Sony NEX-5N vs Olympus E-M5

Sony NEX-5N advantages over Olympus E-M5

• Less expensive
  $700 vs $1300 (MSRP)
  Save money for lenses or accessories
• 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-M5 test data on DxO Mark
  1,079 vs 826 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• Shoots 24p video
  Yes vs No
  Gives your movies a big-screen feel
• Lighter weight
  465g vs 652g
  Lighter weight
• More dots on screen
  922k vs 614k dots
  Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
• Shoots 1080p video
  Yes vs No
  You'll want this if you shoot video
• Faster JPEG shooting
  10.0 fps vs 8.9 fps
  Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)