Panasonic G100 vs Sony NEX-5

On this page, we will be reviewing the Panasonic G100 and Sony NEX-5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the G100 (20MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the G100 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The G100 was announced 10 years later than the NEX-5 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic G100 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple view of how the G100 grades vs the NEX-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DC-G100 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic G100 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor its weight and measurements. The Panasonic G100 comes with outer dimensions of 116mm x 83mm x 54mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 2.1") and a weight of 352 grams (0.78 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic G100 and Sony NEX-5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use at that moment. The following is a front view scale comparison of the G100 compared to the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the G100 and NEX-5 is 81 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to visualise the difference between sensor sizing simply by going over specs. The photograph below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the G100 and NEX-5.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The G100 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Panasonic G100 will offer extra detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The fresher G100 will have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.