Sony NEX-5N vs Sony RX1

Its time to take a deeper look at the Sony NEX-5N versus Sony RX1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact and both are produced by Sony. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the NEX-5N (16MP) and RX1 (24MP) and the NEX-5N (APS-C) and RX1 (Full frame) have totally different sensor sizes.

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The NEX-5N was revealed 16 months earlier than the RX1 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the NEX-5N scores vs the RX1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha NEX-5N and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1. The full galleries are available at Sony NEX-5N Gallery and Sony RX1 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and measurements. The Sony NEX-5N has got external dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Sony RX1 has proportions of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") with a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

See the Sony NEX-5N versus Sony RX1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at that time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the NEX-5N against the RX1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-5N and RX1 is 89 and 79 respectively.

Quite often, it is very difficult to see the gap in sensor measurements only by looking through specifications. The graphic here may give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the NEX-5N and RX1.

To sum up, both the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The NEX-5N using its smaller sensor will make getting bokeh trickier and the Sony RX1 will render extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos way more aggressively. The older NEX-5N will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.