Casio EX-Z280 vs Sony a5000

Below is a thorough analysis of the Casio EX-Z280 and Sony a5000, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Casio and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the EX-Z280 (12MP) and a5000 (20MP) and the EX-Z280 (1/2.3") and a5000 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The EX-Z280 was announced 5 years prior to the a5000 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Casio EX-Z280 being a Compact camera and the Sony a5000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the EX-Z280 scores against the a5000 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Casio Exilim EX-Z280 & Sony Alpha a5000. The whole galleries are available at Casio EX-Z280 Gallery & Sony a5000 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Casio EX-Z280 comes with outer dimensions of 97mm x 53mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.8") and a weight of 133 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Sony a5000 has specifications of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Examine the Casio EX-Z280 and Sony a5000 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the EX-Z280 against the a5000.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the EX-Z280 and a5000 is 96 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is very hard to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements just by reading specifications. The visual here might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the EX-Z280 and a5000.

To sum up, each of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The EX-Z280 using its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Sony a5000 will deliver greater detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older EX-Z280 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.