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Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V

Portability
89
Imaging
54
Features
58
Overall
55
Sony Alpha NEX-5 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V front
Portability
90
Imaging
42
Features
50
Overall
45

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V Key Specs

Sony NEX-5
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 287g - 111 x 59 x 38mm
  • Launched June 2010
  • Later Model is Sony NEX-5N
Sony HX30V
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-500mm (F3.2-5.8) lens
  • 254g - 107 x 62 x 35mm
  • Launched February 2012
  • Older Model is Sony HX20V
  • New Model is Sony HX50V
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Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V Overview

Here is a comprehensive assessment of the Sony NEX-5 and Sony HX30V, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Sony. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the NEX-5 (14MP) and HX30V (18MP) and the NEX-5 (APS-C) and HX30V (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

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The NEX-5 was revealed 21 months earlier than the HX30V making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX30V being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a complete comparison, below is a concise overview of how the NEX-5 matches up against the HX30V for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Sony NEX-5 over the Sony HX30V

 NEX-5 HX30V 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Reasons to pick Sony HX30V over the Sony NEX-5

 HX30V NEX-5 
LaunchedFebruary 2012June 2010Fresher by 21 months
Display resolution922k920kSharper display (+2k dot)

Common features in the Sony NEX-5 and Sony HX30V

 NEX-5 HX30V 
Manual focus Very accurate focus
Display dimension3"3"Identical display measurement
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen
Touch friendly display Missing Touch friendly display

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V Physical Comparison

If you're intending to carry your camera regularly, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Sony NEX-5 has got exterior dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs) whilst the Sony HX30V has sizing of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check the Sony NEX-5 and Sony HX30V in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilising at the time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the NEX-5 versus the HX30V.

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the NEX-5 and HX30V is 89 and 90 respectively.

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V top view buttons comparison

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it's tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reviewing specs. The graphic underneath might provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the NEX-5 and HX30V.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The NEX-5 having a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Sony HX30V will offer you greater detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The older NEX-5 is going to be behind in sensor technology.

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V sensor size comparison

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V Screen and ViewFinder

Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Sony NEX-5 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony HX30V as a Portrait photography camera
72
manual focus
megapixel count good (14 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
45
focusing manually
decent megapixels (18MP)
has face detect autofocus
can't use external flash
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Sony NEX-5 as a Street photography camera
Sony HX30V as a Street photography camera
76
tilting screen
decent sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
does not have image stabilization
61
has image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than others in class (254g)
no articulating screen
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Sony NEX-5 as a Sports photography camera
Sony HX30V as a Sports photography camera
52
megapixel count good (14 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
does not have image stabilization
has no phase detect autofocus
49
great zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (18 megapixels)
has tracking focus
no shutter priority
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Sony NEX-5 Travel photography advice
Sony HX30V Travel photography advice
59
megapixel count good (14MP)
missing Timelapse recording
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
69
lighter than others in class (254g)
decent megapixels (18MP)
has built in flash
reasonably wide (25mm)
long reach (500mm)
missing Timelapse mode
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
sluggish max aperture (f3.2)
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Sony NEX-5 Landscape photography highlights
Sony HX30V Landscape photography highlights
68
manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Sony E mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
megapixel count good (14 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
does not have image stabilization
missing Timelapse recording
50
focusing manually
reasonably wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (18 megapixels)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.2)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
missing Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Sony NEX-5 Vlogging details
Sony HX30V Vlogging details
28
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
does not have image stabilization
missing external microphone port
34
reasonably wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
has face detect autofocus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than others in class (254g)
sluggish max aperture (f3.2)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
missing microphone support
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Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX30V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony NEX-5 and Sony HX30V
 Sony Alpha NEX-5Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V
General Information
Brand Sony Sony
Model type Sony Alpha NEX-5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2010-06-07 2012-02-28
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Bionz BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size APS-C 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 23.4 x 15.6mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 365.0mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 18 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4592 x 3056 4896 x 3672
Highest native ISO 12800 12800
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW images
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Total focus points 25 9
Lens
Lens mount type Sony E fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-500mm (20.0x)
Maximum aperture - f/3.2-5.8
Macro focusing range - 1cm
Available lenses 121 -
Crop factor 1.5 5.8
Screen
Type of screen Tilting Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3" 3"
Screen resolution 920k dots 922k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen tech - XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 30s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s 1/1600s
Continuous shooting rate 7.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 12.00 m 7.10 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/160s -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format AVCHD MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
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 287 grams (0.63 lbs) 254 grams (0.56 lbs)
Dimensions 111 x 59 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") 107 x 62 x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 69 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 22.2 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.2 not tested
DXO Low light rating 796 not tested
Other
Battery life 330 pictures 320 pictures
Battery style Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID NPFW50 NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10sec (3 images)) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots One One
Cost at launch $599 $420