Samsung NX30 vs Sony NEX-5

Here is a extended review of the Samsung NX30 versus Sony NEX-5, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Samsung and Sony. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the NX30 (20MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) but both cameras provide the same sensor dimensions (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The NX30 was announced 3 years later than the NEX-5 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Samsung NX30 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the NX30 matches up versus the NEX-5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Samsung NX30 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The whole galleries are available at Samsung NX30 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Samsung NX30 comes with outside measurements of 127mm x 96mm x 58mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.3") along with a weight of 375 grams (0.83 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Examine the Samsung NX30 versus Sony NEX-5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have during that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the NX30 versus the NEX-5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the NX30 and NEX-5 is 75 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to envision the difference between sensor sizing just by reading specs. The photograph here might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the NX30 and NEX-5.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Samsung NX30 to offer you more detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more modern NX30 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.