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Sony A500 vs Sony HX5

Portability
63
Imaging
52
Features
52
Overall
52
Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 front
Portability
92
Imaging
33
Features
30
Overall
31

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 Key Specs

Sony A500
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 630g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Released August 2009
  • New Model is Sony A560
Sony HX5
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.4" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 200g - 102 x 58 x 29mm
  • Launched June 2010
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Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 Overview

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Sony A500 and Sony HX5, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both designed by Sony. The image resolution of the A500 (12MP) and the HX5 (10MP) is fairly comparable but the A500 (APS-C) and HX5 (1/2.4") provide different sensor measurements.

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The A500 was unveiled 9 months earlier than the HX5 and they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the A500 matches up vs the HX5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Sony A500 over the Sony HX5

 A500 HX5 
Focus manually Dial exact focus
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Reasons to pick Sony HX5 over the Sony A500

 HX5 A500 
LaunchedJune 2010August 2009More modern by 9 months

Common features in the Sony A500 and Sony HX5

 A500 HX5 
Display size3"3"Same display measurements
Display resolution230k230kEqual display resolution
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch display Neither contains Touch display

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera, you have to factor its weight and proportions. The Sony A500 has got outer 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) and the Sony HX5 has measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Check out the Sony A500 and Sony HX5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the A500 vs the HX5.

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability score of the A500 and HX5 is 63 and 92 respectively.

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 top view buttons comparison

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, its difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizes simply by seeing technical specs. The picture here should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the A500 and HX5.

As you have seen, both of those cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The A500 with its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Sony A500 will produce extra detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos way more aggressively. The more aged A500 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 sensor size comparison

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 Screen and ViewFinder

Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Sony A500
Portrait photography with Sony HX5
63
you can focus manually
good sensor size (APS-C)
has face detect focusing
delivers RAW formats
low MP (12MP)
19
no manual focus
external flash not possible
MP count low (10MP)
sensor is tiny (1/2.4")
does not have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Sony A500 Street photography advice
Sony HX5 Street photography advice
74
screen tilts up and down
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
55
built in image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
sensor is tiny (1/2.4")
does not have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Sony A500 Sports photography highlights
Sony HX5 Sports photography highlights
51
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (APS-C)
comes with phase detect AF
painfully slow continuous shooting (5.0 frames per second)
low MP (12MP)
terrible battery life (520 per charge)
26
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lack of shutter priority mode
MP count low (10MP)
sensor is tiny (1/2.4")
does not have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Sony A500 Travel photography advice
Sony HX5 Travel photography advice
43
built-in flash
doesn't have Timelapse function
terrible battery life (520 CIPA)
low MP (12 megapixels)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
60
flash built-in
reasonably wide (25mm)
very long reach (250mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
MP count low (10MP)
screen is not selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Sony A500 Landscape photography advice
Sony HX5 Landscape photography advice
60
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
pretty good screen size (3")
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
low MP (12 megapixels)
terrible battery life (520 CIPA)
doesn't have Timelapse function
37
reasonably wide (25mm)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.5)
MP count low (10 megapixels)
sensor is tiny (1/2.4")
does not have RAW files
doesn't have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Sony A500 Vlogging information
Sony HX5 Vlogging information
9
can't record video
31
reasonably wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
sluggish max aperture (f3.5)
screen is not selfie friendly
doesn't have external mic support
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Sony A500 vs Sony HX5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony A500 and Sony HX5
 Sony Alpha DSLR-A500Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5
General Information
Brand Name Sony Sony
Model type Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5
Type Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Released 2009-08-27 2010-06-16
Physical type Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by Bionz Bionz
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size APS-C 1/2.4"
Sensor dimensions 23.5 x 15.6mm 6.104 x 4.578mm
Sensor surface area 366.6mm² 27.9mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 10 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution 4272 x 2848 3456 x 2592
Max native ISO 12800 3200
Lowest native ISO 200 125
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points 9 9
Lens
Lens mount type Sony/Minolta Alpha fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-250mm (10.0x)
Highest aperture - f/3.5-5.5
Macro focusing range - 5cm
Number of lenses 143 -
Crop factor 1.5 5.9
Screen
Screen type Tilting Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Screen resolution 230k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.53x -
Features
Lowest shutter speed 30 secs 30 secs
Highest shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/1600 secs
Continuous shooting rate 5.0 frames per sec 10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 12.00 m 3.80 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless Auto, On, Off, Slow syncro
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize 1/160 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (60, 30fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution None 1920x1080
Video file format - AVCHD
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 630 gr (1.39 lb) 200 gr (0.44 lb)
Physical dimensions 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") 102 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 64 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.8 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 11.6 not tested
DXO Low light rating 772 not tested
Other
Battery life 520 photos -
Battery style Battery Pack -
Battery ID NP-FM500H NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, portrait1/portrait2)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo/ PRO HG-Duo, optional SD/SDHC, Internal
Card slots Single Single
Launch pricing $638 $275