The NX5's top screen at DVinfo.net

Tom Hardwick · July 3rd, 2010, 09:40 AM

Out there in the field it's a screen showing you what you're recording that's important, and the Z1 and FX1 do this beautifully. The NX5 is near useless in sunlight, and I for one would revert to the low-rez Z1's screen in a flash if I could. The high rez idea is nice if you're going to view it with a sock-lupe, but for all the rest of us having high resolution in a screen measuring less than 3'' across is a joke.

What doesn't make sense is the fact that Sony's R & D could so easily have taken a Z1 and an NX5 out into the headquarters car park and compared them side by side. The retrograde step would then have been glaringly apparent.

The Z1 allows you to bump the screen brightness (even though it doesn't need it) with a switch exposed when you flip open the screen. The NX5 (which desperately needs to have its brightness bumped in sunlight) doesn't have this switch, you have to faff about in the levels-deep menu. It's certainly not something you'd do as you exit the room and step into the garden say, it just too much hassle.

So I've got my NX5's screen permanently brightness bumped. It's better outside (but no match for the Z1) but now indoors it's whishy-washy bright, making on the spot exposure evaluations a dicey business.

That's before we get to the horrible touch-screen coating technology. Every tiny fingerprint makes the screen image even less visible in daylight - if that was at all possible.

You could say I was upset.

tom.

Vito DeFilippo · July 3rd, 2010, 10:59 PM

I'm with you, Tom. I was shooting an event tonight with my Z1, and the photographer brought his NX5, so I got to try it again.

Going through the menu, I was green with envy with the depth of customizing available, and the low light ability was great. The ergonomics are nice, great lens, etc, etc.

But that damn LCD! It seems so small that I can even tell it's high res in comparison to the Z1.

Sigh...great camera other than that.

Mark Andersson · July 4th, 2010, 03:45 AM

I'm with you Tom!

Its not just the NX5's LCD its also Sony's Z5, Z7 and EX models.

I am hoping Canon have fixed this with their XF300 and if so then its off to Canon i go!!!

Tom Hardwick · July 4th, 2010, 07:48 AM

Of course the first camera with an amoled screen can't be far off. Such a screen would transform all of those cameras you list Mark.

Shufiyan Shukur · July 26th, 2010, 06:29 PM

I've not used the Z1 or the Z5, but I use the FX-1 and DVX 100 and recently I tried out a XF 300 with a beautifully large LCD panel. Although composition is great but even in bright sunlight, it's still tough to manual focus and I had to revert to the viewfinder ....
Is it really that bad with the NX5 because I'm seriously thinking of buying it. Living in the tropics, we have really bright sunlight 365 days of the year, accept when it's raining .... :-)

Tom Hardwick · July 27th, 2010, 02:53 AM

Is it really that bad you ask? Don't say I didn't warn you.

Nick Popa · July 27th, 2010, 07:47 AM

I think that the screen isn't that bad at all, I always use the Sony LCD cover (SHL-32WBP) when I shoot indoor and out. It is a lifesaver. Although, I was shooting around 8:15pm yesterday when the sun was going down behind me and didn't have time to grab my lcd cover.... I had no idea what I was shooting.

Bottom Line:
If you have the nx5u BUY THE SHL-32WBP

Tom Hardwick · July 27th, 2010, 01:33 PM

Here's the results of a little test I did 2 days ago.

Shufiyan Shukur · July 27th, 2010, 07:03 PM

Wo! Thanks so much for this! It IS bad!

Tom Hardwick · July 28th, 2010, 01:59 AM

But note my thoughts on screen brightness controls open to you on the NX5. They help in the sunshine but of course look overblown indoors. I found I also need to bump the colour up as well - to get anywhere near the good looking little Panasonic's screen.

Sony's LCD cover is neat though outrageously expensive in my view. The money should have been put - upfront - into the screen itself.

Mark and Vito - we haven't yet talked about the ridiculously tiny on-screen font chosen by the NX5's designers At least the Z5 has alpha-numerics you can actually read as you run for your next gun.

tom.

Shufiyan Shukur · August 8th, 2010, 07:41 AM

My God! I was shooting under a blazing tropical sun between 3 to 5 pm (Malaysian time) and the top LCD panel was completely useless!!! Couldn't focus. Couldn't even compose with it!!!

Lucky the viewfinder was dependable! But dang! Shocking for a camera that costs quite a bit.

Tom Hardwick · August 8th, 2010, 08:39 AM

I'm learning to like my NX5's top screen a little more now that I've gone into the menu and switched it to full bright and also upped the brightness on the horizontal bar to nearly max. I've also bumped the colour to give the picture back some life.

Of course you have to have your zebras switched on permanently as now the screen is sort of lying to you exposure-wise. And don't be tempted to use it as a touch screen as even the tiniest finger mark reduces the screen's usability.

I'm wondering why Sony made the screen so much dimmer than the Z1's. The touch screen panel may soak some light, but was it in an effort to keep the power consumption low? Obviously bumping the screen's brightness so much above the normal means you'll be swapping batteries more often. Still, that's a small price to pay for letting you know what the lens is pointing at.

tom.

July 3rd, 2010, 09:40 AM	#1
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	The NX5's top screen Out there in the field it's a screen showing you what you're recording that's important, and the Z1 and FX1 do this beautifully. The NX5 is near useless in sunlight, and I for one would revert to the low-rez Z1's screen in a flash if I could. The high rez idea is nice if you're going to view it with a sock-lupe, but for all the rest of us having high resolution in a screen measuring less than 3'' across is a joke. What doesn't make sense is the fact that Sony's R & D could so easily have taken a Z1 and an NX5 out into the headquarters car park and compared them side by side. The retrograde step would then have been glaringly apparent. The Z1 allows you to bump the screen brightness (even though it doesn't need it) with a switch exposed when you flip open the screen. The NX5 (which desperately needs to have its brightness bumped in sunlight) doesn't have this switch, you have to faff about in the levels-deep menu. It's certainly not something you'd do as you exit the room and step into the garden say, it just too much hassle. So I've got my NX5's screen permanently brightness bumped. It's better outside (but no match for the Z1) but now indoors it's whishy-washy bright, making on the spot exposure evaluations a dicey business. That's before we get to the horrible touch-screen coating technology. Every tiny fingerprint makes the screen image even less visible in daylight - if that was at all possible. You could say I was upset. tom.

July 3rd, 2010, 10:59 PM	#2
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	I'm with you, Tom. I was shooting an event tonight with my Z1, and the photographer brought his NX5, so I got to try it again. Going through the menu, I was green with envy with the depth of customizing available, and the low light ability was great. The ergonomics are nice, great lens, etc, etc. But that damn LCD! It seems so small that I can even tell it's high res in comparison to the Z1. Sigh...great camera other than that. __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

July 26th, 2010, 06:29 PM	#5
Shufiyan Shukur Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Malaysia Posts: 91	I've not used the Z1 or the Z5, but I use the FX-1 and DVX 100 and recently I tried out a XF 300 with a beautifully large LCD panel. Although composition is great but even in bright sunlight, it's still tough to manual focus and I had to revert to the viewfinder .... Is it really that bad with the NX5 because I'm seriously thinking of buying it. Living in the tropics, we have really bright sunlight 365 days of the year, accept when it's raining .... :-) __________________ Shuf www.malaysiakini.tv

July 27th, 2010, 01:33 PM	#8
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Here's the results of a little test I did 2 days ago. Attached Thumbnails

July 27th, 2010, 07:03 PM	#9
Shufiyan Shukur Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Malaysia Posts: 91	Wo! Thanks so much for this! It IS bad! __________________ Shuf www.malaysiakini.tv

July 4th, 2010, 03:45 AM	#3
Mark Andersson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2010 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 57	I'm with you Tom! Its not just the NX5's LCD its also Sony's Z5, Z7 and EX models. I am hoping Canon have fixed this with their XF300 and if so then its off to Canon i go!!!

July 4th, 2010, 07:48 AM	#4
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Of course the first camera with an amoled screen can't be far off. Such a screen would transform all of those cameras you list Mark.

July 27th, 2010, 02:53 AM	#6
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Is it really that bad you ask? Don't say I didn't warn you.

July 27th, 2010, 07:47 AM	#7
Nick Popa Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Flemington, NJ Posts: 120	I think that the screen isn't that bad at all, I always use the Sony LCD cover (SHL-32WBP) when I shoot indoor and out. It is a lifesaver. Although, I was shooting around 8:15pm yesterday when the sun was going down behind me and didn't have time to grab my lcd cover.... I had no idea what I was shooting. Bottom Line: If you have the nx5u BUY THE SHL-32WBP

July 28th, 2010, 01:59 AM	#10
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	But note my thoughts on screen brightness controls open to you on the NX5. They help in the sunshine but of course look overblown indoors. I found I also need to bump the colour up as well - to get anywhere near the good looking little Panasonic's screen. Sony's LCD cover is neat though outrageously expensive in my view. The money should have been put - upfront - into the screen itself. Mark and Vito - we haven't yet talked about the ridiculously tiny on-screen font chosen by the NX5's designers At least the Z5 has alpha-numerics you can actually read as you run for your next gun. tom.

August 8th, 2010, 07:41 AM	#11
Shufiyan Shukur Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Malaysia Posts: 91	My God! I was shooting under a blazing tropical sun between 3 to 5 pm (Malaysian time) and the top LCD panel was completely useless!!! Couldn't focus. Couldn't even compose with it!!! Lucky the viewfinder was dependable! But dang! Shocking for a camera that costs quite a bit. __________________ Shuf www.malaysiakini.tv

August 8th, 2010, 08:39 AM	#12
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	I'm learning to like my NX5's top screen a little more now that I've gone into the menu and switched it to full bright and also upped the brightness on the horizontal bar to nearly max. I've also bumped the colour to give the picture back some life. Of course you have to have your zebras switched on permanently as now the screen is sort of lying to you exposure-wise. And don't be tempted to use it as a touch screen as even the tiniest finger mark reduces the screen's usability. I'm wondering why Sony made the screen so much dimmer than the Z1's. The touch screen panel may soak some light, but was it in an effort to keep the power consumption low? Obviously bumping the screen's brightness so much above the normal means you'll be swapping batteries more often. Still, that's a small price to pay for letting you know what the lens is pointing at. tom.