Pentax 645Z vs Sony NEX-5N

Its time to look more closely at the Pentax 645Z versus Sony NEX-5N, former is a Pro DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the resolutions of the 645Z (51MP) and NEX-5N (16MP) and the 645Z (Medium format) and NEX-5N (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The 645Z was revealed 2 years after the NEX-5N which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the 645Z scores vs the NEX-5N in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax 645Z & Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The full galleries are viewable at Pentax 645Z Gallery & Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Pentax 645Z offers exterior dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") and a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5N has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check the Pentax 645Z versus Sony NEX-5N in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the 645Z vs the NEX-5N.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 645Z and NEX-5N is 49 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to imagine the difference in sensor sizes merely by researching specifications. The image below will give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the 645Z and NEX-5N.

To sum up, both of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The 645Z using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Pentax 645Z will result in more detail because of its extra 35 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images more aggressively. The more modern 645Z provides a benefit in sensor tech.