philber Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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In my hands,the 7 has turned out to be a far different camera from the 5N, and for one basic reason.
With the smaller camera, I shoot 85% from the waist, with the LCD turned upwards. I tried the viewfinder and couldn't bring myself to buying it. As I pack my 5N kit really tight in my workbag, or slip it into my pocket, I just couldn't leave it on permanently, and screwing it on and off every time, with this puny mount, was just too much of a pain. I also didn't use peaking, because it wasn't accurate enough to save me from magnifying. So, as long as I am going to magnify, why "pollute" the image with red lines?
OTOH, with the 7, I shoot from the viewfinder most of the time, including of course when I want to shoot in portrait mode, which is my more frequent orientation when I have a choice, and which is so painful when shooting a VF-less 5N. I also find, on the 7, that peaking is quite useful.
Then there is the physical package. The 5N is delightfully light, compact, stealthy. With its equally delightful touch-screen, it is a real Q-cam. It looks like a toy, feels like a toy, everybody thinks it is a toy, actually, they are not even sure if you are shooting or chimping, but you, and you alone, know that, with serious glass, it is a very serious IQ-machine.
The 7, OTOH feels much more substantial. Shooting from eye-level looks much more "photographer-like", purposeful and deliberate. It also balances much better with my lenses (Contax G, Zeiss ZM, Leica R), and, with my ZM 35 f:2.0, it gives me the feeling I had with my 40D and ZE 50 f:1.4. Lightweight, well balanced, with a standard-focal-length prime. HCB, here I come! And, with the viewfinder, which doesn't suffer from weak performance in sunny situations the way a LCD does, and peaking inside the VF, my keeper rate with the 7 is the highest of any camera I've used with MF glass. Almost 100% in most stationary shooting, and maybe 50% in very close-up mode.
Then, of course, there is the IQ. Nothing in the 5N leaves me frustrated or wanting. But now that I've grown used to the 7, the difference is instantly clear to me.
Also, I know know at least one reason why Sony might have left the touchscreen out of the 7 design. It is because, whereas the 5N is LCD-shooting-based, the 7 is viewfinder-based. If you have your cam to your eye, focusing with the touchscreen dones't help, does it?
In conclusion, I am leaving at the end of next week on a trip. Because 5N and 7 are so different, I will be taking both cameras, as well as my primary Canon DSLR (hopefully a 5DIII). I will probably leave my Contax G 45 and Leica R 60 on the 7, and use that as my primary short tele setup, have my ZM 18 and G 28 on my 5N, where they don't require Cornerfix, and have ZE 25 f:2.0 and ZE 35 f:1.4 on my Canon. The shooter I am going with is Leica-only. It will be interesting to compare...
For Jim, so far, I am using the right soft button for MF assist, since I magnify the centre and recompose. I haven't shot the 7 from a tripod yet, where that might not be optimal.
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