Sony NEX-5R vs Sony W560

In this write-up, we will be contrasting the Sony NEX-5R and Sony W560, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Ultracompact and they are both built by Sony. The image resolution of the NEX-5R (16MP) and the W560 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the NEX-5R (APS-C) and W560 (1/2.3") come with different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The NEX-5R was released 21 months after the W560 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W560 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the NEX-5R scores against the W560 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Alpha NEX-5R and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W560. The complete galleries are available at Sony NEX-5R Gallery and Sony W560 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Sony NEX-5R offers external dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Sony W560 has dimensions of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Examine the Sony NEX-5R and Sony W560 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the NEX-5R vs the W560.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the NEX-5R and W560 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizes purely by reading through specs. The pic underneath may provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the NEX-5R and W560.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The NEX-5R because of its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Sony NEX-5R will give greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The more recent NEX-5R should have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.