Samsung ST95 vs Sony NEX-5: A Deep Dive Comparison of 2010s Digital Cameras

In the fast-evolving world of photography technology, comparing cameras across categories - especially those released within a similar timeframe - offers keen insight into design philosophy, usability, and imaging capabilities. Today, I’ll take you through a detailed technical and practical comparison of two distinct cameras from the early 2010s that represent divergent segments: the Samsung ST95 ultracompact point-and-shoot and the Sony NEX-5 entry-level mirrorless.

These devices reflect two very different approaches to digital photography - one prioritizes simplicity and portability for casual shooters, while the other begins to bridge the gap toward serious enthusiasts and professionals through a modular system and advanced control. Drawing on repeated hands-on testing and sensor analysis, we’ll break down their strengths and shortcomings across photography types, image quality, video, and more.

A Tale of Two Bodies: Design, Size, and Handling

Let’s start with the most immediate impression - the physical dimensions and ergonomic approach.

The Samsung ST95, crafted as an ultracompact camera, embodies the ethos of sheer portability. Measuring merely 92x53x17mm, it fits comfortably in the palm or even a pocket, making it ideal for impromptu snapshots or travel where minimal gear burden is a priority. Samsung opted for a minimalist control layout, with fixed lens and no electronic viewfinder. This lack of complexity accompanies a fixed 3-inch display with modest 460k-dot resolution.

By contrast, the Sony NEX-5 steps into the entry-level mirrorless category with a more substantial and deliberate design. At 111x59x38mm and weighing about 287 grams, it’s still compact but leans toward the size of a rangefinder-style camera. The NEX-5 boasts a tilting 3-inch LCD with a sharper 920k-dot resolution, enhancing composition flexibility - a boon when shooting from low or high angles. The emphasis on manual control is evident, with dedicated exposure modes, manual focus, and an interchangeable lens mount (Sony E).

Top-down, the NEX-5 offers a far richer set of physical controls, including dials and buttons that cater to experienced users who prefer tactile adjustments. The ST95’s top panel is predictably sparse, reflecting its user-friendly ethos but limiting quick access to exposure or shooting mode tweaks.

In practice, this translates to the ST95 being ideal for casual photography - vacations, family events, daily carry - while the NEX-5 is tailored for photographers who value creative input and adaptability.

Pixel Matters: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

The heart of any camera is its sensor, and here lies the most critical technical contrast between these two.

Samsung’s ST95 houses a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor measuring approximately 6.16x4.62mm, offering 16 megapixels with an antialiasing filter. This sensor size is typical of compact cameras designed for convenience rather than ultimate image quality. CCD sensors are known historically for decent color rendition but often suffer in noise performance at higher ISOs compared to CMOS sensors.

Sony’s NEX-5, on the other hand, incorporates a much larger APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.4x15.6mm with 14 megapixels. The absence of antialiasing allows for extra sharpness in resolution, and the CMOS design promotes superior noise control and dynamic range, especially critical for more ambitious photography like landscapes, portraits, and low-light work.

To quantify this, DxOMark scores the NEX-5 at an overall 69 points, with 22.2 bits in color depth and a dynamic range of 12.2 EV. The ST95 was not tested, but typical 1/2.3” CCD sensors of this era fall well short in these metrics. Noise handling, especially beyond ISO 800, is markedly better on the NEX-5, which supports ISO up to 12,800 native versus the ST95’s lack of defined native or boosted ISO values.

Real-world testing confirms what sensor specs indicate: The NEX-5 produces much cleaner images with superior tonal gradation, making it the preferred choice for those who want quality files suitable for editing and printing. The ST95 shines in good lighting but quickly shows its limitations in shadows and highlights.

Autofocus and Performance: Speed and Precision on Tap

Moving beyond optics and sensors, autofocus (AF) systems set these cameras worlds apart in responsiveness and accuracy.

The ST95 offers a fixed lens without autofocus features like face or eye detection. In fact, Samsung chose to omit distinct focus points or tracking capabilities - this renders it strictly a “point and shoot with autofocus” experience, adequate for snapshots but lacking the nuance for more demanding subjects. Moreover, continuous shooting isn’t supported, limiting its utility in fast action.

In contrast, the Sony NEX-5 impresses with a 25-point contrast-detection AF system that supports single, continuous, and selective autofocus modes. Though no phase-detection or advanced animal eye AF is offered here, the number of focus points and the responsiveness of the Bionz processor enable rapid acquisition and good accuracy, even in moderate motion scenes.

The NEX-5’s continuous shooting rate peaks at 7 fps - significant for an APS-C mirrorless of its time - making it viable for sports, wildlife, or street photography. The ST95, without any burst mode, is restricted to static subjects. This makes a huge practical difference.

For instance, I tested both cameras on a brisk autumn day capturing children playing in a park and found the NEX-5 far more capable of locking focus quickly on moving subjects and nailing the decisive moments, whereas the ST95 required careful framing and static poses.

Usability and Interface: Navigating the Cameras’ Controls

Ergonomics and user interface design affect shooting comfort and workflow more than technology specs alone.

Both cameras sport non-touch 3-inch screens, but the NEX-5’s display offers over twice the resolution of the ST95’s, which translates to sharper image previews and better menu legibility. The NEX-5’s tilting mechanism expands compositional creativity, helpful for macro shots, or shooting in crowds or low positions.

Samsung’s fixed screen limits creative framing, and its interface focuses on simplicity - good for casual users but painfully basic for those who crave control or customization. The lack of manual exposure modes reinforces this, constraining the photographer to auto or semi-auto modes.

Sony’s mirrorless allows shutter priority, aperture priority, and full manual exposure modes, alongside customizable white balance and exposure compensation. These features, paired with manual focus capability, make a big difference for learning photographers or pros seeking precision.

However, neither camera includes touchscreen input or an electronic viewfinder, which in 2011 was typical but does mean relying exclusively on the rear LCD for composition in bright conditions can be challenging.

Image Samples Speak Volumes

Ultimately, camera evaluations are incomplete without examining native image output in real shooting conditions.

Samsung ST95 front Samsung ST95 screen back Sony NEX 5 front Sony NEX 5 screen back

Here, you can see side-by-side JPEG samples from the ST95 and NEX-5 under varying scenarios. The NEX-5’s images hold up with finer detail, more natural skin tones, and better dynamic range in landscapes. The ST95, while serviceable, suffers from noise in shadows, muddier colors, and less natural bokeh in portrait shots due to its small sensor and fixed lens optics.

Tailoring to Genres: Photography Disciplines Breakdown

Let’s parse how each camera serves key photographic genres:

Portraiture

NEX-5 excels due to its APS-C sensor rendering smooth skin tones and pleasant background defocus when paired with fast prime lenses. Its manual exposure and focus controls enable eye-directed focusing and selective depth-of-field usage uncommon at this price point in 2010.

The ST95’s small sensor and fixed lens yield flatter portraits with limited bokeh and less fine detail rendition. It lacks face or eye detection, meaning sharp focus on eyes is unreliable if objects move a bit.

Landscape

Large sensor + higher dynamic range = NEX-5 wins hands down. It captures shadows and highlights with much greater fidelity. The flexible lens mount supports various wide-angle lenses suited for landscapes. Samsung’s ST95 provides a wide-angle lens field, but lower resolution and dynamic range limit printability or serious crop flexibility.

Wildlife and Sports

The NEX-5’s autofocus speed and 7fps burst make it a modest option for wildlife and amateur sports photography. The ST95’s lack of burst and slow AF preclude serious use in these fast-action scenarios.

Street Photography

Here size and discretion often dominate. The ST95’s pocketability and simplicity shine. However, the NEX-5 remains compact for an interchangeable lens camera and offers the manual control many street photographers love.

Macro

Neither camera offers macro-specific features, but the NEX-5’s ability to attach macro lenses and use manual focus gives it a clear edge.

Night and Astro

The NEX-5, with its higher ISO capabilities and raw file recording, provides a significant advantage for night photography and astrophotography aficionados. The ST95’s sensor and JPEG-only output chart a hard limit here.

Video

Sony provides Full HD 1080p at 60fps and AVCHD codec recording, a notable offering in 2010. The ST95’s video maxes at 720p, more modest but acceptable for casual videos. Neither has microphone inputs or in-body stabilization, which is a downside for serious video work.

Travel

Lightweight and pocket-sized, the ST95 appeals to travelers wanting an effortless grab-and-go. The NEX-5 balances portability with creative flexibility for those wanting a more serious photographic toolkit on the road, though it requires more gear.

Professional Use

While neither claims professional ruggedness or weather sealing, the NEX-5’s raw file support, manual control, and lens versatility cater better to professional workflows. The ST95 targets snapshots, not studio or client work.

Connectivity and Power: Staying in the Game

Neither camera sports wireless features such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which were rare in mainstream cameras of this period. The NEX-5 provides HDMI output and USB 2.0 for image transfer, while the ST95 lacks even USB connectivity - meaning file transfers rely on memory card readers.

Battery life is a clear win for the Sony, offering roughly 330 shots per charge compared to Samsung’s unspecified but likely lower endurance given its compact body and lack of details. This makes the NEX-5 more dependable during extended shoots or travel.

Price-to-Performance: What’s the Real Cost?

At launch, the ST95 was priced at about $145, reflecting its entry-level compact status. The Sony NEX-5 retailed near $600, marking it firmly in the enthusiast mirrorless segment.

Assessing value depends on your priorities: If you want nifty snapshots, convenience, and affordability, the ST95 is a sensible choice. But if image quality, manual control, and lens versatility are paramount, the NEX-5 represents a more future-proof investment.

Our Verdict: Who Should Buy the ST95 or the NEX-5?

The Samsung ST95 caters well to casual shooters and beginners wanting a compact, straightforward camera for everyday use without diving into technical settings. It’s affordable, pocketable, and easy to use, but expect limited image quality and minimal creative flexibility.

The Sony NEX-5, while now aging, still impresses as an entry-level mirrorless with its large sensor, interchangeable lenses, advanced controls, and respectable video for its era. It suits enthusiasts, learners, and even pros on a budget who want creative control and superior image quality without bulk.

Final Thoughts

Both cameras illustrate how the state of digital photography was evolving around 2010. Samsung’s ST95 crystallizes the ultracompact point-and-shoot ideal - simple, handy, but technologically limited. Sony’s NEX-5 opened the doors to mirrorless systems, blending compactness with camera-like control and quality.

Photography enthusiasts willing to embrace some learning curve and potentially expand their lens kits stand to gain far more from the NEX-5’s flexible platform. Meanwhile, users craving convenience and instant shareability in a pocket-friendly design might find a niche with the ST95 despite its dated capabilities.

This comparison shows that sensor size and AF performance remain the biggest factors separating ultracompacts and mirrorless cameras, informing purchase decisions even today. Choose your tool wisely, based on your photographic goals, and you’ll enjoy shooting no matter the camera in your hands.

If you’re considering these models, think long-term: While Samsung’s ST95 may be a fun secondary backup for casual pullover shots, the Sony NEX-5 remains the better investment for photographers seeking serious quality without stepping into DSLR bulk or price.