Samsung PL210 vs Sony a5000

Below, we will be evaluating the Samsung PL210 and Sony a5000, former is a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Samsung and Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the PL210 (14MP) and a5000 (20MP) and the PL210 (1/2.3") and a5000 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The PL210 was announced 4 years before the a5000 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Samsung PL210 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony a5000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a thorough comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the PL210 grades versus the a5000 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Samsung PL210 & Sony Alpha a5000. The whole galleries are viewable at Samsung PL210 Gallery & Sony a5000 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Samsung PL210 provides physical measurements of 100mm x 59mm x 20mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) while the Sony a5000 has proportions of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check out the Samsung PL210 and Sony a5000 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the PL210 against the a5000.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the PL210 and a5000 is 99 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizes just by seeing specifications. The picture here may give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the PL210 and a5000.

Plainly, both of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The PL210 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony a5000 will provide greater detail with its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more aged PL210 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.