Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony NEX-5N

Following is a thorough assessment of the Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony NEX-5N, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-M10 IV (20MP) and NEX-5N (16MP) and the E-M10 IV (Four Thirds) and NEX-5N (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizing.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The E-M10 IV was launched 8 years after the NEX-5N which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M10 IV being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-M10 IV matches up vs the NEX-5N with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV & Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M10 IV Gallery & Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M10 IV has got external measurements of 122mm x 84mm x 49mm (4.8" x 3.3" x 1.9") having a weight of 383 grams (0.84 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5N has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony NEX-5N in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-M10 IV and the NEX-5N.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M10 IV and NEX-5N is 81 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizes only by looking at technical specs. The picture underneath should offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M10 IV and NEX-5N.

As you can tell, each of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-M10 IV due to its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Olympus E-M10 IV will give you greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop shots way more aggressively. The fresher E-M10 IV is going to have an edge in sensor innovation.