Yup, the comparison is unfair. I meant that even the primitive AF in a camera like 5D2 would take that shot to another level, ie it would be sharp where I want it to be. I bought the 5N with the vain idea that it could replace its older super-brother. Now I realize that (for me) two key qualities go down the drain with the NEX. One is DOF, second is how magnificent DSLR AF actually is in some situations. If I would have brought the NEX kit lens, it would not stand a chance against the 5D2 and say a "simple" EF 50/1.4. Now, if I would have had a manual lens (for the 5D2) to take a similar shot I would have done better too. With the 5D2 the shot is almost instant through the VF (but in this case I would have needed to kneel). This compared to my flimsy NEX displayclicks; enlarge - focus peek - back to 100% - compose - shutter. I dont see that go away from the NEX as I use it. But the pros-side is not empty at all. I wont elaborate, I really like the 5N and I have no intention of letting it go ...Show more →
Understood. And I agree. While I like the 5N, it hasn't taken the place of the DSLRs for me either.
Jacob D wrote:
After you mentioned the CV 21 I went back to the beginning of the thread and came across some other shots of yours taken with it. It does look like a pretty nice lens for landscape. I'm trying to find some Biogon samples to compare against. I wish FM had a thread search tool (or does it??).
You might also look up threads at DP by John Bean who has put up a number of very nice shots with the 25mm snapshot skopar. I think you could find tests of all three skopars 28 - 21. I'd imagine there must also be samples at RFF.
I know the biogons are really good---however the wides gave first gen sensors fits. What the story is now with the 5n, I'm not sure.
Some pooh pooh the skopars because they can't believe there is that kind of performance for such a reasonable price--they rarely own one.
Speaking of light, you have that nice 75/1.8, but the 75/2.5 is a feather and I find it performs very well also. Your 40 should do decently stopped down, but the 35/2.5 is considered sharper and flater I believe.
You can basically get several CVs for the price of an elmarit 28 I don't think I've paid more than 300 for any skopar, and as little as 225.
Another tack would be the ZMs. I just saw very good correction on a zm 18 (for colorshift), better than the M9, i thought, coming from a c3! I'm not sure where we are at now with the famous ZM 25. They are more than double the cosina prices--many triple.
A good source if you haven't already been there is the cameraquest articles.
Ajay C wrote:
First time posting pictures on this thread. Acquired a NEX-5N, quite the camera it is!
Thanks for stealing my thunder, Ajay!
It would be interesting to hear your feedback on how you approached shooting the NEX versus your M on your trip (since you posted some shots in the Leica thread as well).
uhoh7 wrote:
You might also look up threads at DP by John Bean who has put up a number of very nice shots with the 25mm snapshot skopar. I think you could find tests of all three skopars 28 - 21. I'd imagine there must also be samples at RFF.
I know the biogons are really good---however the wides gave first gen sensors fits. What the story is now with the 5n, I'm not sure.
Some pooh pooh the skopars because they can't believe there is that kind of performance for such a reasonable price--they rarely own one.
Speaking of light, you have that nice 75/1.8, but the 75/2.5 is a feather and I find it performs very well also. Your 40 should do decently stopped down, but the 35/2.5 is considered sharper and flater I believe.
You can basically get several CVs for the price of an elmarit 28 I don't think I've paid more than 300 for any skopar, and as little as 225.
Another tack would be the ZMs. I just saw very good correction on a zm 18 (for colorshift), better than the M9, i thought, coming from a c3! I'm not sure where we are at now with the famous ZM 25. They are more than double the cosina prices--many triple.
A good source if you haven't already been there is the cameraquest articles....Show more →
Thanks again for the feedback. I'll go do some more homework. I have also been pondering the Pen F 25/2.8, at least there are options!
sebboh wrote:
fantastic shots! i especially like number 2. how does the 24 lux handle on the NEX?
Thanks Tom. 24 lux is a bit front heavy on the NEX. There is no color shading unlike the 1st gen NEX. The 24 lux loses some of its appeal on the crop, but its just my preference for FF over APS-C.
Thanks Frezeiss. #1 is very nice.
Thanks Michael49.
corposant wrote :
Thanks for stealing my thunder, Ajay!
It would be interesting to hear your feedback on how you approached shooting the NEX versus your M on your trip (since you posted some shots in the Leica thread as well).
Oops, didn't mean to steal your thunder! Lux 24 or NEX-5N on tap ?
To be honest, I never warmed up to shooting the NEX (bought and sold NEX cameras three times before the NEX-5N). I find it very awkward to shoot/compose from an LCD. Even though the NEX-5N output is rather nice, I prefer the M9's output (@ base ISO's). Not sure how to put it, but it always felt like Sony's output was too digital, plasticky.. At high ISO's, the NEX sensor does prove its mettle. As for color shading in the corners with wide angles, there doesn't seem to be any color degradation, at least with the Lux 24. It will be interesting to see how many here are planning to put the newer M glass on NEX bodies.
Jacob D wrote:
Thanks again for the feedback. I'll go do some more homework. I have also been pondering the Pen F 25/2.8, at least there are options!
If you are looking for strong performance across the frame, I would be a bit wary of the pen 25, which I do own. It is VERY sharp in the centers but displays signifcant spherical aberation. There is a chance it would do better on the 5n, but for landscapes I would take 25 skopar over that based on samples I've seen.
The CV would probably be cheaper than the Pen, which often gets over 300.
all the best,
Charlie
PS I may get my new Pen 20/3.5 today, which I expect to be the same way--but I found a great price (179USD) I could not turn down I'll shoot some landscapes with it and the 25, so you can see both.
Now the 42/1.2 I would not hestiate to recomend for landscape work--it is a rare 2 fer. Great high speed, and sick edge to edge at f/8. Expect to pay 5-700 However if I could only keep one superspeed, that would be it. In fact I should sell my nokton 1.1 to finance 7 or 5n.
Ajay C wrote:
To be honest, I never warmed up to shooting the NEX (bought and sold NEX cameras three times before the NEX-5N). I find it very awkward to shoot/compose from an LCD. Even though the NEX-5N output is rather nice, I prefer the M9's output (@ base ISO's). Not sure how to put it, but it always felt like Sony's output was too digital, plasticky.. At high ISO's, the NEX sensor does prove its mettle. As for color shading in the corners with wide angles, there doesn't seem to be any color degradation, at least with the Lux 24. It will be interesting to see how many here are planning to put the newer M glass on NEX bodies. ...Show more →
Actually, the biggest pleasant surprise with the NEX 5N is the touch-screen - one touch to magnify to focus confirm. I am receiving the EVF today, so that may help improve the shooting experience ( at least for me). Another benefit of the LCD is that I am very tall, so if I cant to compose from the waist, I can do it.
I'm going to use all my M glass on it, so I think it will be a continual evaluation process. However I have seen enough to proverbially "cut the tag!"
Jacob D wrote:
Thanks again for the feedback. I'll go do some more homework. I have also been pondering the Pen F 25/2.8, at least there are options!
I dont think anyone has mentioned the Contax G's. They're all small rangefinder designs, below my current threesome 28/2.8, 45/2 & 90/2.8, and then the 28/2.8 Biogon mounted on the 5N. They're all very sharp and comprise a small and excellent performing package with the Nex.
Found a plugin for Chrome (almost dare not to say...) that I just needed to try and cant help posting some examples. This is the 28 and a poor-mans-tiltshift with some shots from yesterday :-)
Ajay C wrote:
To be honest, I never warmed up to shooting the NEX (bought and sold NEX cameras three times before the NEX-5N). I find it very awkward to shoot/compose from an LCD. Even though the NEX-5N output is rather nice, I prefer the M9's output (@ base ISO's). Not sure how to put it, but it always felt like Sony's output was too digital, plasticky.. At high ISO's, the NEX sensor does prove its mettle. As for color shading in the corners with wide angles, there doesn't seem to be any color degradation, at least with the Lux 24. It will be interesting to see how many here are planning to put the newer M glass on NEX bodies.
Just got a hold of a 5N loaner for a few weeks and have been playing around with all my M lenses. This is just an extremely early, superficial impression compared to using the M9, but I would say that both cameras require some faith that the 'system' will hit proper focus. With the M9, it's knowing the quirks of the rangefinder with each of your lenses. With the NEX it's interpreting focus peaking. Of course one can magnify the focus, and I agree that the tap to magnify is nice. But so far I find that when in magnify mode, and even when just using focus peaking normally, that I tend to concentrate more on where the focus is than on what the composition is. Maybe this will lessen over time, but initially, I find the M9 is about getting focus in the ballpark (if stopped down a bit) and concentrating on framing. Less so with the NEX maybe because it still feels like I'm watching the device rather than controlling it.
The 5N's grip is too short, and with a heavier lens like the CV 35 f/1.2 II, becomes a bit uncomfortable. Someone needs to market a grip extension that screws onto the bottom of the camera (if that doesn't already exist).
Re: EVF... where have you guys found this item for sale? All the sources I've checked have been out of stock. I think the experience would be a lot better with it.
That said, I'm excited about the 5N. I can see it will be a nice high ISO complementary camera to the M9, and as already mentioned, for shooting at high and low angles while still controlling the composition, etc. For the price, it's difficult to argue against carrying a 5N around in addition to the M9 for those times when it will be useful.
For me I compose first, get the focus in the ball park with peaking and then tap the screen on what I wish to us as my focal point to magnify and nail focus. Pretty easy for me.
I looked high and low for the EVF in the USA and finally gave up and bought it on ebay from a Hong Kong seller for $299.00. It took about 7 days to reach me from Hong Kong, not bad at all.
rscheffler wrote:
Just got a hold of a 5N loaner for a few weeks and have been playing around with all my M lenses. This is just an extremely early, superficial impression compared to using the M9, but I would say that both cameras require some faith that the 'system' will hit proper focus. With the M9, it's knowing the quirks of the rangefinder with each of your lenses. With the NEX it's interpreting focus peaking. Of course one can magnify the focus, and I agree that the tap to magnify is nice. But so far I find that when in magnify mode, and even when just using focus peaking normally, that I tend to concentrate more on where the focus is than on what the composition is. Maybe this will lessen over time, but initially, I find the M9 is about getting focus in the ballpark (if stopped down a bit) and concentrating on framing. Less so with the NEX maybe because it still feels like I'm watching the device rather than controlling it.
The 5N's grip is too short, and with a heavier lens like the CV 35 f/1.2 II, becomes a bit uncomfortable. Someone needs to market a grip extension that screws onto the bottom of the camera (if that doesn't already exist).
Re: EVF... where have you guys found this item for sale? All the sources I've checked have been out of stock. I think the experience would be a lot better with it.
That said, I'm excited about the 5N. I can see it will be a nice high ISO complementary camera to the M9, and as already mentioned, for shooting at high and low angles while still controlling the composition, etc. ...Show more →
rscheffler wrote:
Just got a hold of a 5N loaner for a few weeks and have been playing around with all my M lenses. This is just an extremely early, superficial impression compared to using the M9, but I would say that both cameras require some faith that the 'system' will hit proper focus. With the M9, it's knowing the quirks of the rangefinder with each of your lenses. With the NEX it's interpreting focus peaking. Of course one can magnify the focus, and I agree that the tap to magnify is nice. But so far I find that when in magnify mode, and even when just using focus peaking normally, that I tend to concentrate more on where the focus is than on what the composition is. Maybe this will lessen over time, but initially, I find the M9 is about getting focus in the ballpark (if stopped down a bit) and concentrating on framing. Less so with the NEX maybe because it still feels like I'm watching the device rather than controlling it.
The 5N's grip is too short, and with a heavier lens like the CV 35 f/1.2 II, becomes a bit uncomfortable. Someone needs to market a grip extension that screws onto the bottom of the camera (if that doesn't already exist).
Re: EVF... where have you guys found this item for sale? All the sources I've checked have been out of stock. I think the experience would be a lot better with it.
That said, I'm excited about the 5N. I can see it will be a nice high ISO complementary camera to the M9, and as already mentioned, for shooting at high and low angles while still controlling the composition, etc. For the price, it's difficult to argue against carrying a 5N around in addition to the M9 for those times when it will be useful....Show more →
I use this type of thing to add more grip to my NEX-5. Works well. link
rscheffler wrote:
Re: EVF... where have you guys found this item for sale? All the sources I've checked have been out of stock. I think the experience would be a lot better with it.
B&H delivered mine today - I happened to be in front of my computer when I got the "notify" email from them. After playing around with it for a little while, I can say it definitely adds a very different (and good) dimension to the 5N's use. The swivel function is really handy, and it has an eye sensor so you can go back to using the LCD at any time.
I think your point about having the 5N in the bag along with the M9 makes a lot of sense. For me it will be a complement to film - if I have B&W in my camera and want to shoot color, or if I have ISO 100 and need ISO 800, I can have it. I don't think the 5N will be my primary camera, but for the price, it's a great "accessory." It definitely feels better in my bag at $600 than having an X100 at twice the price (not sure if I am keeping the EVF, but still costs less if I keep it).
there are a number of contax users here in the thread who have used and extensively tested the great lenses and all adapter options. Sebboh has a bunch of great shots with contax g earlier in thread.
I held back on cg just because of focusing issues--but many who use them don't mind the slightly funky adapter focusing. Hawk should make some nice custon ones.
However if I could only keep one superspeed, that would be it. In fact I should sell my nokton 1.1 to finance 7 or 5n.
