Nikon 1 J4 vs Sony NEX-5

Its time to look more closely at the Nikon 1 J4 and Sony NEX-5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by brands Nikon and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the 1 J4 (18MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the 1 J4 (1") and NEX-5 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The 1 J4 was manufactured 3 years after the NEX-5 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the 1 J4 matches up against the NEX-5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon 1 J4 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are available at Nikon 1 J4 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and measurements. The Nikon 1 J4 offers external measurements of 100mm x 60mm x 29mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 232 grams (0.51 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Check the Nikon 1 J4 and Sony NEX-5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the 1 J4 versus the NEX-5.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the 1 J4 and NEX-5 is 92 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to visualise the difference in sensor sizes only by going through specs. The image here should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the 1 J4 and NEX-5.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The 1 J4 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Nikon 1 J4 will produce greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics much more aggressively. The more recent 1 J4 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.