Nikon 1 AW1 vs Sony NEX-5: An In-Depth Mirrorless Showdown from an Experienced Reviewer

When I set out to compare the Nikon 1 AW1 and Sony NEX-5 today, I wasn't just looking at specs on a sheet - these are two entry-level mirrorless systems that marked different directions for their respective brands back in their prime. The Nikon 1 AW1, launched in late 2013, was pitched as a rugged, waterproof hybrid capable of handling adventure photography, while the Sony NEX-5, released in mid-2010, presented itself as a compact, high-image-quality mirrorless solution for everyday shooters transitioning from compact cameras or DSLRs.

In my 15+ years testing hundreds of mirrorless cameras, I've come to appreciate that knowing whether a camera suits your photographic style comes down to real-world handling, image quality, and system versatility - more than just megapixels and burst rates. Let’s dive into how these two contenders stack up across all major photography disciplines and use cases, unpacking their technology and capabilities through my first-hand testing experiences.

First Impressions and Ergonomics: Design that Dictates Use

Picking up these cameras side-by-side tells quite a story about their intended users. The Nikon 1 AW1 feels like a durable tool designed for tough environments. With its weather-sealed, waterproof body, it's ready to jump into action on wet trails or sandy beaches without worry. The compact yet chunky dimensions of 114x72x37mm and a weight of 356 grams give it a reassuring grip, even in gloves. In contrast, the Sony NEX-5 has a more refined, understated aesthetic - slim, lightweight (287 grams), and shaped with urban portability in mind.

The AW1 features a fixed, non-touch 3-inch TFT LCD with moderate 921k-dot resolution. The absence of any form of viewfinder pushes you to rely heavily on the rear screen under all conditions. The Sony counters with a 3-inch tilting screen of similar resolution, providing more flexibility for shooting from high or low angles - a boon for street or event photographers who need compositional versatility on the fly.

The top control layouts also reflect differing philosophies. Nikon’s AW1 sports an outdoors-friendly interface with prominent physical buttons and a mode dial optimized for quick exposure adjustments under rugged conditions. Sony’s NEX-5 takes a more minimalist approach, banking on menus and a lack of dedicated dials, requiring a steeper learning curve but rewarding once mastered with a sleek, pocketable setup.

In both, I noticed the absence of electronic viewfinders - increasingly rare even on entry-level mirrorless today - nudges photographers toward live view reliance. This impacts usability under bright sunlight, where screen reflections can challenge composition.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

The story of these cameras’ image quality is heavily influenced by their sensor sizes - a fundamental factor in detail rendering, noise handling, and dynamic range.

The Sony NEX-5 houses a 14MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor (23.4 x 15.6mm), a significantly larger imaging surface than the Nikon 1 AW1’s 14MP 1-inch sensor (13.2 x 8.8mm). This sensor size advantage translates into larger photosites, better light-gathering capabilities, and improved depth-of-field control. Consequently, the NEX-5 delivers higher DxOmark scores: an overall 69 versus the AW1's 51 - reflective of better color depth (22.2 vs. 20.2), dynamic range (12.2 stops vs. 10.9), and low light ISO performance (796 vs. 428).

In field tests shooting mid-day portraits and landscapes, the NEX-5 flaunts superior image files with richer tonal gradation and cleaner shadows. When pushing ISO in dimly lit interiors or dusk conditions, the noise through ISO 1600 remains manageable on the NEX-5, while the AW1’s higher noise floor becomes apparent beyond ISO 800.

Both cameras feature an anti-alias filter - limiting some micro-detail resolution - but that’s par for the course on cameras aiming for clean images over overly sharpened artifacts. Color reproduction on skin tones favors the Sony as well, with warmer, more natural hues thanks to its color filter and processing pipeline.

Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Coverage

Autofocus (AF) proficiency can make or break your shooting experience depending on subjects and conditions.

The Nikon 1 AW1 employs a hybrid AF system combining phase-detection and contrast-detection with an impressive 135 AF points covering much of the frame. This dense AF matrix especially improves tracking moving subjects and maintaining sharp focus during burst shooting - ideal for action or wildlife photography. In my hands, the AW1’s autofocus locking was snappy, noticeably outperforming the NEX-5 in continuous AF and subject tracking.

Sony’s NEX-5 relies solely on contrast-detection AF with only 25 focus points centrally clustered. While accurate for static subjects and still life, it lags behind for rapid or erratic movement. The NEX-5’s burst speed maxes out at 7fps compared to the staggering 60fps on the AW1 - the latter’s buffer and processor designed for short bursts of high-speed capture, though limited in raw shooting duration.

Neither camera impresses with face or eye detection, although the AW1 can detect faces - no eye AF features here, not surprising given the era of release. That puts the AW1 slightly ahead in tracking moving human or animal subjects, though neither matches modern mirrorless AF sophistication.

Build Quality and Durability: Designed for Different Worlds

For ruggedness, the Nikon 1 AW1 leads unequivocally. Its waterproof design lets you shoot in up to 15 meters of water without an additional housing - a remarkable feature even today. Additionally, it is shockproof up to 2 meters and freezeproof to 14°F (-10°C), making it a tool for adventure and travel photographers venturing into challenging environments.

The Sony NEX-5 offers no such weather sealing or durability claims. It is a typical precision consumer camera - delicate, best sheltered from moisture, dust, and impact. The build materials favor compactness and ease of handling but do not offer the resilience the AW1 does.

Lenses and Mount Ecosystems: Flexibility Matters

The Nikon 1 system uses a proprietary Nikon 1 mount with only 13 lenses offered, primarily focused on small, high-speed primes and zooms with a 2.7x crop factor - making telephoto reach easier to achieve physically but limiting depth of field flexibility.

Sony’s E-mount, by contrast, is one of the most fertile mirrorless ecosystems today, with over 120 native lenses even at the time of the NEX-5’s release and an enormous current selection from Sony and third parties. The 1.5x crop factor of the Sony APS-C sensor is less aggressive, offering more traditional focal lengths and better optical performance in primes.

For macro or portrait shooters, the NEX-5 benefits from this lens adaptability, with lenses offering wider apertures and sharper bokeh, elevating creative possibilities beyond the AW1’s rugged but limited lineup.

Video Capabilities: What Can They Shoot?

Both cameras offer 1080p video, but with notable differences:

• Nikon 1 AW1 records 1920x1080 at 60i or 30p, plus intriguing ultra-slow-motion modes down to 1200 fps at lower resolutions. The slow-motion capture is especially useful for creative video planners or scientific use, though the lack of microphone input limits audio quality control.
• Sony NEX-5 offers 1080p (60fps progressive) in AVCHD format with slightly more polished results for typical video recording, but no slow-motion options. While lacking a mic port too, the video files tend to be cleaner due to a steadier processor pipeline.

Neither has in-body image stabilization (IBIS), so both depend on lenses with optical stabilization or external rigs for smooth handheld video.

Battery Life and Storage

The AW1’s EN-EL20 battery delivers approximately 220 shots per charge. Given its rugged features, this is moderately low, meaning a spare battery is a must on extended trips.

Sony’s NEX-5 shows better efficiency with 330 shots per charge using the NPFW50 battery, aligning well with travel and street photographers needing full-day shooting without multiple battery swaps.

Both cameras support single SD card slots, with the Sony adding Memory Stick compatibility - an increasingly legacy format that few will miss today.

Connectivity and Workflow Integration

The AW1 includes built-in GPS - a clear advantage for adventure photographers wanting location data embedded automatically. Wireless features are optional but limited compared to modern standards.

The Sony NEX-5 lacks GPS and wireless connectivity, meaning image transfer depends on manual USB connection or card readers - common for its era but less convenient today.

Neither supports Bluetooth or NFC for instant sharing, so users moving images to mobiles or computers should consider their workflow accordingly.

Specialized Use Cases: Which Camera Excels Where?

Portrait Photography

Here, the Sony NEX-5’s larger sensor wins out for smooth skin tones, natural color rendering, and shallow depth-of-field potential with bright primes. The Nikon 1 AW1’s smaller sensor and native lenses produce more uniform focus with less creamy bokeh, somewhat limiting artistic portraiture.

Landscape Photography

The NEX-5 again holds an advantage with higher dynamic range and resolution per pixel, enabling better shadow recovery and detail in bright skies and shaded foregrounds. The AW1’s tough build is a plus for shooting in harsh outdoor conditions but sacrifices some dynamic range and detail.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

The AW1, with its blazing 60fps burst and expansive AF coverage, feels built for fast action capture, though the smaller sensor’s image quality trade-off is evident. The NEX-5 cannot match that speed or tracking but produces sharper, higher-quality still images if the subject can be captured in time.

Street Photography

Sony’s smaller, lighter, and more discreet NEX-5 with a tilting screen suits street shooters needing speed and minimal attention. The AW1’s bulk and rugged styling can attract curiosity but provide peace of mind in wet or dusty urban environments.

Macro Photography

Macro demands precise focusing and control over depth of field. The NEX-5’s superior lens selection and autofocus accuracy make it more adept at close-ups. The AW1's lack of stabilization and limited macro lens options restrict its use in this genre.

Night and Astro Photography

Higher native ISO range and cleaner noise performance render the Sony NEX-5 more capable under the stars or low-light scenes. The AW1’s maximum native ISO of 6400 is lower and less usable at high ISOs.

Video Recording

Both handle 1080p well for casual use, but the AW1’s high-frame-rate slow motion adds creative versatility. For overall video quality and progressive frame rates, the NEX-5 takes the lead, although neither camera is a dedicated video powerhouse.

Travel Photography

The AW1’s ruggedness and GPS build a strong case for adventure travelers. The NEX-5, with extended battery life, compactness, and a fuller ecosystem, caters better to generalist travelers valuing image quality first.

Professional Work

Both cameras are designed for the entry-level market. Raw support is present but workflow integration is limited by dated connectivity and software support compared to current professional cameras.

Putting It All Together: Performance Ratings and Final Thoughts

After extensive, side-by-side in-the-field comparisons, including testing in varied lighting and motion scenarios, here’s how I’d summarize their overall performance:

Looking deeper into specific photographic applications:

The Nikon 1 AW1 is the go-to for action and adventure enthusiasts needing a camera to survive the elements while capturing fast-paced scenes, despite image quality compromises. The Sony NEX-5 stands out for image quality lovers seeking a compact, versatile mirrorless with more creative lens options and better low-light performance.

Sample Gallery: Real-World Examples

To see the differences in raw image characteristics between these two cameras, I’ve selected a set of comparable shots across genres - from landscapes to portraits - shot in the same conditions.

Nikon 1 AW1 screen back Sony NEX 5 front Sony NEX 5 screen back

Notice how the Sony images retain more shadow detail and exhibit smoother gradations in skin tones. The Nikon’s shots excel in harsh weather conditions but show more prominent noise and less dynamic range.

Wrapping Up: Who Should Buy Which?

If your photography demands a resilient body that can dive underwater or withstand harsh environments, and you value high-speed burst shooting for wildlife or sports, the Nikon 1 AW1 remains a uniquely capable, if compromises-laden, option.

On the other hand, if image quality, lens availability, and everyday usability take priority - especially for portraits, landscapes, and general travel - the Sony NEX-5 is the better choice, offering superior handling and creative flexibility for a broader range of shooters.

Final Expert Tip

Neither camera has aged into the modern mirrorless era’s connectivity or stabilization standards, so pairing them with stabilized lenses and external sharing devices can extend their utility. Always consider your specific shooting priorities: durability and speed versus image fidelity and flexibility.

Armed with these insights, I hope you feel ready to make a confident, well-informed decision between two genuinely interesting entry-level mirrorless cameras. Happy shooting!

If you’re eager to explore specific lenses or accessories for either system, drop a note and I can guide you through those ecosystems too.