Panasonic G5 vs Sony NEX-5

On this page, we will be comparing the Panasonic G5 vs Sony NEX-5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by brands Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the G5 (16MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is pretty close but the G5 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The G5 was released 2 years later than the NEX-5 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic G5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a full comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the G5 scores versus the NEX-5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic G5 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic G5 provides outer measurements of 120mm x 83mm x 71mm (4.7" x 3.3" x 2.8") along with a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

See the Panasonic G5 vs Sony NEX-5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose during that time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the G5 and the NEX-5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the G5 and NEX-5 is 74 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing simply by viewing specifications. The graphic below will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the G5 and NEX-5.

To sum up, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The G5 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Panasonic G5 will result in greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more modern G5 will have an edge in sensor tech.