My NEX first impressions and tons of pics

[nianys]

My NEX6 first experience, lots of pictures.: Sony NEX Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Made this post tonight at DPR with many, many pictures.

NEX-6    ---    0mm    f/1.0    1/125s    ISO 400

NEX-6    ---    0mm    f/1.0    1/100s    ISO 400

NEX-6    ---    0mm    f/1.0    1/125s    ISO 400

 

[kevistopheles]

Very good read. I find it hard to take the atmosphere at DPR most times, but that seemed like a more low key thread than many.

 

[WT21]

Nice DPR post. Of course, nothing we hadn't already learned from you here on talknex

Q on NEX6: I really haven't found focus peaking that much better, so I end up use MF assist. On the 5n -- I have assist set for the right side of the 4-way controller. On the NEX6, that position is taken up by ISO. Do you know if you can set the fn button to do MF assist? Or one of the other custom buttons. The default on the 5n is the lower fn soft key, and I find it awkward there.

Without the touch screen, I am not likely to go for the 6, unless AF really improves. I just rebought an 18-55 kit lens, but early returns on the image quality are not good I am hoping to explore NEX for a larger system use, but why Sony can't get a decent lens out for this system is puzzling. I may try the 55-210, as I need a telephoto zoom, and maybe also one other.

Thanks for the note on the hot shoe. Maybe I should keep my Canon 270EXii and my Oly SB-300R, and try them both on whatever next NEX I might get with a standard hotshoe.

 

[nianys]

Nice DPR post. Of course, nothing we hadn't already learned from you here on talknex

Q on NEX6: I really haven't found focus peaking that much better, so I end up use MF assist. On the 5n -- I have assist set for the right side of the 4-way controller. On the NEX6, that position is taken up by ISO. Do you know if you can set the fn button to do MF assist? Or one of the other custom buttons. The default on the 5n is the lower fn soft key, and I find it awkward there.

Without the touch screen, I am not likely to go for the 6, unless AF really improves. I just rebought an 18-55 kit lens, but early returns on the image quality are not good I am hoping to explore NEX for a larger system use, but why Sony can't get a decent lens out for this system is puzzling. I may try the 55-210, as I need a telephoto zoom, and maybe also one other.

Thanks for the note on the hot shoe. Maybe I should keep my Canon 270EXii and my Oly SB-300R, and try them both on whatever next NEX I might get with a standard hotshoe.

Hmmm... I'm puzzled why Focus Peaking isn't helpful to you, it lets me grab action shots of a moving 4 yr old... I suggest tons of practice with it. I never use magnification, which in turn IS useless to me (but our mileages may vary and that's fine, I know magnification is a powerful tool for totally static subjects), but yes you can assigne AF/MF switch to the AEL button, and maybe the FN as well (and the bottom soft keep, though it's not a good proposition for you).
Coming from the incredibly brilliant interface of the GX-1, the rather dorky UI on the 5N was my main gripe. Now with the 6 there is a real improvement.
I saw many very impressive pictures out of the 55-210, it might very well be the best native E lens after all ?

I must assess the AF with the new zoom in daylight. My living room is particularly pitch dark at night, so that was a very high challenge for the camera. However, the GX-1 used to focus like a breeze in the exact same place, so I'd continue saying AF is not NEX's strong point. The hotshoe is really, really great, mine is gonna see a lot of use, and one of the reasons I upgraded to start with.

 

[WT21]

Thanks!

I take pictures of TWO little girls on the move. But I have a good feel for changing focus on the fly once I'm in the ballpark. I find the peaking colors highly distracting, and it moves me out of my natural flow on focus adjusting to staring at the colors, and I can't seem to get them right often enough (or at least, not any more often than they way I was doing it before). Horses for Course, as they say.

Would love to hear your report on AF after some further testing. My Olys nailed AF in low light plenty easily. I was hoping NEX might step up the game.

 

[nianys]

Thanks!

I take pictures of TWO little girls on the move. But I have a good feel for changing focus on the fly once I'm in the ballpark. I find the peaking colors highly distracting, and it moves me out of my natural flow on focus adjusting to staring at the colors, and I can't seem to get them right often enough (or at least, not any more often than they way I was doing it before). Horses for Course, as they say.

Would love to hear your report on AF after some further testing. My Olys nailed AF in low light plenty easily. I was hoping NEX might step up the game.

Tried a bit of AF in decent light this morning, performance is much improved over old 18-55, but still nothing to write home about. If you find colored peaking distracting, the EVF behavior may suit you. It hardly peaks (only on super contrasty areas) but seems to "shimmer" when in focus, and once you pick that up it seems pretty reliable.

Again, strongest points so far are the hotshoe, user interface less quirky and more customizable, dial mode works well. Bottom hinged screen is improved for me but not a huge deal, you lose touch feature which worked so so on the N but was still nice to have.
Ergonomics are much better over the N I think, I use some pretty hefty lenses and they balance quite naturally now.

 

[nianys]

I received my FL 55/1.2 this morning, will try the combo tonight.

 

[WT21]

How do you like THAT one for a heavy lens, lol.

 

[davect01]

Looks like this lens is working great for you.

 

[nianys]

How do you like THAT one for a heavy lens, lol.

It would have looked totally out of place on the 5N, but actually looks pretty sweet on the 6.

 

[quezra]

I received my FL 55/1.2 this morning, will try the combo tonight.

Oh now you're really making me jealous! Mine shipped only today

 

[nianys]

Oh now you're really making me jealous! Mine shipped only today

Bought it off eBay from a well reputed seller in Latvia, I had bargained free shipping and it came in very fast. Minty, beautiful thing.

 

[Amin Sabet]

Great report, Marla. DPR is doing some weird things to your photos. I guess they just have to work the kinks out of the new forum system over there.