My primary reasons for even keeping my DSLR are focus speed and shutter lag of any P&S. In playing with the 5N, it appears to handles both of these quite well for a fairly compact camera. I love the size, weight, looks and functions.
Indeed it does. Generally, it will perform spiffily enough to not be of any notice for almost any standard shooting - the NEX-5N has an electronic first-curtain shutter so there is no lag - zero - when shooting - this was one of the main upgrades over the NEX-5 and NEX-3 originals that came before it. The focus in good light is practically identical to a DSLR...the only part that doesn't quite compete with DSLRs is in low light, where contrast-detect AF systems will be a bit slower to acquire, though usually with great accuracy when they do. The focus system doesn't have the advanced tracking capabilities of a DSLR either, so the NEX won't be quite as handy as a DSLR for those who shoot birds in flight or moving action shots and rely on the AF system to continuously track the movement of a subject through a scene. I'd venture a guess that few photographers will need such advanced capabilities, and most DSLR owners never shoot those types of subjects - so it depends on what you shoot and how often. Disney, travel, landscape, portrait, scenic, etc, the NEX should be able to keep up with a DSLR for most any user.
What I'm wondering, is how well this thing actually holds up to taking shots in real world scenarios, such as at Disney. I know it is not going to best my 60D in speed, but it seems as though it can handle itself quite well.
At Disney, I don't suspect you'd have any real challenges - the NEX should be capable of most any shot an APS-C DSLR would be. The one area I could see being a bit of an issue would be high-ISO dark rides - the sensor is easily up to the task, but the focus will be slower and harder to acquire...though switching to manual focus would solve that issue if you're handy with it, or switching to spot focus and finding the small highlight spots to focus on then recompose...you would work around the issues, but a DSLR would be a bit better in this regard just because the phase-detect AF system will acquire quickly and reliably even in very poor light.
Anyone have any input in regards to real world usage? Missing shots due to lack of focus speed, or shutter lag etc.? Are you a DSLR owner, who now that you have a 5N use it less and less?
I'm a DSLR owner, and I'd say the NEX cameras since I bought them have taken about 15-20% of my photography needs away from the DSLR. But I'm also in a special category, because I'm an avid bird and wildlife photographer, and a very large percentage of my shots are in that category. When traveling to Disney, on a cruise, or on vacation, I'd say the NEX has moved up to about 50% of my photography. I still shoot with both, mainly because I love my DSLR for the large lens collection, and especially for better handling of the long lenses...but the NEX size and convenience, along with the image quality, have definitely won it a secure spot as a second body alongside my DSLR even on wildlife shoots, and as a replacement for it when I want to travel small or light for the day. Missed shots? Rarely...I've even used the NEX for birds in flight and wildlife shooting which is not its forte, and can still pull off the shots - just not quite with the same hit rate. The DSLR is the better and easier tool for action and wildlife photography, but the NEX can still do the job with a little skill and extra effort. For nearly anything else, I consider the NEX pretty much an equal with a DSLR.
Downsides? It depends on the individual, but if I had to make a list of disadvantages or criticisms of the NEX-5N, I would point out the LCD-based shooting which can be an ergonomic nightmare and a little awkward for some types of subjects; the battery life, which definitely doesn't come close to the typical DSLR shot life; and the buffer size, which is too small for heavy burst shooting - the camera can do 10fps, but can only do it for a second or so before the buffer fills.
But there are some easy cures for some of those issues - I purchased the EVF attachment to use with my 5N, and I would be hard pressed to live without it. I just prefer the ergonomics and shooting style of having a viewfinder to my eye, the extra stability of that stance, and the better visibility in all lighting situations. And I even like the 'covertness' of it, since shooting in dark rides and such, I don't have to hold up a big glowing LCD for everyone on the ride to see.
As for the battery life - the easy cure is to get an extra battery. I can't say I've ever run out of battery life in a day of shooting - I can get 300-400 shots off one battery even running the EVF, so it hasn't been an issue. But at the end of a day of shooting and 350 shots, I might have 9-15% life remaining on the battery indicator. By comparison, my DSLR after 400-600 shots still shows 86% life. So the extra battery for me isn't because I'm likely to run out during a regular day of shooting, but for the peace-of-mind of knowing I could keep shooting if I DID run out.
I'm getting ready to buy from B&H, as they have a nice deal right now that includes a small bag, 16GB card, and $50 off the 55-210 lens if you buy it at the same time as the 5N kit with the 18-55 lens.
I love the 55-210mm lens - I use it often for wildlife and birds and it does surprisingly well, even shooting side by side with my DSLR and 300mm F4 APO lens. It needs good light, but is hard to beat for the money. You may find yourself curious to try some manual lenses down the road - it's one of the big selling points of the NEX system for enthusiast shooters...with simple spacer-adapters, you can use any manual camera lens ever made on the NEX - from any brand or mount...the registration gap on the NEX is smaller than that of nearly any other mount ever made, which makes adapting other mounts to the NEX a simple matter of adding a spacer ring to put the lens at the right registration distance. You'd be using aperture rings on the lens and focusing yourself, but it brings back a classic film rangefinder style feel to your shooting, and you can score some amazing old manual glass pretty cheaply.
Hope that helps!
We got lucky and somehow were right behind a Disney photographer and nabbed great character shots 
