Olympus SZ-12 vs Sony NEX-5R

Here is a complete assessment of the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony NEX-5R, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the NEX-5R (16MP) is fairly comparable but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and NEX-5R (APS-C) posses different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-12 was manufactured 7 months prior to the NEX-5R which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving right into a full comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the SZ-12 matches up versus the NEX-5R with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-12 & Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The entire galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera, you are going to need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-12 comes with outer dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5R has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-12 versus Sony NEX-5R in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the SZ-12 compared to the NEX-5R.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and NEX-5R is 89 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to imagine the difference in sensor sizing simply by going through specs. The graphic underneath may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-12 and NEX-5R.

All in all, both the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-12 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh trickier and the Sony NEX-5R will show extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The older SZ-12 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.