My Review Of Sony Alpha 5000: World’s Lightest Interchangeable-Lens Camera Packed With DSLR Features

Friday 14 March 2014 @ 4:52 pm

Sony just recently launched their latest mirrorless camera Sony Alpha 5000 in Malaysia about two weeks. Meanwhile, Sony’s NEX branding is officially discontinued as Sony has decided to drop the NEX prefix for all its interchangeable lens cameras, so this latest model is simply called Sony Alpha 5000.

Sony Alpha 5000 Bloggers Gathering

As an early adopter of mirrorless camera system, I’ve been using my ever-reliable Sony NEX-3 for more than 3 years now. Therefore, I was very glad to be invited to Sony’s private bloggers gathering event and had the chance to review Sony Alpha 5000 camera.

At the Sony Alpha 5000 Bloggers Gathering, Mr. Kikuo Okura San, Sony Malaysia Managing Director, kicked start the event with a warm welcome speech followed by a brief product presentation by Mr. Ishida Masahiko, Head of Digital Imaging Sony Malaysia.

Welcome speech by Mr. Kikuo Okura San, Sony Malaysia Managing Director
Welcome speech by Mr. Kikuo Okura San, Sony Malaysia Managing Director

Product presentation by Mr. Ishida Masahiko, Head of Digital Imaging Sony Malaysia
Product presentation by Mr. Ishida Masahiko, Head of Digital Imaging Sony Malaysia

During the event, we were handed a review unit of Sony Alpha 5000 and everyone started to explore the functions of the camera. I was impressed by its compact size and the image quality on first impression. It really lives up to its name as a light-weight entry-level camera that gives you DSLR quality.

Sony Alpha 5000 has a large 20.1MP Exmor APS-C HD CMOS sensor

Below are some highlights of Sony Alpha 5000:-

  • Large 20.1MP Exmor APS-C HD CMOS sensor – 13x larger than normal compact camera & almost 2x the size of micro 4/3 sensor.
  • BIONZ X processor – advanced image processing engine for beautifully detailed images.
  • 180° tiltable LCD screen for easy self-portraits or shooting from low/high angle.
  • Compact body, weight at only 210g, built in with a flexible pop-up flash.
  • Interchangeable lens compatible with all Sony E-mount lens.
  • WiFi or NFC for one-touch sharing/remote control with smartphones & tablets.
  • Support for PlayMemories Camera Apps and additional Photo Creativity options.
  • Support HDMI output with 4K image support.
  • Can shoot in RAW file format.
180° tiltable LCD screen for easy self-portraits or shooting from low/high angle
180° tiltable LCD screen for easy self-portraits or shooting from low/high angle

Built-in flexible pop-up flash that can bend backward
Built-in flexible pop-up flash that can bend backward

A wide range of E-Mount interchangeable lenses are available in the market
A wide range of E-Mount interchangeable lenses are available in the market

Even my 3 year-old E-mount lenses are still compatible with Sony Alpha 5000
Even my 3 year-old E-mount lenses are still compatible with Sony Alpha 5000

Direct WiFi or NFC sharing using PlayMemories App
Direct WiFi or NFC sharing using PlayMemories App

Connect smartphone as remote control to snap photo using PlayMemories App
Connect smartphone as remote control to snap photo using PlayMemories App

The kit lens that comes together with Sony Alpha 5000 has a 16-50mm zoom range and an aperture of f3.5 – f5.6. For normal photo taking, I find the kit lens is quite versatile even though the zooming range is not a far as some zoom lens in the market. One thing I like about this lens is that it has a smart power-zoom switch that can shift the zoom range very quickly with just a gentle push. This power-zoom switch is particularly useful when we are zooming while video shooting as the zooming won’t cause too much of motion blur.

In terms of picture quality, Sony Alpha 5000 is boosted with a DSLR-sized 20.1 effective-megapixel Exmor APS-C HD CMOS image sensor that captures huge amounts of fine picture information. Images are further enhanced by the new-generation BIONZ X processor shared with the acclaimed Alpha 7 and Alpha 7R full-frame cameras. Detail reproduction, area-specific noise reduction and diffraction reducing technologies ensure even finer textures and lower noise. Below are the pictures I’ve taken using Sony Alpha 5000 and I’ll let the pictures do the talking.


Captured under low light during the Sony Alpha 5000 Bloggers Gathering
Captured under low light during the Sony Alpha 5000 Bloggers Gathering (Click to enlarge)


Snapping a chandeliers from below under low light
Snapping a chandeliers from below under low light (Click to enlarge)


An Indoor shot at my friend’s wedding dinner
An Indoor shot at my friend’s wedding dinner (Click to enlarge)


Shot from 2nd floor at maximum zoon using the 16-50mm kit lens
Shot from 2nd floor at maximum zoon using the 16-50mm kit lens (Click to enlarge)


Landscape shot
Landscape shot (Click to enlarge)


Another landscape shot
Another landscape shot (Click to enlarge)


Maximum zoom using the 16-50mm kit lens at the same spot of the landscape shot above
Maximum zoom using the 16-50mm kit lens at the same spot of the landscape shot above (Click to enlarge)


Tilted the display screen to 180-degree to shoot from high angle easily
Tilted the display screen to 180° to shoot from high angle easily (Click to enlarge)


The tiltable display screen is also useful when taking photo at low angle
The tiltable display screen is also useful when taking photo at low angle (Click to enlarge)


Shot using Macro Mode
Shot using Macro Mode (Click to enlarge)


I am totally impressed by the details Sony Alpha 5000 can capture
I’m totally impressed by the details Sony Alpha 5000 can capture (Click to enlarge)


Another shot using Macro Mode
Another shot using Macro Mode (Click to enlarge)


I am impressed again
I’m impressed again (Click to enlarge)


Fireworks shot using Manual Mode
Fireworks shot using Manual Mode (Click to enlarge)


Another firework shot using Manual Mode
Another firework shot using Manual Mode (Click to enlarge)


Night shot using Manual Mode
Night shot using Manual Mode (Click to enlarge)


Every single suspension cable can be seen when zoom in the above night shot
Every single suspension cable can be seen when zoom in the above night shot (Click to enlarge)

I believe all the above images taken by Sony Alpha 5000 speak for itself. If you are interested in the camera, please feel free to check out the official Sony Alpha 5000 page. Sony Alpha 5000 is available in 3 colours (White, Black & Pink) with the suggested retail price:-

  • Single Lens Package (Body + 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens) at RM1,999
  • Twin Lens Package (Body + 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 + 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3) at RM2,799
Sony Alpha 5000 is available in 3 colours (White, Black & Pink)
Sony Alpha 5000 is available in 3 colours (White, Black & Pink)

Visit the Web Album for more pictures that I captured using Sony Alpha 5000 .


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2 Responses to 'My Review Of Sony Alpha 5000: World’s Lightest Interchangeable-Lens Camera Packed With DSLR Features'

  1. DAS Certification Malaysia - April 16th, 2014 at 4:08 pm

    Nice leather casing! What about the video mode? Mind to share?

  2. Dadie Host - May 22nd, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    This brilliant must-read article provides the key to the Sony Alpha, Ever-reliable Sony NEX-3, Digital Imaging Sony & Light-weight entry-level camera. Bryan you raise a powerful antidote to today’s malaise and pessimism.

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