Panasonic G9 vs Sony NEX-5R

Let's look more in depth at the Panasonic G9 and Sony NEX-5R, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the G9 (20MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) and the G9 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5R (APS-C) posses different sensor size.

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The G9 was introduced 5 years after the NEX-5R which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic G9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summation of how the G9 matches up vs the NEX-5R in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 & Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic G9 Gallery & Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera frequently, you have to factor its weight and measurements. The Panasonic G9 comes with external dimensions of 137mm x 97mm x 92mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 3.6") with a weight of 658 grams (1.45 lbs) and 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).

Contrast the Panasonic G9 and Sony NEX-5R in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are employing during that time. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the G9 against the NEX-5R.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the G9 and NEX-5R is 62 and 89 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizes merely by looking through a spec sheet. The image here may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the G9 and NEX-5R.

As you can see, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The G9 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic G9 will provide you with more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos more aggressively. The fresher G9 should have an advantage in sensor tech.