Sony A580 vs Sony NEX-5

Here, we will be comparing the Sony A580 and Sony NEX-5, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are built by Sony. The resolution of the A580 (16MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is relatively well matched and both cameras provide the identical sensor measurements (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The A580 was launched 12 months later than the NEX-5 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a complete comparison, here is a concise summary of how the A580 matches up versus the NEX-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are viewable at Sony A580 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Sony A580 offers outer measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has sizing 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 Sony A580 and Sony NEX-5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have at the time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the A580 vs the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A580 and NEX-5 is 64 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to visualise the difference between sensor measurements only by reading through technical specs. The visual underneath should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the A580 and NEX-5.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same MP. You can count on the Sony A580 to resolve extra detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more recent A580 will have a benefit in sensor technology.