Olympus SP-810 UZ vs Sony NEX-5

On this page, we will be analyzing the Olympus SP-810 UZ and Sony NEX-5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SP-810 UZ (14MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is relatively similar but the SP-810 UZ (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) have totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SP-810 UZ was brought out 14 months later than the NEX-5 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-810 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a short summation of how the SP-810 UZ scores versus the NEX-5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SP-810 UZ & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-810 UZ Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and size. The Olympus SP-810 UZ provides outside dimensions of 106mm x 76mm x 74mm (4.2" x 3.0" x 2.9") with a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SP-810 UZ and Sony NEX-5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the SP-810 UZ compared to the NEX-5.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SP-810 UZ and NEX-5 is 78 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to envision the difference between sensor measurements merely by reading a spec sheet. The visual here will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SP-810 UZ and NEX-5.

Clearly, both cameras provide the same megapixels albeit not the same sensor measurements. The SP-810 UZ has the tinier sensor which should make obtaining shallow depth of field trickier. The more modern SP-810 UZ is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.