Sony NEX-5N vs Sony TX30

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Sony NEX-5N and Sony TX30, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact and both are produced by Sony. The image resolution of the NEX-5N (16MP) and the TX30 (18MP) is pretty similar but the NEX-5N (APS-C) and TX30 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The NEX-5N was unveiled 22 months earlier than the TX30 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony TX30 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going straight into a in depth comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the NEX-5N matches up against the TX30 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-5N & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30. The full galleries are viewable at Sony NEX-5N Gallery & Sony TX30 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Sony NEX-5N has outer measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Sony TX30 has dimensions of 96mm x 59mm x 15mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.6") having a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

See the Sony NEX-5N and Sony TX30 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the NEX-5N versus the TX30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the NEX-5N and TX30 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to envision the gap between sensor measurements merely by reviewing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the NEX-5N and TX30.

As you can see, each of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The NEX-5N using its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Sony TX30 will deliver extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots a little more aggressively. The older NEX-5N is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.