Alpha NEX-5R

Released October 2012

Sony's NEX-5R pairs a 16.1 MP APS-C sensor with hybrid autofocus, Wi-Fi, a tilting touchscreen and Full HD progressive video in a compact E-mount body.

Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 16.1
Lens: Sony E-mount
Video: 1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Body weight: 218 g

What reviewers say

PhotographyBlog and T3 praised image quality, the tilting touchscreen and improved direct controls, but found the kit lens made the small body front-heavy and questioned its price. PhotographyBlog found hybrid autofocus modestly quicker with supported lenses; T3 particularly liked smooth video focusing. Both still noted navigation quirks.

From photographyblog.com and t3.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Image and sensor

Camera type: Mirrorless
Sensor format: APS-C
Sensor type: Exmor APS HD CMOS
Sensor dimensions: 23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution: 16.1 MP
Largest image: 4912 × 3264
RAW recording: Yes
Standard ISO range: 100–25600
Sensor detail: 16.7 million total pixels; charge-protection coating and ultrasonic dust reduction
Image formats: JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG; ARW 2.3
ISO detail: Standard ISO 100–25600; Auto ISO 100–3200; movies ISO 100–6400
Image processor: BIONZ

Lens and shooting

Lens mount: Sony E-mount
Stabilisation: Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst: 10 fps
Lens detail: E-mount; US launch kit used E 18–55mm. Japanese NEX-5RL uses E PZ 16–50mm F3.5–5.6 OSS; NEX-5RY adds E 55–210mm F4.5–6.3 OSS.
Autofocus: Fast Hybrid AF combines 99 phase-detection and 25 contrast-detection points; single and continuous AF, direct manual focus, tracking and manual-focus peaking
Shutter: Focal-plane shutter with electronic first curtain; 30 seconds to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second
Burst detail: Approximately 10 fps Speed Priority Continuous, with phase-detection tracking AF under Sony's supported-lens conditions; approximately 3 fps normal continuous advance. Maker buffers are 11 JPEG, 10 RAW or 9 RAW+JPEG frames and depend on shooting conditions and card.
Stabilisation detail: No sensor-shift stabilisation; optical correction requires a compatible OSS lens
Flash: Supplied detachable flash; guide number 7 at ISO 100 in metres; approximately four-second recycle time. Optional HVL-F20S uses the accessory terminal.

Video

Highest video resolution: 1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Video detail: Japanese and US models offer Full HD 60p up to 28 Mbps, 60i or 24p in AVCHD 2.0; Sony Hong Kong lists PAL 50p, 50i and 25p. MP4 records 1440 × 1080 or VGA. Interlaced field rates are separate from full-frame rates.

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder: None
Screen size: 3″
Screen dots: 921,600
Touchscreen: Yes
Tilting screen: Yes
Display detail: Resistive touchscreen; tilts approximately 180° up and 50° down
Viewfinder detail: No built-in finder; optional FDA-EV1S electronic finder

Connections and design

Wi-Fi: Yes
Battery life (maker's claim): 330 photographs
Body weight: 218 g
Release detail: Sony Electronics announced US availability in October 2012; Sony Japan specified 16 November 2012. The month records the earlier maker-confirmed US launch, rather than the announcement date.
Recording media: Memory Stick PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo; SD, SDHC and SDXC
Ports: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed via Micro USB Type B; Mini HDMI Type C; Smart Accessory Terminal 2; no microphone or headphone sockets
Wireless connections: Built-in Wi-Fi; launch features included PlayMemories Camera Apps downloads and smartphone transfer
Battery life detail: NP-FW50; approximately 330 CIPA photographs
Charging: In-camera charging using supplied AC-UB10 and Micro USB cable; optional AC-PW20 power supply
Dimensions: Approximately 110.8 × 58.8 × 38.9 mm (width × height × depth)
Weight detail: Approximately 218 g body only; 276 g with battery and memory card; lens excluded
Colours: Black, silver and white
In the box: Detachable flash and case, NP-FW50 battery, AC-UB10 AC adapter, shoulder strap, Micro USB cable and software CD; lens depends on kit

Pros and cons

Pros

Hybrid phase and contrast autofocus
Touchscreen tilts up for self-portraits
RAW recording and direct control dial

Cons

No built-in viewfinder or sensor stabilisation
Proprietary accessory terminal

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Sensor	Megapixels	Lens	Video	Body weight	Released
SonyAlpha NEX-6	Mirrorless	APS-C	16.1	Sony E-mount	1920 × 1080 at 60 fps	287 g	Nov 2012
SonyAlpha NEX-7	Mirrorless	APS-C	24.3	Sony E-mount	1920 × 1080 at 60 fps	291 g	Jan 2012
SonyAlpha NEX-F3	Mirrorless	APS-C	16.1	Sony E-mount	1920 × 1080 at 30 fps	255 g	Jun 2012

Sources

Photo: sony.jp

Sony NEX-5R in silver, 16–50 mm and 55–210 mm double-zoom lens kit: sony.jp/products/picture/NEX-5RY_S.jpg
Sony NEX-5R in black, 16–50 mm and 55–210 mm double-zoom lens kit: sony.jp/products/picture/NEX-5RY_B.jpg
Sony NEX-5R in silver, front three-quarter view with 16–50 mm power-zoom lens: sony.jp/products/picture/NEX-5RL_S.jpg
Sony NEX-5R black body, front view without lens: sony.jp/products/picture/NEX-5R.jpg
Sony NEX-5R black body, rear view: sony.jp/products/picture/NEX-5R_rear_B.jpg
Sony NEX-5R white body with supplied detachable flash attached, cropped front detail: sony.jp/products/picture/y_NEX-5R_flash_02.jpg
Sony NEX-5R open memory-card compartment, cropped hardware detail: sony.jp/products/picture/NEX-5R_card_slot.jpg
Sony Alpha NEX-5R, white finish with E PZ 16–50mm F3.5–5.6 OSS power-zoom lens: Sony Japan; exact NEX-5RL white E PZ 16–50mm kit; complete supplied white background and canvas retained; no masking or trimming.
Sony Alpha NEX-5R, white finish with E PZ 16–50mm and E 55–210mm double-zoom lens kit: sony.jp/products/picture/NEX-5RY_W.jpg

Spot a mistake? Tell us