Samsung CL5 vs Sony a3500

Below is a complete comparison of the Samsung CL5 and Sony a3500, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Samsung and Sony. There is a substantial difference between the resolutions of the CL5 (9MP) and a3500 (20MP) and the CL5 (1/2.5") and a3500 (APS-C) feature different sensor size.

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The CL5 was revealed 6 years prior to the a3500 and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Samsung CL5 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony a3500 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the CL5 scores versus the a3500 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Samsung CL5 & Sony Alpha a3500. The full galleries are available at Samsung CL5 Gallery & Sony a3500 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and proportions. The Samsung CL5 provides exterior dimensions of 93mm x 60mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.7") and a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Sony a3500 has measurements of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") having a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs).

Check the Samsung CL5 and Sony a3500 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are working with at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the CL5 and the a3500.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the CL5 and a3500 is 95 and 69 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to picture the contrast between sensor measurements just by checking a spec sheet. The graphic below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the CL5 and a3500.

Clearly, both of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The CL5 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Sony a3500 will give you greater detail because of its extra 11MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The older CL5 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.