Sony NEX-5 vs Sony RX100 III

Below is a thorough analysis of the Sony NEX-5 and Sony RX100 III, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and they are both sold by Sony. There is a considerable difference among the resolutions of the NEX-5 (14MP) and RX100 III (20MP) and the NEX-5 (APS-C) and RX100 III (1") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The NEX-5 was revealed 4 years before the RX100 III and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 III being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a quick overview of how the NEX-5 scores vs the RX100 III when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. The full galleries are provided at Sony NEX-5 Gallery & Sony RX100 III Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to think about its weight and size. The Sony NEX-5 enjoys outside measurements 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 RX100 III has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") having a weight of 290 grams (0.64 lbs).

Check the Sony NEX-5 and Sony RX100 III in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you choose at the time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the NEX-5 vs the RX100 III.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-5 and RX100 III is 89 and 89 respectively.

Often, it's tough to envision the difference in sensor measurements simply by seeing specifications. The graphic underneath might provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the NEX-5 and RX100 III.

Plainly, both of those cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The NEX-5 using its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Sony RX100 III will show more detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older NEX-5 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.