Olympus E-M1 vs Sony NEX-5N

The following is a in depth analysis of the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony NEX-5N, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is pretty close but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5N (APS-C) possess totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was brought out 2 years after the NEX-5N which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-M1 scores versus the NEX-5N in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

In case you're going to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M1 provides physical dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5N has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony NEX-5N in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-M1 compared to the NEX-5N.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and NEX-5N is 71 and 89 respectively.

Typically, its tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions merely by researching technical specs. The pic below should provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 and NEX-5N.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have got the exact same megapixel count albeit not the same sensor dimensions. The E-M1 contains the smaller sensor which should make achieving shallower depth of field tougher. The fresher E-M1 will have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.