Olympus SH-2 vs Sony NEX-5

On this page, we will be comparing the Olympus SH-2 versus Sony NEX-5, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the SH-2 (16MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the SH-2 (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) boast different sensor sizes.

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The SH-2 was released 4 years later than the NEX-5 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a brief view of how the SH-2 grades versus the NEX-5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SH-2 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SH-2 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus SH-2 enjoys outside dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SH-2 versus Sony NEX-5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the SH-2 and the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SH-2 and NEX-5 is 88 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizing only by reading through specs. The graphic underneath may offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-2 and NEX-5.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The SH-2 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Olympus SH-2 will resolve more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The fresher SH-2 should have an edge in sensor tech.