The NEX-5T Joins the Sony NEX Family of Interchangeable Lens Cameras

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NEX 5T wSELP1650 1 BK
The brand new Sony NEX-5T is the newest member of the NEX family. It offers WiFi and now brings NFC connectivity for easy pairing with any NFC-enabled mobile device. Packed with features, it has a large, high-resolution 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor similar in size to the sensors found in traditional DSLR cameras. Here’s a first look.

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The NEX-5T will look immediately familiar to any of us who have used Sony’s NEX line of interchangeable lens cameras. It is, in other words, an update to the NEX-5 line and will ship with the same compact SELP1650 motorized zoom lens I am using with my Sony NEX-6. The lens, which measures just 1.2″ thick when fully retracted has built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and a power zoom dial that comes in handy when shooting video. Sony’s director of the interchangeable lens camera business group Mike Kahn notes:

This new camera carries on the NEX-5 series’ strong tradition of compactness and high performance. Available in a convenient, travel-friendly package with the compact SELP1650 power zoom kit lens, it’s the ideal choice for step-up point-and-shoot users, smartphone photographers who want higher quality images and even photo enthusiasts who are looking for a more portable alternative to replace their DSLR.

The NEX-5T stands out in that it is the first camera in the NEX line that will ship with built-in NFC connectivity. That will make connecting it to your iOS or Android mobile device much faster and easier. (Trust me, connecting my NEX-6 is a pain and this is one time when I really do wish I had NFC on my camera and phone.) The NEX-5T has WiFi and works with Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile application. That means features like “Smart Remote Control” will send a live image preview to a wirelessly connected camera or tablet over WiFi and allow the mobile device to serve as a remote viewfinder while also letting you adjust common photographic settings and release the shutter button. In addition,

In line with last year’s NEX-5R model, the new NEX-5T camera also features Fast Hybrid AF auto focus technology, which combines phase-detection and contrast-detection methods to ensure speedy, accurate autofocus in any shooting situation. The intuitive focusing system uses 99 phase-detection AF points arrayed on the image sensor to detect a subject’s distance and quickly lock focus. Then, contrast-detection AF confirms extremely fine, precise details.

The NEX-5T will be offered in silver, black, and white; it will cost about $700 with the 16-50mm motorized zoom lens or about $550 for the body-only. It will be available for purchase in early September.

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.