While I am still waiting to see more A77 and NEX-7 review there is one camera I can highly recommend you without any major doubt. And that is the new Sony NEX-5n (Click here to preorder it). Those are the reasons why:
1) Sensor: The performance of the Sony NEX-5n sensor is amazing! There is no doubt that it is a High ISO king! (See Noise test at Focus Numerique and comparison at EosHD.) It has also another advantage, the sensor is the same of the [shoplink 7207]Sony NEX-C3[/shoplink]. It means that Sony had quite some time to tweak the sensor performance and to bring it on it’s best level with the new Sony NEX-5n imaging processor.
2) Compact: Unlike the NEX-7 the NEX-5n fits in your pocket (with the 16mm pancake). Click here ot see the NEX-7 versus NEX-5N size comparison.
3) External viewfinder: If you really need the NEX-7 viewfinder…you can buy it! The new external viewfinder has the same quality of the NEX-7 viewfinder. And it has two advantages. First, you can remove it if you need to carry a compact camera, ad Second…you can upgrade! Yes, whenever Sony will announce a new better viewfinder you can buy it to upgrade your NEX-5n. That is not possible with the NEX-7!
4) Stealth Rollei experience: As you know the external viewfinder can be tilted so that you can look vertically inside the EVF. What I always liked about the [shoplink 8590 ebay]Rolleiflex (Click here to see those cameras)[/shoplink] is that you don’t look straight to the photographic subject. It has a nice psychological side effect. If for example you want to take a picture of a person (street photography) the subject will not immediately feel like he is being observed. Your eyes are focused on your “feet” not on his face! Click here to see the tilt movement of the NEX-5n external EVF.
5) Availability: The A77 and NEX-7 will be start to ship in October and November. And history tells us that most of us will have to wait until December-January before we can get it for real! But the NEX-5n will be available in a couple of weeks!
6) Price: The NEX-7 and the A77 are quite expensive. Not so the Sony NEX-5n! It’s a real bargain for what it can do!
Now I am very tempted to buy the NEX-5n instead of the NEX-7. And as I said the NEX-5n will be in Stock very soon. Preorder it now at:
Sony NEX-5N with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, and Sonystore.
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ALL Preorder links:
Sony A77 with 16-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A77 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, BHphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, and Sonystore.
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony 50mm f/1.8 at BHphoto (notification only), Adorama and Sonystore.
Sony 55-210mm E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.