Pentax K-5 vs Sony NEX-7

On this page, we will be contrasting the Pentax K-5 versus Sony NEX-7, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the K-5 (16MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizing (APS-C).

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The K-5 was manufactured 12 months earlier than the NEX-7 which means that they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the K-5 scores vs the NEX-7 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax K-5 & Sony Alpha NEX-7. The entire galleries are provided at Pentax K-5 Gallery & Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Pentax K-5 comes with outside measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") and a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs) and the Sony NEX-7 has dimensions of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax K-5 versus Sony NEX-7 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the K-5 against the NEX-7.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the K-5 and NEX-7 is 60 and 84 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing purely by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the K-5 and NEX-7.

Clearly, each of these cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can count on the Sony NEX-7 to result in greater detail due to its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older K-5 will be behind in sensor innovation.