Samsung TL500 vs Sony NEX-5

Here, we are looking at the Samsung TL500 versus Sony NEX-5, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Samsung and Sony. There exists a large gap among the image resolutions of the TL500 (10MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the TL500 (1/1.7") and NEX-5 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizing.

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The TL500 was introduced 2 months after the NEX-5 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Samsung TL500 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a concise summation of how the TL500 grades against the NEX-5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Samsung TL500 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The whole galleries are viewable at Samsung TL500 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Samsung TL500 offers external dimensions of 114mm x 63mm x 29mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.1") and a weight of 386 grams (0.85 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).

Compare the Samsung TL500 versus Sony NEX-5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use at the time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the TL500 compared to the NEX-5.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the TL500 and NEX-5 is 88 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes just by viewing specifications. The image below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the TL500 and NEX-5.

To sum up, the 2 cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The TL500 using its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony NEX-5 will provide you with greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively.