Panasonic S1H vs Sony NEX-5R

Here is a extensive review of the Panasonic S1H vs Sony NEX-5R, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the S1H (24MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) and the S1H (Full frame) and NEX-5R (APS-C) feature different sensor sizes.

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The S1H was unveiled 7 years later than the NEX-5R and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic S1H being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the S1H grades vs the NEX-5R when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H and Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic S1H Gallery and Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic S1H enjoys outside measurements of 151mm x 114mm x 110mm (5.9" x 4.5" x 4.3") along with a weight of 1052 grams (2.32 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5R has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic S1H vs Sony NEX-5R in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the S1H compared to the NEX-5R.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the S1H and NEX-5R is 52 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's hard to picture the gap in sensor sizing purely by looking through specs. The visual here will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the S1H and NEX-5R.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The S1H using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic S1H will render more detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The younger S1H should have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.