Canon SX610 vs Sony NEX-5
The Canon PowerShot SX610 HS and the Sony Alpha NEX-5 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2015 and May 2010. The SX610 is a fixed lens compact, while the NEX-5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX610) and an APS-C (NEX-5) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 14 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS and the Sony Alpha NEX-5? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon SX610 and the Sony NEX-5. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The SX610 can be obtained in three different colors (black, red, white), while the NEX-5 is available in two color-versions (black, silver).
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony NEX-5 is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Canon SX610. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX610 nor the NEX-5 are weather-sealed.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX610 has a lens built in, whereas the NEX-5 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the NEX-5 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the SX610 gets 270 shots out of its Canon NB-6LH battery, while the NEX-5 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon SX610 | 105 mm | 61 mm | 27 mm | 191 g | 270 | n | Jan 2015 | 249 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony NEX-5 | 111 mm | 59 mm | 38 mm | 287 g | 330 | n | May 2010 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX420 | 104 mm | 69 mm | 85 mm | 325 g | 195 | n | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon SX540 | 120 mm | 82 mm | 92 mm | 442 g | 205 | n | Jan 2016 | 399 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon SX620 | 97 mm | 57 mm | 28 mm | 182 g | 295 | n | May 2016 | 279 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon SX720 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 36 mm | 270 g | 250 | n | Feb 2016 | 379 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon G9 X | 98 mm | 58 mm | 31 mm | 209 g | 220 | n | Oct 2015 | 529 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX410 | 104 mm | 69 mm | 85 mm | 325 g | 185 | n | Feb 2015 | 279 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX710 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 230 | n | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon SX600 | 104 mm | 61 mm | 26 mm | 188 g | 290 | n | Jan 2014 | 249 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX400 | 104 mm | 69 mm | 80 mm | 313 g | 190 | n | Jul 2014 | 249 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony H300 | 128 mm | 89 mm | 92 mm | 590 g | 350 | n | Feb 2014 | 219 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony NEX-5R | 111 mm | 59 mm | 39 mm | 276 g | 330 | n | Aug 2012 | 749 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony NEX-F3 | 117 mm | 67 mm | 42 mm | 314 g | 470 | n | May 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony NEX-5N | 111 mm | 59 mm | 38 mm | 269 g | 460 | n | Aug 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony NEX-C3 | 110 mm | 60 mm | 33 mm | 225 g | 400 | n | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-3 | 117 mm | 62 mm | 33 mm | 297 g | 330 | n | May 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The SX610 was launched at a lower price than the NEX-5, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.
Sensor comparison
The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX610 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony NEX-5 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the NEX-5 is 1204 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.5. The sensor in the SX610 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the NEX-5 offers a 3:2 aspect.
Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon SX610 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 14 MP of the Sony NEX-5. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 5.11μm for the NEX-5). However, it should be noted that the SX610 is much more recent (by 4 years and 7 months) than the NEX-5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX610 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Canon SX610 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX610 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony NEX-5 are 23 x 15.3 inches or 58.3 x 38.8 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 12.2 inches or 46.7 x 31 cm for very good quality, and 15.3 x 10.2 inches or 38.9 x 25.9 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Canon PowerShot SX610 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha NEX-5 are ISO 200 to ISO 12800 (no boost).
In terms of underlying technology, the SX610 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the NEX-5 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon SX610 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
2. | Sony NEX-5 | APS-C | 14.0 | 4592 | 3056 | 1080/60i | 22.2 | 12.2 | 796 | 69 | |
3. | Canon SX420 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/25p | 20.3 | 11.7 | 806 | 48 | |
4. | Canon SX540 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.3 | 11.7 | 806 | 48 | |
5. | Canon SX620 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/30p | 20.4 | 11.8 | 838 | 49 | |
6. | Canon SX720 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.3 | 11.8 | 817 | 48 | |
7. | Canon G9 X | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 21.5 | 12.3 | 495 | 63 | |
8. | Canon SX410 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 720 | 47 | |
9. | Canon SX710 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
10. | Canon SX600 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 20.0 | 11.4 | 620 | 45 | |
11. | Canon SX400 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 720/30p | 20.1 | 11.5 | 672 | 46 | |
12. | Sony H300 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/30p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 630 | 45 | |
13. | Sony NEX-5R | APS-C | 16.0 | 4912 | 3264 | 1080/60i | 23.7 | 13.1 | 910 | 78 | |
14. | Sony NEX-F3 | APS-C | 16.0 | 4912 | 3264 | 1080/60i | 22.7 | 12.3 | 1114 | 73 | |
15. | Sony NEX-5N | APS-C | 16.0 | 4912 | 3264 | 1080/60i | 23.6 | 12.7 | 1079 | 77 | |
16. | Sony NEX-C3 | APS-C | 16.0 | 4912 | 3264 | 720/30p | 22.7 | 12.2 | 1083 | 73 | |
17. | Sony NEX-3 | APS-C | 14.0 | 4592 | 3056 | 720/30p | 22.1 | 12.0 | 830 | 68 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the NEX-5 provides a faster frame rate than the SX610. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The SX610 and the NEX-5 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the NEX-5 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-SV1. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX610 and Sony NEX-5 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
# | Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon SX610 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 2.5/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Sony NEX-5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | n | n | |
3. | Canon SX420 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 0.5/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon SX540 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Canon SX620 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 2.5/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Canon SX720 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Canon G9 X | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/2000s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Canon SX410 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 0.5/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Canon SX710 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Canon SX600 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.9/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Canon SX400 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/1600s | 0.8/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony H300 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/1500s | 0.8/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony NEX-5R | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
14. | Sony NEX-F3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | Y | n | |
15. | Sony NEX-5N | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
16. | Sony NEX-C3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | n | |
17. | Sony NEX-3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | n | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The SX610 has one, while the NEX-5 does not. While the built-in flash of the SX610 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The NEX-5 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the SX610 does not have a selfie-screen.The SX610 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the NEX-5 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS and Sony Alpha NEX-5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon SX610 | - | - / - | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
2. | Sony NEX-5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon SX420 | - | mono / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Canon SX540 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Canon SX620 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
6. | Canon SX720 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Canon G9 X | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
8. | Canon SX410 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon SX710 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
10. | Canon SX600 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
11. | Canon SX400 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Sony H300 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
13. | Sony NEX-5R | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
14. | Sony NEX-F3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Sony NEX-5N | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Sony NEX-C3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Sony NEX-3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the SX610 offers wifi support, while the NEX-5 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.
Both the SX610 and the NEX-5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The NEX-5 was replaced by the Sony NEX-5N, while the SX610 was followed by the Canon SX620. Further information on the features and operation of the SX610 and NEX-5 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX610 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony NEX-5 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX610 or the Sony NEX-5 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX610 HS:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 14MP) with a 17% higher linear resolution.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the NEX-5 requires a separate lens.
- Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the NEX-5).
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More modern: Reflects 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the NEX-5 launch.
Advantages of the Sony Alpha NEX-5:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
- Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
- More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (330 versus 270) out of a single battery charge.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in May 2010).
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the NEX-5 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 10 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX610 and the Sony NEX-5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX610 or the NEX-5. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
Expert reviews
This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon SX610 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2015 | 249 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony NEX-5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | May 2010 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX420 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3/5 | Jan 2016 | 299 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon SX540 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jan 2016 | 399 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon SX620 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | May 2016 | 279 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon SX720 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | 379 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon G9 X | 3.5/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2015 | 529 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon SX410 | .. | o | .. | .. | .. | .. | Feb 2015 | 279 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon SX710 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon SX600 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2014 | 249 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SX400 | .. | + | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jul 2014 | 249 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony H300 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2014 | 219 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony NEX-5R | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2012 | 749 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony NEX-F3 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony NEX-5N | 3/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony NEX-C3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-3 | .. | .. | .. | 70/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | May 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 1300D vs Sony NEX-5
- Canon SX610 vs Leica TL2
- Canon SX610 vs Nikon D600
- Canon SX610 vs Ricoh GR
- Canon SX610 vs Sony A900
- Canon SX610 vs Sony HX95
- Canon SX610 vs Sony RX100 VII
- Fujifilm X100S vs Sony NEX-5
- Leica V-LUX Typ 114 vs Sony NEX-5
- Nikon D3100 vs Sony NEX-5
- Panasonic FZ330 vs Sony NEX-5
- Sony A77 II vs Sony NEX-5
Specifications: Canon SX610 vs Sony NEX-5
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Canon SX610 | Sony NEX-5 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | 25-450mm f/3.8-6.9 | Sony E mount lenses |
Launch Date | January 2015 | May 2010 |
Launch Price | USD 249 | USD 699 |
Sensor Specs | Canon SX610 | Sony NEX-5 |
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 23.4 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 365.04 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 28.1 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 20.2 Megapixels | 14 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 5184 x 3888 pixels | 4592 x 3056 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.18 μm | 5.11 μm |
Pixel Density | 71.80 MP/cm2 | 3.84 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 80 - 3,200 ISO | 200 - 12,800 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC 4+ | BIONZ |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 69 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 22.2 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 12.2 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 796 |
Screen Specs | Canon SX610 | Sony NEX-5 |
Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | Viewfinder optional |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 922k dots | 920k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Shooting Specs | Canon SX610 | Sony NEX-5 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/2000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 2.5 shutter flaps/s | 7 shutter flaps/s |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | no | no |
Connectivity Specs | Canon SX610 | Sony NEX-5 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | mini HDMI |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | no Wifi |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | no NFC |
Body Specs | Canon SX610 | Sony NEX-5 |
Battery Type | Canon NB-6LH | Sony NP-FW50 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 270 shots per charge | 330 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
105 x 61 x 27 mm (4.1 x 2.4 x 1.1 in) |
111 x 59 x 38 mm (4.4 x 2.3 x 1.5 in) |
Camera Weight | 191 g (6.7 oz) | 287 g (10.1 oz) |
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