Panasonic FH5 vs Sony NEX-5

The following is a in depth comparison of the Panasonic FH5 and Sony NEX-5, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FH5 (16MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is very similar but the FH5 (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The FH5 was announced 8 months after the NEX-5 and they are of a similar generation. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise overview of how the FH5 scores against the NEX-5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH5 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH5 provides outer dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") along with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FH5 and Sony NEX-5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the FH5 and the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FH5 and NEX-5 is 96 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions just by going over technical specs. The picture underneath should provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH5 and NEX-5.

As you have seen, the two cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FH5 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field tougher and the Panasonic FH5 will offer you greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The newer FH5 will have an advantage in sensor innovation.