Should I Consider Selling My Canon T2i for a Sony Nex-5N?

S

skital

Well-known member
I'm wondering if the Sony Nex-5N would be a good upgrade from my Canon T2i. I've read it has very clean high ISO and the best low light near this price. I've read it bests the 5D Mark II in low light even....not to mention shoots 1080p 60p which would be great for slow-mo. Also, read it has higher dynamic range than the Canon's.

So, is this a worthy upgrade for video coming from T2i? As for photos I am interested in the auto HDR function as well, but video improvement (especially low light, dynamic range, high iso cleanness/) is my primary concern.

Thanks
 
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?269598-Buy-a-new-camera-or-wait

5N:
* it is a really nice camera, check out very happy users here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/forumdisplay.php?110-Sony-Cameras
* biggest problem with that one: it overheats like crazy (I haven't used it, but that's what they say)
* second biggest: it's not a world camera; if you buy it in PAL land it will have 25p and 50p only, if you buy it in NTSC land it will have 24p and 60p only
* also, no cinestyle or equivalent flat picture styles on the NEX may mean lower DR in video mode

not sure if 1080p60 and higher usable ISO warrants an upgrade, you'll have to decide on that

edit: format was destroyed, I just reshaped the post
 
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I like the NEX for focus peaking, short lens register that will allow use of rangefinder lenses, the excellent EVF, somewhat lower pixel density.

I would love to see a NEX 7 style body with the built-in EVF, but the lower MP of the NEX 5n. It wouldn't help to see some more native NEX lenses.
 
NormanBates said:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?269598-Buy-a-new-camera-or-wait5N:* it is a really nice camera, check out very happy users here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/forumdisplay.php?110-Sony-Cameras* biggest problem with that one: it overheats like crazy (I haven't used it, but that's what they say)* second biggest: it's not a world camera; if you buy it in PAL land it will have 25p and 50p only, if you buy it in NTSC land it will have 24p and 60p only* also, no cinestyle or equivalent flat picture styles on the NEX may mean lower DR in video modenot sure if 1080p60 and higher usable ISO warrants an upgrade, you'll have to decide on that
Click to expand...

Thanks. I thought I read that Cinestyle doesn't truly raise the dynamic range, but just alters the gamma. Not sure if that's true or not. One review that got me was this: "This is the most stunning low light performance I have found in ANY camera. I've extensively used EX, 5d, 7d, t2i, gh1. This thing hangs with the PD170 essentially."

I've heard people recording for 25 minutes or so without a problem. I wonder if the overheating is more of a problem then with the T2i. Maybe I should just buy and compare and decide which one to keep.
 
I have the NEX5n and actually just sold my T2i a few hours ago. I haven't used my T2i in a little while. 1080 60p is great. It is extremely clean (less noise than the 5Dmkii which I also own). However, although I have not done any scientific tests, the 5Dmkii seems to have a higher dynamic range. I haven't shot with the T2i in a little while so I am not sure how it compares to that, but I would guess the T2i has a higher dynamic range. Also, I am having a hard time exposing properly with the NEX5N. What records tends to be about a stop brighter than what is shown. Even when using an external EVF and monitor, it's still tough. Now that I am used to it, I've gotten pretty good at exposing with it, but still run into problems now and then. Overheating is definitely a problem. I recently was shooting a web series, and I'd say it overheated about once a day. It even over heated shooting in the middle of the night when it was about 40 degrees out. Do not trust the camera for any sort of long takes (interviews, etc.).

I do love the image out of it though. In my opinion, the positives out weigh the negatives. The camera is TINY. For that web series, we were shooting in a location without a permit, and the camera was so inconspicuous we did not get bothered once. The peaking/focus in red feature is great. I don't think the web series will be ready for a little while, but once it's done I'll be sure to post it. I shot some documentary stuff with it (where it overheated a lot) which should be ready sooner than the web series, so once that's up I'll post it as well.
 
skital said:
Thanks. I thought I read that Cinestyle doesn't truly raise the dynamic range, but just alters the gamma.
Click to expand...

cinestyle definitely increases the dynamic range over the older canon profiles (standard, neutral, portrait, etc); maybe not over previous flat profiles like marvel cine and such, but there's nothing like that available on the 5N either
 
Picture styles will not affect the dynamic range of a camera. The DR is what it is. WHat the cinestyle does is squeeze all the info into the middle 'band' of the codec, thereby avoiding clipping and 'junk' in the shadows. the downside to this of course is that midtones can suffer. If shooting a flat coloured or white surface, use neutral rather than a flat profile to avoid banding. If shooting a contrasty scene, use cinestyle or flat. simple.
Cory, thanks for the informative view on the Sony. I have been intrigued by this camera. I think if it wasn't for ML on the Canon I would consider a change, but with ML as good as it is, the Canon stays!
 
picture styles don't affect the dynamic range that the sensor captures, but they definitely affect the dynamic range that is thrown away and that which ends up stored in your footage; the standard canon picture styles tell the camera to clip highlights and shadows in order to get a nicer picture right out of the camera, and that means less DR is used - most of my tests and adventures with canon's picture styles are here: http://www.similaar.com/foto/picturestyles/picturestyles.html
 
cory-

informative post.

thank you.

i look forward to any links you care to share.

about how long does it take the 5n to overheat?

when the 5n overheats, how long before can you get rolling again?

is the previous footage lost?

any and all info is appreciated.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions
 
swopiv said:
Cory, thanks for the informative view on the Sony. I have been intrigued by this camera. I think if it wasn't for ML on the Canon I would consider a change, but with ML as good as it is, the Canon stays!
Click to expand...

Yea ML is definitely great. Most of the stuff that I was using ML for though, I also get with my monitor and/or EVF.

robfilms said:
cory-

informative post.

thank you.

i look forward to any links you care to share.

about how long does it take the 5n to overheat?

when the 5n overheats, how long before can you get rolling again?

is the previous footage lost?

any and all info is appreciated.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions
Click to expand...

It's hard to say how long it takes to overheat. I'm not sure what exactly contributes to it overheating. I did two 10 minute back to back takes and had absolutey no problem. Then another day (the 40 degree night shoot) I was shooting for 5 minutes and I got the over heating symbol. That was also towards the end of the shoot, so maybe that had something to do with it.

I usually give it about 10 minutes and start again with no problem. But I'm pretty sure if you turn it off and turn it back on, it will turn on, I just assume you will eventually run into some more over heating problems.

I'm not sure if the footage is lost because I always cut the take before it shuts off. It gives you a warning before it shuts off (and I actually don't think I have ever had it shut off on me). If you cut it when it gives you the warning, you do not lose the footage.

I really like the camera a lot, you just have to put up with its problems (like almost all DSLRs).
 
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