 1.9 pounds to the kit.
Thus, the subject of this review will be to discuss the merits, usability, performance, and suitability of the Sony NEX-7 for lightweight.
CONTEXT
When evaluating the usability, performance, and applicability of any particular “system," whether a cooking system or an image making system, one must consider the relationship between the components of that system, and in particular, the performance of the system as a whole - realizing that the performance of the system as a whole is far more important than the individual performance of the system’s separate parts, which in most cases, lacks relevance.
There are several E-mount system lenses capable of being autofocused by the NEX-7 body, and on top of that (with adapters), literally hundreds of legacy lenses that can be combined with the NEX-7 body. And out of those, I’ve selected two as being among the most interesting to lightweight backpackers: the Sony 16/2.8 for its small size, light weight, and wide angle view and the Leica 28/2.8 for its small size, light weight, and high resolving potential.
Thus, in this review, I’ll be taking a look at three NEX-7 centric systems by considering combinations of the NEX-7 body with the following lenses:
- Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 - one of the sharpest (and most compact) lenses made, and thus, a lens that is capable of capturing the true resolving power of the NEX-7 sensor.
- Sony 16mm f/2.8 - the most compact and lightweight of the NEX lenses, and thus, perhaps, an applicable combination for the serious ultralight backpacker.
- Sony 18-55/3.5-5.6 - the standard kit lens shipped with NEX-7 packages, and the lightest medium-range zoom available for the NEX-7. While not as small or as light as other lenses, I expect this to be one of the more popular lenses used with the NEX-7 for its versatility.
PART 2: SONY NEX-7 IN USE WITH A LEGACY MANUAL FOCUS LENS
THE OLED VIEWFINDER, FOCUS PEAKING, AND EXPOSURE CONTROL
One might typically start the usability portion of a review like this by discussing the operation of the camera with a kit lens, or at the very least, an autofocus lens that integrates perfectly with the camera body’s computer. I’ve chosen an opposite route, and have decided to start with a discussion of the camera’s performance with a legacy manual focus lens that requires manual adjustment of both focus and aperture via controls on the lens itself.
The reason for this is twofold.
First, I suspect the NEX-7 will appeal to photographers who have an interest in using the highest quality, smallest, and lightest lenses possible, with the NEX-7 acting only as a necessary, depreciating evil, i.e., the “lens recorder," if you will. Consequently, because the highest quality, most compact, and lightest lenses are often manual focus rangefinder lenses from the likes of Leica and Zeiss, the operation of the NEX-7 with these lenses will be of the utmost interest to this user niche.
Coffee. East Gallatin River. Sony NEX-7 and Leica Elmarit-M 28/2.8.
Second, the NEX-7 is the first digital camera body I’ve used, in a long string of what I now consider largely failed attempts, that makes shooting with legacy manual lenses easy, simple, and enjoyable. To establish the entire process that a user must go through with the NEX-7 to capture an image manually provides the necessary foundation upon which can then be laid a discussion of using lenses that automate focus and aperture. This automation is neither special nor unique with the NEX-7, and the NEX-7 behaves like most other bodies when coupled with automatic lenses. In other words, the NEX-7’s ability to integrate with legacy manual lenses is one feature that makes it a particularly special camera.
Using the Viewfinder
The NEX-7‘s OLED viewfinder may be its greatest asset other than its sensor. The viewfinder is bright, has a high resolution, can be used easily for manual focus feedback, is engaged automatically simply by holding the camera up to the eye, and offers a wide array of information, including all of the essential information required for exposure and composition (including gridlines, aperture and shutter speed values, an exposure compensation scale, the mode setting, and a histogram).
A significant benefit of the viewfinder, combined with the camera’s intuitive user interface (which is based on three dials and a few well-spaced buttons), is that most of the settings required for managing the exposure and focus of an image can be manipulated while looking through the viewfinder.
With the Leica Elmarit-M 28/2.8 lens, I have four settings to consider when shooting with the NEX-7 in aperture priority (“A”) mode: focus, aperture, exposure compensation, and ISO. Let’s take a look at how each of these is adjusted, and what sort of feedback the NEX-7 provides you in response to adjustment.
Focus
Focus with legacy lenses, including the Leica Elmarit-M used in this review, is manual, using the focusing ring on the lens. The challenge of using manual focus lenses on digital bodies is in interpreting the exact point at which the subject is in focus, i.e., the camera’s focus feedback mechanism.
Tenkara. East Gallatin River. Sony NEX-7 and Leica Elmarit-M 28/2.8.
Most cameras use one of two (and sometimes both) types of manual focus feedback mechanisms. The first involves contrast detection at the focus point. For example, on the Nikon D7000, when the subject in the focus point is in a state of maximum focus, a small green dot is visible in the viewfinder. Two arrows on either side of the dot indicate the direction that the focus ring on the lens needs to be turned in order to achieve a state of focus. Other cameras, including a number of Micro Four Thirds bodies from both Olympus and Panasonic, require a very high degree of zooming using the LCD screen (or perhaps, an external electronic viewfinder). The better of these systems trigger automatic zooming upon rotation of the focus ring on the lens. Both of these types of systems suffer from some imprecision due to their subjectivity. Further, “LCD-screen zoom type systems” suffer from slow use in actual practice.
The NEX-7 offers a feature Sony calls “focus peaking.” It works the same whether you are looking on the LCD screen or through the viewfinder.
Focus peaking is enabled in the Settings Menu and offers two settings: Peaking Level and Peaking Color. Peaking Level can be set to High, Medium, Low, or none, and defines the extent to which outlines of subjects in focus are enhanced with the (specified) Peaking Color. Peaking Color can be set to White, Red, or Yellow.
In addition to focus peaking, the NEX-7 offers a Focus Zoom button within easy reach of the thumb on the grip hand. The combination of focus peaking and focus zoom, along with the focus ring of the lens, results in rapid focusing with a highly effective feedback mechanism that has easily given me the ability to properly and very accurately focus nearly 100% of my shots with manual focus lenses.
Aperture
Aperture on a manual focus lens is adjusted normally with the lens’ aperture ring. Objective feedback (the aperture value) is not available - you have to look at the aperture setting on the lens’ aperture ring to know what the aperture is. However, subjective feedback is available on the LCD screen (or viewfinder) by monitoring focus peaking - an increased depth of field is indicated by noting the presence of the peaking color on the edges of in-focus subjects throughout the depth of image.
Shutter Speed
When in “M” (manual) exposure mode, shutter speed is controlled by the left dial on the top of the camera (the right top dial controls exposure compensation), and feedback (as indicated by the shutter speed) is available on both the screen and in the viewfinder.
Exposure Compensation & Histogram
Exposure compensation is controlled by the right dial on the top of the camera (the left top dial controls shutter speed), and feedback (as indicated by the amount of exposure compensation via a pointer on an exposure compensation scale) is available both on the screen and in the viewfinder.
Using exposure compensation is most helpful when the histogram is turned on in the display, which provides feedback for dialing in correct exposure. The histogram can be turned on and off in the Camera Menu and can be viewed both on the LCD screen and in the viewfinder.
ISO
ISO is adjusted with the thumbwheel. ISO feedback is provided on the LCD screen and in the viewfinder.
It’s also worth noting that all of the dials (any many of the buttons) can be customized to control a variety of other functions. My preference is for the dials to be dedicated, and their function clearly labeled. This, of course, is a Catch-22, because it might be helpful for some photographers to assign other functions to dials and buttons that better match up with their style of shooting.
Trees and Sky. Sony NEX-7 with Leica Elmarit-M 28/2.8.
IN USE: THE DETAILED PROCESS OF T