Sony NEX-5T vs Sony A99

Lets look a bit more closely at the Sony NEX-5T and Sony A99, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR and both are sold by Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the NEX-5T (16MP) and A99 (24MP) and the NEX-5T (APS-C) and A99 (Full frame) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The NEX-5T was introduced 9 months after the A99 and they are of a similar generation. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Sony NEX-5T being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A99 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a quick overview of how the NEX-5T scores versus the A99 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha NEX-5T and Sony SLT-A99. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony NEX-5T Gallery and Sony A99 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Sony NEX-5T enjoys physical dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs) whilst the Sony A99 has specifications of 147mm x 111mm x 78mm (5.8" x 4.4" x 3.1") and a weight of 812 grams (1.79 lbs).

Contrast the Sony NEX-5T and Sony A99 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the NEX-5T and the A99.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the NEX-5T and A99 is 89 and 57 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to see the difference between sensor sizes only by reading through technical specs. The image underneath may give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the NEX-5T and A99.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The NEX-5T using its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A99 will resolve greater detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs much more aggressively. The younger NEX-5T will have an edge with regard to sensor tech.