Panasonic FS15 vs Sony NEX-5

Here is a detailed assessment of the Panasonic FS15 vs Sony NEX-5, former being a Ultracompact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the FS15 (12MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the FS15 (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) come with different sensor dimensions.

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The FS15 was announced 16 months before the NEX-5 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting through a thorough comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the FS15 grades versus the NEX-5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FS15 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic FS15 has got outer measurements of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") having a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FS15 vs Sony NEX-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select during that time. The following is the front view size comparison of the FS15 versus the NEX-5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the FS15 and NEX-5 is 95 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizing simply by checking out specs. The graphic below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the FS15 and NEX-5.

All in all, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FS15 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field tougher and the Sony NEX-5 will produce extra detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The older FS15 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.