Sony RX100 vs Sony WX5

In this article, we are matching up the Sony RX100 and Sony WX5, one is a Large Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both sold by Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the image resolutions of the RX100 (20MP) and WX5 (12MP) and the RX100 (1") and WX5 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The RX100 was launched 2 years after the WX5 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony WX5 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a in depth comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the RX100 scores versus the WX5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5. The complete galleries are available at Sony RX100 Gallery and Sony WX5 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and proportions. The Sony RX100 has outer dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs) and the Sony WX5 has measurements of 92mm x 52mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs).

Check out the Sony RX100 and Sony WX5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the RX100 against the WX5.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the RX100 and WX5 is 91 and 95 respectively.

Normally, its tough to see the contrast in sensor sizes only by seeing a spec sheet. The pic below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the RX100 and WX5.

Clearly, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The RX100 due to its larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Sony RX100 will show more detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos far more aggressively. The newer RX100 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.