I just bought the 5N on Saturday, and went back yesterday to pick up the extra 55-210mm lens.
Congrats! Nice combo - I use the same two eMount lenses - 18-55 and 55-210.
Here are my questions
1. I want to shoot macro, but where the subject is in focus and the background has nice bokeh. an example: a ladybug on a leaf where the entire ladybug is in the frame/in focus. Do I need a dedicated macro lens? What about extension tubes? I can't spend 1k on a macro lens, so cheaper ideas welcomed!!!
Well, there's macro and then there's MACRO. Macro as a general term is often used to mean closeup photography, where as true 'macro' is typically a 1:1 ratio - specialized lenses with very close focusing capability or as you mention, extension tubes, close up filters, etc to help. You can shoot closeup photography without any special tools - the simplest method is to use a lot of telephoto and get as close as the minimum focus distance allows. Your 55-210mm lens at 210mm will work to get nice closeups of bugs, flowers, etc. It's not true 'macro' photography, but many times is really what people want. If you want to get into real macro, then a dedicated macro lens, closeup filters, or extension tubes can let you fill the frame with the tip of a flower stamen, or a bug's head...and shoot subjects just inches away and still focus.
If you don't mind going manual focus, you can do macro for super cheap - a dedicated macro lens would likely be the cheapest solution, as you can find any number of old used manual macro lenses out there (check used lens stores like KEH, or eBay)...simply pick a lens mount as desired, and buy the adapter for that mount. You can pick up macro lenses for $10.
2. I don't understand the lens adapters. If I want to buy a MF lens made by third-party, do I just need an adapter for e-mount? When a 3rd party lens says for Nikon, etc, do I then need a nikon to e-mount adapter?
Exactly right - but don't just look at the brand, look at the actual MOUNT. This is important, because many brands are out there, and some have had multiple types of lens mounts over the decades. Canon and Minolta each for example have prominent autofocus lens mounts from more current lenses, and manual mounts from older lenses. And that brings up another caution - remember that many NEW lenses for digital cameras don't have any aperture rings on the lens - since when you use adapters you need to set the aperture yourself, newer autofocus lenses often lack this ability. They make adapters for newer digital lenses for the NEX which have aperture rings on the adapter...but often you're better off going with the older manual mounts, and finding lenses that have aperture rings right on them - it's easier, works better, and they're much cheaper to boot!
The NEX has almost no registration gap between the lens' end glass and the sensor...one of the smallest ever designed for any camera. So that means all other lens mounts need to be placed a little or a lot farther back from the sensor to work. If you have a lens mount that sits the lens, say, 1/2 inch from the sensor, you wouldn't be able to use a lens that was designed to sit 1/4 inch from the sensor - it's too far away, and there's no adapter rings that can make it closer. You need special glass elements added to try to get the lens in focus to bridge the gap. But with the NEX's registration gap being so tiny compared to other mounts, all you need is a simple metal ring that connects the lens to the mount, and spaces the lens the proper distance from the sensor. That's why mirrorless cameras like the NEX can adapt to almost any other lens - you just add as much spacer as you need to use that mount.
3. We are going on
DCL in August and I want to take some great shots (especially at cc, and on the ship). Is the included lens enough for the low-light on the ship? Are the 18-55 and 55-210 sufficient? or should I try to get a prime lens? Which prime lens is best for all purpose?
Generally, you'll be fine. The 18-55mm isn't a low light lens, but not all low light is equal. Shooting in low light with moving subjects and trying to freeze action requires a fast prime lens and high ISO. But shooting in low light for a static scene can use slower shutter speeds with the slower apertures. The camera does very well at high ISO levels with low noise, has special hand held stacking modes (hand Held Twilight) that make low light interior shots a breeze, and you can always use a tripod or a level surface to let the camera keep the ISO down low and take a longer exposure.
Hope that helps.
