Sony A500 vs Sony NEX-5

Here is a thorough overview of the Sony A500 vs Sony NEX-5, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both offered by Sony. The resolution of the A500 (12MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is pretty close and they feature the same exact sensor measurements (APS-C).

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The A500 was brought out 9 months prior to the NEX-5 which means that they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a complete comparison, below is a brief summary of how the A500 matches up against the NEX-5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are viewable at Sony A500 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry your camera, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Sony A500 has physical measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Analyze the Sony A500 vs Sony NEX-5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are working with at that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the A500 vs the NEX-5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the A500 and NEX-5 is 63 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizing only by viewing specs. The photograph here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the A500 and NEX-5.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Sony NEX-5 to provide you with greater detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The older A500 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.