Panasonic S1 vs Sony NEX-5

Following is a complete assessment of the Panasonic S1 versus Sony NEX-5, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the S1 (24MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the S1 (Full frame) and NEX-5 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The S1 was manufactured 8 years after the NEX-5 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a quick summation of how the S1 scores versus the NEX-5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic S1 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic S1 features exterior dimensions of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") along with a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic S1 versus Sony NEX-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the S1 against the NEX-5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the S1 and NEX-5 is 54 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading a spec sheet. The picture underneath might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the S1 and NEX-5.

Clearly, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S1 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic S1 will deliver extra detail due to its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs more aggressively. The newer S1 should have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.