Sony NEX-5 vs Sony RX100 VA

Here is a detailed overview of the Sony NEX-5 versus Sony RX100 VA, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact and both are produced by Sony. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the NEX-5 (14MP) and RX100 VA (20MP) and the NEX-5 (APS-C) and RX100 VA (1") boast different sensor size.

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The NEX-5 was announced 9 years before the RX100 VA and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 VA being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a simple overview of how the NEX-5 scores against the RX100 VA with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha NEX-5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V(A). The whole galleries are available at Sony NEX-5 Gallery and Sony RX100 VA Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Sony NEX-5 has exterior measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs) while the Sony RX100 VA has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") and a weight of 299 grams (0.66 lbs).

Examine the Sony NEX-5 versus Sony RX100 VA in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the NEX-5 and the RX100 VA.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-5 and RX100 VA is 89 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizing only by going through specifications. The visual below might give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the NEX-5 and RX100 VA.

To sum up, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The NEX-5 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Sony RX100 VA will produce greater detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The older NEX-5 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.