And it is. It's half the size and weight of my old camera. You can look at it in photos and video reviews, but you don't quite get the scale from a computer screen.
My 2nd reaction was that the buttons and onscreen menu were confusing. This impression lasted about 5 minutes. After that I was moving through the menus with more confidence. For me, this comes from years of using SLRs with more manual dials and simpler menus.
There are user-programmable soft keys on the back of the camera. I plan to use these to access my most-used settings with one button press. Basics like ISO, shooting mode (PASM modes), shutter speed, etc. This camera was designed for photo enthusiasts, but specifically with point-and-shoot upgraders in mind - hence the reason why most "advanced" settings are located within a menu hierarchy. The user-programmable keys are a must-have.
The first evening was spent mostly charging the battery. Out of the box, the battery had no charge, and the users manual said that it takes approx 250 minutes (a bit over 4 hours) to fully charge a depleted battery. So I familiarized myself with the manual while I waited. Went out to dinner with the family. After it was charged, I took a handful of pix of the usual "figuring out camera settings" type stuff. Pix of my keys sitting on the kitchen table. The lens cap sitting on the kitchen table. A drinking glass sitting on the kitchen... well, you get the idea. I was quickly impressed by the low-light performance. By the way, the manual also says you don't have to fully charge the battery every time, and that you can charge it without fully depleting it first. So I didn't have to wait that full 4 hours, but did anyway.
The next morning, I woke up and looked out the window to see a foggy sunrise. I quickly grabbed the camera and jumped in the car, and set out looking for a few photo ops. Here are a few shots from my first morning with the NEX-5N and the kit 18-55mm lens.
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