Sony Alpha NEX Cameras and E Mount Lenses

The Sony eSupport site for US and Canada finally released the Version 03 firmware for the NEX cameras and the LA-EA1 Alpha lens adapter. The links below provide instructions, firmware download, and warnings. Please read the instructions carefully before installing Firmware Ver. 03 on your Sony NEX camera . NEX-5 Firmware Version 03 for Windows http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=NEX5&upd_id=6191&os_id=7 NEX-5 Firmware Version 03 for Mac http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=NEX5&upd_id=6201&os_id=50 NEX-3 Firmware Version 03 for Windows http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=NEX3&upd_id=6186&os_id=7 NEX-3 Firmware Version 03 for Mac http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=NEX3&upd_id=6192&os_id=50 LA-EA1 Firmware Version 02 for Windows http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=LAEA1&upd_id=6190&os_id=7 LA-EA1 Firmware Version 02 for Mac http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-d

albnok went down to the local Sony Style store armed with the NEX-5, LA-EA1 Alpha Lens Adapter, and Firmware Version 3.0. He tested out most of the compatible Sony Alpha lenses with the LA-EA1 adapter and NEX's new autofocus capability. Here are the videos to give us an idea of the NEX focusing Sony Alpha lenses in video mode. Sony Alpha SSM Lenses with LA-EA1 Lens Adapter List of Sony Alpha SSM Lenses Tested with LA-EA1 Lens Adapter Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar 16-35 f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar 24-70 f/2.8 70-200mm f/2.8 70-300mm f/4-5.6 G 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G Focus range limited to 3m (minimum) via switch on lens: 70-200 70-300 70-400 Sony Alpha SAM Lenses with LA-EA1 Lens Adapter List of Sony Alpha SAM Lenses Tested with LA-EA1 Lens Adapter 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 28-75mm f/2.8 30mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm f/1.8 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Thanks albnok !

Check out these great examples of auto HDR (high dynamic range) photos from the Sony NEX-5 taken by by G. Sanz aka gholz68 . G Sanz wrote: Thanks for posting. Some of the images were taken with multi exposure shots using the auto bracket features of the camera. Some are taken from 5 exposures manually. HDR in photomatix and post processed in Photoshop. I'm using a tripod for my HDR shots and a 18-55 kit lense .

NEX-VG10 on Steadicam Merlin by cheesuwen cheesuwen writes: The arrival of the NEX10 with its weight is just perfect for the Merlin. With a LitePanels MicroPro on it, it weighs just slightly above 1.3kg. A weight I can sustain without the help of the Steadicam Arm and Vest. Here are a couple of videos from eiji1783 using the Sony NEX-5 with the Tiffen Steadicam Merlin . It's amazing how steady the videos look while he's chasing kids at play.

If you want to try pinhole photography in the digital form, Skink has pinhole lens caps for the Sony NEX E-mount system. They have a Pro and a Starter kit shown below. Skink Pinhole Pancake Pro Kit: Skink Pinhole Pancake ready to use, installed in adapter for Sony Alpha NEX Pinhole Aperture 0.2mm Zone Plate "medium glow" f/39 Zone Sieve "impressionist" f/64 Skink Pinhole Pancake Starter Kit: Skink Pinhole Pancake ready to use, installed in adapter for Sony Alpha NEX Pinhole Aperture 0.2mm Here are some pinhole images taken with the Sony NEX system. The Skink pinhole lens cap for the Sony NEX makes for an extremely portable system. Skink pinhole lens caps are available through eBay auctions .

image from West Light Images We are not Linux savvy so we have no idea what these do and how we can use them. Hopefully someone out there can help us. Here are the Linux Packages that are available for download: linux-kernel.tar.gz sony-target-dev-procps-3.2.7-040501.src.rpm sony-target-srel-busybox-1.4.2-040502di2.src.rpm sony-target-srel-diffutils-2.8.1-040501.src.rpm sony-target-srel-dosfstools-2.11-040501.src.rpm sony-target-srel-e2fsprogs-1.40.4-040501.src.rpm sony-target-srel-hostname-2.13-040501.src.rpm sony-target-srel-lrzsz-0.12.20-040501.src.rpm sony-target-srel-netbase-4.21-040501.src.rpm sony-target-srel-pump-0.8.15-3.src.rpm Download them through the Sony Source Code Distribution Service .

Here's a video from glytle showing the NEX-3 with a Sony 70-400 G SSM Lens autofocusing with the LA-EA1 lens adapter with the new Firmware Version 03. It looks like locks focus at a decent speed. Thanks glytle!

Let's see how the Sony NEX-5 's bigger brother, the SLT-A33 with a Pellicle Mirror , stacks up against the NEX. Photos provided by King of the Beasts! Combatants Sony Alpha NEX-5 Sony Alpha SLT-A33 Number of effective pixels 14.2 million pixels 14.2 million pixels CCD Sensor APS-C CMOS Sensor 1.5x Crop Factor APS-C CMOS Sensor 1.5x Crop Factor ISO Range 200 - 12800 100-25600 Lens Sony E-mount with Interchangeable lenses Sony Alpha Mount / Minolta A Image Stabilization In Lens Steady Shot Inside Shutter Speed 30s to 1/4000 with Bulb Mode 30s to 1/4000 with Bulb Mode Continuous Shooting Speed 7 frames per sec. 7 frames per sec. LCD Tiltable 3" Diagonal 921,600 Pixels Tiltable 3" Diagonal 921,600 Pixels Electronic Viewfinder Not yet, come on Sony! 0.46" Xtra Fine EVF (Electronic viewfinder) (1,440,000 pixels) Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 / 60i 1920 x 1080 / 60i Dimensions 4.4 x 2.4 x 1.6 in. (111 x 60 x 40 mm) 4.875 x 3.625 x 3.33 in (124.4 x 92 x 84.7 mm) Weight

Here are first two videos showing us the NEX autofocusing a Sony Alpha 30mm f/2.8 Macro DT with SAM , Sony Alpha 18-55 DT SAM and a Sony Alpha 35mm f/1.8 DT with SAM via the LA-EA1 lens adapter . This is now possible with the new NEX Firmware Version 03 . The first video, with the SAL35F18, shows that it's not the fastest at locking focus but it's acceptable. The 2nd video shows the SAL1855 focusing at an acceptable speed. The 3rd video, with the SAL35F28 Macro, shows the worst of it hunting to lock focus. It may be because of the aperture and the available light but we can't be certain. Check out our post with manual focus samples with the DT SAL30F28 Macro. NEX-3 with LA-EA1 and Sony 35mm f/1.8 SAM Autofocus NEX-5 with LA-EA1 and Sony 18-55 SAM Autofocus NEX-5 with LA-EA1 and Sony 35mm f/2.8 Macro SAM Autofocus Thanks hkdcfever , 78podoryand , and gocchin2009 !

Vadim wrote us an email letting us know that the Sony NEX Firmware Version 03 is official through Sony Asia. The other regions should follow soon. The links below inlcude instructions for upgrading the firmware of your Sony NEX. Read them carefully. NEX-5 firmware Ver. 03 For Windows http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/422174/product/nex-5k/modelfirst NEX-5 firmware Ver. 03 For Mac OSX http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/422203/product/nex-5k/modelfirst NEX-3 firmware Ver. 03 For Windows http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/422175/productcategory/dslr+e+mount+camera/modelfirst NEX-3 firmware Ver. 03 For Mac OSX http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/422177/productcategory/dslr+e+mount+camera/modelfirst Thanks Vadim! ***Update*** here are the firmware ver 03 links and instructions from Sony Europe: NEX-5 firmware Ver. 03 For Windows http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/downloads/downloads.aspx?site=odw_en_GB&f=FW_NEX5_V03_WIN&m=NEX-5 NEX-5 firmware Ver. 03 F

Here are the official NEX firmware version 03 download links . Izhar is your new best friend if you own a Mac. Here are the Mac firmwares - use at your own risk. The links are dead. Let's wait for the official Sony announcement. Sony NEX-3 Firmware Version 03 for Mac OSX http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/download/NEX/NEX-3V3_Update1010a.dmg?fm=na Sony NEX-5 Firmware Version 03 for Mac OSX http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/download/NEX/NEX-5V3_Update1010a.dmg?fm=na Sony LA-EA1 Lens Adapter Firmware Version 02 for Mac OSX http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/download/NEX/LA-EA1V2_Update1010a.dmg?fm=na Thanks Izhar!

Sony NEX Firmware Version 03 in Action Fotoingo emailed us that the unofficial firmware version 03 for the Sony NEX is now available through the Sony website. These are unofficial and found by manipulating the Version 02 firmware's url. Use at your own risk. Here are the official NEX firmware version 03 download links . The links are dead. Let's wait for the official Sony announcement. Unofficial Sony NEX-5 Firmware Version 03 http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/download/NEX/NEX-5V3_Update1010a.exe?fm=na Unofficial Sony NEX-3 Firmware Version 03 http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/download/NEX/NEX-3V3_Update1010a.exe?fm=na Unofficial Sony LA-EA1 Firmware Version 02 http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/download/NEX/LA-EA1V2_Update1010a.exe?fm=na Fotoingo is a brave soul and updated his NEX via the links above he states "I updated my Nex5 and everything is allright ! :-)" We are not so brave so we will wait until it is officially announced and with proper instruction.

Here's the video from Ant where he used the Sony NEX-5 in the Dicapac WP-H10 Waterproof Case while snorkling. Check out the size of the WP-H10 compared to the NEX in our previous post .

icie sent us an email sharing his images from his recent trip with the Sony NEX-5 and a Leica 28 f/2.8 Elmarit-R via a Kipon tilt adapter, which we posted about previously . Here is a quick review from icie on his experience using the NEX and a manual focus lens. While the lens is not the best ever, most notably due to its chromatic aberration, it is pretty sharp wide open, and also the manual control over the aperture meant I could use the NEX-5’s handheld twilight mode stopped down at aperture values like f/8 (with the electronic lenses, the mode automatically sets it to the widest possible aperture, with no option to change it). Overall, it was quite interesting to shoot a week with manual focus, and of course I missed a lot of shots since I was not used to it. However, it is a truly useful skill to develop, and i did enjoy the tactile control over the lens functions. Here are some of his images: Sony NEX-5 Kipon Tilt Adapter Leica 28mm Elmarit-R You can see larger images at Pixels

Here is another Nokton on the Sony NEX. This time it's the Cosina Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 Nokton (Leica M) mounted on the Sony E-mount. The lens seems almost designed for the NEX with it's compact body (1.12" / 28.5 mm), 35mm focal length (52mm equivalent), and large aperture at 1.4. Here was our post on the CV 50mm f/1.1 Nokton on the NEX. from latteblue from chiif from 808 Thanks latteblue, chiif, and 808!