Sony A550 vs Sony NEX-5N

On this page, we will be looking at the Sony A550 vs Sony NEX-5N, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are designed by Sony. The resolution of the A550 (14MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is pretty comparable and both cameras offer the same sensor dimensions (APS-C).

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The A550 was announced 22 months prior to the NEX-5N which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a complete comparison, here is a short view of how the A550 grades versus the NEX-5N in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 and Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The whole galleries are available at Sony A550 Gallery and Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Sony A550 provides outer dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5N has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check out the Sony A550 vs Sony NEX-5N in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the A550 and the NEX-5N.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A550 and NEX-5N is 63 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to picture the contrast in sensor sizes only by seeing technical specs. The picture here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the A550 and NEX-5N.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You should expect the Sony NEX-5N to produce more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged A550 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.