The NEX-5 along with its sister, the NEX-3, and also the Sony Handycam NEX-VG10 use a new lens mount system developed by Sony for NEX series and known as the Sony E-mount. Initially, there were three available lenses: an all-purpose 18–55mm lens, an ultra wide pancake 16mm lens, and a wide range 18–200mm E-mount lens. [5]

Lenses available: there are seven lenses currently available (16mm, 18-55 OSS, 18-200 OSS, 30mm Macro lens, 24mm Carl Zeiss, 50mm Portrait, and 55-210mm telephoto). There are also wide-angle and fisheye converter add-on lenses available for the 16mm lens as well. Adapters to use Sony Alpha / Konica Minolta Alpha lenses are also available. The Sony α NEX-5 is a digital camera launched on 11 May 2010. [1] It is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with the body size of a larger model fairly compact point-and-shoot camera with a larger sensor size ( APS-C) comparable to that of some digital single-lens reflex cameras. Its major competitors in the market are the cameras based on the micro 4/3 standard created by Panasonic and Olympus, and a few low end Canon, Nikon, and even Sony α DSLRs. [2] The NEX-5 shoots 14.2 megapixel stills and has a 7 frame/s continuous shotmode. [3] It has the capability to shoot 1920×1080i at 60 frame/s in AVCHD or 1440×1080p at 30 frame/s in MPEG4. The NEX-5 was replaced by the 16 megapixel NEX-5N in August 2011. Olympus M Zuiko 14-42mm II R lens used for the GF3 camera, tested with the new Samsung Class 10 memory card.Sensitivity has received a boost too, with the NEX-5n able to offer a maximum setting of ISO 25,600 (compared to 12,800 on its predecessor). Continuous shooting speed also rises to a maximum 10fps (7fps on the NEX-5). The newer model also benefits from a bespoke Accessory Port hotshoe that (unlike its predecessor) allows the NEX-5n to accommodate Sony’s optional FDA-EV1s, 2.3million-dot electronic viewfinder, among other accessories. The resolution is up from 14 to 16 megapixels, and we’re happy to report that this comes with no discernible detriment to noise levels. That places the NEX-5N way beyond rival compact system cameras (CSCs) and on a par with the best SLRs at this price for sensor quality. The ISO control goes up to 25,600, and delivered usable snaps at that top setting. The NEX-5’s automatic mode failed to capitalise on its superb sensor, limiting ISO speeds to 1600, but the NEX-5N sensibly raises this to ISO 3200. While the exterior design and overall dimensions remain virtually unchanged, the NEX-5n does enjoy quite a few hardware and specification upgrades over the NEX-5. Internally, the biggest change is the new APS-C CMOS sensor, which brings with it an increase in effective resolution to 16.1MP (from 14.2MP). The Sony NEX-5N and additional lenses, viewfinder, and new adapter give the NEX system added versatility, and a much more useful range of choices regarding lenses. The touch screen is an improvement in the way the NEX-5 is controlled as it helps make up for the limited number of buttons on the original NEX-5, aids access to options, and ultimately makes it an easier camera to use. It also makes it a more fun camera to use, particularly when viewing photos. The optional viewfinder is extremely impressive, with stunning detail and colour, although the addition of the EVF does stop you from using flash. Of course, there’s only so much 100% crops shot under studio conditions can show, so here’s a real-life scene shot at different ISOs.

The NEX-5N is almost identical to the 5 in terms of form, but there have been some significant changes made to its function. The 5N's new stand-out feature is the introduction of a touchscreen that provides alternative access the the camera's operational controls, as well as adding few additional features that take advantage of this input method. Shooting modes extend to the regular quartet of Program, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority and Manual, and these are neatly supplemented by a point-and-shoot Intelligent Auto mode, eight individually selectable Scene modes, an Anti Motion Blur mode, a 3D mode and, last but not least, a Sweep Panorama mode that enables the easy creation of ultra-wideangle images with a single button press. Sadly, this last option doesn’t include the high-resolution option seen on other Sony models, such as the HX9V. Cosmetically, the NEX-5N (on the right) is nearly identical to the NEX-5, with the exception of a slightly angled top-casing and a silver flair around the power switch. The overall appearance of the 5N has been further streamlined by creating a single magnesium-allow top plate. The hand-grip material has has a more refined feel too, but doesn't seem to offer any more grip.

Sony NEX-5N Specifications

ISO 3200 is the tipping point – where image noise and the softening effects of noise reduction begin to become noticeable. Overall quality at smaller image sizes is still very good though.

With serviceable quality at ISO 25,600, if there’s enough light to see, the NEX-5N will have a reasonable stab at capturing it The Sony NEX-5N has an antishake mechanism built into the camera body, which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, I took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with Shake Reduction turned off, the second with it turned on. Here is a 100% crop of the image to show the results. As you can see, with Shake Reduction turned on, the images are sharper than when it's turned off.With 1200-zone evaluative metering instead of the 49-segment metering of the NEX-5, its maker also claims a shutter lag of 0.02 seconds, so it's five times faster than its older sibling. Subtle tweaks perhaps, but in operation the Sony NEX-5N really seems to fly. The flash settings on the Sony NEX-5N are Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow sync and Rear flash sync, with Red-eye reduction available in the Main Menu. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m. Image quality pretty much leads the field within the compact system market, with the benefits of the large Sony-made APS-C sensor clearly visible. Low-light shooting is especially impressive with noise kept to a minimum all the way up to ISO 3,200 (and often ISO 6,400). Even the top sensitivity settings of ISO 12,800 and (to a lesser extent) 25,600 aren’t a complete disaster area. The user moves through these options and makes selections either via the scroll wheel just below the menu button, which has its own central (and again unmarked) set button, or the new touchscreen interface. As mentioned this wheel is quite responsive to the touch, which, on a positive note, means that tabbing through options is a swift process, but on the other hand it's easy to slip past the setting you actually wanted when hurrying through them as a photo opportunity suddenly presents itself. The Olympus PEN series have, historically, been geared more towards the enthusiast crowd than Sony's NEX cameras which have been marketed primarily towards compact upgraders. However, with the 5N's new bevy of customization options and expanded features, that line is becoming blurred.