Sony A300 vs Sony NEX-5R

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Sony A300 versus Sony NEX-5R, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are designed by Sony. There is a significant difference among the sensor resolutions of the A300 (10MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor dimensions (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The A300 was introduced 5 years before the NEX-5R and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Sony A300 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the A300 grades against the NEX-5R when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A300 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The whole galleries are available at Sony A300 Gallery and Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you have to factor its weight and size. The Sony A300 offers physical measurements of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5R has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Analyze the Sony A300 versus Sony NEX-5R in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with at the time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the A300 vs the NEX-5R.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the A300 and NEX-5R is 64 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to see the contrast in sensor measurements merely by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the A300 and NEX-5R.

As you can see, both of the cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Sony NEX-5R to provide extra detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The older A300 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.