Sony NEX 7 Detailed Review

In additional NEX 7 was introduced by Sony in August 2011. It belongs to the Mirrorless Cameras category.

Sony is well-known and shouldn’t require further introduction, please see our manufacturer’s page for more digital cameras by Sony.

Also NEX 7 has a APS-C CMOS sensor with size of 24 x 16 mm² (0.93″ x 0.61″).

Picture of NEX 7’s sensor compared to popular format.

The 1-Euro coin has a diameter of 23.25mm.

Note: APS-C sensors made by Sony are slightly larger than those from other manufacturers.

The NEX 7’s sensor has resolution of 24 megapixel.

The Sony supports taking images in RAW. RAW images are stored as they come from the sensor, without any in-camera processing or sharpening. Converting to JPEG or other formats takes place on the computer, using software like Adobe Lightroom or Sony’s RAW converter. This involves one extra processing step but almost always results in superior image quality. Some filters, like converting to monochrome (black and white) will only yield decent results when used with RAW images.

The NEX 7 features a mechanism for automatic sensor cleaning.

The NEX 7 uses an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2.36 megapixel, an excellent value for a viewfinder like this which makes the camera a joy to use.

The magnifcation is c. 0.73x, an excellent value for an electronic viewfinder.

The NEX 7’s shutter speed varies from 1/4000s to 30s.

The NEX 7’s sensitivity goes from 100 ISO und 16000 ISO, a very useful and practical range.

The NEX 7 supports all general exposure modes.

The Sony allows spot exposure for the difficult occasion.

The NEX 7’s auto focus processor uses 25 AF points (or sensors). A basic rule of thumb says that the more AF points you have, the better. More AF points mean a better chance to have a point at the location of interest in a scene, a big plus in challenging situations (e.g. when panning the camera).

Manual focus is also possible with the Sony, a plus in tricky situations or for some creative freedom.

The NEX 7 has a built-in flash with a diapason of up to 6m (20 ft.). That range will fit for almost all occasion.

The NEX 7 features a monitor with a diagonal of 75.00mm (3.0 in.) and a resolution of c. 0.92 megapixel. That’s about average.

The camera’s display is articulated, a plus for selfies and other challenging situations.

The NEX 7 does not feature a touch screen.

Display characteristics at a glance:

NEX 7 video supported the resolution with 1920 x 1080 pixel.

ACamera is not equipped with an external microphone.

Sony NEX 7 Video parameters:

Built-in wireless connectivity is not available with the Sony. You will need appropriate accessories to wirelessly transfer images between camera and smartphone.

However, the camera can be controlled over a wired connection.

Connect the Sony to a monitor or TV set over HDMI.

The Sony supports USB 2.0.

Connection parameters:

The camera will accept all common SD HC and SD XC cards. Sony MemorySticks can be used, too.

Memory cards characteristics:

The Sony NEX 7 has a NP-FW50 LiIon battery. The battery provides a shooting life of 430 shots. It`s enough for one day or more.

The battery can be charged over USB while in camera. Very useful, especially on vacation when most people bring a USB charger for their smartphone anyway.

The NEX 7’s battery battery parameters:

The Sony NEX 7’s size is 120 x 67 x 43mm³. (4.7″ x 2.6″ x 1.7″). That dimensions are without lens. The weight of camera is 4.7″ x 2.6″ x 1.7″ grams (400 oz.) without lens weight.

Here is front and top view of the NEX 7:

To put the size of the camera in context, here it is next to a typical ID card (c. 86mm x 55mm, about the size of a credit card).

The NEX 7 is not much bigger: