Panasonic S1R vs Sony NEX-5

Let's look more in depth at the Panasonic S1R and Sony NEX-5, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the S1R (47MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the S1R (Full frame) and NEX-5 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizing.

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The S1R was manufactured 8 years later than the NEX-5 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S1R being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a simple view of how the S1R scores vs the NEX-5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic S1R Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic S1R offers outside measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") having a weight of 1020 grams (2.25 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic S1R and Sony NEX-5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the S1R vs the NEX-5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the S1R and NEX-5 is 54 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to imagine the difference in sensor measurements simply by checking out technical specs. The graphic underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the S1R and NEX-5.

As you can tell, the two cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The S1R due to its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic S1R will produce extra detail due to its extra 33MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The more recent S1R should have an advantage in sensor innovation.