Sony NEX-5n (video-)review by Digitalrev
Here is a not so technical review made by Kai form the Digitalrev team. If you want to read a more “professional” review than wait for Dpreview. They will publish the full technical NEX-5n review this week!
Meanwhile I had zero team to share some thoughts with you about my Sony NEX-5n experience. I used the camera to take some private pictures while working on a photo reportage in Antwerp. And the last two days I used it as backup camera camera to record an interview for a short documentary. I have to say that in such cases (when you have to keep recording for a very long time) the overheating issue is really annoying. But don’t blame on Sony, blame on me for trying to use the camera for a professional work 
All new Sony cameras and lenses links:
A77 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
A65 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Sony NEX-7 Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Sony NEX-5n Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Sony 50mm f/1.8 Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Sony 55-210mm Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
NEX-5n viewfinder Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Related Posts
Share
Recent comments
Comment from Rodrigo: I'm glad others saw the bad impersonatio...
Comment from Renato M.: By what people wrote here about me: I do...- Comment from Renato M.: I'm pathetic by coming here in this outd...
- Comment from Renato M.: and I wasn't even commenting you because...
Sören
8 months ago |For me it’s a good review that shows the strenghts and drawbacks of the Nex-5n.
C
8 months ago |It also shows that the A77 has some problems with moire. Sad. Day.
monkeyfacemcbride
8 months ago |Seriously, you’re judging the video quality of the A77 using a video thats been compressed to a sixth of its captured bitrate, downsampled for storage then upscaled for display? Not really a great advert for your videography knowledge is it.
I’ve yet to find any evidence at all of moire in the videos from my A77.
C
8 months ago |Welp;
So you’re saying that the aliasing on the 18-55 NEX lens is from video compression?
Get out.
NEXfive
8 months ago |A good review, really? He didn’t found much differences to the NEX-5 like Lens Compensation and no video improvements anyway, like the better video crop factor, slow motion and much more manual controls. Okay, he found the touch screen and the new EVF not mentioning that it’s only an expensive option. He found the clicking problem and he did at least one sort of serious ISO test. It’s not that I mind him goofing around, but I’d really prefer more serious information…
Radec
8 months ago |I wouldn’t call that serious ISO test though.
NEXfive
8 months ago |…yeah, that’s why I wrote “sort of”
Gunnar
8 months ago |i would call this nonsense hardly a review.. most his other videos are atleast entertaining, but this one is a plain waste of time
Renato M.
8 months ago |You can see the moire when the A77 is filming, look at the NEX-5n lens when they go for the studio test. I still think that the GH2 is better at video.
I also thought that the AF was going to be at least as fast as the E-P3/G3, but it’s really not so fast and it disappointed me a little bit. And I think that right now the touch screen is pretty much useless, you need that feature that the m4/3 has, the touch shutter, even though depending on the light and the AF lag it wouldn’t be that useful. But luckily they can solve all that in a future firmware update.
I still think that the swivel display is better, this tiltable isn’t as much useful and practical as I thought. Even the A65 and A77 display, it looks unpractical. With the normal swivel display you can open and turn very quickly and it doesn’t have this weird angles to work.
I think that Kai could had talked about the 1080p60 and he could had compared the quality of the 1080p24 @24mbps.
What I really liked about this camera is the ISO performance, it’s astonishing, it really is. I know that you won’t use it to print, but you can use it for web and it’s really fun to be able to do so.
But even though I have my complains, like why couldn’t Sony make a dedicated Shoot Mode mode*, overall I still think it was a nice purchase.
*it does make sense, because between the NEX-3 and the NEX-5 you almost had no difference at all, this could be a really welcomed one. I know the differences between the 5n and the C3 as better than before, but still. You have basically 3 customizable, but as you will need one of them to call the Shoot Mode, in reality you only have 2. Ok, I can live with that, but I just don’t get it, a Shoot Mode dial would be a heck of a help and not to say, much more practical.
Raul S.
8 months ago |Yeah, GH2 may have better video, but hacked. The original GH2 footage is not better compared to NEX-5N and take into account that NEX-5N gives you more wide-angle than any m4/3 because of the crop factor (The NEX-5N video output is uncropped compared to NEX-5)
errrmmmm…Touch screen pretty much useless??? Seriously? Ok, what about the tracking focus function for video and photo? Are you going to tell us that’s useless? C’mon… The touch screen shutter is redundant to the actual shutter and that’s more useless compared to the track focus function…
And then…the A77 with the “Weird angles” gives you more practicability than any camera before. And that feature has been praised by several reviewers. Swivel only works in certain positions while the A77 gives you more possibilities…Geez…weird angles…That was funny.
Yes, the NEX cameras are limited to waist level, low level and above head level in horizontal orientation, but anything more complex will add size to the camera. And if they didn’t dropped that design is because it has been practical.
Your complains are pretty weird.
NT
8 months ago |GH2 is better than 5N on video whether hacked or not, it can capture more details than 5N even on stock, that because the way GH2 receiving and handling data from sensor is better implemented than other brand atm.
I also agree with Renato that current touch screen focus is quite useless, most of the time you just lose the composition when you touch focus then press the button, I really wish it have the shutter feature (hopefully next firmware upgrade)
Tracking focus sucks on 5N, I turn mine off (so only single touch focus), and AF is definitely slower than “3″ M43, there are countless time I thought it AF performance is just as fast as my ex E-PL1! GH’s track focus is more solid than Sony or Olympus cam (though still not the same as DSLR)
NEX need high ISO because they needed, I can get the same shot for ISO800 on E-PL1 with 20mm than ISO3200 on the 5N with the 16mm (F2.8 is really bad on 16mm, I only use F4 or slower), though currently using 28mm F2 manual lens can lower the ISO to 800 too, but at full open it is not as sharp as the 20mm F1.7
Renato M.
8 months ago |I think that the difference between you and me is that I’ll never think like or answer like a fanboy, some things are facts and some others are just opinions. nobody has to agree or think the same way other people do.
that’s not true, the GH2 is better hacked or not. GH2 has smoother rendering, less aliasing, it’s more cinematic and that’s not just me saying, go read EOSHD.
and yes, right now touchscreen is quite useless and tracking is not accurate enough so it’s not useful as well. touch shutter is not redundant and I think you don’t even have a NEX-5n to say the things you are saying. it’s like a teen trying to talk big about sex when he have never done that before, you can’t give much credit to him.
you touch to focus and then, when you try to shoot, it re-focus before shoot! it maintains the focus where you want but you lose too much time in the process. if you have a touch shutter, you touch it to focus and it automatically shoots. please, think a lil bit before saying things like that or like you know so much.
that’s not what I was referring to when I said “weird angles”. I think that sometimes simple is better and I like practical things, even more in photography when the moment is important. if you take the one they used in the A77 or A65 you will take longer to adjust it then you would with a normal swivel display. but again you don’t have to agree with me, people think differently and have different priority, deal with that.
sometimes I use the tiltable screen but they are not practical, it’s not quick and as the NEX lenses are huge it wouldn’t be a problem to have a slightly bigger camera so it could have a swivel. the camera is small but the system is not.
as I said, even though I have my complains, overall I like it, since the pros beats the cons. shoot mode dial… where are you?
Raul S.
8 months ago |You got your opinion, I got mine, but your point of weird angles is quite funny you know? Nothing against your preferences on swivel but A77 provides more options than a single swivel design and you make it sound like something wrong.
I understand the current limitation of NEX series (mainly the AF speed in low light) but since I shoot with MF lenses, I just enjoy MF Assist and Focus peaking functions. But calling someone else fanboy, ummmm that is intended to hurt me? If you think I’m a fanboy, go ahead. Today it seems like the most used word to try to win in forums when it just creates tension when directed against a person without tolerance, I’ll just pass on you. Just tried to understand your insights. And yes, you’re right, I don’t own a 5N. Had a D3000 some time ago and now a NEX-5 since 1 year and thank you for taking the time to explain the flow of how the things work on NEX-5N.
Anyways, Focus tracking function seems useful. As I said, on video is great, It works on P&S cameras, It seems to works great on NEX-5N were you get more subject-background isolation compared to P&S. Saw some videos on youtube and to me, it works as intended, nothing to call useless.
Renato M.
8 months ago |I didn’t intend to hurt or anything I just answered to the tone you put in your comment, just that. in this last comment you were more “moderated” but just read your other comment and you will understand that.
are you kidding me? the one that tried to rule with words was you, I was just giving my insight about the camera without favoring Sony because it really has several flaws.
to turn your head to it and make the comments you did, yes it does sound like a fanboy even more when you talk about things that you don’t own, how much credit can I give to that?
so don’t come now trying to act like a reasonable gentleman victim when you were the one trying to impose an opinion in the first place.
Renato M.
8 months ago |I’m pathetic by coming here in this outdated post, but since it’s already a mess, why not?
Everything that I said about the NEX-5n was also addressed by DPreview in their review. My point is that my “mini-review” was pretty reasonable and it should not turned out into a mess like this. And after the first answer and because of the way comments is grouped people stop reading the first things I said and started to conclude things by half a word and then, this mess.
DPreview wrote in their NEX-5n full review:
“This is all very well, but some users might be disappointed that the touch interface doesn’t bring a little more to the table… ”
“…we would have liked to see Sony do more with the 5N’s touch screen, at the very least perhaps an equivalent to the ‘touch shutter’ functions we’ve seen in recent Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras.”
DPreview also addressed to the same problem I said about the DMF, it is a pretty nice idea but very poorly executed, it’s not practical so, in some situations, it’s useless and very frustrating, mainly because you know how good it could be. And they also compared the AF speed and also expected more.
What I’m trying to say is that when I made my comment like a mini-review I was really addressing things that I didn’t think it was working and that could be improved. But some people took it – I don’t know how – as some kind of offense, even with me saying that overall I really liked the camera.
So when a respectful reviewer like DPreview talk about the same problems it shows that I’m not “being weird” with my complains and unreasonable, quite the contrary, I was really addressing some interface, design, practical issues that really exists and could make the camera better.
yo
8 months ago |The GH2 might take nice video, but as a camera what it was designed primarily for… it’s utter crap.
The video compliments the 5N great picture qualities.
“I know that you won’t use it to print, but you can use it for web and it’s really fun to be able to do so.”
You sound burnt man…
ANDY
8 months ago |you hit the nail on the head…ive both cameras…GH2 & Nex 5n and the GH2 is a great video only tool with the best video image (if youre pixel peeping like eoshd that is) but a very very poor as a CAMERA overall.
Nex 5n delivers a great even package with bloody good photo/video capabilities (again no pixel peeping…nex 5n footage matches my hacked gh2 footage on my 50″ tv).
As a result…for ONLY filmaking I can use GH2. For EVERYTHING video/stills Nex 5n.
And thats what the point of having a camera system like this is about.
Since owning the 5n ive found myself picking it up to use more and more than the GH2.
Renato M.
8 months ago |i don’t get you people, why do you have the need to counter an argument with something totally unrelated?
when I say about the GH2 and NEX5n about video, it’s about video, nothing else. because I think it was clear that I think that overall the NEX5n is better if not I should have bought the GH2 instead, right?
it’s like you are not able to accept that this is not a perfect product and it has flaws, the same way that GH2 has flaws, but right now I was talking about the NEX-5n and not the GH2. if it was, I was going to say that I wished it had peaking, better ISO, etc.
My idea is to wait for the GH3 or the GX1 and see what Panasonic brings to the table, this is getting interesting.
burnt? how so or why? well, it doesn’t matter.
yo
8 months ago |“My idea is to wait for the GH3 or the GX1 and see what Panasonic brings to the table, this is getting interesting.”
For someone who tries to argue on logic, your reasoning to wait for another product primarily due to the video quality of a CAMERA does not make much sense.
The 5N is a great product, it takes awesome photos, the video compliments it. Why wait for the next product, you might as well wait forever given this line of thought.
Nothing man made will ever be perfect… Go buy Jesus!
Renato M.
8 months ago |I own a NEX-5n and I like this camera, I really don’t understand your point.
ageha
8 months ago |Yeah, the AF is slow comapared to Olympus and Panasonic but both have no peaking in MF.
C
8 months ago |Which is a big deal when you use lenses like the Voigtlander 25mm.
ageha
8 months ago |Indeed, a NEX is a much better tool for a MF lens, at least for my eyes.
Renato M.
8 months ago |I also agree with that, but that are two unrelated matters. peaking is something that the others should copy but the fast AF is a new standard, so you expect it. even the new Nikon has fast AF, that’s why I think that Sony should address that with firmware, if possible.
ANDY
8 months ago |Renato
Take a breath.
First up dont make accusations. you come across failing to accept other opinions except your own.
Indeed the Nex 5n has a few flaws (one being lens selection the other the overhyped click issue…the last being a little alaising in video). These have been said to death.
And yes if video is ONLY your priority then GH2 is a better choice.This is a fact.
But the NEX 5n is a better camera overall as it does BOTH photo & video in very high quality.
GH2 does not do photos very well (my old gh1/gf1 does better) so its a one trick pony. Poor photo ability is a pretty big flaw in a camera in my book.
Making sole comparisons only to video mode on a camera misses the whole picture…excuse the pun.
I like to look at products as a whole package..does it do what its designed to do..so on.
I hope Panasonic concentrate on the photo side (as they have done well enough on video) of GFpro or GH3…thats the one thing they lack .
Renato M.
8 months ago |OMG… you guys are misunderstanding me.
I KNOW that the NEX5n is overall better and that’s exactly why I bought one and I really like the camera.
I answered this comment because it was talking about something I said, that the AF is slow but it was pointing out that it had peaking, but it’s unrelated issue because I know that peaking is better and by saying this, it sounds like I don’t know the pros of the NEX-5n and I can say that I really know the pros of this cameras, I’ve been researching cameras for the past few months and decided to buy this one.
you guys are reading just fragments of what I said and concluding things completely different from what I really think.
it all started just because I pointed out some flaws of the NEX-5n and said it could be improved and people gone berserk talking all the PROS of the camera and stuff, I know all that and I said overall this was a better camera and that’s why I bought it. you don’t have keep saying the PROS like I don’t know. that’s what I don’t get about all this mess.
Renato M.
8 months ago |and I wasn’t even commenting you because I agree with what you said about being overall a better camera. what I said is because I think it’s really unnecessary to point out a PRO just because someone said a CON. it’s children play. “my car is faster” “but my car is more beautiful”. I said that the AF was faster but now because I don’t know all the good points of the NEX-5n and then ageha said “Yeah, the AF is slow comapared to Olympus and Panasonic but both have no peaking in MF.” and that’s what I said that was unrelated, again, for me, is like a child trying to make a point about something totally unrelated.
And how I can’t accept another opitnion when I agree with it? that doesn’t make sense at all. you guys that are taking the conversation in the middle and rushing into conclusions. If you read everything or at least the first thing that I wrote, you will understand my point better.
Dan
8 months ago |Entertaining and informative. DPreview’s reviews are usually informative as well but can be snoozers.
beware
8 months ago |when is the new firmware for Kai comming .. that guy is boring as hell
Slazo
8 months ago |I for the love of god cannot understand how people find his reviews funny and/or informative. This guy has tried everything to emulate top gear and his attempts stink to say the least. Before you call me a fanboy, let me say the above applies to his reviews of any camera canon, nikon anything. Those who find him funny , well good for you guys – even watching golf must be amazing fun for you guys. Those who find these reviews helpful – kudos .. speechless
monkeyfacemcbride
8 months ago |Couldn’t agree more, he seems to overlook the fact that Top Gear is scripted by very clever people (including the presenters) and uses some of the best cameramen in the industry. There’s a team of about 100 people behind it with three carefully selected and very intentionally balanced presenters. His effort ends up being like an amateur version of fifth gear which is the only program ever to prove the existence of the human soul….simply because if you watch an episode you’ll actually feel it leave your body! For those who haven’t seen it, it redefines the word “terrible” and probably includes exciting articles like “the big air-con shoot-out! – which is better the aircon in the old civic or the new civic!!!”.
He also mentions several times about Sony owners thinking him to be a douche-bag, seriously, dont behave like one. Dont make a big play out of video clicks, its old news and already acknowledged and will be fixed FOC. It only happens if you use the camera in a totally incompetent manner anyway.
If you want to produce something good:
1. forget the poor attempt at humor (or get a presenter who can do it properly)
2.think up consistent scenario tests.
3. use your own experience of the product to identify who might possibly be looking for such a camera and target that as the intended audience for the review
4. Lose your very obvious brand bias and review each item on its own merits.
5. Educate your audience, you dont have to teach them photography, just explain to them why you’ve made the judgements you have.
ah, i could go on forever but cant be bothered.
Rodrigo
8 months ago |I’m glad others saw the bad impersonation the guy was trying.
And you’re right about the cameramen, they are the unsung heroes of TG.
dk
8 months ago |I wouldn’t waste my time on this dude. Watching his videos is like reading Ken Rockwell.
J Dog
8 months ago |Why would you disparage Ken Rockwell like this?
acolyte
8 months ago |So much hate for Kai! Just think of it as a parody of reviews…
Ben
8 months ago |First I thought he was just having fun egging on the die-hard Sony fans but it’s weird how much he mentions that during the review. At this stage no-one is denying the clicking noise or the need for a fix (Sony included) so he was wasting his breath in that respect.
harpo
8 months ago |Certainly is a thin skinned fellow considering he’s in the business of criticism? Looks to me that the only reason for him to review the 5N, was to take a few shots at Sony camera users.
kinki
8 months ago |Looks more like an A77 video review to me than 5n review. I am a Sony user for 3 years but i must admit this video is not up to the expectation, and seems like the fullframe 5D M2 is still the king. It will be a big let down as Sony suppose to be far advance in terms of video tech. I hope it’s all because of Lok that is not familiar with the Sony gadget that cause this.
Kinda disappointed but things may get better when i received my A77 soon and practically using it, might not be that bad tho.
acolyte
8 months ago |You can return it though right?
Hmm perhaps I should rent an A77 to try it out b4 buying!
kinki
8 months ago |Haha will never plan to return it. From the mass reviews it had been proven to be a killer gadget. I do not believe this video had actually unleashed the full potential of it, and i will gonna try it myself later.
Zstan
8 months ago |To be fair, Lok is using L grade lens and 5D is full frame.
If we want to compare fairly, it should be between a77/d7000/7D.
You also need to include the cost factor as well.
kinki
8 months ago |I was actually hoping that 16 50 to be G or CZ graded, but anyway life moves on. It seems that the only premium 2.8 choices we have is the CZ 24 70, sigh.
Anyway still waiting for more in-depth review of the 1650 vs it’s canikon counterparts.
Raghav
8 months ago |No Thank You… If that was the case, the price would have gone up from $700 to $1500 for essentially the same thing… Compare it with the 16 80 Zeiss for example.
t.j.
8 months ago |I find this funny, i couldn’t care less if it was a g or a zeiss lens, I use the standard 35mm f1,8 and see amazing results from it (EVEN WITH PIXEL PEEPING) people require names and badges, based on hard facts its not always true. The new lens has the very nice SSM and a great apature, at a really really good price.
Radec
8 months ago |Wow, that was a complete waste of time.
They pretty much spend most of the time goofing around.
How is that a review.
Will
8 months ago |I did not like the Waldo character who steals tires.
jazzroy
8 months ago |can someone point out at what time we see moirè on A77 video?
I had a quick look at the review but I didn’t see it!
Nai Yan
8 months ago |Looking forward to the in-depth review from dpreview.
ageha
8 months ago |Does DigitalRev really boosts it’s sales with those reviews?
Photoz
8 months ago |Nope, nope and nope…..because after watching that drivel, they are not even close to any sort of a ‘review’, unnecessarily childish and unprofessional. That guy Kai’s style/appeal falls in the 5-12 YO’s bracket, or anyone with an IQ of <50.
But, I must admit that he certainly got my attention for the first and very last time. Based upon what I saw, I would not buy a lens cloth from their company.
Terryfried
8 months ago |They would not boost sales from me. But they would stop me asking questions of the staff. Maybe they just want an easy time. I have been told numerous times by sales assistance in photography shops “sorry I don’t know, I just sell cameras not really interested in them”
itev
8 months ago |And what about Nex-5N with the LA-EA2 adaptator ? please some tests and comments
Matt
8 months ago |Look at the size of that thing. Doesn’t putting a huge viewfinder on the top and a big ass lens on it defeat the entire purpose of a camera like the NEX. If you want DSLR quality but you also want something small why not just get an a35, a33, or a55? Seems pretty absurd to take a slim little body like this and then make it the size of a small SLR anyway. I suppose I’ll just never get the point of these things.
itev
8 months ago |Yes but it’s a way to use two systems : Nex which is light, and a reflex which is good in high ISO
sabunyuma
8 months ago |I really do not understand all the Kai-rage going on… jeez, lighten up a bit, people.
Renato M.
8 months ago |they don’t get it, the more they rage the more Kai makes fun of it. they always say the same thing, that DigitalRev review is not a review, that they don’t like it, that they don’t find it funny at all, that Kai is biased, etc. etc. but apparently in the end they all watch it! or else how are they commenting it? uhahuahuahuauhauha…
robdel
8 months ago |I guess the Sony NEX5N really is the greatest camera ever made in the entire history of the world, and the only problem is that Kai is a douche. Thanks for clearing that up folks.
Vlad
8 months ago |Way to overreact. Read again the comments.
Renato M.
8 months ago |By what people wrote here about me: I don’t have a NEX-5n, I’m waiting for a Panasonic GX1 and can’t accept that the NEX-5n is better, just because I think that the GH2 has better video.
When the true is: I really like this camera and it has some flaws, as I pointed out but overall it’s a better camera. Which is why bought the NEX-5n.
LOL