Panasonic FZ300 vs Sony NEX-5

Following is a thorough comparison of the Panasonic FZ300 versus Sony NEX-5, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FZ300 (12MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is very comparable but the FZ300 (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

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The FZ300 was unveiled 5 years after the NEX-5 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving through a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise summation of how the FZ300 scores against the NEX-5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FZ300 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FZ300 comes with outer dimensions of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") with a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has dimensions 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 FZ300 versus Sony NEX-5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you select at that moment. Here is the front view size comparison of the FZ300 and the NEX-5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the FZ300 and NEX-5 is 59 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes purely by going through specs. The pic here might provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the FZ300 and NEX-5.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FZ300 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony NEX-5 will provide greater detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will help you crop photos much more aggressively. The more modern FZ300 is going to have an edge in sensor technology.