Pentax 645D vs Sony NEX-5

The following is a extended assessment of the Pentax 645D versus Sony NEX-5, one is a Pro DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Pentax and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the 645D (40MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the 645D (Medium format) and NEX-5 (APS-C) have totally different sensor measurements.

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The 645D was introduced 2 months earlier than the NEX-5 and they are of a similar generation. The two cameras feature different body design with the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick overview of how the 645D scores versus the NEX-5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax 645D and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The whole galleries are available at Pentax 645D Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera often, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Pentax 645D comes with exterior dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") accompanied by a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Take a look at the Pentax 645D versus Sony NEX-5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the 645D versus the NEX-5.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the 645D and NEX-5 is 50 and 89 respectively.

Generally, its tough to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions only by going over a spec sheet. The picture underneath will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the 645D and NEX-5.

Clearly, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The 645D using its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF simpler and the Pentax 645D will offer greater detail using its extra 26 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images way more aggressively.