Leica M10 vs Sony NEX-5N

Below, we are looking at the Leica M10 and Sony NEX-5N, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Leica and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the M10 (24MP) and NEX-5N (16MP) and the M10 (Full frame) and NEX-5N (APS-C) feature totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The M10 was released 5 years after the NEX-5N which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before delving in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple summary of how the M10 matches up against the NEX-5N when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Leica M10 & Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The complete galleries are provided at Leica M10 Gallery & Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and size. The Leica M10 provides exterior measurements of 139mm x 80mm x 39mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") and a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5N has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Analyze the Leica M10 and Sony NEX-5N in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the M10 and the NEX-5N.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the M10 and NEX-5N is 75 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes merely by reading through specs. The pic here will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the M10 and NEX-5N.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The M10 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Leica M10 will give extra detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The newer M10 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.