Nikon S5100 vs Sony HX50V

Let's examine more closely at the Nikon S5100 vs Sony HX50V, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Nikon and Sony. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the S5100 (12MP) and HX50V (20MP) but they use the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The S5100 was released 3 years before the HX50V and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the S5100 grades vs the HX50V when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix S5100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V. The complete galleries are provided at Nikon S5100 Gallery and Sony HX50V Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Nikon S5100 enjoys outside dimensions of 97mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) and the Sony HX50V has measurements of 108mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 272 grams (0.60 lbs).

Analyze the Nikon S5100 vs Sony HX50V in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the S5100 vs the HX50V.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the S5100 and HX50V is 95 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualize the gap between sensor sizing only by going over technical specs. The graphic underneath might give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the S5100 and HX50V.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different resolution. You should expect to see the Sony HX50V to deliver more detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The older S5100 is going to be behind in sensor technology.