Sony NEX-5 vs Sony HX80

On this page, we will be evaluating the Sony NEX-5 versus Sony HX80, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both designed by Sony. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the NEX-5 (14MP) and HX80 (18MP) and the NEX-5 (APS-C) and HX80 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The NEX-5 was announced 6 years earlier than the HX80 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a thorough comparison, here is a concise summary of how the NEX-5 grades versus the HX80 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha NEX-5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80. The whole galleries are provided at Sony NEX-5 Gallery and Sony HX80 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Sony NEX-5 has outer measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs) whilst the Sony HX80 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") with a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Compare the Sony NEX-5 versus Sony HX80 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the NEX-5 and the HX80.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-5 and HX80 is 89 and 91 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing just by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic here will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the NEX-5 and HX80.

As you can see, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The NEX-5 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Sony HX80 will provide you with more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots more aggressively. The older NEX-5 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.