Sony NEX-5N vs Olympus E-M10 II

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Sony NEX-5N vs Olympus E-M10 II

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APS-C 369.7mm²
16.1 megapixels

Go in depth with our full Sony NEX-5N Review.
See real-world photos taken with the NEX-5N.

4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M10 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M10 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M10 II.
Compare Olympus E-M10 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M10 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Sony NEX-5R
Compare NEX-5N vs NEX-5R

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M10 III
Compare E-M10 II vs E-M10 III

Compare SONY NEX-5R vs OLYMPUS E-M10 III

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Differences

Sony NEX-5N advantages over Olympus E-M10 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.82 vs 3.75 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
NEX-5N test data on DxO Mark E-M10 II test data on DxO Mark

1,079 vs 842 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

430 vs 320 shots
Capture more photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 8.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

Olympus E-M10 II advantages over Sony NEX-5N

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.9 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
9 years vs 13 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.16 vs 0.23 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
28 vs 7 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Adorama
Read NEX-5N User Reviews

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Buy the Olympus E-M10 II

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Black)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Brown)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Silver)
Kit with 14-42mm II R lens

All E-M10 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Fast autofocus and prefocused shutter lag; Quieter shutter sound; Captures 10 frames per second; Supports AVCHD 2.0.
Limited first-party lens selection; Slow and confusing on-screen user interface; top-mounted, proprietary accessories are quite pricey.
Read our Sony NEX-5N Review

Excellent value for the money; Professional-grade ergonomics; Incredibly good image quality for its class; Solid performance specs across the board; Loaded with features.
Kit lens may not be quite as sharp as previous kit lens from this line; Below average battery life; Somewhat confusing menu systems.
Read our Olympus E-M10 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony NEX-3

Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-3

$700
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Longer stills battery life

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Sony NEX-5N vs Sony NEX-3

Olympus E-M10 II

Sony NEX-3

$349
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony NEX-3

Compared to Sony NEX-C3

Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-C3

$700
APS-C

Shoots 24p video
Shoots 1080p video

$559
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Sony NEX-5N vs Sony NEX-C3

Olympus E-M10 II

Sony NEX-C3

$349
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$559
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony NEX-C3

Compared to Sony NEX-5R

Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-5R

$700
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Longer stills battery life

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Sony NEX-5N vs Sony NEX-5R

Olympus E-M10 II

Sony NEX-5R

$349
4/3

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony NEX-5R

Compared to Olympus E-M10

Sony NEX-5N

Olympus E-M10

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$399
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Sony NEX-5N vs Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10

$349
4/3

Fast startup
Shoots 24p video

$399
4/3

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Olympus E-M10

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Sony NEX-5N

Panasonic GX85

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Sony NEX-5N vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M10 II

Panasonic GX85

$349
4/3

Higher effective ISO
More telephoto lens reach

$598
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Panasonic GX85

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