Olympus 8000 vs Sony NEX-5R

Here is a in depth analysis of the Olympus 8000 vs Sony NEX-5R, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the 8000 (12MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) and the 8000 (1/2.3") and NEX-5R (APS-C) have totally different sensor measurements.

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The 8000 was released 4 years prior to the NEX-5R and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a full comparison, here is a short introduction of how the 8000 matches up against the NEX-5R in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus 8000 Gallery and Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus 8000 offers outside dimensions of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5R has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Check the Olympus 8000 vs Sony NEX-5R in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the 8000 versus the NEX-5R.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 8000 and NEX-5R is 94 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizing only by reviewing specifications. The visual below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the 8000 and NEX-5R.

Plainly, both the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The 8000 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony NEX-5R will deliver more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older 8000 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.