Updated (August, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot G12 vs Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-5N

67

Winner

Sony NEX-5N

Reasons to buy the Sony NEX-5N

Overall image quality
Great image quality
77.0
Light sensitivity
High ISO
25,600 ISO
Touch screen
Touch screen
Less buttons
Supports 24p
24p movies
For that film look
Color depth
Great color depth
23.6 bits
Dynamic range
Wide dynamic range
12.7 EV
Canon PowerShot G11

55

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot G11

Image stabilization
Image stabilization
Lens
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Macro focus
Great macro
1 cm
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Tunnel
Built-in flash
Built-in flash
Usually standard

differences

Advantages of the Canon G11

Image stabilization Image stabilization Lens vs None
Help
Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Built-in flash Built-in flash Yes vs No
Help
A built-in flash is useful for taking indoor shots where there is little light
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Tunnel vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Canon PowerShot G11 Learn more about
the Canon G11

Advantages of the Sony NEX-5N

Overall image quality Much better image quality 77.0 vs 47.0
Help
More than 60% better image quality
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 60fps vs 480p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots high resolution Full HD (1080p) video at a higher frame rate
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 25,600 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
The NEX-5N's maximum light sensitivity is 3 f-stops better
Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen 920k dots vs 461k dots
Help
Around 2x higher resolution screen
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
Get that real film feel
Touch screen Has a touch screen Yes vs No
Help
Fewer buttons to worry about and direct interaction with camera menus
Color depth Better color depth 23.6 bits vs 20.4 bits
Help
Distinguishes 3.2 more bits of color
3D Takes 3D photos Yes vs No
Help
Combines multiple photos into a 3D image
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Screen size Larger screen 3.0" vs 2.8"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution 16 MP vs 10 MP
Help
Capture more than 60% more detail in your photos
Sensor size Much larger sensor APS-C 23.4x15.6mm vs 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
Help
Around 8.5x larger sensor
Panorama Can create panoramas in-camera Yes vs No
Help
Stitches together multiple photos for a wide perspective
Dynamic range More dynamic range 12.7 EV vs 11.1 EV
Help
1.6 f-stops more dynamic range
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO 1,079 ISO vs 169 ISO
Help
The NEX-5N has excellent image quality 2.7 f-stops higher ISO than the G11
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 10 fps vs 1.1 fps
Help
More than 9x faster continuous shooting
Interchangeable lenses Has interchangeable lenses Yes vs No
Help
Can take advantage of a variety of lenses
Size Smaller 111x59x38 mm vs 112x76x48 mm
Help
Around 40% smaller
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Weight Lighter 269 g vs 375 g
Help
Around 30% lighter
Thickness Thinner 1.5" vs 1.9"
Help
More than 20% thinner
Longest exposure Longer exposures 30s vs 15s
Help
2x longer exposures
Sony NEX-5N Learn more about
the Sony NEX-5N
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digital cameras, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot G11 Canon PowerShot G11
55 vs 67
Explain scores
Sony NEX-5N Sony NEX-5N
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Sony NEX-5N. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro digicam with a mirrorless interchangeable-lens.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent digital cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Screen flips out Flip-out screens Help
Great for movies
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
External flash Support external flash Help
Better lighting
Fastest shutter speed Fast max shutter speeds Help
1/4000 of a second

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting weaknesses shared by these two products.

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$569 with 18-55mm lens

Startup delay Has slightly less startup delay
Battery life Has a slightly shorter battery life
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Startup delay Has slightly less startup delay
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$619 - $700 body only

$745 - $1,000 with 18-55mm lens

True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Canon PowerShot G1X

Canon PowerShot G1X

Boutique

$799 - $800

Longest exposure Significantly longer exposures
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Aperture Has a significantly wider aperture
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only

Longest exposure Significantly longer exposures
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Battery life Has a slightly shorter battery life

Canon PowerShot G11 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Supports 24p Supports 24p
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Weight Slightly heavier
Canon PowerShot G10

Canon PowerShot G10

Pro digicam

Screen size Larger screen
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Nikon Coolpix P7000

Nikon Coolpix P7000

Pro digicam

$249

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Canon PowerShot G9

Canon PowerShot G9

Pro digicam

Screen size Larger screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Much worse wide angle
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Zoom Much more zoom
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Size Much larger
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen

Sony NEX-5N Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony NEX-7

Sony NEX-7

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$1,200 body only

$1,350 - $1,499 with 18-55mm lens

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Touch screen No touch screen
Light sensitivity Worse maximum light sensitivity
Nikon 1 J1

Nikon 1 J1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$547 with 10-30mm lens

High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Continuous shooting Shoots much faster
Light sensitivity Worse maximum light sensitivity
Overall image quality Significantly worse image quality
Sony NEX-F3

Sony NEX-F3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$600 with 18-55mm lens

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Built-in flash Built-in flash
Touch screen No touch screen
Movie continuous focus Doesn't focus continuously recording movies
Sony NEX C3

Sony NEX C3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$548 with 16mm lens

Startup delay Less startup delay
Weight Slightly lighter
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Supports 24p No 24p support

appearance

Canon PowerShot G11 Sony NEX-5N
Canon PowerShot G11 Sony NEX-5N
Canon PowerShot G11 Sony NEX-5N

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