an odd trend (am i wrong) ?

[qwertywarrior]

maybe its always been like this

 

after searching for an affordable mirrorless APS camera i noticed that they use the same sensors as the higher end models  even DLSR

 

the only difference are that the lower end models are gimped or have more features for an insane amount of money  (ie less features contrast AF vs phase etc)

 

here is an example

 

the Sony Nex 3N retails for $300 with kit lens  its bigger brother the 5N retails for about $700 with kit lens

 

now that a 2x+ increase  in price

you would expect a huge difference here right .....

 

lets take a look

the internals are pretty much identical

same APS sensor

and everything else is software gimped

 

another example would be the samsung cameras

the Nx1000 NX1100 NX2000 are almost 100% identical aside from the software being gimped

 

this reminds me  alot of the panasonic GF1 which had a limitation of 720p and a firmware hacked allowed it to take 1080p video a 20Mbps 

 

 

 

correct me if im wrong here

the only biggest change i found from cheap and expensive camera with the same sensor is better Auto focus and that pretty much it everything else is gimped

they increase the price a lot by just adding features that seem cheap to add like a tilt for the lcd 

[Vitalius]

So flashing your camera with firmware should be a very possible thing then? Like with phones, and everything else that is software gimped?

I mean, could I just take a Sony Nex 3N and flash it with the firmware of the 5N and have a 5N?

[dizmo]

There's other differences. I think the 5n might be a better metal, and it has a tiltable LCD screen. I think the screen is also of better quality and higher resolution.

[qwertywarrior]

So flashing your camera with firmware should be a very possible thing then? Like with phones, and everything else that is software gimped?

I mean, could I just take a Sony Nex 3N and flash it with the firmware of the 5N and have a 5N?

depends on weather they have locked it 

it has been done on many other cameras from different companies

 

there is a community that is trying to do this on sony nex cameras

http://www.nex-hack.info/

[qwertywarrior]

There's other differences. I think the 5n might be a better metal, and it has a tiltable LCD screen. I think the screen is also of better quality and higher resolution.

the 3N has tilt too

yeah but still does that justify a 2x increase in price

this is what im talking about

small things like that should have a 100$+ increase not a 400$+

[StormtrooperStu]

Just get a DSLR. 

[dizmo]

the 3N has tilt too

yeah but still does that justify a 2x increase in price

this is what im talking about

small things like that should have a 100$+ increase not a 400$+

Ok, so there's WiFi/NFC, the 5 has a touch screen, much higher resolution, it's lighter, has a smaller body. Of course there's all of the firmware differences, but as you said that's just firmware.

I think that's quite a difference in kit, and makes a pretty good reason for it costing more.

One interesting thing of note is the 3 has a built in flash, the 5 doesn't. Which I think is a huge selling point alone.

Retail pricing has the 5n at $250 more than the 3n. You can find deals, of course, but that's what Sony has priced them at. Not $400.

What interests me is the 5N and 6 are the same price.

 

Just get a DSLR. 

I got rid of my DSLR. Too bulky for my use.

[StormtrooperStu]

I got rid of my DSLR. Too bulky for my use.

Fair enough.

[qwertywarrior]

Ok, so there's WiFi/NFC, the 5 has a touch screen, much higher resolution, it's lighter, has a smaller body. Of course there's all of the firmware differences, but as you said that's just firmware.

I think that's quite a difference in kit, and makes a pretty good reason for it costing more.

One interesting thing of note is the 3 has a built in flash, the 5 doesn't. Which I think is a huge selling point alone.

Retail pricing has the 5n at $250 more than the 3n. You can find deals, of course, but that's what Sony has priced them at. Not $400.

What interests me is the 5N and 6 are the same price.

 

 

where did u find it at 250 more ? its 700 on amazon

just found out the nex6 costs 560 on amazon

i think something is wrong over there

[dizmo]

where did u find it at 250 more ? its 700 on amazon

just found out the nex6 costs 560 on amazon

i think something is wrong over there

Straight from the Sony Store...so I'd say it's pretty accurate

Amazon isn't a good judge of msrp pricing.

[Puppet]

You'll find a lot of similar hardware across different brands as well. Nikon and Sony kind of have this partnership going on, Nikon will make some of Sony's lenses and Sony will make some Nikon sensors etc.

 

Its kind of like mobile phones, I think Samsung and LG make some of the Retina displays for Apple, it's weird as they are competitors but it seems to work out.

 

All cameras have a processor that is rarely used to its full potential, basically for longevity, so it will be limited by firmware. The differences in those processors can be the limiting factor even though the sensors are the same.

 

Better processors can also make for better image processing, like better noise control. A couple of years ago I had a Canon 7d and my friend had a T2i, the same sensors, but were worlds apart in noise control especially in video.