Sony NEX-5N vs Sony RX100 II

Let's take a deeper look at the Sony NEX-5N versus Sony RX100 II, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both are manufactured by Sony. The image resolution of the NEX-5N (16MP) and the RX100 II (20MP) is relatively close but the NEX-5N (APS-C) and RX100 II (1") feature different sensor sizing.

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The NEX-5N was launched 21 months before the RX100 II which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go through a in-depth comparison, below is a short view of how the NEX-5N matches up against the RX100 II for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha NEX-5N & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. The complete galleries are viewable at Sony NEX-5N Gallery & Sony RX100 II Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Sony NEX-5N offers physical measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Sony RX100 II has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs).

Contrast the Sony NEX-5N versus Sony RX100 II in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the NEX-5N versus the RX100 II.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the NEX-5N and RX100 II is 89 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to picture the difference in sensor measurements purely by researching technical specs. The photograph below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the NEX-5N and RX100 II.

As you have seen, both the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The NEX-5N due to its bigger sensor is going to make getting bokeh less difficult and the Sony RX100 II will provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures much more aggressively. The older NEX-5N will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.