Samsung PL200 vs Sony NEX-5R

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Samsung PL200 vs Sony NEX-5R, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Samsung and Sony. The sensor resolution of the PL200 (14MP) and the NEX-5R (16MP) is fairly comparable but the PL200 (1/2.3") and NEX-5R (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The PL200 was launched 3 years prior to the NEX-5R which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Samsung PL200 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the PL200 scores vs the NEX-5R when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Samsung PL200 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The complete galleries are viewable at Samsung PL200 Gallery and Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Samsung PL200 has outer dimensions of 100mm x 60mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 0.8") having a weight of 170 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5R has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Examine the Samsung PL200 vs Sony NEX-5R in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that moment. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the PL200 compared to the NEX-5R.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the PL200 and NEX-5R is 94 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to see the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through a spec sheet. The image here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the PL200 and NEX-5R.

As you can see, the two cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The PL200 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony NEX-5R will show more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a little more aggressively. The more aged PL200 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.