Olympus E-500 vs Sony NEX-5

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Olympus E-500 vs Sony NEX-5, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was released 5 years prior to the NEX-5 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving through a full comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-500 grades versus the NEX-5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-500 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-500 offers physical measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-500 vs Sony NEX-5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the E-500 vs the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and NEX-5 is 70 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to picture the contrast between sensor sizes only by checking specifications. The image below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and NEX-5.

Plainly, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-500 because of its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony NEX-5 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.