusing. But if you use only one mode most of the time you get used to it. Also, the manual control rings are nice but it's easy to access the wrong feature (e.g., you want to change the speed and you press too hard on the ring and get into "change ISO" mode). But all these issues settle down. Charging the battery is a bit slow but I got the Wasabi charger with 2 batteries -- also, with the EVF battery life is not great but it does have to do a lot of work. I would allow a month or two pre-vacation to get to know it. I really doubt that you'll send it back after having tried it out!

These are my initial impressions (correct me if I've said anything inaccurate -- I'm still learning about some of its capabilities) and I would recommend it highly. A friend of mine who had a P&S before has just got a NEX-3n for a trip to Australia and is loving it -- even more portable than the 6 but, of course, no EVF.
 
Thanks for all the responses. You've given me quite a bit to think about! The dialogue on the AF limitations were very helpful to me. I think I now have a better idea of what to expect.

Something that came up (and that I didn't indicate in my original post) was around lenses. Initially I am planning on going with the kit lens and a fast prime lens. I know the kit lens is not going to get me anything near what I usually shoot with (most of my lenses are 2.8) but I think that should suffice for what I want to do on the upcoming vacation and be much better than my Canon s100. Per other recommendations, I should also pick up the EF mount adapter. I have the Canon 1.8 50mm that may work well without adding too much bulk and that would be a cost effective way to do indoor shooting. If I really like the camera and see it as a viable alternative, I'll invest in more lenses and pick up a good prime and something similar to my 70-200 2.8L. I may have to go outside of the sony lenses but it seems like there are a lot of options out there. I found another thread in this forum about lenses and adapters- wow, a lot of options! I like the "metabones" adapter recommendation and may give that one a shot. A cheap adapter allowing manual focus may also be worth a shot.

Lenspanda had a great suggestion and I think I am going to follow that advice- going with a 30 day policy.

Thanks again. I'll post an update once I make the decision.
 
You have all the advice you need here, but as a long-time DSLR user and a relatively new NEX 6 user, I'll add my own experience (which is far different from advice!). I moved to NEX for the same reasons you're doing it - more compact, lighter kit.

Ease of use, "learning curve" - to my surprise, this hasn't been any problem at all. All the features I needed with my DSLRs, and all those which I want from the NEX are easily accessible with one or two clicks. It's a very customizable camera.

Image quality - at least as good as my Canon 50D and L lenses. I think the NEX has made me more conscious of IQ, which has helped me.

Kit lens 16-50 PZ - I know many people like this lens, but it sits in my bag, not on the camera.

Focus speed - Very good, but even with the LA-EA2 and a good A mount lens it's not quite what I hoped for. The DSLR is better, as others have written. Still, using some of the techniques described above, I can get the shot I want, even for rapidly moving dogs, about 90% of the time. It's worlds better than my S100.

"Carrying ability" - weight and bulk - a big improvement over my 50D, especially if I just carry a couple of prime lenses. Caution is indicated though; "mission creep" in terms of rapidly acquiring several lenses, seems to be common.

High ISO performance - surprisingly good, better than my 50D, even with 2 more megapixels on a similar size sensor. I haven't tried 3200 though.

I'm delighted with the NEX 6. I think I prefer it to the 7 because the 6 has much better high ISO performance. I'm going to hold on to the 50D and the S100 for a while though. They each have special abilities which the NEX doesn't fill - yet.
 
Bill, thanks for the comments. Sounds like you were in the same situation as me.

What lens do you primarily use? If the kit lens isn't cutting it, I'd rather buy the body only and put the savings toward a good walk-about lens. I like the versatility of a zoom so I'd prefer to have something more than just a prime. If the quality of the kit lens is "that bad" (similar to Canon kit lenses, at least in the old days before they included IS lenses) I'd prefer to get a good one out of the gate.
 
Marla2008 said:
Marla2008 wrote:

If fast AF is your biggest criteria, go for the Olympus instead. I'm crazy about my NEX bodies (6 and 7) and I really wouldn't shoot anything else, but AF is a big downgrade from a DSLR (where I come from) and you'll be sorely disappointed if somebody let you to believe the 6 has fast AF it is NOT the case. The Fuji is slightly worse, but by a hair. m4/3 bodies are much, much faster. I wouldn't trade my NEX for anything, because IQ is top notch and I like the overall operation and responsiveness over the Fuji X bodies. But fast AF, no, that's a blatant marketer's lie. I have both 6 and 7 and the so called "improved" PDAF almost doesn't improve anything at all. I'm happy, I've adapted to it and learned to shoot differently. But if fast AF is of paramount importance for you, don't go with the current NEX.
Click to expand...
 
blue_skies said:
blue_skies wrote:
blue_skies said:
Marla2008 wrote:

If fast AF is your biggest criteria, go for the Olympus instead. I'm crazy about my NEX bodies (6 and 7) and I really wouldn't shoot anything else, but AF is a big downgrade from a DSLR (where I come from) and you'll be sorely disappointed if somebody let you to believe the 6 has fast AF it is NOT the case. The Fuji is slightly worse, but by a hair. m4/3 bodies are much, much faster. I wouldn't trade my NEX for anything, because IQ is top notch and I like the overall operation and responsiveness over the Fuji X bodies. But fast AF, no, that's a blatant marketer's lie. I have both 6 and 7 and the so called "improved" PDAF almost doesn't improve anything at all. I'm happy, I've adapted to it and learned to shoot differently. But if fast AF is of paramount importance for you, don't go with the current NEX.
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Some of NEX lenses are the same size as their Alpha counterparts, so possibly getting a slightly larger SLT may be the best solution.

You get:
  • Real PDAF
  • Compact size
  • Same sensor as NEX 5 and 6
  • faster focusing
  • focus tracking
  • better selection of AF lenses
  • IS with every lens you put on the camera
  • larger grip
  • better controls and menu system
Also, it looks like Sony is going to merge NEX and Alpha with cameras that eventually support all their lenses, so you would be on the right path.

If you do get an Alpha, check out the Minolta 80-200mm F/2.8 APO. It is as good/sharp as the Canon 70-200mm lenses, is much smaller, and since your camera body has IS built-in, is stabilized. You can get it for 1/2 the price of a Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 IS lens too.
 
Just Having Fun said:
Just Having Fun wrote:
Just Having Fun said:
blue_skies wrote:
Just Having Fun said:
Marla2008 wrote:

If fast AF is your biggest criteria, go for the Olympus instead. I'm crazy about my NEX bodies (6 and 7) and I really wouldn't shoot anything else, but AF is a big downgrade from a DSLR (where I come from) and you'll be sorely disappointed if somebody let you to believe the 6 has fast AF it is NOT the case. The Fuji is slightly worse, but by a hair. m4/3 bodies are much, much faster. I wouldn't trade my NEX for anything, because IQ is top notch and I like the overall operation and responsiveness over the Fuji X bodies. But fast AF, no, that's a blatant marketer's lie. I have both 6 and 7 and the so called "improved" PDAF almost doesn't improve anything at all. I'm happy, I've adapted to it and learned to shoot differently. But if fast AF is of paramount importance for you, don't go with the current NEX.
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I have had the NEX-6 for a few weeks now. The EVF was the main draw for me, and I am using the EVF less than I thought I would, but here is what I like about this model after coming from a dslr and a NEX-5:
  • EVF, for those sunny days
  • level display that can be set on either the EVF or the screen
  • flash! my cactus v2s is now happily transmitting to my old sunpak and vivitar flashes
  • shutter sound. very slr-ish
  • (for the NEX system) piece of cake manual focusing, and with the NEX-6, through the EVF
  • control dial/wheel -- so much easier now to change aperture and shutter speed when in Manual mode. less diving around the menu system, big plus there
 
I was very lucky to get a used Sony 1680Z lens from BHphotovideo, for a very good price, and that's on the camera about 70% of the time, with the LA-EA2. My second favorite lens is the SEL 50 1.8.

About the 1680Z lens - for me, it's an almost perfect gem. See a couple of quick snaps I took with it shortly after I got it http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/51435506 to get an idea of lens sharpness, examine at "original" size on my gallery.

During my DSLR years I became addicted to zoom lenses and it's a hard habit to break. I'm learning to love the few primes I have - 19, 30, and 50mm. These are about three more lenses than I originally thought I'd get, but I'm very happy with the selection. I got the Sigma E mount 19 and the Sigma E mount 30, both of them for $200 at BHphotovideo. I haven't used them as much yet, but they will get increasing use as I gradually move to the primes, because the primes are so much lighter and smaller than a good zoom.
 
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