Sony Nex-5T – April 2014

The mid-range Sony NEX-5T looks to build on the success of both the company's NEX-5R and NEX-5N models. How does it fare?

Sony Nex 5T Review

The Sony NEX-5T is a fairly minor update of last year's NEX-5R, which in turn was an update of the NEX-5N, and before that the original NEX-5. The NEX-5T sits between the NEX-3N and the NEX-7 in the wider Sony product range, with a specification closer to the former than the latter - sharing the same 16.1-megapixel Exmor APS-C CMOS sensor - although most of its other features are carried over from its immediate predecessor the NEX-5R.

In fact the only notable difference between the 5T and the 5R is the addition of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology.

One of the major features retained is the camera's innovative hybrid autofocus system, and that's certainly to the NEX-5T's benefit. Also carried over from the previous model is the excellent 7.5cm, 921k-dot partially articulated touchscreen LCD.

Unlike the NEX-6 and 7, the 5T has no viewfinder, but the monitor is both clear and bright and boasts a good anti-glare coating. As a result it works well even in strong sunlight.

The overall design of the NEX-5T is identical to its immediate predecessor, the 5R. It has a fairly plain rectangular body made mostly of plastic, but with some metal components to give the body added strength. It is available in black, white or grey.

The 3 inch touch screen is tiltable at up to 180 degrees, ideal for shooting with the camera low down or taking perfectly framed self-portraits

Like the other NEX models, the 5T is very slim and light, not much larger or heavier than a big compact. The controls on the camera certainly feel solidly mounted and reliable, but it has to be said that the almost flush- mounted buttons are hard to find by touch and harder to operate while wearing gloves.

The 5T has the same basic control system as the other NEX cameras, and although the NEX interface can appear a bit complicated at first, it's very quick and intuitive once you get used to it.

The NEX-5T offers a good level of performance, going from off to ready to shoot in a matter of seconds. It also delivers a good shot-to-shot time of around a second, although in terms of continuous shooting it's a bit of a disappointment, only managing 2fps in standard shooting mode.

If the NEX-5T has a weakness it is battery duration. Thanks to the large touchscreen and host of advanced technology, the NEX-5T only manages about 300 shots on a full charge.

The NEX-5T managed to turn in some very good shots during testing, with excellent overall sharpness, clarity and colour reproduction. Bright colours were well saturated, while automatic white balance coped perfectly well when shooting in most conditions. There were no real problems with exposure, images showing good tonal range, plenty of shadow detail and minimal highlight clipping.

Battery life is rated at 330 shots according to CIPA test results, with the camera using a Sony info-lithium rechargeable battery

When it comes to high-ISO image noise, the NEX-5T acquits itself well. Images up to ISO 800 are effectively noise-free. At ISO 1600 noise starts to become noticeable in darker areas, and at ISO 3200 the noise reduction system starts to lose fine detail.

Verdict

The Sony NEX-5T is a solid mid-range camera sporting a huge list of features, superb design and solid build quality. It's not a cheap camera, but its image quality is a match for any of its rivals. For an enthusiast the combination of a 16.1MP APS-C sensor and that fantastic hybrid AF system in such a compact body is a tempting formula.