Nikon 5700 vs Sony F717

[Fella]

What are your opinions with reference to the subject above?

Here are my personal negative views on the 717
- taking portrait (vertical) shots on the 717 is an uncomfortable experience.
- no af lock button, a hassle when taking shots with tripod (I know there's manual focusing but that's a different issue)
- ex mem stick pro
- ex accessories
- heavy with sony tc which will give 320mm while the 5700 gives 280mm at less than half the weight (without tc)
- poor external flash support
- slow recovery time for long shutter shots due to in-camera's noise reduction processing

Comments?

 

[espn]

The accessories for the 5700 aren't cheap also

MB-E5700 $187 (Vertical shutter & zoom but no aperture/shutter control)
WC-E80 $200
Bernie's 52mm $50 (order from canada)


It's not really cheap, other then comparing the compact flash and MS.

Maybe if you ever meet me I can let you play with the camera and you can get a feel of how it actually is before you jump the ship.

It's a great camera for shooting landscape, definitely, but when it comes to action/event, it will cause a bit of grithing of the teeth because of the slow AF, but then no complains here, I've done my fair share of event shooting with it... so far so good.

I haven't hands on the 717 so can't give much comment, I personally don't like the way the lens body is constructed sticking out, the limited lcd turning, the proprietary MS storage.

Maybe the pros here can give a better difference charge to these 2 cameras.

 

[MaGixShOe]

get a minolta 7hi and problem solved

light and small size too

 

[Fella]

Thank you espn!

And MaGixShOe, you are adding on to my splitting (literally)headache! :bsmilie:

But seriously, thanks for the suggestion, I'll go read up on the minolta as well.

 

[Marx]

My un-biased advice:
Go to DPReview > then Buying Guide > then Side-by-side > then CTRL+Click the 3 above camera for comparison.
It should show the 3 'toys'..., and at least you can tell the technical specs at one glance.

 

[Fella]

Actually, that's what I'm doing now.
However, I prefer individual owners to give their comments.
Thanks though.

 

[espn]

Do note that the SB-xxDX flashes aren't really capable of being utilised by the CP-E5700, but so far manually setting the settings on a nikon external flash do work for me.

Also speaking from experience I notice you do like to trigger happy a EN-L1 can last about 170+ shots without triggering internal flash.

I would suggest you will need 2 EN-L1 to survive (or 2CR5s) which I did initially, but still barely survived a day through.

 

[Yuzheng_Chua]

Hi own the 5700 and use the 717 extensively at work. The 5700 has the advantage of long zoom but the handling still leaves a lot to be desired. The zoom buttons are irritating while the setup buttons(flash/AFlock/ISO etc) at the side are fiddly. Af is slow even with the new firmware and won't focus in the dark esp if u r shooting in portrait mode. And the Wide angle adapter is a MONSTER!HUGE! I ordered the lens hood(Nikon) and it looks really horrible...actually the entire camera is horrible. Battery consumption is also quite high and the indicator is inaccurate. I use the MB-E5700 and the vertical shutter has died on me, and I've not even used it..lucky still under warranty.
The 717 also has it's quirks as u've known. The handling is bad(good points r the zoom controls/manual focus) But onhe thing for sure is that the EVF for Nikon is BETTER than SONY. Image quality not much difference. 717 is a better looker but shouts tourist! All in, I'd still choose the 5700 for it's better understanding of photographers needs and CF. Also, I can't be condemming it that much as I'd still need to sell it some day...then all things will sound rosy bout the 5700.

 

[Fella]

Originally posted by espn
Do note that the SB-xxDX flashes aren't really capable of being utilised by the CP-E5700, but so far manually setting the settings on a nikon external flash do work for me.

Also speaking from experience I notice you do like to trigger happy a EN-L1 can last about 170+ shots without triggering internal flash.

I would suggest you will need 2 EN-L1 to survive (or 2CR5s) which I did initially, but still barely survived a day through.

Marx is selling his package with a 22s flash, and an extra battery. Plus the battery grip as well. I guess it should be ok.

 

[Fella]

Originally posted by Yuzheng_Chua
Hi own the 5700 and use the 717 extensively at work. The 5700 has the advantage of long zoom but the handling still leaves a lot to be desired. The zoom buttons are irritating while the setup buttons(flash/AFlock/ISO etc) at the side are fiddly. Af is slow even with the new firmware and won't focus in the dark esp if u r shooting in portrait mode. And the Wide angle adapter is a MONSTER!HUGE! I ordered the lens hood(Nikon) and it looks really horrible...actually the entire camera is horrible. Battery consumption is also quite high and the indicator is inaccurate. I use the MB-E5700 and the vertical shutter has died on me, and I've not even used it..lucky still under warranty.
The 717 also has it's quirks as u've known. The handling is bad(good points r the zoom controls/manual focus) But onhe thing for sure is that the EVF for Nikon is BETTER than SONY. Image quality not much difference. 717 is a better looker but shouts tourist! All in, I'd still choose the 5700 for it's better understanding of photographers needs and CF. Also, I can't be condemming it that much as I'd still need to sell it some day...then all things will sound rosy bout the 5700.

:bsmilie: :thumbsup:
Entertaining, if I may say so myself!
Actually, I don't quite like my 717's zoom buttons. Maybe the 5700's more suitable for me.
As for the setup buttons, seems like they are located in the same position as the 717's AE Lock and white balance buttons.
Your mention of slower AF speed is of some concern but I gotta have a hands-on to gauge if it's acceptable for me.

A 717 with a wide angle looks like a power brush to me, so no comments on having a WA on the 5700...
As for the lenshood, the Sony SHOULD look better given the ridiculous price of the original Sony flower hood...

I guess the only problems so far to me from your list will be :
- poor focusing ability in low light
- poor battery battery life

I'm also calculating how much of a loss I need to incur if I get a WA and TC for the 5700... sighz... maybe sticking to my 717 afterall... decisions, decisions...

 

[Marx]

Originally posted by Yuzheng_Chua
... won't focus in the dark esp if u r shooting in portrait mode...

Low-light?? Well, as far as I know, the 5700 uses a passive AF system, which I understand as contrast-based AF. Even with enough lighting, the camera will not focus-locked on a blank white wall (no contrast) or any situation wherein there is just not enough contrast, I don't know if other prosumer cameras or even a DSLR will perform better on this situation cause I haven't got access to them. In low-light, try focusing on subject with just enough contrast, in combi with Spot-metering/Focus Confirmation Off/AF-Area Mode Off, almost 9/10, I achieved focus-locked, so really this is not an issue to me. This is my own personal experience though (and not just a marketing ploy ).
Cheers.

 

[Fella]

Marx, have you tried getting quotes from CP/AP/MS regarding the prices of the TC-E15ED?
It will take them a couple of days to respond if I do it now.
Just wanna have a feel of what the prices are like.

Thanks to espn, just re-noticed the price of the WC-E80.

 

[Marx]

Originally posted by Fella
Marx, have you tried getting quotes from CP/AP/MS regarding the prices of the TC-E15ED?

Nope. But I tried calling MS just now, W** will get back to me later for the pricing, quite busy, should be ard as what espn has said. Sometime back, I was also interested with these two but bought the MB-E5700 first, also I think another alternative are the Raynox, its just that they are not sold locally.

 

[espn]

With the battery grip, I would say the feel of the camera is really much better, the grip is good for somebody who has big hands like mine.

The battery problem can be easily resolved with the battery pack, the low AF problem is something all the users will have esp when the subject and the background is not contrasting enough, however if there is enough contrast I agree with Marx that the AF is just as good.

I do agree that the buttons at the side is pretty irky at times, I always press the AF/AE lock when I want to press macro :bsmilie:

Just for Fella to judge for himself.. I believe the costs are as follows:

TC-E15D $250
WC-E80 $180 (e-quote by AP w/o GST)
UR-E8 $17 (e-quote by CP)

So if you need these, you'll pay about $400 + more, I seriously think you don't need the TC though, 8x IS a lot. I survived a lot of situtations without it.

One more thing I'm not happy with the CP E5700 is the shutter speeds, 8" 4" 2" 1" 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 the rest doubles from here. I can say it lacks some shutter like 1/100 or 1/160 type of shutter, it would really be good. But oh well u can cure underexposure, but you can't cure overexposure.

+ n - I guess.

Fella, do go CP or somewhere feel the camera test see if you like it. I do love it. It's not the best, but it's not the worst still

 

[Fella]

Thanks!
I'll be doing just that tomorrow courtesy of Marx.

 

[majere2sg]

Originally posted by Fella
Thanks!
I'll be doing just that tomorrow courtesy of Marx.

OT. Is your METZ 32MZ-3 working well with the F717 ?

 

[Fella]

Originally posted by majere2sg
OT. Is your METZ 32MZ-3 working well with the F717 ?

Pls either pm me or start a new thread next time...
Anyway, I don't have a chance to use it as yet since the proper 3602 adapter for the 717 isn't available yet.

 

[majere2sg]

Originally posted by Fella
Pls either pm me or start a new thread next time...
Anyway, I don't have a chance to use it as yet since the proper 3602 adapter for the 717 isn't available yet.

Well.. I asked you in this thread
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31396

but no replies from you...

 

[Fella]

I don't think you really expect me to read every single thread, do you??

 

[thoa_rs]

Seriously, I'd recommend a Minolta 7HI over a 5700 and 717. Handles almost like a real SLR.