[Guest]

Bigger doesn't mean better ergonomics. The camera can be big but yet have worst ergonomics



Brightcolours, don't misquote reviews by selectively picking sentences from the review. This is not the first time I have seen you do this. We can go click and read the whole thing. Here is the entire DPR's conclusion section on Nex-7 ergonomics, which Brightcolours tried to portray as a "An ergonomic nightmare" according to the review, when the review said no such thing.



http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonynex7/page28.asp

andling



For such a small camera, the NEX-7's handling is remarkably good. The use of three dials to control the main exposure parameters, with the rear dial essentially dedicated to ISO and the right dial to exposure compensation, makes it extremely fluid to shoot with. A single press of the top plate 'navigation' button calls up a screen that allows you to move the AF point wherever in the frame you want, and pressing again cycles through a range of other parameters, which are highly user-definable. It's a system that works exceptionally well.



The NEX-7 sits nicely in your hand too, with its deceptively-simple deep, squared-off grip. This allows you to carry the camera around comfortably and securely in one hand, which is practically unique for this body style. The various controls are all well-placed within easy reach of your right hand, and easy to reach even with the camera to your eye. The only caveat here is that the two top-plate dials are indistinguishable by touch alone, making it easy to change the wrong parameter by mistake. It's also worth noting that for better or worse, unlike other similar cameras (including the NEX-5N), the NEX-7 lacks a touchscreen control.



However while the hardware is impressive, not for the first time a NEX is slightly let down by its firmware. Once you delve beneath the top-level controls, you'll find the same firmware as on previous models practically in its entirety, and this isn't necessarily a good thing. It means that many functions can be controlled in three different ways - from the menus, soft keys, or control dials - and behave differently in each. And you won't want to spend any more time than is absolutely necessary in the menu system, which we've never found to be a paragon of usability.



We're also surprised by the camera's out-of-the-box setup, which prioritizes dial-led control of JPEG-processing parameters - Dynamic Range Optimization, Creative Style and White Balance - while leaving certain key camera controls lurking in the menu system (such as Metering and Flash Modes). Meanwhile the lower soft key somewhat pointlessly duplicates the first option on the triple-dial-control (Focus Settings). If you mainly shoot RAW and want direct control over as many camera settings as possible, you'll probably find the NEX-7's default setup infuriating.



Fortunately, though, the camera is immensely configurable, and if you spend some time studying the manual and working out which functions you want to place where, the chances are you can set it up to suit your way of working. Because the NEX-7 uses a highly modal control system, with the soft keys and dials unlabeled and their current functions displayed on-screen, making radical changes to the camera's setup doesn't have any negative effect on usability. So once you've configured it to your satisfaction, the NEX-7 becomes a pleasure to use.



Special note has to be made also of how well-integrated movie mode is into the overall shooting experience. Unlike most similar cameras, there's really no distinction made between the two, and the NEX-7 will honour all of your settings in any exposure mode - even if you change them while recording. However we do find the red movie button to be somewhat exposed, and easily activated accidentally. Given how pleasant the NEX-7 is to use as a movie camera, it is a real shame that the playback of movie files (where video and still image files are reviewed separately, rather than chronologically in the order captured) is managed so poorly.