Does the NEX-7 overheat? at DVinfo.net

Rafael Lopes · March 5th, 2012, 12:46 PM

I was wondering if any NEX-7 owner can help me out with this....When it comes to overheating si the NEX-7 any different from the NEX-5N?

Bill Pryor · March 11th, 2012, 06:03 PM

None of the reviews I've read reports any heating issues. I ordered one.

Douglas Grillo · March 16th, 2012, 09:06 AM

Yes, sadly the Nex 7 overheat on video recording as the Nex 5n.

Good luck

Bill Pryor · March 22nd, 2012, 03:52 PM

Do you have a reference for that?

Dave Blackhurst · March 22nd, 2012, 11:44 PM

Check "Sony Alpha Rumours" (Google it) - the site owner has a 7 with OH issues and there are mixed reports ranging from "no problem" to seriously short record times (including one owner of two cameras with DIFFERENT heat profiles).

It's significant enough to begin to suspect there may be some manufacturing variances, and SOME cameras are overheating...

I've been considering the 5n and the 7, finally stumbled onto a couple SLT-A65's, will be doing some testing including heat performance. I'm hoping that a larger body will dissipate heat better, and that at least they can free run for the "advertised" 29 minutes at around 86 degrees F.

My experience with the SLT-A55 was that it's OK for a short clip here and there, but it's not a "video camera", it's an "additional feature" that might suffice for many casual shooters, but overheating is a concern, and I found I used it as a still camera for the most part. AS a "known issue", I'm hoping the heat profitle of the A65 is improved as much as the owner's manual indicates - i presume the NEX 5n and 7 have sections in the manual specifying how long you can expect to shoot at various ambient temperatures.

Large sensors produce heat, that's a given. Heat is a problem for electronics, again a given. Whether the manufacturers sucessfully can control that heat seems to vary a lot, and whether if affects your use is up to you!

Bill Bruner · March 23rd, 2012, 07:49 AM

Sounds like the overheat light comes on, but the camera rarely shuts down.

Too uncertain for me. Not a good thing to have to deal with on a professional set or when you're shooting a once-in-a-lifetime event.

I'll stick with my non-overheating mirrorless camera from "brand x" ;-)

Rafael Lopes · March 30th, 2012, 12:04 PM

You´re right, which is a shame because I´ve managed to get some amazing footage with the NEX-5N (more or less the same video quality as the NEX7). What amazes me is that cameras like the GF1 and so forth don´t suffer from overheating. You could say it´s because the sensor is smaller but I wouldn´t say the size difference is THAT big to make such a difference. I wonder if this is not part of Sony´s strategy so that people will buy the VG10/20 instead.

Some new NEX cameras (stills and video) will be anounced next week... hopefully there will be some nice improvements regarding overheating, in-camera stabilization and higher bitrates.

Dave Blackhurst · March 30th, 2012, 12:21 PM

It's a simple factor of large heat producing electronic package (and yes, that bigger sensor increases the heat dissipation issues significantly), in a small physical package (i.e. "compact" NEX series...).

In the end it swung me towards the A65... same sensor and electronics, but in a bigger body that (hopefully) can better distribute and dissipate heat. I agree that having a camera that pops up a "warning", even if it continues to operate, is too big a distraction in a "professional/production" environment... got my fingers crossed with the A65's, waiting for it to heat up and see how they handle it!

Rafael Lopes · April 2nd, 2012, 12:21 PM

My NEX-5N gives me the warning and then it shuts down. I´m not sure if this can be overridden.

Lee Mullen · April 3rd, 2012, 05:45 AM

Not good. Another camera I'll think I'll pass on....

Bill Pryor · April 8th, 2012, 07:44 AM

Thanks for the references, there was some helpful advice there. I got mine in last week and it did heat up after about 15 minutes of steady shooting.

But when I pull the LCD out away from the camera back and put the camera on a tripod or hold it, it doesn't overheat. For my first test I had the camera sitting on a tabletop. There must be a heat sink across the bottom because it gets warm to the touch. And somebody put up a photo of a heat sink at the back where the LCD folds in. So if the camera is up on a tripod, not sitting flat one a surface, and the screen is open, there doesn't seem to be a problem. And that's the normal position it would be in if I ever wanted to shoot a really long take.

I started shooting with a 7D in 2009 and then my current 5DII in 2010 and have never had a problem with the 12 minute limit, so long takes are not too relevant for me; but it's good to know that the heat issue is controllable.

Other advice in that long thread had to do with some processor-related things that I turned off. I forget what they were and don't know if that had anything to do with my initial heating. Also in my first test I had failed to set the camera to 24p so I was shooting at 60i. Everything is now set the way I want it and with the camera up off the table and LCD open and pulled out, it seems OK. I didn't run for the full 29 minutes. I bailed out after around 25 minutes.

Initially I go the 5N but found that I really wanted the EVF, so that would have put the price at over $1K. I figured I'd just go a bit more and exchange it for the 7. I haven't had a chance yet to do anything serious with the 7 since I just got it. But when I had the 5N I did a side by side comparison with the same shots from the 5DII. I found that I could tweak the 5N shots a little and intercut them fine with the 5DII. The Canon was, of course, better and sharper (Zeiss 50mm), but things were close enough so with the 7N I think it will be even better. I probably never will use it on a two camera shoot with the 5DII, but more as a run-n-gun, B camera type thing, and for situations where I want to look more like a tourist. I do a lot of documentary work on the side, and 7 is perfect for some of that. I've always liked keeping a small camera with me all the time but found the little pocketcams too limiting in their lack of manual control over video functions. Which is why I didn't get the Canon G1X.

So, my conclusion about the overheating is that it's there but controllable.

Rafael Lopes · September 3rd, 2012, 04:42 AM

Has anyone tested thermal gel/compound?

I´ve also found the worlds smallest fans. It´s Sunon's Mighty Mini Fan: http://www.digikey.com/us/en/ph/Suno...yMiniFans.html
http://hexus.net/tech/news/cooling/2...blows-us-away/

But I cannot find it for sale on ebay or here in Brazil :(

A fan for the NEX7 would have to have more or less 2cm (height), 1,5cm (depth), 6cm (width).

Steve Struthers · February 19th, 2013, 06:20 PM

I have a Sony NEX-6 that I'm seriously considering getting rid of because of the overheating issue. And what I think is excessive moiré and aliasing in video clips I've shot with the camera. I bought the NEX-6 thinking it would kill three birds with one stone - that is, function as a video camera, a compact travel camera and a lightweight, fast-handling, all-round stills camera at the same time and replace my Canon T2i.

Well, the NEX-6 fulfills the last two functions, but not the first.

Funny thing is, I bought the NEX-6 on the strength of reports about its NEX-5 sibling's video quality. I also wanted a DSLR-like camera that had continuous autofocus - the Canon T4i has it, but it's slow, and following focus manually with the T2i is often a failure-prone process given my aging eyes.

Like it or not, overheating seems to be a significant issue with lots of DSLRs and the NEX5/6/7 series - and lack of good built-in ventilation seems to be one of the main culprits.

March 5th, 2012, 12:46 PM	#1
Rafael Lopes Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 1,240	Does the NEX-7 overheat? I was wondering if any NEX-7 owner can help me out with this....When it comes to overheating si the NEX-7 any different from the NEX-5N?

March 11th, 2012, 06:03 PM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? None of the reviews I've read reports any heating issues. I ordered one.

March 16th, 2012, 09:06 AM	#3
Douglas Grillo New Boot Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Caracas Posts: 14	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? Yes, sadly the Nex 7 overheat on video recording as the Nex 5n. Good luck

March 22nd, 2012, 03:52 PM	#4
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? Do you have a reference for that?

March 22nd, 2012, 11:44 PM	#5
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? Check "Sony Alpha Rumours" (Google it) - the site owner has a 7 with OH issues and there are mixed reports ranging from "no problem" to seriously short record times (including one owner of two cameras with DIFFERENT heat profiles). It's significant enough to begin to suspect there may be some manufacturing variances, and SOME cameras are overheating... I've been considering the 5n and the 7, finally stumbled onto a couple SLT-A65's, will be doing some testing including heat performance. I'm hoping that a larger body will dissipate heat better, and that at least they can free run for the "advertised" 29 minutes at around 86 degrees F. My experience with the SLT-A55 was that it's OK for a short clip here and there, but it's not a "video camera", it's an "additional feature" that might suffice for many casual shooters, but overheating is a concern, and I found I used it as a still camera for the most part. AS a "known issue", I'm hoping the heat profitle of the A65 is improved as much as the owner's manual indicates - i presume the NEX 5n and 7 have sections in the manual specifying how long you can expect to shoot at various ambient temperatures. Large sensors produce heat, that's a given. Heat is a problem for electronics, again a given. Whether the manufacturers sucessfully can control that heat seems to vary a lot, and whether if affects your use is up to you!

March 23rd, 2012, 07:49 AM	#6
Bill Bruner Major Player Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Sunny California Posts: 513	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? Sounds like the overheat light comes on, but the camera rarely shuts down. Too uncertain for me. Not a good thing to have to deal with on a professional set or when you're shooting a once-in-a-lifetime event. I'll stick with my non-overheating mirrorless camera from "brand x" ;-)

March 30th, 2012, 12:04 PM	#7
Rafael Lopes Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 1,240	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? You´re right, which is a shame because I´ve managed to get some amazing footage with the NEX-5N (more or less the same video quality as the NEX7). What amazes me is that cameras like the GF1 and so forth don´t suffer from overheating. You could say it´s because the sensor is smaller but I wouldn´t say the size difference is THAT big to make such a difference. I wonder if this is not part of Sony´s strategy so that people will buy the VG10/20 instead. Some new NEX cameras (stills and video) will be anounced next week... hopefully there will be some nice improvements regarding overheating, in-camera stabilization and higher bitrates. __________________ www.rafael-lopes.com

March 30th, 2012, 12:21 PM	#8
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? It's a simple factor of large heat producing electronic package (and yes, that bigger sensor increases the heat dissipation issues significantly), in a small physical package (i.e. "compact" NEX series...). In the end it swung me towards the A65... same sensor and electronics, but in a bigger body that (hopefully) can better distribute and dissipate heat. I agree that having a camera that pops up a "warning", even if it continues to operate, is too big a distraction in a "professional/production" environment... got my fingers crossed with the A65's, waiting for it to heat up and see how they handle it!

April 2nd, 2012, 12:21 PM	#9
Rafael Lopes Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 1,240	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? My NEX-5N gives me the warning and then it shuts down. I´m not sure if this can be overridden. __________________ www.rafael-lopes.com

April 3rd, 2012, 05:45 AM	#10
Lee Mullen Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Western Australia Posts: 576	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? Not good. Another camera I'll think I'll pass on....

April 8th, 2012, 07:44 AM	#11
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? Thanks for the references, there was some helpful advice there. I got mine in last week and it did heat up after about 15 minutes of steady shooting. But when I pull the LCD out away from the camera back and put the camera on a tripod or hold it, it doesn't overheat. For my first test I had the camera sitting on a tabletop. There must be a heat sink across the bottom because it gets warm to the touch. And somebody put up a photo of a heat sink at the back where the LCD folds in. So if the camera is up on a tripod, not sitting flat one a surface, and the screen is open, there doesn't seem to be a problem. And that's the normal position it would be in if I ever wanted to shoot a really long take. I started shooting with a 7D in 2009 and then my current 5DII in 2010 and have never had a problem with the 12 minute limit, so long takes are not too relevant for me; but it's good to know that the heat issue is controllable. Other advice in that long thread had to do with some processor-related things that I turned off. I forget what they were and don't know if that had anything to do with my initial heating. Also in my first test I had failed to set the camera to 24p so I was shooting at 60i. Everything is now set the way I want it and with the camera up off the table and LCD open and pulled out, it seems OK. I didn't run for the full 29 minutes. I bailed out after around 25 minutes. Initially I go the 5N but found that I really wanted the EVF, so that would have put the price at over $1K. I figured I'd just go a bit more and exchange it for the 7. I haven't had a chance yet to do anything serious with the 7 since I just got it. But when I had the 5N I did a side by side comparison with the same shots from the 5DII. I found that I could tweak the 5N shots a little and intercut them fine with the 5DII. The Canon was, of course, better and sharper (Zeiss 50mm), but things were close enough so with the 7N I think it will be even better. I probably never will use it on a two camera shoot with the 5DII, but more as a run-n-gun, B camera type thing, and for situations where I want to look more like a tourist. I do a lot of documentary work on the side, and 7 is perfect for some of that. I've always liked keeping a small camera with me all the time but found the little pocketcams too limiting in their lack of manual control over video functions. Which is why I didn't get the Canon G1X. So, my conclusion about the overheating is that it's there but controllable.

September 3rd, 2012, 04:42 AM	#12
Rafael Lopes Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 1,240	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? Has anyone tested thermal gel/compound? I´ve also found the worlds smallest fans. It´s Sunon's Mighty Mini Fan: http://www.digikey.com/us/en/ph/Suno...yMiniFans.html http://hexus.net/tech/news/cooling/2...blows-us-away/ But I cannot find it for sale on ebay or here in Brazil :( A fan for the NEX7 would have to have more or less 2cm (height), 1,5cm (depth), 6cm (width). __________________ www.rafael-lopes.com Last edited by Rafael Lopes; September 3rd, 2012 at 05:26 AM.

February 19th, 2013, 06:20 PM	#13
Steve Struthers Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 170	Re: Does the NEX-7 overheat? I have a Sony NEX-6 that I'm seriously considering getting rid of because of the overheating issue. And what I think is excessive moiré and aliasing in video clips I've shot with the camera. I bought the NEX-6 thinking it would kill three birds with one stone - that is, function as a video camera, a compact travel camera and a lightweight, fast-handling, all-round stills camera at the same time and replace my Canon T2i. Well, the NEX-6 fulfills the last two functions, but not the first. Funny thing is, I bought the NEX-6 on the strength of reports about its NEX-5 sibling's video quality. I also wanted a DSLR-like camera that had continuous autofocus - the Canon T4i has it, but it's slow, and following focus manually with the T2i is often a failure-prone process given my aging eyes. Like it or not, overheating seems to be a significant issue with lots of DSLRs and the NEX5/6/7 series - and lack of good built-in ventilation seems to be one of the main culprits.