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Author Topic: NEX-7 problem?  (Read 7044 times)

JohnBrew

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NEX-7 problem?
« on: March 21, 2012, 04:22:34 pm »

Today I took my newly acquired NEX-7 out for a real workout. Midway through the session the shutter speed and ISO locked up, stuck at 1/2500 sec. and ISO 400. Nothing I did would make them work, including removing the battery and changing all the modes (twice). When I returned home I got out the manual which was/is no help, then proceeded to run through all the modes again with no luck, returning to "M" for manual which is the only mode I use. I was spinning all the dials, but no change. Then, all of a sudden, it started working again. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Thanks for all replies.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2012, 05:41:48 pm by JohnBrew »
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peterv

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2012, 05:16:03 pm »

John,
sounds like you accidentally pushed the dial lock...
If you hold down the front mode button for 2 seconds, you lock the tri-nav. Hold down again to unlock.
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JohnBrew

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2012, 05:43:26 pm »

Peter, thank you. That did the trick. I guess I'll have to read the manual a bit closer!

Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2012, 10:56:57 pm »

Peter, thank you. That did the trick. I guess I'll have to read the manual a bit closer!

I have had the NEX 7 for about 10 days. Today I wanted to throw the little camera bag in the car trunk, just in case I ran inrto a photo-op. It took me about 3-5 minutes to try to re-format the card. The menue of the NEX 7, as my kids would say, "it sucks".
I am not pleased with the NEX 7 "tri-navi dials". I am 75 years old. I have a collection of 35mm film cameras. It was VERY SIMPLE. ONE shutter speed dial on the top of the camera. ONE F stop ring around the lens. Even for "advanced amateurs" (seriously into  photography like I am), it was easy. Take an exposure reading with a hand held meter, (later set ISO if the camera had a built in meter), set ONE dial for shutter speed, ONE ring around the lens for aperature, then SHOOT!! If I could buy a digital camera with about 1 shutter speed dial. one F stop ring, one ISO dial----let every thing else be burried in menues I would buy it in a minute. When I read the NEX 7 instructions and saw stuff like "smile shutter" , "face recognition" etc. etc I was appaled. The wanna bees of electronic cameras should have a button, or menue choice I could select, and it would be "Pro-mode"--- EVery thing else would be disabbled. Only things the user would need to set would be the basic stuff: set ISO, set shutter speed, set F stop. Thats all we need. Then allow going into the menues for white balance, meter pattern, continous motor drive, single shot, etc, etc.
Not a new camera, just a firmware update that would alow the dials only to be used for basic settings. BTW I have used just about every kind of film camera.
Dave in NJ
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Dennishh

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2012, 08:25:25 pm »

Hey Dave, give it a little more time. I've had mine for a month now and just love the camera. I think it does a better job than my Canon DSLR's and is small and light. The menu settings are a little touchy but I heard there is a firmware update coming soon that will help. Here's my settings just in case it might help. 

My Settings !

Drive Mode: Single Shooting
LCD Desplay: Histogram
AM/MF: DMF
Autofocus Area: Flexible Spot

Settings
AEL:Toggle
AF/MF control: Hold
AF Illiuminator: off
High ISO NR: Low
Live View Display: Setting Effect On
Auto review: 2 sec
Peaking Level: Mid
Peaking Color: Red
MF Assist: On
MF Assist Time :2 sec if you use e-lenses
Color Space: Adobe RGB
Release w/o Lens: Enabled
ready shot :on
Ete-Stat AF:Off
Long Exposure NR: On
Lens settings: Auto
Lens Comp: Distortion: Auto
Function Settings 1: Creative Style
Function Settings 2: DRange Settings
Function Settings 3: Custom Settings
Function Settings 4: Focus Settings
custom settings 1; Auto focus mode
AF/MF button: MF Assist
Right Key Setting: Metering Mode
Soft Key B Setting: AF/MF select
Soft Key C Setting: shoot mode
Custom 2:
Custom 3:
Help Guide Display: Off
Display Color: Black
Wide Image: Full Screen
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JohnBrew

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2012, 09:04:47 pm »

Hey Dave and Dennishh, first of all I'm in Dave's camp on this one. However I have been able to get the camera to work acceptably (and I'm already using many of Dennishh's suggested settings) so I can freaking shoot the damn thing. And perhaps that's harsh but Sony got the camera body so right that it is incredibly frustrating to cycle through the settings while you are shooting and not being able to find the parameter you are trying to change. And each change of mode or menu changes everything with the tri-navi or the four-way wheel. Give me a digital M3* or FM2 with manual settings and I'm home free. Why can't the manufacturers get this???

That said, I understand it's a whole new world out there in cameraland and us old fuddy duddys are fading away. Nowadays the younger photographic crowd grew up with digital and computer science and have no idea what the older crowd is talking about. And that's okay, but hey manufacturers - we're the affluent ones! All we're asking for is a little respect.

*disclaimer. I shot an M8 for three years. And yes it was just what I wanted. The M9 prices were outrageous, imo. And in retrospect I have been proved right - just look at all the new cameras offering better performance at 1/3 the price.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 09:13:07 pm by JohnBrew »
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Dennishh

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2012, 09:54:40 pm »

John I might have been lucky to start with the NEX-7 because I didn't have any Sony lenses, just my canon L glass and a Metabones  adapter so I started shooting everything in Manual mode. It gave me an understanding of the camera that you can't get on auto. As I started picking up some Sony glass it was a little easier to work my way into the Japanese minds that made this. I am looking forward do a firmware update very much.
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Paul2660

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2012, 10:20:15 pm »

John I might have been lucky to start with the NEX-7 because I didn't have any Sony lenses, just my canon L glass and a Metabones  adapter so I started shooting everything in Manual mode. It gave me an understanding of the camera that you can't get on auto. As I started picking up some Sony glass it was a little easier to work my way into the Japanese minds that made this. I am looking forward do a firmware update very much.

Dennishh, what are your thoughts on the Metabones?  Which Canon Glass have you used and does the aperture work with all of them?  I am looking at purchasing one one also, but they are currently out of stock.   Ran into a bit of negative feedback on Metabones on some other forums so I would appreciate your feedback. 

Thanks
Paul
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Paul Caldwell
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Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2012, 10:31:05 am »

Hey Dave and Dennishh, first of all I'm in Dave's camp on this one. However I have been able to get the camera to work acceptably (and I'm already using many of Dennishh's suggested settings) so I can freaking shoot the damn thing. And perhaps that's harsh but Sony got the camera body so right that it is incredibly frustrating to cycle through the settings while you are shooting and not being able to find the parameter you are trying to change. And each change of mode or menu changes everything with the tri-navi or the four-way wheel. Give me a digital M3* or FM2 with manual settings and I'm home free. Why can't the manufacturers get this???

That said, I understand it's a whole new world out there in cameraland and us old fuddy duddys are fading away. Nowadays the younger photographic crowd grew up with digital and computer science and have no idea what the older crowd is talking about. And that's okay, but hey manufacturers - we're the affluent ones! All we're asking for is a little respect.

thanks all. i use many of the same settings you do. I resorted to making a 4x5"cheat sheet" card with the very basic settings, and where to find them. I carry it with me when shooting. I, also,  was one of the first to get an M8, no longer have it. I currently use an A900, and 645D. IMHO these are the easiest and most straight forward digital cameras I have ever used. amazing how Sony got it so right and so wrong. I also have a ton of legacy glass, and I agree manual mode suites me fine.
Finally, I really appreciate all of your comments and help.
Dave in NJ

*disclaimer. I shot an M8 for three years. And yes it was just what I wanted. The M9 prices were outrageous, imo. And in retrospect I have been proved right - just look at all the new cameras offering better performance at 1/3 the price.
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Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2012, 12:28:26 pm »

I guess we all agree on one thing, the NEX 7 is small, light weight, and capable of good image quality. I used to miss opportunities, because I did not have a camera with me when the photo op arose. I can put the NEX7 with kit lens, 55-200mm lens, 16mm Pancake lens and 24mm f1.8 Zeiss lens in a very small Leica Billingham bag, and throw it in the car trunk, so I always have a camera with me. Lately lt  has been foggy, rainey, and miserable here (barrier island off the NJ coast). Last Saturday we went for "Happy Hour" at a favorite ocean fron hotel. When we got there, I told my wife "save me a seat at the bar". When I looked at the ocean, I saw an opportunity. I DID have my camera. five minutes later I was sitting at the bar. Not the best work I ever did, but worth the 5 minutes. Shot raw with kit lens, processed in DXO Optics Pro. Here is the pic:
http://www.modernpictorials.com/Ocean%20Images/OCEAN/D502%20framed.jpg

Dave in NJ
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Dennishh

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2012, 12:38:00 pm »

I think I was first on the list for the Metabones and can say it is phenomenal with my Canon lenses. They rushed it out so I had to send it back for the and latest firmware, but since then it works flawlessly. Combined with the Sony LA-E1 adapter it gives me the ability to use my Canon and Sony A lenses. I have used it with the 24mm F1.4ll, 50mm1.4, 85mm 1 .8, 100mm 2.8 macro,400 mm 5.6 and all my Pentax 645 lenses with Zork adapter. I have the 35mm F1.8 Sam lens that I use with the Sony adapter and find this lens exceptional. I probably will wait to see what Sony announces for new lenses this summer but have plans to buy the Sigma 8mm – 16mm wide-angle that I've seen great images from and the reports are that it's a good lens. Overall the Sony glass that I have if used properly is really nice. The 55mm to 210mm zoom is proving to be amazing every bit as sharp as any of my Canon glass, very light and cheap. I use the 16mm  mostly at F8 with and without the 12 mm ultra wide-angle adapter and believe it or not it looks almost as sharp as my Canon 24. I would recommend the 50 mm 1.8 to anyone it's every bit as good if not better than my Canon 85mm. What I really have come to love on the NEX is the ability to use auto focus to get your focus, then when you twist the focus ring on the e lens, the camera zooms in to 10X letting me focus exactly anywhere in the frame that I'd like, best focusing aid I've ever used.

I agree with you totally about having the camera with you all the time, I find this the best feature of all. I always have this camera with me and don't have to use my phone to capture that great image. The quality of these images is so good I haven't picked up my 5D for anything other than a studio shoot. I love the beach shot very well done and you would never have gotten otherwise, what a plus.
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Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2012, 02:06:53 pm »

Hi Dennishh: Does your Zork adapter couple Pentax 645 lenses directly to NEX? I have a bunch of 645 lenses and was thinking I would need to get a 645~Pentax K adapter, plus Pentax K~ NEX adapter. I also have A lenses and the LEA2 but have not tried them yet. Very anxious to use my Minolta 20mm - one of my favorites on the A900.
Good luck, and thanks for the encouragement.
Dave in NJ
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Dennishh

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2012, 02:36:45 pm »

hi Dave,
I use the Zork shift adapter that I mainly use with my Canon full frame. It attaches directly to the Metabones unit and works just fine. I shot some food the other day using my APO 105 tilt adapter with it. The nice thing about the Zork shift adapter is that it lets you do really nice three frames stitches if you want to and also works as a lens adapter. The Pentax 35 mm FA is spectacular on the NEX. I tried one of the straight Pentax 645 to Canon mount and it doesn't work with the Metabones for some reason. Some other makes might. I'm waiting to see if Sony comes out with some new Zeiss optics for the A mount and what their high-end full frame camera looks like. If the Sony has tethering and a hire as chip I might jump ship and by it with some Zeiss glass. There's a rumor about a full frame square sensor that probably won't happen, but it sure would be nice to be able to shoot square again. I also forgot to say the aperture works very nicely with the Metabones.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2012, 02:39:21 pm by Dennishh »
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Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2012, 03:32:52 pm »

Hi Denishh; I also would like Sony to come out with a FF 36 mp A900 successor. I prefer optical finders like on the A900, as opposed to EVF on NEX 7. I'm left eyed and the NEX7 is user unfriendly to us. I came very close to advance ordering a D800S and Zeiss manual focus 18mm in Nikon mount. Then I counted all my Sony/Minolta lenses, and came to my sences. But if Sony does not respond to Nikon soon, I could jump ship. (I like BIG prints)
Dave
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Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2012, 03:41:49 pm »

Speaking of legacy lenses on NEX 7, I posted this on a Sony NEX forum:
I am 75 yrs of age, and have a collection of old 35mm film camera lenses. I shoot almost entirely landscapes, hand held (usually with monopod) and f11-f13. I decided to take quick snapshots from my deck looking out at the bay using the NEX 7, hand held, f11 and make quick and dirty comparisons looking at the "actual pixels" view in CS5. I checked these lenses:
1. Topcon 135mm f2.8 RE Topcor
2. Topcon 28mm f2.8 RE Topcor
3. Topcon 100mm f2.8 RE Topcor
4. 35mm Leica f2.8 Elmarit R
5. 50mm f2 Leica Summicron R
6. Contax Zeiss 28mm f2.8 Distagon (C/Y mount)
7. Minolta 45mm f2 MD Rokkor-X "(Pancake")
8. 50mm f1.4 Asahi Super-Takumar
9. 28mm f3.5 Nikkor-H
Just a quick observation in these limited snapshots:
1. lens that seemed to have the best contrast and sharpness is the Zeiss 28mm.
2. Close second (believe it or not) is the Topcon 135mm RE Topcor. I was extremly pleased with contrast and resolution
3. 100mm Topcor-- very nice, but a tad less than the 135mm Topcor.
4. The Leica 35mm Elmarit needs another look. I made three shots--one looks very, very good, but the other two are soft (probably mis-focus)
5. The Leica 50mm-2 of 4 are soft--again probably mis-focus
6. The 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar appears to be OK but not sensational.
7. Ditto 28mm Nikkor.
8. Biggest surprise was the 45mm f2 Minolta. It was excellent...on a close par to the 28mm Zeiss.
VERY un scientific "real world" tests, that may prove interesting to fellow NEX 7 shooters
Best regards to all
Dave in NJ
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Dennishh

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #15 on: March 23, 2012, 04:14:37 pm »

Nice collection of lenses Dave, your bag must be pretty heavy. It's amazing how many lenses we collect over the years, sure are nice to have when you need them. I know you mean about the Nikon it sure is difficult not to buy one. I'm really disappointed in Canon, but it seems the 5D3 is performing pretty well but for a lot of us a high-resolution cameras is what we need. Sony has a great big opportunity now to become one of the top three. I think they must have made some substantial advancements in the OLED technology that will be coming out with the next generation or they wouldn't have dropped the mirror.
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Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #16 on: March 23, 2012, 09:14:27 pm »

Nice collection of lenses Dave, your bag must be pretty heavy. It's amazing how many lenses we collect over the years, sure are nice to have when you need them. I know you mean about the Nikon it sure is difficult not to buy one. I'm really disappointed in Canon, but it seems the 5D3 is performing pretty well but for a lot of us a high-resolution cameras is what we need. Sony has a great big opportunity now to become one of the top three. I think they must have made some substantial advancements in the OLED technology that will be coming out with the next generation or they wouldn't have dropped the mirror.

I have read that the Nikon 36mp sensor is actually built by Sony. if that is true, and Sony does not introduce a new his -res 36 mp sensor camera, I am jumping ship.
Dave
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douglasf13

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2012, 10:41:32 pm »

I have had the NEX 7 for about 10 days. Today I wanted to throw the little camera bag in the car trunk, just in case I ran inrto a photo-op. It took me about 3-5 minutes to try to re-format the card. The menue of the NEX 7, as my kids would say, "it sucks".
I am not pleased with the NEX 7 "tri-navi dials". I am 75 years old. I have a collection of 35mm film cameras. It was VERY SIMPLE. ONE shutter speed dial on the top of the camera. ONE F stop ring around the lens. Even for "advanced amateurs" (seriously into  photography like I am), it was easy. Take an exposure reading with a hand held meter, (later set ISO if the camera had a built in meter), set ONE dial for shutter speed, ONE ring around the lens for aperature, then SHOOT!! If I could buy a digital camera with about 1 shutter speed dial. one F stop ring, one ISO dial----let every thing else be burried in menues I would buy it in a minute. When I read the NEX 7 instructions and saw stuff like "smile shutter" , "face recognition" etc. etc I was appaled. The wanna bees of electronic cameras should have a button, or menue choice I could select, and it would be "Pro-mode"--- EVery thing else would be disabbled. Only things the user would need to set would be the basic stuff: set ISO, set shutter speed, set F stop. Thats all we need. Then allow going into the menues for white balance, meter pattern, continous motor drive, single shot, etc, etc.
Not a new camera, just a firmware update that would alow the dials only to be used for basic settings. BTW I have used just about every kind of film camera.
Dave in NJ

I'm a little confused, as that is essentially what the NEX-7 is.  One dial for aperture, one dial for shutter and one dial for ISO.  Just set the thing to M mode and go!
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hubell

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #18 on: March 23, 2012, 10:49:49 pm »

It is beyond ridiculous that Sony can't produce a user interface and a set of controls that allow the Nex-7 to be operated like an M9. Skip all of these nonsense options and let the photographer choose aperture, f stop and iso. If only Apple made cameras!


Hey Dave, give it a little more time. I've had mine for a month now and just love the camera. I think it does a better job than my Canon DSLR's and is small and light. The menu settings are a little touchy but I heard there is a firmware update coming soon that will help. Here's my settings just in case it might help. 

My Settings !

Drive Mode: Single Shooting
LCD Desplay: Histogram
AM/MF: DMF
Autofocus Area: Flexible Spot

Settings
AEL:Toggle
AF/MF control: Hold
AF Illiuminator: off
High ISO NR: Low
Live View Display: Setting Effect On
Auto review: 2 sec
Peaking Level: Mid
Peaking Color: Red
MF Assist: On
MF Assist Time :2 sec if you use e-lenses
Color Space: Adobe RGB
Release w/o Lens: Enabled
ready shot :on
Ete-Stat AF:Off
Long Exposure NR: On
Lens settings: Auto
Lens Comp: Distortion: Auto
Function Settings 1: Creative Style
Function Settings 2: DRange Settings
Function Settings 3: Custom Settings
Function Settings 4: Focus Settings
custom settings 1; Auto focus mode
AF/MF button: MF Assist
Right Key Setting: Metering Mode
Soft Key B Setting: AF/MF select
Soft Key C Setting: shoot mode
Custom 2:
Custom 3:
Help Guide Display: Off
Display Color: Black
Wide Image: Full Screen

peterv

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Re: NEX-7 problem?
« Reply #19 on: March 24, 2012, 06:33:36 am »

It is beyond ridiculous that Sony can't produce a user interface and a set of controls that allow the Nex-7 to be operated like an M9. ..

It's just as Douglas says. I really have no problem with the UI of the NEX 7. I understand people can be a little intimidated by all the options the camera offers, but once set, it's very easy to handle.
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