Canon SX230 HS vs Sony NEX-5R

Lets look more closely at the Canon SX230 HS and Sony NEX-5R, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Canon and Sony. There exists a large gap between the image resolutions of the SX230 HS (12MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) and the SX230 HS (1/2.3") and NEX-5R (APS-C) offer totally different sensor size.

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The SX230 HS was announced 13 months earlier than the NEX-5R making them a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon SX230 HS being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the SX230 HS matches up vs the NEX-5R for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SX230 HS & Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The whole galleries are provided at Canon SX230 HS Gallery & Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and volume. The Canon SX230 HS features external measurements of 106mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 223 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5R has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX230 HS and Sony NEX-5R in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the SX230 HS compared to the NEX-5R.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SX230 HS and NEX-5R is 91 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to envision the gap between sensor measurements merely by reviewing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SX230 HS and NEX-5R.

Clearly, both the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SX230 HS using its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Sony NEX-5R will offer you more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The older SX230 HS is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.