Olympus SZ-11 vs Sony NEX-5T

Below, we will be evaluating the Olympus SZ-11 versus Sony NEX-5T, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the NEX-5T (16MP) is relatively comparable but the SZ-11 (1/2.3") and NEX-5T (APS-C) come with different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-11 was announced 3 years before the NEX-5T and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5T being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a concise view of how the SZ-11 matches up vs the NEX-5T with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-11 & Sony Alpha NEX-5T. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery & Sony NEX-5T Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera, you're going to have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-11 provides external dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5T has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-11 versus Sony NEX-5T in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use during that time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the SZ-11 versus the NEX-5T.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-11 and NEX-5T is 89 and 89 respectively.

Generally, its tough to picture the difference in sensor measurements merely by checking out specifications. The photograph below might give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-11 and NEX-5T.

To sum up, each of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SZ-11 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony NEX-5T will provide extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older SZ-11 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.