Leica M-E Typ 220 vs Sony NEX-5

On this page, we will be looking at the Leica M-E Typ 220 vs Sony NEX-5, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Leica and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the M-E Typ 220 (18MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the M-E Typ 220 (Full frame) and NEX-5 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

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The M-E Typ 220 was brought out 2 years after the NEX-5 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a brief overview of how the M-E Typ 220 scores against the NEX-5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Leica M-E Typ 220 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are available at Leica M-E Typ 220 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you should think about its weight and volume. The Leica M-E Typ 220 has got physical measurements of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") along with a weight of 585 grams (1.29 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Check out the Leica M-E Typ 220 vs Sony NEX-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose during that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the M-E Typ 220 vs the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the M-E Typ 220 and NEX-5 is 79 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through a spec sheet. The image below will help give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the M-E Typ 220 and NEX-5.

As you can see, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The M-E Typ 220 because of its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Leica M-E Typ 220 will show more detail having its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more recent M-E Typ 220 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.