Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N
93 Imaging
36 Features
30 Overall
33
89 Imaging
55 Features
69 Overall
60
Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Display
- ISO 80 - 6400
- 1280 x 720 video
- 28-110mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
- 157g - 114 x 58 x 28mm
- Launched March 2011
(Full Review)
- 16MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Tilting Screen
- ISO 100 - 25600
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Sony E Mount
- 269g - 111 x 59 x 38mm
- Announced October 2011
- Previous Model is Sony NEX-5
- Replacement is Sony NEX-5R
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Lets look much closer at the Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. The image resolution of the RS1500 (14MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is pretty comparable but the RS1500 (1/2.3") and NEX-5N (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe RS1500 was launched 6 months before the NEX-5N and they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Pentax RS1500 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.
Before we go straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the RS1500 grades vs the NEX-5N when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N Gallery
Here is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Optio RS1500 and Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The complete galleries are provided at Pentax RS1500 Gallery and Sony NEX-5N Gallery.
Reasons to pick Pentax RS1500 over the Sony NEX-5N
| RS1500 | NEX-5N |
|---|
Reasons to pick Sony NEX-5N over the Pentax RS1500
| NEX-5N | RS1500 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen type | Tilting | Fixed | Tilting screen | |
| Screen size | 3" | 2.7" | Bigger screen (+0.3") | |
| Screen resolution | 920k | 230k | Crisper screen (+690k dot) | |
| Touch screen | Quickly navigate |
Common features in the Pentax RS1500 and Sony NEX-5N
| RS1500 | NEX-5N | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Announced | March 2011 | October 2011 | Same generation | |
| Focus manually | Dial precise focusing | |||
| Selfie screen | Lacking selfie screen |
Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N Physical Comparison
If you're looking to travel with your camera regularly, you'll have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Pentax RS1500 enjoys exterior dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5N has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).
See the Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at the time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the RS1500 against the NEX-5N.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the RS1500 and NEX-5N is 93 and 89 respectively.
Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N Sensor Comparison
In many cases, it is tough to envision the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by seeing specifications. The pic below will help give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the RS1500 and NEX-5N.
Plainly, both of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The RS1500 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony NEX-5N will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures way more aggressively.
Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N Screen and ViewFinder
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Pentax RS1500 vs Sony NEX-5N Specifications
| Pentax Optio RS1500 | Sony Alpha NEX-5N | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Company | Pentax | Sony |
| Model type | Pentax Optio RS1500 | Sony Alpha NEX-5N |
| Class | Small Sensor Compact | Entry-Level Mirrorless |
| Launched | 2011-03-16 | 2011-10-03 |
| Body design | Compact | Rangefinder-style mirrorless |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Chip | - | Bionz |
| Sensor type | CCD | CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" | APS-C |
| Sensor measurements | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 23.4 x 15.6mm |
| Sensor surface area | 28.1mm² | 365.0mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 14MP | 16MP |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Maximum resolution | 4288 x 3216 | 4912 x 3264 |
| Maximum native ISO | 6400 | 25600 |
| Minimum native ISO | 80 | 100 |
| RAW photos | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Focus manually | ||
| AF touch | ||
| AF continuous | ||
| AF single | ||
| Tracking AF | ||
| AF selectice | ||
| Center weighted AF | ||
| Multi area AF | ||
| Live view AF | ||
| Face detect focusing | ||
| Contract detect focusing | ||
| Phase detect focusing | ||
| Total focus points | 9 | 25 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens support | fixed lens | Sony E |
| Lens zoom range | 28-110mm (3.9x) | - |
| Maximal aperture | f/3.5-5.5 | - |
| Macro focusing range | 1cm | - |
| Amount of lenses | - | 121 |
| Crop factor | 5.8 | 1.5 |
| Screen | ||
| Display type | Fixed Type | Tilting |
| Display sizing | 2.7 inches | 3 inches |
| Display resolution | 230k dot | 920k dot |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch friendly | ||
| Display tech | TFT color LCD with Anti-reflective coating | Tilt Up 80°, Down 45° TFT LCD |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | None | Electronic (optional) |
| Features | ||
| Slowest shutter speed | 4s | 30s |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/1500s | 1/4000s |
| Continuous shooting speed | 1.0 frames/s | 10.0 frames/s |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Expose Manually | ||
| Exposure compensation | - | Yes |
| Custom WB | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Integrated flash | ||
| Flash distance | 3.90 m | 12.00 m |
| Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in |
| Hot shoe | ||
| AE bracketing | ||
| WB bracketing | ||
| Maximum flash sync | - | 1/160s |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment | ||
| Average | ||
| Spot | ||
| Partial | ||
| AF area | ||
| Center weighted | ||
| Video features | ||
| Video resolutions | 1280 x 720 (30, 15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) | 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) |
| Maximum video resolution | 1280x720 | 1920x1080 |
| Video format | Motion JPEG | AVCHD |
| Microphone input | ||
| Headphone input | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | None | Eye-Fi Connected |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environment seal | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 157g (0.35 pounds) | 269g (0.59 pounds) |
| Physical dimensions | 114 x 58 x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") | 111 x 59 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO All around rating | not tested | 77 |
| DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | 23.6 |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | 12.7 |
| DXO Low light rating | not tested | 1079 |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | 260 photos | 460 photos |
| Type of battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery ID | D-LI92 | NPFW50 |
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) | Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10sec (3 images)) |
| Time lapse feature | ||
| Type of storage | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal | SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo |
| Storage slots | 1 | 1 |
| Pricing at launch | $150 | $550 |