Olympus E-M5 vs Sony NEX-5N

Let's examine more in depth at the Olympus E-M5 and Sony NEX-5N, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is very comparable but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5N (APS-C) use different sensor measurements.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The E-M5 was announced 7 months later than the NEX-5N so they are both of a similar age. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-M5 scores against the NEX-5N in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 comes with outside dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5N has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M5 and Sony NEX-5N in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-M5 vs the NEX-5N.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and NEX-5N is 81 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizing just by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and NEX-5N.

Clearly, both the cameras have got the exact same megapixel count but different sensor sizing. The E-M5 contains the smaller sensor which should make getting shallower depth of field more difficult. The younger E-M5 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.