NEX System Update

[John Mitchell]

"Currently, I'm using Sony's clunky RAW conversion software for noise reduction." -- John

 

It's a wonder that you get anything worthwhile with that PP system. I tried it when I first got the NEX-3 and found it just awful. David K slammed it too. Wait until you see the difference with LR4. The noise control in Lightroom is wonderful. I don't download beta programs, but maybe you should try the test period on Beta LR5? 

 

Yes, I'm getting sick of the Sony software. The noise reduction can get very heavy handed if you're not careful. I don't think LR5 would run on my current computer but shall check it out.

[Bryan]

A couple of things.

 

Firstly I have encountered a filing problem using 16 GB cards on the NEX 6.  I get an error message - I should write it down, it always happens when I am in a hurry to take shots - and, as I desperately choose options to make it go away (including the dreaded - Format card Y/N - most certainly N) it eventually resolves itself and I can continue shooting.  It's only happened a few times but with two different cards.  On each occasion there was subsequently no problem downloading the images, and, as far as I can tell, no shots were lost.   I always format the card in the camera before starting out.  Is this a known problem, or just me?

 

Secondly I have received my 55-210mm E mount twin kit lens back from the repairers.  A grey import, I was pleasantly surprised when this was fixed under warranty!  Not had time to thoroughly test it as yet, but a couple of hand held shots at 210mm look to be sharp through the viewfinder, so fingers crossed.  When I was without the lens I was using a Pentax 75-150 f4, which is wonderfully sharp corner to corner when slightly stopped down, but manual focus, plus the lack of IS, has meant that I have lost a few shots due to sluggishness/wobbles.  I need to compare the two lenses more formally to decide what to take on my next expedition.

[Ed Rooney]

Bryan, you did not mention what make memory card you're using or if you've been having this problem with one or several cards. I use only Sandisk or Lexar, and I've never had a problem with a memory card. There is also a hint I read in your opening paragraph that you are trying to shoot before your NEX has had the time to totally turn itself on; it's not instantaneous, you know? I walk around with the camera on. These new tiny memory cards are the size of postage stamps---you could carry 50 of them in a plastic baggie in your pants pocket. 

 

That was great having Sony act like the international company it is and respecting their product's warranty. Nikon and the other manufactures should do this. 

[Richard Coombs]

Bryan. I use 16GB Sandisk cards in my 6 and 5N and haven't had any problems so far, touch wood.

[Bryan]

Thanks for the responses Ed and Richard.

 

I also use Sandisk cards, but I guess you may be correct in that I might be attempting to switch on or off too quickly. I'll take more care in future and see what transpires.

 

Re the guarantee repair, I think that it might have been the retailer who paid, but, to be honest, I only know for sure that it didn't cost me!  They used a UK based Sony approved repairer.

[John Mitchell]

Interesting to hear about your 55-210 lens repair results, Bryan. Let us know if you continue to notice a significant improvement.

 

Regarding "grey imports," I recently bought a Sony "super wide angle" conversion lens (for the Sony 16mm) from B&H in NYC. I notice that the lens has no serial number on it. Is this a sign of it possibly not being made by Sony? It certainly looks like a Sony lens build-wise, and the optical performance seems to match what I've read in reviews. I've already had a few images taken with this lens combo pass QC.

 

I've been using Kingston Class 10 cards with the NEX. They are very fast, and I've not had any problems at all. Have always had good luck with Sandisk CF cards in the past.

[John Mitchell]

double post, sorry

[Lightphase - Neil]

i use the nex 6 and have no problems getting images through qc not impressed with the new power zoom here is a link to 2 i put through last week taken with the 210 mm zoom lens and nex 6

 

http://www.alamy.com/search/Imageresults.aspx?CreativeOn=1&adv=1&ag=0&all=1&creative=&et=0x000000000000000000000&vp=0&loc=0&qt=mayflower%20nymr&lic=6&lic=1&archive=1&dtfr=&dtto=&hc=&selectdate=&size=0xFF&aqt=&epqt=&oqt=&nqt=

[John Mitchell]

i use the nex 6 and have no problems getting images through qc not impressed with the new power zoom here is a link to 2 i put through last week taken with the 210 mm zoom lens and nex 6

 

http://www.alamy.com/search/Imageresults.aspx?CreativeOn=1&adv=1&ag=0&all=1&creative=&et=0x000000000000000000000&vp=0&loc=0&qt=mayflower%20nymr&lic=6&lic=1&archive=1&dtfr=&dtto=&hc=&selectdate=&size=0xFF&aqt=&epqt=&oqt=&nqt=

 

All the 55-210 images that I've submitted have passed QC. Here's one taken at 210mm that I was a bit worried about, but it went through:

 

http://c8.alamy.com/comp/8/%7B2F664A46-B082-43B4-9FB8-0B1315679146%7D/CWFJEB.jpg

[Richard Coombs]

Neil and John. Those 55-210 shots look pretty good. I've never had a lot of success with Sony lenses, but I may have to investigate that one.

[John Mitchell]

Neil and John. Those 55-210 shots look pretty good. I've never had a lot of success with Sony lenses, but I may have to investigate that one.

 

Yes, the 55-210 is a good lens IMO. I find the Sony lenses fine with the 14MP NEX-3.

[Lightphase - Neil]

love the 55 - 210 if i could get a 300mm i would be over the moon and wouldnt want anything else, the nex system in my opinion is brilliant and i love the lenses, im just not convinced by the new power zoom kit lens, i prefer the older kit lens

[Ed Rooney]

"I would be over the moon and wouldn't want anything else" -- Neil

 

Neil, pull the other one—it's got bells on it.   

[John Mitchell]

love the 55 - 210 if i could get a 300mm i would be over the moon and wouldnt want anything else, the nex system in my opinion is brilliant and i love the lenses, im just not convinced by the new power zoom kit lens, i prefer the older kit lens

 

 I don't like the looks of the new power zoom either. When I eventually buy the NEX-6, I'm planning on getting the body only and keeping the 18-55 (think I got a good one). Maybe at some point Sigma will come out with a stabilized mid-range zoom that doesn't cost the earth. 

[Ed Rooney]

Yeah, yeah, we NEX people are still here, still hanging around. I just found two reviews on the hi-end NEX-6 and NEX-7 that I seem to have missed earlier; Tom Hogan's reviews of NEX-6  http://www.sansmirror.com/cameras/a-note-about-camera-reviews/sony-nex-camera-reviews/sony-nex-6-review.html  and NEX-7  http://www.sansmirror.com/cameras/a-note-about-camera-reviews/sony-nex-camera-reviews/sony-nex-7-review.html

 

Being a Nikon user, I've always thought of Hogan as the grumpy, disapproving reviewer as opposed to the 180-degrees-away, over-the-top Ken Rockwell. 

[John Mitchell]

Yeah, yeah, we NEX people are still here, still hanging around. I just found two reviews on the hi-end NEX-6 and NEX-7 that I seem to have missed earlier; Tom Hogan's reviews of NEX-6  http://www.sansmirror.com/cameras/a-note-about-camera-reviews/sony-nex-camera-reviews/sony-nex-6-review.html  and NEX-7  http://www.sansmirror.com/cameras/a-note-about-camera-reviews/sony-nex-camera-reviews/sony-nex-7-review.html

 

Being a Nikon user, I've always thought of Hogan as the grumpy, disapproving reviewer as opposed to the 180-degrees-away, over-the-top Ken Rockwell. 

 

Thanks, Ed. It's always interesting to read another perspective. The NEX-6 is still on my wishlist.

 

Perhaps we should all get together and make a B-movie: "RETURN OF THE NEX PEOPLE."

[Richard Coombs]

Had a go with a 60mm Sigma on my NEX6 today. Very sharp corner to corner!

 

Quicker and closer focus would be nice. Small amount of distortion, easily corrected.

 

Hard to beat for 189 quid 

[Ed Rooney]

Interesting, Richard. I already have the Sony 50mm, and that and the Sony-Zeiss 24mm are very good lenses. Nobody needs both a 60mm and a 50mm. I would love to see either Sony or Sigma come out with a high-quality wide-angle, either a 10mm or a 16mm. The Sony 16mm I own is just not good enough (NOT sharp corner to corner). I see nothing in the reviews or owner comments that would make me think the Sigma 19mm is any better, even the new model.  

[Richard Coombs]

Ed. Aside from the new 60 I also have the old Sigma 19 and 30. The 30 is excellent and the 19 is similarly pretty good in my estimation, certainly streets ahead of the Sony 16. It would be interesting to do a comparison between the new, and old 19 and 30 to see if there is any real difference. Assuming that the new Sigmas meet with approval from NEX users I would have thought that Sigma would gradually increase their range, at least, I would like to think so. I've been a Sigma fan for many years.

 

Like you, I have the CZ 24 and that hasn't been off my 6 since I bought it. Zeiss have their two new lenses out, but neither length really appeals to me. The 50 is due out November as far as I know, so I will probably have a look at that when it is available. 24 and 50/60 pretty much covers my requirements as far as lenses go, that said I'm not planning to sell my Sigma 19 and 30 anytime soon.

[Ed Rooney]

Yeah, Jeff, the Sony Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 is unquestionably the best glass available for the NEX cameras. This link will take you to an image I have on FAA. If you click your mouse on the people on the far shore it will give you a 100% view . . . it take a few seconds to load:  http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-pond-ed-rooney.html

 

That was taken with the 24MP NEX-7 and the 24mm at ISO200 at f/5.6. The view is 36mm, which I think of as wide-normal rather than a wide angle. One of the great pluses about this lens is that it will focus to 6.5 inches. You can also look at the next image of the two guys dressed up in Time Square at 100%. I've been using the NEX-6 more lately because it has better noise control. This lens costs over $1,000. 

 

I have no problem working with primes, but I suspect there will be a few people along soon to tell you about a fab small zoom camera. 

 

Richard, I own both a 30mm Sony and a 30mm Sigma. I'm not crazy about either one (they were bought before I was able to get the Zeiss 24). Since I see no point in owning a 24 and a 30, I'll be selling off both 30's. 

[Bill Kuta]

NEX-ers, what's your experience with sensor dust?

 

I recently got my NEX-6 and am still in the getting-acquainted phase (sold off my 5D & lenses). For now, I'll be using the kit 16-50mm and the 10-18mm while I await further developments in NEX-world (the Sigma 60mm is tempting, though).

[John Mitchell]

NEX-ers, what's your experience with sensor dust?

 

I recently got my NEX-6 and am still in the getting-acquainted phase (sold off my 5D & lenses). For now, I'll be using the kit 16-50mm and the 10-18mm while I await further developments in NEX-world (the Sigma 60mm is tempting, though).

 

I find that I have to be more vigilant about sensor dust with my NEX-3 than with a conventional DSLR because the sensor is more exposed. Shortly after switching to the NEX system, I had an image fail QC because of dust blobs that I missed, so now I regularly use a big rubber blower to clean the sensor. This does the trick. I also carry a small blower in my camera bag to use between lens changes when time allows.

[Bryan]

NEX-ers, what's your experience with sensor dust?

 

I recently got my NEX-6 and am still in the getting-acquainted phase (sold off my 5D & lenses). For now, I'll be using the kit 16-50mm and the 10-18mm while I await further developments in NEX-world (the Sigma 60mm is tempting, though).

 

Coming from a Canon 5D, a veritable dust magnet, the NEX 6 is a whole lot better. It's not immune to the problem, but it doesn't seem to attract anything like the dust in the way that the 5D does. Further, the sensor is easier to get at to see to clean. 

 

I confess that I managed to get some seawater spray onto my NEX sensor. Being on site and having nothing else more suitable available than my well washed polo shirt, I used that to clean it off!  There does not appear to be any lasting damage. I've since given it a good scrub with a pukka cleaning tab/fluid, and there's no sign of anything untoward on the images. I think that you can be a touch too precious about these things.

 

Like John, I also use a blower to regularly clean the lenses and sensor. Having previously bought cheap no name blowers I tried a Giottos Rocket blower, and what a difference that makes. The products look very similar but the Giottos must have thicker or better quality rubber as it delivers a much more impressive blast or air.

[Richard Coombs]

I was always cleaning the sensors on my old 5D and 1D Mk 2. I've been using mirrorless for some time now (over a year), mostly Fuji X Pro 1 and NEX and I have yet to see a dust spot!

 

Long may it continue!

[Richard Coombs]

I forgot to say when I posted about the Sigma 60 the other day. I emailed Sigma to ask whether they had any plans to make the new lenses compatible with the NEX PDAF system through firmware updates. Apparently they do not!