Olympus SP-590 UZ vs Sony NEX-5

Below is a thorough comparison of the Olympus SP-590 UZ versus Sony NEX-5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the SP-590 UZ (12MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

The SP-590 UZ was launched 17 months earlier than the NEX-5 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a in depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the SP-590 UZ matches up vs the NEX-5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SP-590 UZ & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SP-590 UZ offers outer dimensions of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") having a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SP-590 UZ versus Sony NEX-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the SP-590 UZ against the NEX-5.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-590 UZ and NEX-5 is 72 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements merely by checking out specs. The visual below will provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-590 UZ and NEX-5.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SP-590 UZ featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony NEX-5 will produce more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs far more aggressively. The older SP-590 UZ will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.