Pentax ist DL2 vs Sony NEX-5

Lets take a more detailed look at the Pentax ist DL2 vs Sony NEX-5, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the ist DL2 (6MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) but they feature the exact same sensor measurements (APS-C).

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The ist DL2 was brought out 5 years before the NEX-5 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summation of how the ist DL2 scores vs the NEX-5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax ist DL2 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are available at Pentax ist DL2 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Pentax ist DL2 provides physical measurements of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Take a look at the Pentax ist DL2 vs Sony NEX-5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the ist DL2 versus the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ist DL2 and NEX-5 is 69 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to visualize the difference between sensor measurements simply by looking at specifications. The photograph underneath may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the ist DL2 and NEX-5.

To sum up, the two cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit different resolution. You should expect the Sony NEX-5 to give you greater detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older ist DL2 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.