Nikon 1
J1
 vs
Sony
NEX-5N

Sony NEX-5N

100
Winner

Sony NEX-5N

Reasons to buy the Sony NEX-5N

Low light performance
 Low noise at high ISO
1,079 ISO
Overall image quality
 Great image quality
77.0
Color depth
 Great color depth
23.6 bits
Dynamic range
 Wide dynamic range
12.7 EV
Light sensitivity
 High ISO
25,600 ISO
Touch screen
 Touch screen
Less buttons
Nikon 1 J1

59
Runner-up

Nikon 1 J1

Reasons to buy the Nikon 1 J1

High-speed framerate
 High speed movies
1,200 fps
Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
60 fps
Badge
 Phase detection video autofocus
fast and accurate
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
94 ms shutter lag
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Badge
 Phase detection autofocus
fast and accurate

differences

Advantages of the Nikon J1
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies 1,200 fps vs None
Help
 Capture events too fast for the naked eye and play them back in super-slow motion
Continuous shooting Shoots much faster 60 fps vs 10 fps
Help
 6x faster continuous shooting
Autofocus Faster autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
 Catch candid moments easily
Focus points Many more focus points 135 vs 25
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Autofocus Faster video autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
 Shoot videos without worrying about focus
Startup delay Significantly less startup delay 1400 ms vs 1900 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when turning on
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 94 ms vs 235 ms
Help
 2.5x less delay when taking photos
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/16000s vs 1/4000s
Help
 4x faster max shutter speed
Size Smaller 106x61x29 mm vs 111x59x38 mm
Help
 More than 20% smaller
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
Thickness Thinner 1.2" vs 1.5"
Help
 More than 20% thinner
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $546.95 vs $598.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $51 cheaper (around 10% less)
Nikon 1 J1 Learn more about
the Nikon J1

Advantages of the Sony NEX-5N
Low light performance Much lower noise at high ISO 1,079 ISO vs 372 ISO
Help
 The NEX-5N has excellent image quality 1.5 f-stops higher ISO than the J1
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality 77.0 vs 56.0
Help
 Around 40% better image quality
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 460k dots
Help
 2x higher resolution screen
Battery life Much longer battery life 460 shots vs 230 shots
Help
 2x more shots per battery charge
Dynamic range More dynamic range 12.7 EV vs 11 EV
Help
 1.7 f-stops more dynamic range
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
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
 Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Color depth Better color depth 23.6 bits vs 21.5 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 2.1 more bits of color
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
 Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Panorama Can create panoramas in-camera Yes vs No
Help
 Stitches together multiple photos for a wide perspective
3D Takes 3D photos Yes vs No
Help
 Combines multiple photos into a 3D image
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution 16 MP vs 10 MP
Help
 Capture around 60% more detail in your photos
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor APS-C 23.4x15.6mm vs 1" 13.2x8.8mm
Help
 More than 3x larger sensor
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
 An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 8 lenses vs 4 lenses
Help
 2x more lenses available
Sony NEX-5N Learn more about
the Sony NEX-5N
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent mirrorless cameras, and ignoring price

Nikon 1 J1 Nikon 1 J1
59 vs 100
Explain scores
Sony NEX-5N Sony NEX-5N
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Sony NEX-5N.

advice

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I am considering either the Nikon J1 or the Sony NEX-5N,
For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

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0
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by Caleb-Schroeder last week
Nikon J1 vs Sony NEX-5N

I take mostly concert photos .. I own a Nikon 1 which does the job fairly well but got to carry ...
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I have to date had only point and shoot cameras. I am a beginner. I would like to take a photo...
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Nikon J1 vs Sony NEX-5N

I am a beginner. I want to take child’s photos. Video function is important to me too.
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by Meg-Stevens yesterday
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I'm intermediate.  I take hundreds of pictures but am not well versed in SLR cameras yet
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I am a beginner. My husband has a Nikon D7000 but I find it too bulky. Although the picture qual...

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"The Nikon 1 J1 has and optional lens adapter that would make you use your husband's lenses since h..."

" The J1 has too small of a sensor for high quality photos in anything but bright daylight. Nikon ..."

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similarities

Compared to recent mirrorless cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Movie format Full HD (1080p) video Help
J1:1080p @ 30fps
NEX-5N:1080p @ 60fps
Movie continuous focus Focus continuously recording movies Help
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
Size Fairly small Help
J1:106x61x29 mm
NEX-5N:111x59x38 mm
Weight Light weight Help
J1:277 g
NEX-5N:269 g
Longest exposure Short max exposure time Help
30 seconds
Lens availability Few lenses available Help
J1:4 lenses
NEX-5N:8 lenses
External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
Limited to the in-camera mic
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Viewfinder No viewfinders Help
Can only preview photos on the screen

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Sony NEX-7

Sony NEX-7

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$1,200 body only

$1,350 - $1,499 with 18-55mm lens
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder
True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Compare the NEX-7 vs the 1 J1
Compare the NEX-7 vs the NEX-5N
Sony Alpha NEX-5

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$569 with 18-55mm lens
Startup delay Has significantly less startup delay
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Alpha NEX-5 vs the 1 J1
Compare the Alpha NEX-5 vs the NEX-5N
Nikon 1 V1

Nikon 1 V1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$797 - $947 with 10-30mm lens
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the 1 V1 vs the 1 J1
Compare the 1 V1 vs the NEX-5N
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder
Startup delay Has much less startup delay
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5100 vs the 1 J1
Compare the D5100 vs the NEX-5N
Sony NEX C3

Sony NEX C3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$548 with 16mm lens
Startup delay Has slightly less startup delay
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Shutter lag Has much more shutter lag
Compare the NEX C3 vs the 1 J1
Compare the NEX C3 vs the NEX-5N
Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$619 - $700 body only

$745 - $1,000 with 18-55mm lens
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the 1 J1
Compare the Rebel T3i vs the NEX-5N
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available
Longest exposure Significantly longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Shutter lag Has significantly more shutter lag
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF3 vs the 1 J1
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF3 vs the NEX-5N

Nikon 1 J1 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Nikon 1 J1.

Sony NEX-5N Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
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
Compare the NEX-F3 vs the NEX-5N

appearance

Nikon 1 J1 Sony NEX-5N
Nikon 1 J1 Sony NEX-5N
Nikon 1 J1 Sony NEX-5N

discussion

Showing 2 comments

Hnguy47 (5:50 PM, January 07, 2012)
I have an eight month old little girl. I have no experience in photography but would like to capture all of those candid moments with and of her. I noticed that the comparisons reported that the Nikon was quicker at snapping pictures than the Sony but the Sony was better with the quality of photos. I was wondering if the difference of the speed between the two outweighed the quality comparisons of the results. Any advice would be helpful!! Thanks in advance.
 
Avatar for David Abades David Abades (4:13 PM, January 01, 2012)
for video which is best?