My solution to NEX AF "issues"

[kevistopheles]

Increasingly I have become convinced that the NEX does not actually have AF at all. I think it's just a cruel prank being played on us by Sony by impregnating the camera packing materials with a hallucinogen to make us BELIEVE it actually comes with AF as a feature...which of course it does not. Actually, that's not fair, it's not THAT horrible but it does remind me a lot of the AF on the old Olympus E-P1. I like to call it "leisurely". That said, I don't find that I use it much and I have become quite happy using my 5n as though it were an M8 or some other retro throwback manual focus machine. I have a bunch of MF lenses and I really enjoy the experience I get using it. It is something I have been looking for since I first started shooting digital, a way to reproduce the feeling of shooting my old OM1 without the need to buy film. That alone is reason for me to love the NEX. The lack of speedy AF doesn't hamper me so I decided to sell the last AF lens I had...the very good Sigma 30/2.8 and just have my Rokkors and Hexanons paired up with the 5n. Of course there still remains the small issue of what to do when you want or need AF. For instance if I were traveling I would want AF because I find travel photographs to be a very different thing than the ones I shoot daily for pleasure. So I started down the path of a nice point and shoot. I have an old Panasonic ZS3 mega zoom and for what it is it is still a a very capable camera. It has it's limitations and spends most of its time in my sons hands. After a lot of consideration I picked up a lightly used Fuji X10 from one of the Super Mods on mu-43. It's an orb free (newer sensor) model and it does a few things for me. First it the last piece of gear I get before my self imposed gear diet in 2013. It also gives me a decently quick AF, form what I can see IQ that is quite good for what it is and it's all wrapped up in a very sexy metal body.

I think it'll make a very nice companion to the NEX. I'm not expecting shallow DOF or anything else like that as it's a small sensor camera, but they have their place and I am looking forward to adding it to my image making kit. It's also my Christmas present to myself (I get to double dip because my wife and son are Jewish).

 

[Bimjo]

Well, that's certainly one way to deal with NEX AF.

 

[nianys]

Aaahhh... you're giving me ideas here.. Hmm, pretty smart way to deal with your self imposed 2013 camera diet !

Seriously, I'm moving the opposite way, trying to convince myself that NEX actually has usable AF. In this regard I find reviewers and test sites a little guilty, because I tried to pick apart just about every review I could find, and none is too truthful about NEX's AF performance... They pretty much beat around the bush and make pretty lies about it being "rather fast" and "adequate in good light", bla bla.
This whole propaganda (that's what it is) reminds me a lot of the mass hallucination m4/3 users have about their DOF control "not that inferior to that of APS-C". The problem with that kind of statement, is that if enough people repeat them long enough, it sorta becomes the public truth...
I guess the fact that MF becomes such a pleasure with time makes the whole issue more complex... I just returned the excellent SEL50 because as good as it is, using it was totally charmless compared to my various manual nifties

 

[kevistopheles]

Aaahhh... you're giving me ideas here.. Hmm, pretty smart way to deal with your self imposed 2013 camera diet !

Seriously, I'm moving the opposite way, trying to convince myself that NEX actually has usable AF. In this regard I find reviewers and test sites a little guilty, because I tried to pick apart just about every review I could find, and none is too truthful about NEX's AF performance... They pretty much beat around the bush and make pretty lies about it being "rather fast" and "adequate in good light", bla bla.
This whole propaganda (that's what it is) reminds me a lot of the mass hallucination m4/3 users have about their DOF control "not that inferior to that of APS-C". The problem with that kind of statement, is that if enough people repeat them long enough, it sorta becomes the public truth...
I guess the fact that MF becomes such a pleasure with time makes the whole issue more complex... I just returned the excellent SEL50 because as good as it is, using it was totally charmless compared to my various manual nifties

I just found that AF was something that I needed in very specific cases and for the most part manual focus was just fine (even preferred). Because of that the decision to pick up a nice point and shoot was a lot simpler.At first I looked at picking up another GX1 and putting something like the P14-45 kit zoom on it. I love the GX1, it's fast, feels good in the hand and is capable of great images...but then I have two systems to deal with the cost of a GX1 and the P14-45 would be close to $500. When I saw the X10 go up on mu-43 I looked at the images and found myself really liking the colors (I have always liked Fuji cameras) and the zoom on the X10 is 28-112/2.0-2.8 was a bit longer and good deal faster than the Panasonic zoom. It somehow just seemed like a good fit. There are times when I like shooting with a good point and shoot. My Panasonic LX3 was a terrific camera and I appreciate having the ability to grab and go with a camera that has zoom, shoots macros as close as 1cm (something that point and shoots have traditionally excelled at) and in general appears to be a well crafted camera. It is what it is and I think it will fill a role nicely.

 

[freddytto]

When I saw the X10 go up on mu-43 I looked at the images and found myself really liking the colors (I have always liked Fuji cameras) and the zoom on the X10 is 28-112/2.0-2.8 was a bit longer and good deal faster than the Panasonic zoom. It somehow just seemed like a good fit. There are times when I like shooting with a good point and shoot. My Panasonic LX3 was a terrific camera and I appreciate having the ability to grab and go with a camera that has zoom, shoots macros as close as 1cm (something that point and shoots have traditionally excelled at) and in general appears to be a well crafted camera. It is what it is and I think it will fill a role nicely.

before catching the nex7, I was debating for both cameras, xpro1vs nex7 but in the end, seeing some windows and disadvantages to both, in high ISO's, the Xpro1 goes ahead, but the nex7 it is easier to use legacy glass.

I wish it would offer auto ISO in manual mode and better high ISO performance, I guess in the next upgrade....

 

[quezra]

I just returned the excellent SEL50 because as good as it is, using it was totally charmless compared to my various manual nifties

Hehe the silver finish is the ONE saving grace I find because it just looks so awesome on my silver NEX-5N I may have to keep this combo just for the bling

But back on topic, I don't find the Sigma 19 that bad at AF in daylight. It's wide and at f2.8 decent DoF, after using the FD24/2.8 as a point-and-shoot lens, the Sigma 19 as my AF point-and-shoot lens does great. This is what I'd recommend for an AF lens actually. And I like how you can leave the hood on permanently. The 18-200 AF gets slow beyond 20mm (lol) and the 50/1.8 is way slower at f1.8 than when I MF on my manual 55/1.2 @ f1.4 so it's growing more irrelevant by the day. The problem may be that I like my FL so much I'm scared to take it out

Edit: Oh yes, and yesterday I bought a Panasonic FZ200 as a tele point-and-shoot for my safari trip to Uganda next week. I will probably sell it when I'm done, unless its video is as good as they say and I keep it as a handycam thereafter. DSLR ergonomics are just so much better for video!

 

[Deadbear77]

I actually bought the Fuji x10 about 2 months before I got my 5n. I thought it took great pictures, just that it was not exciting to shoot with. Now my better half uses it while I shoot with the nex.

 

[kevistopheles]

I actually bought the Fuji x10 about 2 months before I got my 5n. I thought it took great pictures, just that it was not exciting to shoot with. Now my better half uses it while I shoot with the nex.

I got a good enough deal on it that if it turns out I hate it I can probably sell it and break even.