Olympus E-P5 vs Sony NEX-5N

Below is a in depth overview of the Olympus E-P5 and Sony NEX-5N, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-P5 (16MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is fairly close but the E-P5 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5N (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor size.

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The E-P5 was announced 2 years later than the NEX-5N and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going in to a more detailed comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-P5 grades vs the NEX-5N in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P5 & Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P5 Gallery & Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P5 enjoys outside measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 37mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.5") having a weight of 420 grams (0.93 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).

Look at the Olympus E-P5 and Sony NEX-5N in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-P5 vs the NEX-5N.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P5 and NEX-5N is 85 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to envision the contrast in sensor measurements only by viewing a spec sheet. The visual underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P5 and NEX-5N.

As you can see, both of the cameras posses the exact same resolution but not the same sensor measurements. The E-P5 includes the smaller sensor which is going to make achieving shallow depth of field harder. The fresher E-P5 will have an edge in sensor technology.