Sony NEX-5N vs Sony W800

Lets look more closely at the Sony NEX-5N versus Sony W800, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both created by Sony. The resolution of the NEX-5N (16MP) and the W800 (20MP) is pretty similar but the NEX-5N (APS-C) and W800 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor measurements.

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The NEX-5N was announced 3 years earlier than the W800 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W800 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple view of how the NEX-5N matches up vs the W800 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-5N and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800. The whole galleries are available at Sony NEX-5N Gallery and Sony W800 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Sony NEX-5N comes with exterior measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Sony W800 has dimensions of 97mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check the Sony NEX-5N versus Sony W800 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is a front view scale comparison of the NEX-5N against the W800.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-5N and W800 is 89 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to see the gap between sensor sizing just by going over specifications. The graphic below might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the NEX-5N and W800.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The NEX-5N having a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Sony W800 will offer you more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots more aggressively. The older NEX-5N is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.