Fujifilm X-A10 vs Sony NEX-5N

The Fujifilm X-A10 and the Sony Alpha NEX-5N are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in December 2016 and August 2011. Both the X-A10 and the NEX-5N are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 16 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-A10		Sony NEX-5N
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Fujifilm X mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
16 MP – APS-C sensor		16 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
410 shots per battery charge		460 shots per battery charge
117 x 67 x 40 mm, 331 g		111 x 59 x 38 mm, 269 g

Check X-A10 offers at
ebay.com
Check NEX-5N offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-A10 and the Sony Alpha NEX-5N? 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 Fujifilm X-A10 and the Sony NEX-5N. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The NEX-5N can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the X-A10 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony NEX-5N is notably smaller (16 percent) than the Fujifilm X-A10. Moreover, the NEX-5N is markedly lighter (19 percent) than the X-A10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the X-A10 nor the NEX-5N are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Yet, since both cameras are based around an APS-C sensor, their respective lenses will tend to have similar dimensions and heft. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog (X-A10) and the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (NEX-5N). Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the X-A10 gets 410 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W126S battery, while the NEX-5N can take 460 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the X-A10 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	331 g	410	n	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
2.		Sony NEX-5N	111 mm	59 mm	38 mm	269 g	460	n	Aug 2011	699	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-E3	121 mm	74 mm	43 mm	337 g	350	n	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	383 g	350	n	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-E2S	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-A2	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	350 g	410	n	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	799	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A1	117 mm	67 mm	39 mm	330 g	350	n	Sep 2013	399	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-M1	117 mm	67 mm	39 mm	330 g	350	n	Jun 2013	699	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-E1	129 mm	75 mm	38 mm	350 g	350	n	Sep 2012	999	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-C3	110 mm	60 mm	33 mm	225 g	400	n	Jun 2011	599	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-5	111 mm	59 mm	38 mm	287 g	330	n	May 2010	699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The X-A10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 43 percent) than the NEX-5N, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the NEX-5N is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the X-A10 has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 16 megapixels. This implies that the X-A10 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 4.80μm versus 4.78μm for the NEX-5N), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the X-A10 is much more recent (by 5 years and 3 months) than the NEX-5N, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Fujifilm X-A10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha NEX-5N are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1691	81
2.		Sony NEX-5N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.6	12.7	1079	77
3.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
4.		Fujifilm X-E3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1764	82
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
7.		Fujifilm X-E2S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
8.		Fujifilm X-A2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1515	79
9.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
10.		Fujifilm X-A1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.4	12.6	1390	76
11.		Fujifilm X-M1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.4	12.6	1371	76
12.		Fujifilm X-E1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/24p	23.2	12.4	1298	75
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-C3	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	720/30p	22.7	12.2	1083	73
16.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
17.		Sony NEX-5	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	1080/60i	22.2	12.2	796	69
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the NEX-5N provides a faster frame rate than the X-A10. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Fujifilm is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The X-A10 and the NEX-5N 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-5N can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-EV1S. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X-A10 and Sony NEX-5N in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		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.		Fujifilm X-A10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony NEX-5N	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
3.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-E3	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Fujifilm X-E2S	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X-A2	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
9.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X-A1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X-M1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X-E1	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
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-C3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
16.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony NEX-5	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 X-A10 has one, while the NEX-5N does not. While the built-in flash of the X-A10 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the X-A10 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm X-A10 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The X-A10 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the NEX-5N uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The X-A10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the NEX-5N cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 Fujifilm X-A10 and Sony Alpha NEX-5N and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony NEX-5N	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-E3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-E2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X-A2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X-A1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Fujifilm X-M1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Fujifilm X-E1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony NEX-5R	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Sony NEX-F3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony NEX-C3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony NEX-5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the X-A10 offers wifi support, while the NEX-5N does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the X-A10 and the NEX-5N have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The NEX-5N was replaced by the Sony NEX-5R, while the X-A10 was followed by the Fujifilm X-A5. Further information on the features and operation of the X-A10 and NEX-5N can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-A10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony NEX-5N Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Fujifilm X-A10 or the Sony NEX-5N – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Fujifilm X-A10:

• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (43 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 3 months of technical progress since the NEX-5N launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha NEX-5N:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (111x59mm vs 117x67mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 62g or 19 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (460 versus 410) 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 August 2011).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (9 points each). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Fujifilm X-A10 and the Sony NEX-5N place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the X-A10 or the NEX-5N. 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 why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
2.		Sony NEX-5N	3/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	699	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-E3	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	5/5	+ +	5/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-E2S	4.5/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-A2	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	799	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A1	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	399	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-M1	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	699	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-E1	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	999	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-C3	3/5	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	599	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-5	3/5	+ +	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check X-A10 offers at
ebay.com
Check NEX-5N offers at
ebay.com

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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check X-A10 offers at
ebay.com
Check NEX-5N offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.