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Sony NEX-7 Comparison Review

The Sony Alpha NEX-7 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was announced in August 2011 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.

camera

Is the Sony NEX-7 a good camera? The NEX-7 has a Camera Elo of 1724. This rating puts the NEX-7 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the NEX-7 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Sony NEX-7 is more than 12 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2011.

Headline Specifications
Sony NEX-7
Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60i Video
ISO 100 - 16 000
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0 LCD, 921k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
10 shutter flaps per second
430 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 43 mm, 400 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Sony NEX-7 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Sony NEX-7 vs credit card front
NEX-7 versus credit card top view
NEX-7 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Sony NEX-7 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony NEX-7 120 mm 67 mm 43 mm 400 g 430 n Aug 2011 1,349ebay.com
2.
 
Fujifilm X100 126 mm 75 mm 54 mm 445 g 300 n Sep 2010 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Sony A6400 120 mm 67 mm 50 mm 403 g 410 Y Jan 2019 899 amazon.com
4.
 
Sony A6000 120 mm 67 mm 45 mm 344 g 360 n Feb 2014 599ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A3000 128 mm 91 mm 85 mm 411 g 470 n Aug 2013 329ebay.com
6.
 
Sony NEX-6 120 mm 67 mm 43 mm 345 g 360 n Sep 2012 999ebay.com
7.
 
Sony RX1 113 mm 65 mm 70 mm 482 g 270 n Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
8.
 
Sony NEX-5N 111 mm 59 mm 38 mm 269 g 460 n Aug 2011 699ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-C3 110 mm 60 mm 33 mm 225 g 400 n Jun 2011 599ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-3 117 mm 62 mm 33 mm 297 g 330 n May 2010 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-5 111 mm 59 mm 38 mm 287 g 330 n May 2010 699ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Sony NEX-7 was launched in the US market at a price of $1,349. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Sony NEX-7 features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Sony NEX-7 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Sony NEX-7 sensor measures

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony NEX-7 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i24.113.4101681
2.
 
Fujifilm X100 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/30p22.912.4100173
3.
 
Sony A6400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.013.6143183
4.
 
Sony A6000 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.113.1134782
5.
 
Sony A3000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.712.8106878
6.
 
Sony NEX-6 APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i23.713.1101878
7.
 
Sony RX1 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.114.3253493
8.
 
Sony NEX-5N APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i23.612.7107977
9.
 
Sony NEX-C3 APS-C 16.0 4912 3264720/30p22.712.2108373
10.
 
Sony NEX-3 APS-C 14.0 4592 3056720/30p22.112.083068
11.
 
Sony NEX-5 APS-C 14.0 4592 30561080/60i22.212.279669
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The NEX-7 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the NEX-7 can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the NEX-7 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2359k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.73x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony NEX-7 and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
#   Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Sony NEX-72359 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 10.0/s Y n
2.
 
Fujifilm X1001440 n2.8 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
3.
 
Sony A64002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
4.
 
Sony A60001440 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
5.
 
Sony A3000202 n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
6.
 
Sony NEX-62359 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 10.0/s Y n
7.
 
Sony RX1optional n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Sony NEX-5Noptional n3.0 / 920 tilting Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n n
9.
 
Sony NEX-C3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s n n
10.
 
Sony NEX-3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 7.0/s n n
11.
 
Sony NEX-5optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 7.0/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The LCD screen on the Sony Alpha NEX-7 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the NEX-7

One convenient feature of the NEX-7 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha NEX-7 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
#   Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony NEX-7Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
2.
 
Fujifilm X100Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
3.
 
Sony A6400Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YYY
4.
 
Sony A6000Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
5.
 
Sony A3000Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
6.
 
Sony NEX-6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
7.
 
Sony RX1Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Sony NEX-5NYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Sony NEX-C3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Sony NEX-3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Sony NEX-5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
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It is notable that the NEX-7 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the NEX-7 can be found in the free online Sony NEX-7 Manual or on the Sony support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the NEX-7. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony NEX-75/5+ +..81/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2011 1,349ebay.com
2.
 
Fujifilm X1003/5....75/1004/55/5 Sep 2010 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Sony A64004/5+4/585/1004.5/54/5 Jan 2019 899 amazon.com
4.
 
Sony A60005/5+4.5/580/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2014 599ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A30003/5+....4/54/5 Aug 2013 329ebay.com
6.
 
Sony NEX-65/5+ +..78/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 999ebay.com
7.
 
Sony RX15/5....79/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
8.
 
Sony NEX-5N3/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2011 699ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-C33/5+ +..74/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 599ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-3......70/1004.5/54/5 May 2010 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-53/5+ +..71/1004.5/54/5 May 2010 699ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Sony NEX-7 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the NEX-7.

What technology is the imaging sensor in the Sony NEX-7 based on?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Sony NEX-7 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Sony equipped the NEX-7 with the BIONZ image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony NEX-7?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha NEX-7?

Sony mentions a shutter rating of 150 000 actuations for the NEX-7. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the NEX-7 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Sony NEX-7?

Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your NEX-7 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony NEX-7?

The NEX-7 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Sony NEX-7 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony NEX-7 for flash photography?

The NEX-7's flash sync speed is 1/160 sec.

Which battery does the Sony NEX-7 use?

The camera gets its power from the NP-FW50 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Sony NEX-7
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2011
    Launch Price USD 1 349
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.4 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 365 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.1 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 000 x 4 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.90 μm
    Pixel Density 6.57 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 16 000 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 81
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.1
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1016
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.73x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 921k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen
    V-logging Friendliness No front-flip
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support no
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type NP-FW50 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)430 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 120 x 67 x 43 mm
    (4.7 x 2.6 x 1.7 in)
    Camera Weight 400 g (14.1 oz)

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