Pentax K-7 vs Sony NEX-5R

On this page, we will be contrasting the Pentax K-7 vs Sony NEX-5R, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Pentax and Sony. The resolution of the K-7 (15MP) and the NEX-5R (16MP) is pretty close and both cameras provide the same sensor size (APS-C).

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The K-7 was released 3 years prior to the NEX-5R and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax K-7 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a simple summation of how the K-7 grades against the NEX-5R in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax K-7 & Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The complete galleries are available at Pentax K-7 Gallery & Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Pentax K-7 comes with exterior dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") and a weight of 750 grams (1.65 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5R has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Compare the Pentax K-7 vs Sony NEX-5R in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the K-7 vs the NEX-5R.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the K-7 and NEX-5R is 60 and 89 respectively.

Often, it's hard to picture the contrast in sensor measurements purely by looking through specs. The graphic here might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the K-7 and NEX-5R.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You can expect the Sony NEX-5R to render more detail as a result of its extra 1MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The older K-7 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.