Olympus
PEN E-P2
 vs
Sony Alpha
NEX-5

Updated (August, 2011): Compare the Olympus PEN E-P3 vs Sony NEX-5N

Sony Alpha NEX-5

80
"The system for manually positioning AF points is quick and easy to use."
dpreview.com | talking about the NEX-5's auto-focus
"High quality video mode"
dpreview.com | talking about the NEX-5's video-quality

Reasons to buy the Sony Alpha NEX-5

Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
920k dots
Dynamic range
 Wide dynamic range
12.2 EV
Startup delay
 Almost no delay when powering up
1000 ms startup delay
Screen flips out
 Flip-out screen
Great for movies
HDR
 In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Panorama
 In-camera panoramas
Stitches together multiple photos into a panorama
Olympus PEN E-P2

47
Runner-up

Olympus PEN E-P2

Reasons to buy the Olympus PEN E-P2

Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Sensor shift
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Size
 Really small
Mid size 121x70x36 mm
Thickness
 Thin
1.4"
Longest exposure
 Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-P2
Image stabilization Image stabilization Sensor shift vs None
Help
 Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Lens availability More lenses available 26 lenses vs 8 lenses
Help
 Around 3.5x more lenses available
Longest exposure Significantly longer exposures 60s vs 30s
Help
 2x longer exposures
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $479.95 vs $569.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $89 cheaper (around 20% less)
Thickness Slightly thinner 1.4" vs 1.5"
Help
 Around 10% thinner
Olympus PEN E-P2 Learn more about
the Olympus PEN E-P2

Advantages of the Sony NEX-5
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 920k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 4x higher resolution screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 796 ISO vs 505 ISO
Help
 The NEX-5 has a slight edge (0.7 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Dynamic range More dynamic range 12.2 EV vs 10.4 EV
Help
 1.8 f-stops more dynamic range
Overall image quality Better image quality 69.0 vs 56.0
Help
 More than 20% better image quality
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
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
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 12,800 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The NEX-5's maximum light sensitivity is 2 f-stops better
Color depth Better color depth 22.2 bits vs 21.5 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.7 more bits of color
Sensor size Larger sensor APS-C 23.4x15.6mm vs Four thirds 18.0x13.5mm
Help
 More than 50% larger sensor
True resolution Higher true resolution 14 MP vs 12.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 20% more detail in your photos
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 7 fps vs 3 fps
Help
 Around 2.5x faster continuous shooting
Size Smaller 111x59x38 mm vs 121x70x36 mm
Help
 Around 20% smaller
Weight Lighter 287 g vs 355 g
Help
 Around 20% lighter
Sony Alpha NEX-5 Learn more about
the Sony NEX-5
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent mirrorless cameras, and ignoring price

Olympus PEN E-P2 Olympus PEN E-P2
47 vs 80
Explain scores
Sony Alpha NEX-5 Sony Alpha NEX-5
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Sony Alpha NEX-5.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent mirrorless cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lowest price Inexpensive Help
PEN E-P2:$479.95
NEX-5:$569.00
Built-in flash No built-in flash Help
Professional
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
Limited to the in-camera mic
Supports 24p No support for 24p Help
Missing that film look
Viewfinder No viewfinders Help
Can only preview photos on the screen

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-5N

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$598 - $600 body only

$698 - $700 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Startup delay Has much more startup delay
Compare the NEX-5N vs the PEN E-P2
Compare the NEX-5N vs the Alpha NEX-5
Nikon 1 J1

Nikon 1 J1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$547 with 10-30mm lens
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Continuous shooting Shoots faster continuously
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Sensor size Has a marginally smaller sensor
Compare the 1 J1 vs the PEN E-P2
Compare the 1 J1 vs the Alpha NEX-5
Sony NEX C3

Sony NEX C3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$548 with 16mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Startup delay Has slightly more startup delay
Compare the NEX C3 vs the PEN E-P2
Compare the NEX C3 vs the Alpha NEX-5
Sony Alpha NEX-3

Sony Alpha NEX-3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$689 with 18-55mm lens
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Storage slots Has more storage slots
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Compare the Alpha NEX-3 vs the PEN E-P2
Compare the Alpha NEX-3 vs the Alpha NEX-5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Shutter lag Has slightly less shutter lag
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Startup delay Has much more startup delay
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF3 vs the PEN E-P2
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF3 vs the Alpha NEX-5
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$544 - $949 body only

$649 - $867 with 18-55mm lens
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the PEN E-P2
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the Alpha NEX-5
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is significantly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Compare the D5100 vs the PEN E-P2
Compare the D5100 vs the Alpha NEX-5

Olympus PEN E-P2 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Olympus PEN E-PL2

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$485 with 14-42mm lens
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO
Color depth Worse color depth
Dynamic range Less dynamic range
Compare the PEN E-PL2 vs the PEN E-P2
Olympus PEN E-P3

Olympus PEN E-P3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$849 - $900 with 17mm lens
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
Color depth Worse color depth
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the PEN E-P3 vs the PEN E-P2
Olympus PEN E-P1

Olympus PEN E-P1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$184 body only

$375 with 17mm lens
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO
Lowest price Cheaper
Color depth Worse color depth
Compare the PEN E-P1 vs the PEN E-P2
Olympus PEN E-PM1

Olympus PEN E-PM1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$500 with 14-42mm lens
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Panorama Can create panoramas in-camera
Color depth Worse color depth
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the PEN E-PM1 vs the PEN E-P2
Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$589 - $600 with 14-42mm lens
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Color depth Worse color depth
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the PEN Lite E-PL3 vs the PEN E-P2

Sony Alpha NEX-5 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Sony NEX-7

Sony NEX-7

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$1,200 body only

$1,350 - $1,499 with 18-55mm lens
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder
Startup delay More startup delay
Lowest price Significantly more expensive
Compare the NEX-7 vs the Alpha NEX-5
Sony NEX-F3

Sony NEX-F3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$600 with 18-55mm lens
Supports 24p Supports 24p
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Continuous shooting Shoots slower
Size Larger
Compare the NEX-F3 vs the Alpha NEX-5

appearance

Olympus PEN E-P2 Sony Alpha NEX-5
Olympus PEN E-P2 Sony Alpha NEX-5
Olympus PEN E-P2 Sony Alpha NEX-5

discussion

Showing 6 comments

Nick Mazur (3:12 PM, August 04, 2011)
Lower noise at high iso means exactly that. Higher maximum iso means exactly what it says too. However, just because a camera has higher maximum iso doesn't mean that it's usable. Lower noise at high iso and higher maximum iso do not mean the same thing.
A larger sensor also gives the benefit of shorter depth of field, so if you were looking to do portraiture with either camera the nex-5 would give a more out if focused background easier (though a faster lens with a long focal length would be needed. The 16mm lens won't give you much bokeh).
 
Trixuo (5:44 AM, July 02, 2011)
Many reviews say that the user interface for the NEX-5 is really annoying. Is it really annoying? I would like to upgrade from my point-and-shoot camera to the NEX-5. How is the user interface of NEX-5 compared with the regular point-and-shoot camera? 

P.S: I never use any DSLR camera.
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (2:07 AM, May 26, 2011)
Hi Der Auerhahn, yes, a few of the differences shown are a bit redundant, however, we don't use the redundant differences in our scoring, so they are there to help people understand the differences between the cameras.

Thanks for pointing out those aspects of the PEN that we missed!
 
Der Auerhahn (2:12 PM, May 23, 2011)
This "test" is pretty stupid as several aspects are accounted for several times:
- Lower noise at high ISO + Higher maximum ISO
- Larger sensor, which is actually no advantage in itself, but simply enables higher ISO (already accounted for twice) and higher dynamic range (accounted for separately) again.

Several important aspects in favour of PEN are also missing:
1. Lenses and body are reasonably balanced, whereas NEX uses a tiny body with huge lenses.
2. NEX misses controlls and can only be used via menu. 
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (2:35 PM, March 13, 2011)
The NEX doesn't have built in image stabilization (as far as I'm aware). Some of the lenses available for the Sony do have image stabilization, but many do not. The advantage of the Olympus is that you get image stabilization with every lens.
 
Nil (6:25 AM, March 13, 2011)
This is silly. Sony uses optical stabilisation. It is unfair to say NEX doesn't have any image stabilisation.