Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55
89 Imaging
56 Features
69 Overall
61
67 Imaging
56 Features
80 Overall
65
Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 16MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Tilting Screen
- ISO 100 - 25600
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Sony E Mount
- 269g - 111 x 59 x 38mm
- Announced October 2011
- Succeeded the Sony NEX-5
- Newer Model is Sony NEX-5R
(Full Review)
- 16MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Fully Articulated Screen
- ISO 100 - 12800 (Boost to 25600)
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
- 500g - 124 x 92 x 85mm
- Introduced August 2010
- Renewed by Sony A57
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55 Overview
Lets take a deeper look at the Sony NEX-5N and Sony A55, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR and both of them are offered by Sony. The resolution of the NEX-5N (16MP) and the A55 (16MP) is pretty close and they use the exact same sensor size (APS-C).
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideThe NEX-5N was released 14 months later than the A55 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both cameras come with different body type with the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.
Before getting straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise overview of how the NEX-5N grades vs the A55 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.
Photography Glossary Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55 Gallery
Below is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-5N & Sony SLT-A55. The complete galleries are provided at Sony NEX-5N Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Sony NEX-5N over the Sony A55
| NEX-5N | A55 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced | October 2011 |  | August 2010 | Fresher by 14 months |
| Touch screen |  | Quickly navigate |
Reasons to pick Sony A55 over the Sony NEX-5N
| A55 | NEX-5N | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen type | Fully Articulated |  | Tilting | Fully Articulating screen |
| Screen resolution | 921k |  | 920k | Crisper screen (+1k dot) |
| Selfie screen |  | Easy selfies |
Common features in the Sony NEX-5N and Sony A55
| NEX-5N | A55 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus manually |  | Dial exact focusing | ||
| Screen dimension | 3" |  | 3" | Identical screen size |
Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55 Physical Comparison
For anyone who is intending to carry your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Sony NEX-5N comes with 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) while the Sony A55 has sizing of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).
Contrast the Sony NEX-5N and Sony A55 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is the front view size comparison of the NEX-5N and the A55.
Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-5N and A55 is 89 and 67 respectively.
Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55 Sensor Comparison
More often than not, it is very difficult to visualise the difference in sensor sizing simply by researching technical specs. The photograph below will help offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the NEX-5N and A55.
As you have seen, both of those cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements and the same resolution and you can expect comparable quality of photographs though you need to take the launch date of the cameras into account. The more modern NEX-5N will have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.
Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55 Screen and ViewFinder
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Sony NEX-5N vs Sony A55 Specifications
| Sony Alpha NEX-5N | Sony SLT-A55 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Brand Name | Sony | Sony |
| Model type | Sony Alpha NEX-5N | Sony SLT-A55 |
| Category | Entry-Level Mirrorless | Entry-Level DSLR |
| Announced | 2011-10-03 | 2010-08-24 |
| Physical type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless | Compact SLR |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Processor Chip | Bionz | Bionz |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | APS-C | APS-C |
| Sensor dimensions | 23.4 x 15.6mm | 23.5 x 15.6mm |
| Sensor surface area | 365.0mm² | 366.6mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 16MP | 16MP |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 3:2 and 16:9 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Peak resolution | 4912 x 3264 | 4912 x 3264 |
| Highest native ISO | 25600 | 12800 |
| Highest enhanced ISO | - | 25600 |
| Min native ISO | 100 | 100 |
| RAW data | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Manual focusing | ||
| Touch to focus | ||
| Autofocus continuous | ||
| Single autofocus | ||
| Autofocus tracking | ||
| Selective autofocus | ||
| Center weighted autofocus | ||
| Multi area autofocus | ||
| Autofocus live view | ||
| Face detection autofocus | ||
| Contract detection autofocus | ||
| Phase detection autofocus | ||
| Total focus points | 25 | 15 |
| Cross type focus points | - | 3 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mount type | Sony E | Sony/Minolta Alpha |
| Total lenses | 121 | 143 |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Screen | ||
| Screen type | Tilting | Fully Articulated |
| Screen size | 3 inch | 3 inch |
| Screen resolution | 920 thousand dots | 921 thousand dots |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch functionality | ||
| Screen technology | Tilt Up 80°, Down 45° TFT LCD | - |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | Electronic (optional) | Electronic |
| Viewfinder resolution | - | 1,150 thousand dots |
| Viewfinder coverage | - | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.73x |
| Features | ||
| Min shutter speed | 30 secs | 30 secs |
| Max shutter speed | 1/4000 secs | 1/4000 secs |
| Continuous shutter rate | 10.0 frames per sec | 10.0 frames per sec |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Expose Manually | ||
| Exposure compensation | Yes | Yes |
| Custom white balance | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Built-in flash | ||
| Flash distance | 12.00 m | 10.00 m (@ ISO 100) |
| Flash options | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless |
| External flash | ||
| AEB | ||
| White balance bracketing | ||
| Max flash synchronize | 1/160 secs | 1/160 secs |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment metering | ||
| Average metering | ||
| Spot metering | ||
| Partial metering | ||
| AF area metering | ||
| Center weighted metering | ||
| Video features | ||
| Supported video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) | 1920 x 1080 (60, 29.97 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps) |
| Highest video resolution | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 |
| Video format | AVCHD | MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 |
| Mic support | ||
| Headphone support | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | Eye-Fi Connected | Eye-Fi Connected |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | BuiltIn |
| Physical | ||
| Environmental sealing | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 269 grams (0.59 lbs) | 500 grams (1.10 lbs) |
| Dimensions | 111 x 59 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") | 124 x 92 x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO Overall rating | 77 | 73 |
| DXO Color Depth rating | 23.6 | 23.0 |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | 12.7 | 12.4 |
| DXO Low light rating | 1079 | 816 |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | 460 photographs | 380 photographs |
| Battery style | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery ID | NPFW50 | NP-FW50 |
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10sec (3 images)) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Time lapse feature | ||
| Storage type | SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo | SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo |
| Card slots | One | One |
| Launch pricing | $550 | $800 |