Sony A700 vs Sony NEX-5

On this page, we are comparing the Sony A700 and Sony NEX-5, former is a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are designed by Sony. The sensor resolution of the A700 (12MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is very comparable and both cameras posses the same sensor sizes (APS-C).

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The A700 was launched 3 years earlier than the NEX-5 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a quick overview of how the A700 scores vs the NEX-5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are viewable at Sony A700 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Sony A700 enjoys external measurements of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5 has specifications of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Examine the Sony A700 and Sony NEX-5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the A700 vs the NEX-5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A700 and NEX-5 is 58 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions only by seeing a spec sheet. The pic underneath should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the A700 and NEX-5.

As you can see, each of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but not the same MP. You can expect to see the Sony NEX-5 to show greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The more aged A700 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.