Olympus SZ-15 vs Sony NEX-5N

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus SZ-15 versus Sony NEX-5N, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SZ-15 (16MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is relatively similar but the SZ-15 (1/2.3") and NEX-5N (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-15 was launched 21 months after the NEX-5N which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-15 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a simple overview of how the SZ-15 scores versus the NEX-5N in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-15 & Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SZ-15 Gallery & Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SZ-15 has got physical measurements of 108mm x 70mm x 40mm (4.3" x 2.8" x 1.6") and a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5N has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-15 versus Sony NEX-5N in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are using at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ-15 and the NEX-5N.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-15 and NEX-5N is 88 and 89 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by going over specs. The pic below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-15 and NEX-5N.

As you can plainly see, both cameras provide the same megapixels albeit not the same sensor dimensions. The SZ-15 uses the tinier sensor which will make achieving bokeh more difficult. The fresher SZ-15 will have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.