Sony Alpha NEX-5

Sony’s 14-megapixel NEX-5 is the company’s first attempt at a hybrid camera. Its size is close to that of a point-and-shoot compact but like a digital SLR it has a larger sensor and big swappable lens, both making for better pictures.

Sony’s rivals Olympus, Panasonic, Ricoh and Samsung all got there first, and buying the Sony NEX-5 means investing in a system with its own exclusive lenses and accessories that are not compatible with other makers’ products. A general-purpose 18-55mm zoom lens with image stabilisation and a small clip-on flash are included.

The NEX-5 is compatible with existing Sony Alpha DSLR lenses, but an adapter is required for them. This camera is ‘mirror-less’, meaning that the lens is closer to the sensor that records the picture. This means the NEX-5 is the smallest and lightest swappable-lens camera we have seen.

Against attractively styled offerings from rivals, the NEX-5 looks a little basic, almost like a prototype but with a lens attached it felt well-built and good in the hand.

It can shoot photos or high-definition video in the full resolution of 720p. Both are composed using the 3in screen on the back (disappointingly there is no viewfinder), which can be tilted forward or back to provide better visibility if shooting from low or high angles. This worked well and we found ourselves taking pictures that we would not have attempted with a fixed screen.

Images are written to memory card, either SD card or Memory Stick, which shares a slot at the base of the handgrip within a compartment that also holds the 330-shot rechargeable battery.

As on Sony’s pocket Cyber-shot series, the NEX-5 includes a fun Sweep Panorama function. Pan with the camera in the direction of an on-screen arrow and the NEX-5 takes a continuous burst of shots, automatically stitching them together to assemble a wide panorama from the single pictures. It also works in 3D if you connect the supplied HDMI cable to a Sony Bravia or other 3D-compatible TV.

Shooting options are selected using a scroll wheel at the back, which we found fiddly compared with four-way control pads or standard buttons. The display was bright, though, automatically adjusting itself depending on lighting, and function icons are large, so touchscreen operation must be under consideration for future NEX models. Its omission here felt counterintuitive.

Despite a lens that offered image stabilisation we got some blurred shots when shooting handheld in low light, and images were softer than you would get from a DSLR which has a physically larger lens.

The well-saturated colours reminded us of the stunning performance from Panasonic’s G-series rivals (see below). So, for those wanting better quality than their compact provides without much more bulk, Sony’s NEX-5 is a competent alternative.