NEX-5 review

[BernardLanguillier]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the review of the NEX-5.

You are pretty tough on the camera overall, but it is probably indeed an interesting platform.

Now I was surprised by the very first sentence of your review.

Indeed, you write in your intro: "The Sony NEX cameras represent some of the most innovative thinking in camera design since Canon invented the modern SLR with the T90 back in 1986. It is the first digital camera not to owe the bulk of its design gestalt to previous film-based designs, and as we'll see, it points to a future where still and video cameras not only converge, but also share lens mounts."

I don't see anything else in the rest of the article really backing up this opening statement. The Sony is mostly a variation of the theme created by Olympus/Panasonic with their 4/3 cameras like the GF1 isn't it? The only one difference I can see is that Sony made the body a bit smaller than the mount, but I see little value in doing this when you factor in the actual size of the lenses. The body+lens combo is larger with the Sony because of its larger sensor, isn't it?

Regards,
Bernard

[fredjeang]

Interesting review.

I have to say that I do not understand the Sony politic on this one.

I've been very interested by this camera, and thought it could really threaten the M4T supremacy.
But then, later, I fall on to a quick video showing the menu and thought: mmmm....I feared the worst.
Michael in his review is confirming my fears and even more issues that appear when handled the gear for awhile.
Yes, it is not going to be taken seriously by advanced photographers.

It is a little bit frustrating really, because the Sony as a great potencial but it is ruined by too much marketing and cosmetic eccentricity.

I don't get this: which market then is targeting this Sony?
If it is the basic users that does not want neither need a great usability and larger sensor than the M4T, then why would this "target" buy the NEX-5?
A compact camera with HD video would be enough, or even the very interesting simplified version of the EP1: the Olympus EPL1.
So to me, they migh be targeting a kind of tech-gadget-erasmus-user that wants something a little more powerfull and fun than a traditional compact but looks high tech and different?

That is indeed a pitty. But that also shows that M4T have been doing well the homework so far and maybe there will be absolutly no threat for them if the competition is not understanding the basics needs and good interface designs that photographers want.

On the other hand, I saw an interview in a Spanish source of the Sony executive Toru Katsumoto saying that they are coming into this market but that they will follow a slightly different path that what Pana and Oly are doing...well, for the moment we have seen what kind of path they are following.

I won't buy that camera for sure. Don't mess with the usability and controls Sony!

I don't think that the Minolta team was involved in this one...

Waiting a G11 version with aps sensor and canon's mount, or a Nikon proposal.

Ps: Rob, it seems that you where right about that Sony and I was wrong. Another marketing gadget from digiland to add on the very long list so far.

[michael]

Bernard,

Not sure what you mean by "typo", or why you disagree about the NEX-5 not being original in its design.

In fact if you put it side-by-side with a Panasonic GF / GF or Olympus you quickly see that these are simply shrunken versions of previous cameras. The NEX, on the other hand, shares an electronic lens mount between a still and video camera for the same time, has absolutely no mechnical controls, has a minimum of controls of any sort, and the worst menu system ever designed by a human being.  

I think that all of these make it someone different from what we've seen before.

Michael

[Dan Vincent]

Hi Michael,

The camera actually does have DOF preview; my understanding is that it's activated all the time. Sony even advertises this on their specs page under the "defocus control" feature when in auto that it shows live DOF.

Now, whether that active DOF preview is enabled all the time in, say, Aperture Priority or other modes, I'm not sure. But I know it can do it thanks to the new stepless aperture motor and auto-gain live view sensor. Since there's no customary darkening of the view with stepping down anymore, it may be very subtle to notice.

A compact camera with HD video would be enough, or even the very interesting simplified version of the EP1: the Olympus EPL1.

The EP-L1 seems to have the same issues as the NEX, with a highly menu driven system that annoys higher level users. Of course it'll be frustrating to a user like Michael because he expects quick and easy access to all camera settings all the time. I preferred the EP-2 well over the EP-L1 for probably the same reasons Michael would. The EP-L1 was quite annoying for me, but my sister could happily point-and-shoot with it all day long and get fine results.

His suggestions are good ones: a My Menu and being able to reprogram the soft button are two good ones. Another idea is to allow the flash button to be reprogrammable when the flash is not in use (an old Minolta trick). Adding a "Remember Last Used" item for the menu would also be helpful. Echoing the recent HX5 review, the NEX-5 could be the TX7 to a future NEX-7's HX5. I think I just made my head spin there.

I think the criticisms are well placed, but for the vast majority of users of the target market, who will rarely change settings at all, will it matter all that much? These are clearly not going to be the only NEX cameras, and likely there will be a higher featured/complexity model coming out soon enough.

Also, Michael, the lens mount has room for two additional pins, for a total of 12. Stay tuned, I guess? The subject of power zoom is an interesting one, as the Alpha mount already supports it (and the NEX mount is derived from A-Mount). The Xi cameras in the early 90s had power zoom motors. The protocol is currently deprecated but I suppose it could come back.

[douglasf13]

Bernard,

Not sure what you mean by "typo", or why you disagree about the NEX-5 not being original in its design.

In fact if you put it side-by-side with a Panasonic GF / GF or Olympus you quickly see that these are simply shrunken versions of previous cameras. The NEX, on the other hand, shares an electronic lens mount between a still and video camera for the same time, has absolutely no mechnical controls, has a minimum of controls of any sort, and the worst menu system ever designed by a human being.  

I think that all of these make it someone different from what we've seen before.

Michael

  Michael, I noticed that you mentioned having to click on the 4 way pad a million times to cycle through settings.  Can you not scroll in the menus with the dial like an iPod?

  Although I certainly hope Sony fixes things via firmware, the interface looks usable to me.  I don't use any jpeg settings, and I'm in M or A mode all of the time.  So, it seems ISO is the only inconvenient setting, no?

  Also, from what I understand, the NEX always stops down to the shooting aperture with E lenses, so you're essentially always getting a DOF preview in realtime.

[Pelao]

Michael,

As you note above:

I think that all of these make it someone different from what we've seen before.

There are a few things that are different on these cameras, but in your review you note that they represent 'innovative thinking'. I am not sure that I see the innovation, apart from the application of a large sensor to a basically P&S interface. I feel that this combination offers a great opportunity for many people to secure good shots under conditions where their P&S would fail, or where they have not learned to use the many options on a DSLR.

But I don't yet see too much innovation here, at least by my definition, which would require the photographic world to move forward in some significant way - or at least do a better job of implementing something that had gone before.

Assuming good image quality, the thing that is most important to me is the interface. For my smaller camera this drove me to choose the GF1 over the EP series. The Eps are not 'bad', but the GF1 gets so much right in making it simple and intuitive to change settings quickly and easily.

The Sony's fail for me on this point, but for the target audience they are pretty cool.

I sense Sony sees the same challenge as canon and Nikon: make your smaller cameras as good as your lower end DSLRs and you could find margins squeezed.

Interesting times.

[BernardLanguillier]

Bernard,

Not sure what you mean by "typo", or why you disagree about the NEX-5 not being original in its design.

In fact if you put it side-by-side with a Panasonic GF / GF or Olympus you quickly see that these are simply shrunken versions of previous cameras. The NEX, on the other hand, shares an electronic lens mount between a still and video camera for the same time, has absolutely no mechnical controls, has a minimum of controls of any sort, and the worst menu system ever designed by a human being.  

I think that all of these make it someone different from what we've seen before.

Michael

Michael,

Probably poor wording on my side, but the article reads a bit like the intro was written before actual usage and was not updated after the rest was written.

I guess that "innovative thinking" in my mind applies to successful designs only. It is pretty obvious to me that the lack of physical controls on a camera is not a positive development. A key difference between a phone and a camera is the need to operate quickly the camera. This drives fundamentally different requirements in terms of interface.

As far as videdo goes, it appears that Panasonic is still ahead qualitywise and they have already annouced their intent to leverage the 4/3 mount to design specific video cameras also, and did that prior to Sony.

Cheers,
Bernard

[PierreVandevenne]

But I don't yet see too much innovation here, at least by my definition, which would require the photographic world to move forward in some significant way - or at least do a better job of implementing something that had gone before.

IMHO, the innovation lies in the fact that Sony plans to reuse the sensor and mount in a more conventional video camera which, I assume, will have video oriented ergonomics, focusing mechanism, firmware, etc... http://blog.discover.sonystyle.com/sneak-p...-in-development. One set of lenses, two small specialized bodies in a single bag, that is, at the very least, practical convergence.

Ideally, of course, a single camera would have two full modes of operation (pure photo & pure video, as opposed to the ability to take snapshots with a camcorder or a handicapped movie mode on cameras) and a physical form factor that would be somehow suitable for both tasks given the shooting habits of the respective existing user bases. That's probably the hardest part from an industrial design point of view...

[John Camp]

I think the problem with this camera is the same problem that you see with a lot of Sony products -- it seems almost entirely driven by marketing. They created the smallest body for an interchangeable lens camera, but who really wanted a "smallest" body? What we wanted was an appropriately sized, ergonomic body smaller and lighter than a DSLR with a large chip, but in going for the marketing claim of "smallest," they've created a body with a flimsy tripod support, awkward controls and "optional" features that seem to me to be essential, rather than optional. The befuddling thing is that isn't exactly rocket science -- Panasonic got it about right: you come out with an edge to edge range of zooms, and a fast prime (or, if the marketers had really been watching, three fast primes), some kind of pop-up flash and at least a clip on EVF.

You see the same thing with Sony DSLRS -- attractive prices to seize market position, some pro qualities, and then, little follow up.

JC

[Kenneth Sky]

Far be it from me to defend Sony ( though I use many of their products as a legacy Minolta user ) but it seems to me they came closer than most of the other manufacturers to meeting our needs - but no cigar. What most of us wanted was a small alternative to a DSLR but with good IQ and ergonomics. Much of the features that critics of this camera have noted as missing really only belong on a larger camera. I'm only going to point out one - a proper tripod mount. If you're going to bother to carry a tripod you can carry a DSLR! But Michael's criticisms are fair. The menus are too deep and arcane. The only lens that will make this camera pocketable is suspect in quality and focal length (although there are rumours of a 30mm lens). The "missing" EVF is not replaced with a very bright LCD - has any Sony engineer ever tried to take a picture on a bright day with sunglasses? Should Sony address these issues in the near future, I'll be first in line to get a NEX.

[douglasf13]

Far be it from me to defend Sony ( though I use many of their products as a legacy Minolta user ) but it seems to me they came closer than most of the other manufacturers to meeting our needs - but no cigar. What most of us wanted was a small alternative to a DSLR but with good IQ and ergonomics. Much of the features that critics of this camera have noted as missing really only belong on a larger camera. I'm only going to point out one - a proper tripod mount. If you're going to bother to carry a tripod you can carry a DSLR! But Michael's criticisms are fair. The menus are too deep and arcane. The only lens that will make this camera pocketable is suspect in quality and focal length (although there are rumours of a 30mm lens). The "missing" EVF is not replaced with a very bright LCD - has any Sony engineer ever tried to take a picture on a bright day with sunglasses? Should Sony address these issues in the near future, I'll be first in line to get a NEX.

  Agreed.  Once there's a fast standard prime and possibly an EVF, I'm on board.  I could care less about hotshoes, standard flashes, tons of external controls, zoom lenses, tripod mounts, etc. on a pocketable camera.  That's what DSLRs are for.  A, S and M mode on the NEX seem to work fine, with the exception of menu diving for ISO, so just some tweaks in the interface will help a lot.  Assign that "shooting tips" soft button to ISO and we're good to go.

[barryfitzgerald]

Just because a camera is small it does not always follow that it should have very few controls or a dodgy/frustrating menu system. Granted many compacts are far from awesome handling wise..but there are some obvious mistakes here Sony has made. Lots of compacts now have a mode selection dial..much better than being forced into a main menu all the time. Why not here?
Some have buttons that can be assigned a custom function or short-cut..again nothing to stop Sony doing this.
Nothing is perfect never is..but some of this stuff is pretty basic design wise. What's so hard about proper user customisation? Why not let the user pick an Auto ISO level or a min/max etc?
As a Minolta user I'm not expecting a Dynax/Maxxum 7 body loaded with switches and buttons/dials (personally I love the instant access to most functions, and a very visual sign of what settings I am in) Have a look around plenty of compacts that at least attempt reasonable controls and menus..some better than others I would add, but few as poor as this.

I'm not shocked at all by this. I watched them "de-button" their entry range of DSLR's. Yup some bright spark in a suit (who probably never uses a camera), decided it would be a great idea to take off the AEL button..thus making CW and spot metering modes half useless..they force you into the main menu just to change AF point (no AF button nope..), no flash raise button either..you have to go into a menu for this too. Ok it's just an entry DSLR, but who said this was a good idea? Why deliberately make something with "bad handling". Ditto for the NEX models..the beta models probably never saw the hands/feedback of a half clued in photographer..so some whacky design team was let loose on it.

Again nobody forces them to offer no control over aperture/shutter/ISO in the video mode either. Sony don't know how to do "easy to use"..they just play about with controls (mostly removing them in the false belief this makes a camera easier to use) The company has a very simplistic view of buyers in a certain price range..thus they are not even attempting to appeal to enthusiasts. I see no signs of this changing..sadly. Minolta were masters of ergonomics in many ways..Sony are not even complete novices.

[Ed Blagden]

Just because a camera is small it does not always follow that it should have very few controls or a dodgy/frustrating menu system. Granted many compacts are far from awesome handling wise..but there are some obvious mistakes here Sony has made. Lots of compacts now have a mode selection dial..much better than being forced into a main menu all the time. Why not here?
Some have buttons that can be assigned a custom function or short-cut..again nothing to stop Sony doing this.
Nothing is perfect never is..but some of this stuff is pretty basic design wise. What's so hard about proper user customisation? Why not let the user pick an Auto ISO level or a min/max etc?
As a Minolta user I'm not expecting a Dynax/Maxxum 7 body loaded with switches and buttons/dials (personally I love the instant access to most functions, and a very visual sign of what settings I am in) Have a look around plenty of compacts that at least attempt reasonable controls and menus..some better than others I would add, but few as poor as this.

I'm not shocked at all by this. I watched them "de-button" their entry range of DSLR's. Yup some bright spark in a suit (who probably never uses a camera), decided it would be a great idea to take off the AEL button..thus making CW and spot metering modes half useless..they force you into the main menu just to change AF point (no AF button nope..), no flash raise button either..you have to go into a menu for this too. Ok it's just an entry DSLR, but who said this was a good idea? Why deliberately make something with "bad handling". Ditto for the NEX models..the beta models probably never saw the hands/feedback of a half clued in photographer..so some whacky design team was let loose on it.

Again nobody forces them to offer no control over aperture/shutter/ISO in the video mode either. Sony don't know how to do "easy to use"..they just play about with controls (mostly removing them in the false belief this makes a camera easier to use) The company has a very simplistic view of buyers in a certain price range..thus they are not even attempting to appeal to enthusiasts. I see no signs of this changing..sadly. Minolta were masters of ergonomics in many ways..Sony are not even complete novices.

Top rant mate, top rant.

[douglasf13]

Just because a camera is small it does not always follow that it should have very few controls or a dodgy/frustrating menu system. Granted many compacts are far from awesome handling wise..but there are some obvious mistakes here Sony has made. Lots of compacts now have a mode selection dial..much better than being forced into a main menu all the time. Why not here?
Some have buttons that can be assigned a custom function or short-cut..again nothing to stop Sony doing this.
Nothing is perfect never is..but some of this stuff is pretty basic design wise. What's so hard about proper user customisation? Why not let the user pick an Auto ISO level or a min/max etc?
As a Minolta user I'm not expecting a Dynax/Maxxum 7 body loaded with switches and buttons/dials (personally I love the instant access to most functions, and a very visual sign of what settings I am in) Have a look around plenty of compacts that at least attempt reasonable controls and menus..some better than others I would add, but few as poor as this.

I'm not shocked at all by this. I watched them "de-button" their entry range of DSLR's. Yup some bright spark in a suit (who probably never uses a camera), decided it would be a great idea to take off the AEL button..thus making CW and spot metering modes half useless..they force you into the main menu just to change AF point (no AF button nope..), no flash raise button either..you have to go into a menu for this too. Ok it's just an entry DSLR, but who said this was a good idea? Why deliberately make something with "bad handling". Ditto for the NEX models..the beta models probably never saw the hands/feedback of a half clued in photographer..so some whacky design team was let loose on it.

Again nobody forces them to offer no control over aperture/shutter/ISO in the video mode either. Sony don't know how to do "easy to use"..they just play about with controls (mostly removing them in the false belief this makes a camera easier to use) The company has a very simplistic view of buyers in a certain price range..thus they are not even attempting to appeal to enthusiasts. I see no signs of this changing..sadly. Minolta were masters of ergonomics in many ways..Sony are not even complete novices.

  I obviously love all the buttons of my A900, but I still think the number of buttons and dials on the NEX-5 is fine.  It's how they're implemented in software that hurts the camera, IMO.

[image66]

The people at Sony are supposed to be the smartest kids in the room. OK, maybe second smartest behind the kids at Canon.

They are obviously much better at product positioning than I am, so therefore this camera is perfect. My thinking about how a camera should be designed is obviously wrong since I disagree with them, but I will bow to their superiority.

But that doesn't mean that I'll be buying one for myself or recommending one to anybody else. They obviously weren't targeting me with the camera.  I'm not sure who they are exactly expecting to buy the camera and be happy with it--I'm not that smart.

[barryfitzgerald]

Just because a company is big..does not mean they are "skilled" or even good at what they do. Sony has a very mixed history from moments of greatness in the market (walkman, playstation) to some serious lapses of judgement (Sony BMG copy protection, dead goat adverts, mini disc) And Apple completely caught them napping with the I-pod. So a company that has massive potential..no question.

But they don't always deliver on that.

And at the moment they seem to be unable to support their DSLR users needs (in some cases..note lack of FW updates etc)
I'd love to see them do well with this..but it's said they got the Sony Ericsson team to design the GUI, I'm not sure the relationship between a phone and camera is ideal handling wise!

[allenmacaulay]

...They obviously weren't targeting me with the camera.  I'm not sure who they are exactly expecting to buy the camera and be happy with it--I'm not that smart.

I've spent more time than I care to admit thinking about the target market for this camera, I'm still coming up with a blank.  It appears to be aimed at those wanting better image quality than a compact while retaining the automatic functions and ease of use, yet the user interface is far worse and less intuitive than that of my 3 year old Canon compact.  I can pick up any pocket camera from Canon or Nikon and dial up ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation within seconds, those settings will either have a direct button or be no more than a single level down in the menu system.  With the Sony, these settings are buried several layers down in the menu, that's fine if the user is content to stay in auto everything mode but if manual adjustments are desired it can get pretty frustrating.

To my thinking, the people buying micro 4/3 and other large sensor small body camera systems are looking for better image quality along with some (most?) of the flexibility & control offered by a DSLR.  That means fast intuitive ISO, exposure, colour, and mode settings.  The NEX-5 has the image quality but not the flexibility and control, and that baffles me.  What is their target market, or did they make an epic screw up?  I still don't know.

[Philmar]

Just WHO is this camera designed for?

Obviously not me or many others here. But it will no doubt sell thousands. There's millions of people who buy cameras without a single thought about menu usability, DOF, high ISO performance, RAW capability or sensor size. It's much like I don't read up about liquid absorbtion and retention rates on different paper towel brands when I buy them. They'll walk in to a SONY store at a mall and fall in love with this small cute gadget. This is a camera sold by a recognized BRAND that has a reputation. It is targeted for those millions of people who make purchasing decisions according to brand, not specs, not usability, not IQ. There's millions of people that will be willing to spend a bit more money on something that isn't a simple P&S. They may not understand why this camera is different from a P&S - but they'll know it was designed by a reputable brand and that it is supposed to be better than a simple P&S. that'll be good enough for them. It certainly will be easier to carry around than an intimidating DSLR and it will be more expensive (therefore 'better') than a P&S.
Sure it has a crap menu. But that won't be on the radar of those people that will stroll in to a SONY store. It's marketing, not performance that will sell this baby.

Seriously. Think about it. There's a lot of people who when buying a camera don't possess a clue as to what they want OR what they should be looking for in a camera. They head down to the local camera shop and ask the guy behind the counter to show them what they have available for a cewrtain amount of cash. They look at the options and decide then and there. This is a camera that seems to promise to be a step above a P&S AND it from a reputable brand. Marketing and sales people can make this baby sell.

[aaykay]

I recently bought a NEX5 with the kit zoom lens (18-55) and find it to be a perfect "carry everywhere" supplement to my A900, that can shoot 1080 video.  Also, I notice that unlike the intent of Sony, who created this camera for "p&s upgraders", most of the buyers I know about, are users of higher-end dSLRs, than people who upgraded from p&s models.....strange as that seems. I am more of an A-mode shooter and once I switch to the A-mode (via the menu), I am just fine for the whole session (since the apertures can be changed via the dial, as needed, without switching to the menu again), unless I want to switch out of the Auto-ISO mode (ISO 100-1600) and manually switch to a different ISO and if so, then I need to make a couple of button clicks and go to the menu to make the change.

The advantages the NEX has (over the prior such "micro" mirrorless releases) is of course the incredibly small flange-back distance of 18mm (noticeably slimmer than the significantly smaller sensored micro-4/3 products), a mount that is larger than the Full-frame Leica M-mount etc.  The upcoming NEX7 is intended to bridge some of the complaints that people have about the NEX3/5, by increasing the body size a bit (to that of  a Panasonic GF1), add in the obligatory dials/buttons for direct control over the exposure settings, add in an EVF, add in the in-body stabilization (at the expense of making the body a bit more thicker than the NEX3/5), add in a built-in flash (than have the free flash add-on that Sony provides for the NEX5), bring in 1080P video (than the 1080i that comes on the NEX5) and so on.

PS: Toru Katsumoto, the Senior GM of imaging of Sony, made an interesting statement about the mount being larger than some of the Full-frame mounts like the Leica M etc.  He stated that technically it is possible to introduce a FF sensor into the NEX, but that some tweaks will need to happen to the mount, since this particular version of the NEX mount is "optimized for APS-C sensors".

PS1: Masashi Imamura, the president of Sony Imaging and Sound business groups, stated that Carl Zeiss lenses for the NEX format are on the way.  Of course it goes without saying that when a manufacturer creates Carl Zeiss lenses for a mount, they don't intend to have it be used on a a body like the NEX3/5, but for much more serious intent on a more pro-oriented body (the Panasonic GF1-sized upcoming NEX7 mentioned above).

PS2: Toru Katsumoto (via an interview in CNET Asia) also stated that their engineers are working on a firmware upgrade to enable AF (via the Alpha to NEX adapter) with the Sony A-mount lenses that contain a built-in ultra-sonic motor (Carl Zeiss 16-35, Carl Zeiss 24-70, Sony 70-300G, Sony 70-200 f/2.8G, Sony 70-400 f/4-5.6G, Sony 300mm f/2.8G etc).  Of course one will have to re-adjust the way one uses a camera with such lenses, by handling the combo via the lens than by using the camera body.  Either way, shooting 1080 video with such lenses does sound promising.   Some users belonging to the Alpha user group in South Africa, did use the NEX5 with Alpha lenses where the AF was functional in the firmware and stated that the AF speed was very usable, unlike say the AF in a dSLR (when in Contrast-Detect/Live-view mode), which is pretty much unusable.  The NEX5's AF with Alpha Full-frame lenses was slightly slower than a typical DSLR Phase-Detect system but otherwise fully functional/usable.

[fredjeang]

I recently bought a NEX5 with the kit zoom lens (18-55) and find it to be a perfect supplement to my A900.  Also, I notice that unlike the intent of Sony, who created this camera for "p&s upgraders", most of the buyers I know about, are users of higher-end dSLRs, than people who upgraded from p&s models.....strange as that seems. I am more of an A-mode shooter and once I switch to the A-mode (via the menu), I am just fine for the whole session, unless I want to switch out of the Auto-ISO mode (ISO 100-1600) and manually switch to a different chosen ISO.

The advantages the NEX has (over the prior such "micro" mirrorless releases) is of course the incredibly small flange-back distance of 18mm (noticeably slimmer than the significantly smaller sensored micro-4/3 products), a mount that is larger than the Full-frame Leica M-mount etc.  The upcoming NEX7 is intended to bridge some of the complaints that people have about the NEX3/5, by increasing the body size a bit (to that of  a Panasonic GF1), add in the obligatory dials/buttons for direct control over the exposure settings, add in an EVF, add in the in-body stabilization (at the expense of making the body a bit more thicker than the NEX3/5, add in a built-in flash (than have the free flash add-on that Sony provides for the NEX5), bring in 1080P video (than the 1080i that comes on the NEX5) and so on.

PS: Toru Katsumoto, the Senior GM of imaging of Sony, made an interesting statement about the mount being larger than some of the Full-frame mounts like the Leica M etc.  He stated that technically it is possible to introduce a FF sensor into the NEX, but that some tweaks will need to happen to the mount since this particular version of the NEX mount is "optimized for APS-C sensors".

PS2: Toru Katsumoto (via an interview in CNET Asia) also stated that their engineers are working on a firmware upgrade to enable AF (via the Alpha to NEX adapter) with the Sony A-mount lenses that contain a built-in ultra-sonic motor (Carl Zeiss 16-35, Carl Zeiss 24-70, Sony 70-300G, Sony 70-200 f/2.8G, Sony 70-400 f/4-5.6G, Sony 300mm f/2.8G etc).  Of course one will have to re-adjust the way one uses a camera with such lenses, by handling the combo via the lens than by using the camera body.  Either way, shooting 1080 video with such lenses does sound promising.   Some users belonging to the Alpha user group in South Africa, did use the NEX5 with Alpha lenses where the AF was functional in the firmware and stated that the AF speed was very usable, unlike say the AF in a dSLR (when in Contrast-Detect/Live-view mode), which is pretty much unusable with it being slightly slower than a typical DSLR Phase-Detect system but otherwise fully functional.

Oh man...your post is loaded for a m4/3 weapons responses. Have you switch on your digital humbrella?
Best luck.