Sony Alpha NEX-5R Pro Reviews

Overall, the Sony NEX-5R is a very capable interchangeable lens camera. It produces very nice images and overall is thoughtfully designed. There are times that it will totally make you forget about the DSLR you have sitting in your camera bag, and is one of the best interchangeable lens cameras that we’ve tested so far. Unfortunately, some minor annoyances keep it from earning a higher score and an editors’ choice award. The first is the somewhat slow autofocus, which seems to lag behind some of its peers. The second is the organization of the camera’s menus, which makes it difficult to find some features and controls. And finally, we don’t like the direction Sony is going in with its app-store-like approach.

On paper the NEX-5R may not sound all too different from its 5N predecessor in the core areas, and in many ways it's not. But the addition of a thumbwheel and function button goes a long way to making it a better camera to use and, therefore, it's a big push forward for the series. Image quality prevails, too, and although the competitive pack has closed the gap in this department, the Sony is right up there among the very best of compact system cameras. Despite the new on-body controls and dials the clunky menu system - which has acquired some improvements over time - still needs to be confronted from occasionally. Not the end of the world, but it's not the most logical access point we've used either. Wi-Fi also isn't as smooth to access and use as we would like and we're not sold on the PlayMemories app concept either. Autofocus is a little slower than the likes of Panasonic's Lumix G-series competition and low-light use tends to lack pinpoint accuracy and feedback, but it's still capable enough to deliver results when it matters. Overall Sony's made the right move here: a thumbwheel can go a long way and its addition takes the lower-spec NEX-series to a better place than before.

With the NEX-5N continuing in the Sony CSC line-up, at least for the time being, the official price of the new 5R model has inevitably crept up, but don't let that put you off what is the most full-featured, responsive and refined intermediate Sony mirrorless camera to date.

The Sony NEX-5R is the update to the 5N, with the most exciting upgrade being the built-in Wi-Fi which allows you to share and edit images via apps, as well as utilising your smartphone or tablet as a remote release as well. Picture quality is excellent and you can shoot full sized images at an impressive 10 fps. It has an excellent battery life, rated at 410 shots and the tiltable screen makes it easy to shoot at varying angles. We've been impressed with other versions in the NEX-5 range, and again we are happy to highly recommend this update.

An inspired update to its excellent predecessor, and an unequivocal Best Buy

We've followed Sony's NEX line closely, after seeing significant promise with the very first models -- the NEX-3 and NEX-5. This year's successors offer even more punch, and we're quite thrilled with the 5R. We're not convinced that the company's closed "app" approach is best for consumers, and the WiFi advantages have yet to be proven, but the focusing and shooting improvements alone make this compact ILC a winner. Sony has reinforced its commitment to the photography community with a very solid 2012 lineup, and anyone on the hunt for a market-leading camera should keep the NEX-5R near the top of their list.

What the NEX-5R remains very good at is capturing excellent images with fantastic levels of detail. For anyone upgrading from a basic compact model there are all the advanced controls you need to take your photography to the next level and the useful help guide display offers a clear description of all the settings in the menu so you can learn as you work. Many will love the way you can pick up the NEX-5R, set it to intelligent auto mode and get great results straight away. As you begin to use it more creatively the little niggles we've discovered will become more apparent. If you're not concerned about Wi-Fi, touch shutter and the top plate design tweaks, you could save yourself some money by choosing the NEX-5N over the NEX-5R. Currently £280 cheaper, you'll still achieve excellent results and superb image quality from the APS-C sized sensor. Another good bit of news is that more E-mount lenses than ever before support it.

Despite a seeming plethora of caveats, ultimately I like the 5R a lot; top-of-the-line photo quality and respectably streamlined shooting design go a long way to make up for the irritants. And if you're a Sony fanboy/girl with a PlayStation, Xperia smartphone, or other Sony-connected device, then the wireless implementation makes some sense.

The Sony Alpha NEX-5R is a small interchangeable-lens camera built around a big, excellent image sensor, but it's a tough sell when you consider the rest of Sony's NEX lineup, including our Editors' Choice, the less-expensive Alpha NEX-F3.

It's a very good camera, and the new autofocus is noticeably faster than the AF system on previous NEX cameras. But it's changed the price situation on the whole NEX series—last year's NEX-5N with a lens now costs just $500. And, the excellent NEX-F3 is only $600. So are these improvements really worth it? Maybe—if that Wi-Fi jumps out at you as a must-have feature. The improvement the camera really needs is a viewfinder. But with that costing you $350 as external accessory, you're getting into a different category of camera. If that's what you want, consider waiting for the new NEX-6—it will have a built-in viewfinder, and it should cost $1000 with a lens.

The Sony NEX-5R is almost indistinguishable from its predecessor the NEX-5N, aside from some modifications to the control interface on the camera's top-plate. With its magnesium alloy shell, reassuring weight and solid rubber grip the camera gives a good impression of quality. Like its predecessors the NEX-5R is only really 'compact' when paired with the E 16mm F2.8 Pancake lens. With the 18-55mm kit zoom attached, as pictured above, the camera is no longer pocketable, but arguably is a much more versatile lens/camera combination. Of course it's still much smaller than any DSLR.