Well, that would be nice, but down here in Panama there is no such service. I must decide based on reviews and experience from others. Sony do have a strong presence in the country, but not so Olympus. So I may be able to try out a NEX7 in the store.
I'll wait for DPreview full test before going any further, but in the mean time I'll start visiting Sony stores and check the NEX7 out.
One thing I would like to know, this time asking Michael directly:
If you had the chance to go to say Europe, or China, or Bangladesh, would you take your Leica, NEX7, or GH2, or you'll be better served with your full size Sony Alpha or Canon FF gear? I mean, do the NEX7 gives you enough image quality to "sacrifice" a nice trip just with a smaller system? Is that good?
The simple answer is that after using the NEX-7 for some 4,000 frames over the past four months, street shooting as well as landscape work, I don't feel that I am making any compromises in image quality over any other camera that I own (except the IQ180 on an Alpa – but that's another story).
I miss my Zeiss A lenses, but not the bulk of my A900. I prefer the huge clear viewfinder of the A900, but not the bulk tradeoff that it means. The EVF on the NEX is actually pretty terrific, especially for low light work where it actually beats a large SLR viewfinder.
Sony's E series zooms aren't great, but neither are they terrible. On the other hand the 24mm Zeiss, the 50mm f/1.8 and the 18mm pancake are terrific. Being able to use just about any other lens, including all my Zeiss glass and Leica M lenses on the NEX-7 clinches the deal.
I came down to Mexico in November shooting with the NEX-7 because it was the latest and greatest, and more importantly because I was finishing up my rolling review series. But, even though I have my Leica M9 and Fuji X100 here as well, along with a NEX 5n, it's the NEX-7 that goes over my shoulder each day.
I have the IQ180 and Alpa here as well, but except for a few days out shooting landscape in the car, it has stayed at home, because much of my shooting here is hand-held. I also hike a lot. The Sony 18-200mm is also the lens I use most, because it is the most versatile. Because of its reach and stabilization it's become a favorite. I sometimes curse the CA at the long end, and some distortion at the wide end, but LR4 cleans both us nicely. I've also learned to stop it down a bit for optimum resolution. Working in a sunny country helps do this more often than not.
I love using great lenses, but I love getting the shot more, regardless of the lens needed.
Hope this helps.
Michael