Samsung CL5 vs Sony a1

Its time to look more closely at the Samsung CL5 and Sony a1, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by companies Samsung and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the CL5 (9MP) and a1 (50MP) and the CL5 (1/2.5") and a1 (Full frame) offer different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The CL5 was released 13 years prior to the a1 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Samsung CL5 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony a1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the CL5 grades against the a1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Samsung CL5 and Sony Alpha a1. The complete galleries are provided at Samsung CL5 Gallery and Sony a1 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera often, you should factor in its weight and size. The Samsung CL5 provides outside measurements of 93mm x 60mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Sony a1 has specifications of 129mm x 97mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 737 grams (1.62 lbs).

Analyze the Samsung CL5 and Sony a1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the CL5 compared to the a1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the CL5 and a1 is 95 and 61 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to picture the difference between sensor dimensions merely by looking at specifications. The pic below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the CL5 and a1.

Plainly, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The CL5 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony a1 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 41 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged CL5 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.