Panasonic FS25 vs Sony NEX-5

Below, we are analyzing the Panasonic FS25 and Sony NEX-5, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FS25 (12MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is very comparable but the FS25 (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FS25 was launched 16 months prior to the NEX-5 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FS25 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a simple summation of how the FS25 scores vs the NEX-5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic FS25 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry your camera, you'll need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FS25 comes with physical dimensions of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") having a weight of 148 grams (0.33 lbs) while 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).

See the Panasonic FS25 and Sony NEX-5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is the front view dimensions comparison of the FS25 vs the NEX-5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the FS25 and NEX-5 is 95 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to envision the gap in sensor sizing purely by going through specifications. The visual below should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the FS25 and NEX-5.

To sum up, both of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FS25 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Sony NEX-5 will provide extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos much more aggressively. The older FS25 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.