Also, keep in mind that using the Sony EVF indoors is crappy light is a very different experience from using it outdoors - and at least for me, that's where I'm usually using my NEX - and in that setting I find the EVF just fine.
philip_pj wrote:
A bit like expecting a car to have the steering wheel and seat adjusted for you the first time you climb into it. Maybe you answered your own question.
+1
I don't think Sony have the man power to train every salesperson on the very specific technical configurations and photographic theory for every product (over 8000 sku's) they manufacture.
Wolfoid, you've never worked retail or been a salesperson have you?
I can see both sides of this, having worked a lot of retail earlier in my life. Lots of retail companies do rather technical training, but Sony may be too large to really do that efficiently. The good salesmen tend to learn the technical ins and outs on their own, although I'd imagine that this EVF thing takes a reasonable amount of research to figure out.
It's not even a matter of the salesperson's expertise: any display product sitting in a mall is bound to have the settings randomly adjusted by customers. Not only is it not a reasonable expectation that the EVF would be set up optimally, it's not even reasonable or likely that the EVF would have the out-of-box settings.
ken.vs.ryu wrote:
I would say only the critical few need so much customization to use the EVF.
I second that. Actually a lot of ordinary users prefer they can see the picture style effects in the EVF... and many AF lens users do not like focus peaking too.
I don't own a Nex 7 but I remember trying out an A77 in store a while back, and I was really impressed. The EVF has come really far and will just get better.
Just about any setting in the NEX-7 that can be changed(out of the box), has been changed, other than the AF settings since I don't have an AF lens to play with, and whenever I stick an AF lens on(Sigma 19 & 30, Zeiss 24) I've said to my self "Yuck" and gave it back to the sales person and said no-thanks I'm happy with my manuals.
So yeah Sony's OOB experience leaves a lot to be desired.
Coming from a 1DIII, there are a few things I miss, the dynamic range of the OVF mostly, but what I've gained is an in viewfinder preview of what I'm shooting(which has limits), a much more accurate way of manually focusing, and in bright light, a superior way of reviewing pictures.
All the complaints could be addressed with a FW update, if Sony ever releases one.
One must remember that looking through the EVF is exactly what the sensor sees, not your eyes. So, not only the jpec setting but also the lens mounted will have some influence over the quality of the image. I switched from a 5D classic to a NEX 5N with EVF, and after understanding the difference between an OVF vs an EVF, I managed to adjust the 5N's EVF to exactly how I like it to be. Is the EVF better than my 5D OVF, yes, in terms of keepers using manual focus lenses.
Coming from a 1DIII, there are a few things I miss, the dynamic range mostly
Coming from D700, I am impressed with dynamic range of NEX-7 (maybe partly due to LR4 / ACR7)
All the complaints could be addressed with a FW update, if Sony ever releases one.
Yes, I just wish Sony would release a FW that allow exposure blanketing with remote/timer (that frustrates me to no end) but seems Sony is not going to do that
Joseph Marney wrote:
A company's desire to sell product unfortunately does not equate to having knowledgeable sales people operating the equipment. Anyone here who has stepped foot into a Best Buy can attest to that.
Particularly when it comes to their wall o' TVs. They're basically taken out of the box, hung on the wall, plugged in, and powered up. You have to use your imagination as to what it will look like calibrated and adjusted properly.
douglasf13 wrote:
It's all about optimizing the Creative Style jpeg settings, because the EVF reflects whichever jpeg setting you're using. Switch to "Neutral" with -3 contrast, and -1 saturation, use proper WB or AWB, turn brightness to manual and all the way up, and make sure "Live view effect" setting is on. Also, consider removing the eye cup, as some have a hard time centering their eye correctly with this EVF.
FWIW, it shouldn't seem all that small to you. It is about the same viewing size as the 1DsIII OVF.
OK. newbie question here. Are these settings independent of the actual jpg output or is the assumption that you are shooting RAW and not worried about how the jpg's will look?
The assumption is you are shooting RAW. The creative style is still used, though, to make a jpg that is displayed on the rear LCD for review and it's also applied to what you see in the EVF - you don't see how the RAW file will actually look. Of note, the jpg is also used to build the histogram, so the RAW file for the histogram may be a bit different, esp. if you are bumping up contrast, sharpness, saturation in your creative style... I hope that makes sense.
If you're using flash photography, this is a big but niche problem to turn on live preview. It's my least favorite part about my NEX-7.
I wish Sony would just put a contrast control for the EVF. It's MADDENING that I know the EVF is excellent but the default settings are asinine and set by someone who doesn't seem like they know anything about photography.
