Pentax WS80 vs Sony NEX-5R

Its time to look a little more closely at the Pentax WS80 and Sony NEX-5R, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Pentax and Sony. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the WS80 (10MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) and the WS80 (1/2.3") and NEX-5R (APS-C) offer different sensor size.

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The WS80 was launched 4 years earlier than the NEX-5R which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Pentax WS80 being a Compact 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 WS80 scores versus the NEX-5R with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio WS80 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The complete galleries are viewable at Pentax WS80 Gallery and Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera, you should factor in its weight and dimensions. The Pentax WS80 has got exterior measurements of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5R has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Check the Pentax WS80 and Sony NEX-5R in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the WS80 compared to the NEX-5R.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the WS80 and NEX-5R is 95 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes simply by reading through a spec sheet. The image below should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the WS80 and NEX-5R.

As you can see, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The WS80 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony NEX-5R will resolve greater detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged WS80 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.