Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7 – Detailed Comparison

In this article, we’ll be comparing the Sony a5000 vs Nex 7. Both cameras have the basic similarities of being from the Sony brand and being mirrorless. Now, despite this, it is possible for both these cameras to have more differences between them than similarities.

We’ve compared the features of one camera against the other so you’ll see get an answer to that question. But basically, you get to decide which camera has the right combination of features and functions to suit your needs.

The comparison overview and comparison table sections contain the basic ideas of this article, howbeit, in bite sizes. So, you could run through those if you need to make a quick decision. However. We do recommend that you go through the entire thing, especially if you are new to all these.

We also recommend that you check out some of our other Sony-Sony comparisons, like the Sony a9II vs a7SII, for a broader frame of reference.

Comparison Overview — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Here is a quick rundown of the basic ideas in this review:

Overall Rating Of The Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Generally, both cameras are pretty decent. They both record good quality photos and videos. However, it is our opinion that the Nex 7 does a bit better than the a5000.

Having done our research, we could easily point out speed and video recording as the Nex 7’s thing as against the a5000. However, for the Sony a5000, we’ve had to peg it as connectivity which might not really make sense. Anyway, let’s look at their features.

Rating Of The Features Of The Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Now, the reason we pegged the a5000’s thing as connectivity is because of its inbuilt wireless connection, Near Field Communication connection and ability to be smartphone controlled.

Those are the only areas where it has the Nex 7 clearly beat and while they are important, they do not have anything to do with the quality of anything.

Some other areas where it does better than the Nex 7 are the low light ISO (1089 as against 1016) and the weight (0.6 pound) as against (0.88 pound). But as you have seen, there isn’t that much of a difference.

On the other hand, the Nex 7 is clearly the faster camera (10 as against 4 frames per second), the better at recording videos (has a microphone port), the better for framing (actually has a viewfinder), the better for those bad light situations (has an external flash port) and has the better screen resolution (921k dots as against 461K dots).

The Nex 7 actually has the better sensor resolution (24 megapixels as against 20). However, we’ll give it to both cameras because both values are impressive.

But then again, maybe we are being too demanding of the a5000; after all, it is an entry-level camera. Plus it does have a number of features in common with the Nex 7. There is the tilting screen and the inbuilt flash and also the auto Exposure Bracketing.

Furthermore, both cameras have an average battery life while also sharing the disappointing absence of an in body image stabilization feature and a form of weather protection.

Which has a better price-value ratio: Sony a5000 or Nex 7?

Both the Sony a5000 and the Nex 7 are affordable cameras which makes sense for the value they give. However, the Nex 7 will be giving you more value for its price. It is the more affordable and also still slightly edges out the a5000 in the area of features.

Comparison Table — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

	Sony a5000	Sony Nex 7
Weight	0.6 pound	0.88 pound
Dimensions	4.3 by 2.5 by 1.4 inches	4.7 by 2.6 by 1.7 inches
Screen Resolution	461k dots	921k dots
Wireless Connection	Inbuilt	Eye-Fi
Near Field Communication	Yes	No
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Sensor Resolution	20 megapixels	24 megapixels
Continuous Shooting	4 frames per second (fps)	10 frames per second
Battery Life	420 shots per charge	430 shots per charge
Microphone Port	No	Yes
Flash Shoe	No	Yes
ISO Range	100 to 16000	100 to 16000

Which Is Better For What? — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Sony a5000	Sony Nex 7
The Sony a5000 has an inbuilt wireless feature and also a Near Field Communication connection. So, it will offer you better connectivity (online and offline) than the Nex 7.	The Sony Nex 7 is the faster of the two cameras because of its continuous shooting rate. So, this is the better camera for wildlife photography, sports photography and generally any kind of photography where time is of the essence.
This camera is also the smaller and lighter of the two cameras. So, while both cameras are portable, just know that this one is more portable.	Also, this is the better camera for your video recording and that’s just because it has a microphone port.

Common Features — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

The following are the things that make the Sony a5000 and Nex 7 similar:

i. They are both mirrorless

ii. Sensor resolution

iii. Auto exposure bracketing

iv. ISO range

v. Articulating screen

vi. Built-in flash

vii. RAW support

viii. Video resolution

ix. Face detection focus

x. Available lenses

We will now examine each of them in detail…

1. Mirrorless

Most prominent among the similarities between the Sony a5000 and the Nex 7 is the fact that they are both mirrorless. It is believed that Sony decided to create mirrorless cameras in a bid to offer users the functionality of a DSLR in a smaller and more portable body.

To do this, Sony took out the mirror that is responsible for reflecting light in a DSLR and swapped the optical viewfinder for an electronic one and it became a mirrorless camera.

With more and more upgrades, mirrorless cameras have begun to be able to rub shoulders with their DSLR counterparts and do it smaller and maybe even less expensive.

However, one of the things that mirrorless cameras are yet to beat DSLRs at is the battery life. DSLR cameras usually have a way longer battery life than their mirrorless cameras. But then again, innovation hasn’t stopped yet. Who knows what the future holds for mirrorless cameras?

2. Sensor Resolution

We have to start by saying that in the production of a photo, you might not really appreciate the function of the sensor resolution. However, when that photo has been taken and you need to put finishing touches or print, then you’ll know why you need a really good sensor resolution.

The thing is, when you make some touches to your photo like crop and down-sample, the photo loses some of its resolution/details; depending on how much changes you make. This is one of the reasons a good number of photographers do not like to crop their photos.

However, whether one likes to or not, there are times when cropping is inevitable. Like say you can’t get really close to your subject and so you shoot from afar. When you’ve gotten the shot, you’ll need to crop out the unnecessary details to get to what you originally wanted.

This is why you’ll need a nice and decent sensor resolution. This way, even though the photo loses some of its details when it is cropped or down-sampled (that is, you reduce the photos size in megapixels), there’ll still be enough details left to have a decent photo.

That said, both the Sony a5000 and the Sony Nex 7 have an impressive sensor resolution. With the Sony a5000’s 20 megapixels and the Nex 7’s 24 megapixels, you’ll be able to get nice photos at the end of the day.

3. Auto Exposure Bracketing

Now, this is one feature that could be involved in the photo making process. The exposure of a photo is basically about how much light it has. And this is determined by a combination of a number of features: the ISO, the aperture and the shutter speed. Different combinations will give you different exposures.

That said, the exposure you choose is usually dependent on the light available in the area you’re shooting in. However, while some times it could be easy to determine what the right exposure ought to be, there are times when you’re not just sure.

One of the options in this situation is to keep shooting in different exposures till you hit on the right one. If you decide to do this, you’ll have to bear in mind that this could stretch the time of your shoot as you’ll have to manually set a different exposure before you take a new shot.

The other option is to make use of the Auto Exposure (AE) bracketing mode. Switching on this mode basically tells the camera to take the same shot in different exposures.

The camera, in this mode, usually shoots in about three different exposures. You can then decide which works for you the best or just keep all of them. Thankfully, both the Sony a5000 and the Sony Nex 7 have this feature.

4. ISO Range

This is something else that has to do with lighting. The ISO is what’s responsible for how much light gets into the sensor. So, the ISO value you choose has to be dependent on how much light you want your sensor to get or how much light is available where you shoot.

Shooting in the dark usually requires a high ISO; the darker the place, the higher the ISO value you need to go for. The reason for this is, set to a high ISO the camera lets in a lot of light (depending on how high the ISO value is), which ought to compensate for the lack of light.

Automatically, it would mean that shooting in a brightly lit place would require a low ISO. So that the camera reduces the amount of light that comes into the sensor as you do not need all that light to take a good picture.

This is why we usually appreciate a wide ISO range; one has to have the freedom to go as high or as low as is necessary. That said, both cameras have the exact same ISO range which is pretty decent.it is between 100 and 16000.

5. Articulating Screen

Both the Sony a5000 and the Nex 7 have an articulating screen of the tilting kind. There are actually different kinds of articulating screens. However, the basic idea of an articulating screen is that it can be angled or rotated without moving the camera body at all.

The tilting kind of articulating screen (which both cameras have) can only be angled up and then back down again. On the other hand, the full-flex kind can be rotated and cameras with this kind of screen can usually be used for personal recording.

Anyway, whatever the kind of articulating screen, it is our opinion that a screen that allows you take shots from some seemingly impossible angles is better than a fixed screen.

6. Built-In Flash

The idea of building a flash into the camera is to afford the photographer a quick light source for those times when they shoot in the dark. No matter how dark you want the ambience to be, your camera needs to see to pick up the subject you want to shoot.

That said, you’ll have to bear in mind that the inbuilt flash isn’t always the best source of light. Usually, it doesn’t have as long a range as the external flash. So, using it, you’ll have to go really close.

However, we do like the idea of both cameras having this feature because you can always be sure that there is a quick fix for bad lighting. Plus, since it is built-in, it doesn’t affect the weight of the camera.

7. RAW Support

When a camera shoots in RAW, the photos shot will be saved in their raw unprocessed form; there’ll be no compression like is obtainable with jpeg. People who take professional shots like to opt for this format because it allows them room to edit and do whatever they want to with the quality still intact.

However, some other people shy away from RAW because of the size of its photos. Now, because RAW photos are not compressed, they are usually really large files and so fill up storage space real quick.

Nonetheless, you’ll agree with us that whether or whether not you are a fan of RAW, it is a nice thing that cameras like these two have this feature. You never know when you’ll need it.

8. Video Resolution

Both the Sony a5000 and the Sony Nex 7 have a 1920 by 1080 video resolution. This is a pretty impressive video resolution and is actually the resolution that a good number of movies are shot in. Also, both cameras are able to shoot videos in 60 frames per second.

9. Face Detection Focus

The face detection feature is a really interesting feature that both the Sony a5000 and the Sony Nex 7 have. This feature is what helps a camera detect human faces and then lock down on them.

Having locked down on them, the camera is able to make sure that the face is the main focus in the photo you want to shoot. It could also automatically set what it considers the right exposure and shoot without blur. This is why cameras that have this feature are usually considered good portrait cameras.

10. Available Lenses

Both the Sony a5000 and the Nex 7 are interchangeable lens cameras. What this means is that their lenses are not built in them so you’ll have to purchase their lenses separately.

Mirrorless cameras are usually compatible with a wide range of lenses. However, there are still a number of lenses that are custom made for them.

That said, both cameras have 102 lenses available with them. Sony hasn’t been producing cameras for so long which is why it doesn’t have as impressive an arsenal of lenses like some other brands.

Moving on, neither camera has an in body image stabilization feature. Image stabilization is a feature that stabilizes the lenses so that one can shoot without having burry photos, even if the camera is jostled mid shot.

Now, some cameras have this feature built-in, which is the in body image stabilization thing. However, for cameras like the a5000 and the Nex 7 that do not, you’ll need to get optical stabilization lenses.

They actually perform the same function as the in body image stabilization feature. However, the fact that you’ll have to get the lenses separately and always remember to fix them could be a nuisance. That said, both cameras have 23 of these lenses available.

A Sony a5000 Demonstration Video —
Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Unique Features — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Which comes with a viewfinder: Sony a5000 or Nex 7?

The Nex 7 has an electronic viewfinder with a 2359k dot resolution while the a5000 has no viewfinder. So, in the case of the a5000, you’ll have to make do with the LCD screen. Therefore, if you are in direct sunlight, the Nex 7 will be a better option to shoot with.

We already mentioned that both cameras are mirrorless cameras and mirrorless cameras have substituted the optical viewfinder for an electronic one. That said, unlike DSLRs that always have a viewfinder, not all mirrorless cameras come with a viewfinder, like in the case of the a5000.

It is possible that the reason the manufacturers felt that the LCD screen could be a good substitute for the electronic viewfinder is because the electronic viewfinder is basically a miniature LCD screen. However, aside the size, the reason the viewfinder works for us over the screen is the placement.

The LCD screen is just right there outside. So, all the light in the world could affect your seeing what’s on it. So, while you’ll do fine using the screen to frame in a dark or not too brightly lit place, you’ll struggle to see what’s on the screen if there is too much light.

On the other hand, the viewfinder is an innie and so is protected by some parts of the camera. So, even if it’s really bright all around, there is a bit of darkness surrounding the viewfinder which should be enough to help you see.

Another reason we are not very confident about the absence of a viewfinder on the a5000 is its screen resolution. Sony knew that it wanted one to use the screen in framing yet the screen has a 461k dot resolution; not impressive at all.

Which has built-in Wi-Fi: Sony a5000 or Nex 7?

The Sony a5000 comes with built-in Wi-Fi, on the other hand, with the Nex 7 you’ll have to get an Eye-Fi card. This card is kinda like an SD card that you slot in to achieve wireless connectivity. And it is definitely not as swift as the built-in wireless connection.

Which allows for a one touch wireless connection: Sony a5000 or Nex 7?

Of the two cameras, only the a5000 has near field communication (NFC). This one allows the camera connect with a smartphone that is also NFC enabled. And seeing as neither the a5000 nor the Nex 7 has Bluetooth, this feature becomes even more important.

Which can be remote controlled: a5000 or Nex 7?

Only the Sony a5000 can be remote controlled with a smartphone. You’ll need to first download the camera’s app on your smartphone and then create a wireless connection via that app. Once that is done, you can take shots using your smartphone; your smartphone screen acting as your viewfinder or LCD screen.

This is a handy feature for those times when you cannot be in the scene. You just place your camera where it can capture the subjects and then go to a comfortable place and take your shots using your smartphone.

Which has a faster continuous shooting: a5000 or Nex 7?

The Sony Nex 7 boasts of a 10 frames per second speed on burst mode, while the a5000 has a less than impressive 4 frames per second. For this reason, the Nex 7 is easily the better camera for those types of photography where you have to constantly capture images of moving people/objects. For example, wildlife photography and sports photography.

Which is better for flash photography: a5000 or Nex 7?

The Sony Nex 7 comes with an external flash hot shoe, making it the better camera for flash photography than the a5000 which is incompatible with external flashes. The a5000 comes with a built-in flash (the Nex 7 does, too), but of course, that is not enough.

Which offers better audio quality: a5000 or Nex 7?

The Nex 7 has an external microphone jack which means that you can make use of an external microphone to improve your audio quality with this camera. External microphones are particularly important when you have to record videos in the open. The reason is, built-in microphones usually pick up a lot of background noise and so do not produce good quality sounds. The external microphone saves you from that.

Aside the audio quality thing, being able to use an external microphone means that you do not need to be so close to the camera when you shoot. You can stay at a comfortable distance and just take your microphone with you.

A Nex 7 Demonstration Video — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Unique Pros — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Pros Of The Sony a5000

• First off, the Sony a5000 has an inbuilt wireless connection which is swifter and more convenient than the Nex 7’s Eye-Fi.
• Furthermore, this camera has the Near Field Communication (NFC) connection. As a result, you’ll be able to transfer your files from the camera to a smartphone without internet access, provided the smartphone is also NFC enabled.
• Also, this camera can be controlled from a smartphone.
• Finally, the Sony a5000 has a better low light performance (1089) than the Sony Nex 7 (1016).

Pros Of the Nex 7

• First off, the Nex 7 has a viewfinder which is better at framing than the LCD screen.
• Furthermore, you can attach an external flash to this camera which is a better light source than the inbuilt flash.
• This camera also has a better screen resolution (921k dots) than the Nex 7 (461k dots).
• The Nex 7 has a more impressive continuous shooting rate than the Sony a5000.
• Furthermore, you can use an external microphone with this camera for better audio recording.
• Also, this camera has a slightly wider flash range (6 meters) than the Sony a5000 (4 meters).
• The Sony Nex 7 has a better color depth (24.1) than the Sony a5000 (23.8).
• Finally, this camera has a better dynamic range (13.4) than the Sony a5000 (13.0).

Unique Cons — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Cons Of The Sony a5000

• First off, the Sony a5000 does not have a viewfinder. So, you’ll have to make do with the LCD screen which isn’t always a wonderful idea.
• Furthermore, this camera doesn’t have a very impressive LCD screen resolution. Which is especially worse because one is meant to use it for framing.
• Finally, an external microphone cannot be attached to this camera.

Cons Of The Nex 7

• First off, this camera does not have an inbuilt wireless connection.
• It also doesn’t have the Near Field Communication feature. And added to the fact that this camera does not have the Bluetooth feature, you won’t be able to transfer files out of the camera without an internet connection.

Check out these other articles:

• Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3200 – Detailed Comparison
• Sony a5000 Vs Fujifilm X-A10 – Which Camera Should You Get?
• Sony a7R Vs Sony a6000 – Here’s The One You Should Go For
• Sony a7 Vs D800 – Detailed Comparison
• Sony a7S Vs D750 – Detailed Comparison
• Sony a7RII Vs Leica M240 – Detailed Comparison

Common Pros — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

	Sony a5000	Sony Nex 7
Articulating Screen	The Sony a5000 has a tilting screen which will allow you take shots from certain angles (like overhead) without having to move the camera body.	Same as the Sony a5000.
Auto Exposure Bracketing	Furthermore, this camera has the Auto Exposure bracketing mode. So, if there is ever a time you cannot determine what the right exposure is, just switch on this mode and your camera will take care of things for you. All you’ll need to do is decide to pick the one that works for you or just keep all.	Same as the Sony a5000.
Sensor Resolution	This camera’s 20 megapixel sensor resolution will afford you the room you need for manipulation. So, you can crop, downsize and print to certain impressive extents without losing too much quality.	Same as the Sony a5000. However, that of this camera is more impressive at 24 megapixels.
Inbuilt Flash	The Sony a5000 has an inbuilt flash which is a good thing because you can always be sure of its availability.	Same as the Sony a5000.
Weight	The Sony a5000 is a really lightweight camera. So, you’ll be able to move it around pretty easily. It is small and will fit practically anywhere.	The Sony Nex 7 is bigger and heavier than the a5000. However, because it is lighter than 1 pound, we still consider it a nice weight.
RAW Support	This camera can shoot in RAW. So, you have the option of either shooting jpeg (to conserve space) or shooting RAW (to have photos that have retained their original quality).	Same as the Sony a5000.
Face Detection	Finally, because of the face detection feature, this camera can recognize a human face and lock on it; making this camera a really good portrait camera.	Same as the Sony a5000.

Common Cons — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

	Sony a5000	Sony Nex 7
Image Stabilization	This camera does not have an in body image stabilization feature. So, unless you get optical stabilization lenses, you could end up having really blurry photos because your hand shook while you were shooting.	Same as the Sony a5000.
Weather Sealing	Finally, this camera does not have any form of protection against the elements. So, you’ll really have to be careful when and where you use this camera. But then again, you could just restrict its use to the great indoors.	Same as the Sony a5000.

Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7 – What People Think About Both Cameras

Sony a5000	Sony Nex 7
One common thread that we’ve found among the appreciations for this camera is its weight. Irrespective of the other things that people like about this camera, almost everyone seems to come back or start with the weight of the camera. They say that the camera is just the right, can fit in almost anywhere and so can be used in a lot of different places. Now, stemming from the size and weight of the camera, customers seem to appreciate the fact that the camera has a number of interesting features and functions in such a compact body. Some of those features that a lot of people have hyped are the quality of photos it takes, its tilting screen and its ease of operation.	People also happen to like the size and weight of this camera, especially because, in a lot of people’s opinions, the camera can compete with some high end cameras. The price of the camera is another reason that some people got onboard the Nex 7 train. As for the functionality of it, some people have credited this camera for having an impressive shutter speed and continuous shooting. The ease of control is another thing that people have mentioned. Because apparently, there are easy to reach buttons for making changes to the settings. The electronic viewfinder also gets a lot of attention.
However, some people have complained about its lack of a microphone port. Because apparently, they’ve had to go through a lot of hassle to be able to use an external microphone with the camera as the inbuilt one isn’t much of an option.	However, a few people have criticized this camera for having a poor battery life. Some have even complained about the electronic viewfinder; apparently, it isn’t as impressive as all that.

Our Take — Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7

Sony a5000	Sony Nex 7
In our opinion, the Sony a5000 makes for an impressive entry-level camera. It is easy to figure out, really light weight and yet takes good quality photos and videos. In addition to all that, the camera has a wireless connection via which you can quickly transfer your photos and videos off the camera. And very importantly, it is really affordable.	We also like this camera and but for the absence of a wireless connection, we would have considered this a really good semi-pro camera. Well, it could actually be a decent semi-pro; you’d just have to figure out how to transfer your stuff out. The pretty impressive sensor resolution and continuous shooting are two of the reasons we like the Sony Nex 7.
Now, while there are all those things we are excited about, there are a few others we aren’t excited about as we’ve already mentioned in the main article body. But then again, for entry-level, this camera is pretty good	However, there are a number of other things that we believe could have been added to this camera as we have already mentioned.

Sony a5000 Vs Nex 7 — FAQs

Is the Sony Nex 7 a DSLR?

The Sony Nex 7 is not a DSLR camera; it was not designed with a reflex mechanism, so, it is a mirrorless camera. The electronic viewfinder that the Nex 7 comes with is a big indicator that it is a mirroless camera. Electronic viewfinders are unique to mirroless cameras (with only a few exceptions), while optical viewfinders are synonymous to DSLRs.

If your camera does not come with any viewfinder at all, then it is a mirrorless camera.

Does the Sony a5000 have a viewfinder?

The Sony a5000 does not come with a viewfinder. This alone is an indication that it is a mirrorless camera. Well, what this means is that, to frame your photos while you shoot, you will have to make do with the LCD screen, which, to be fair, produces the same image the electronic viewfinder would have.

However, the major disadvantage of this absence of a viewfinder will be experienced when you have to shoot in direct sunlight. It such conditions, it will be especially difficult to see what is being displayed on your LCD screen, and this is sure to affect your shoot.

Is the Sony Nex 5 a DSLR camera?

The Sony Nex 5 is not a DSLR camera. It is a mirrorless camera and you can tell from its light body weight. Because they do not have the mirror mechanisms that DSLRs have, mirrorless cameras are usually very compact and lightweight.

Also, the Nex 5 does not have a viewfinder; another thing that is unique to mirrorless cameras. However, you have the option of getting an external viewfinder and using it with this camera.

What is the difference between Sony Nex 7 and Nex 5R?

	Sony Nex 7	Sony Nex 5R
Maximum sensor resolution	24 mega pixel	16 mega pixel
ISO range	100 – 16000	100 – 25600
Electronic Viewfinder	Yes	Optional
External microphone jack	Yes	No
Auto exposure bracketing	Yes	No
Touch sensitive screen	No	Yes
Battery life	430 shots per full charge	330 shots per full charge
Wireless connectivity	With Eye-Fi card	Built-in Wi-Fi

Does the Sony a5000 shoot 4K?

The Sony a5000 does not shoot 4K. However, it does shoot full HD, and if you are a beginner or perhaps even an enthusiast, you will be very satisfied with this quality.

If the aim is to shoot videos for YouTube (or generally just for the internet), then a camera that shoots full HD will be sufficient. However, the a5000 does not have an external microphone jack, so, while a good video quality may be guaranteed, good audio quality, on the other hand, not very much.

Is the Sony Nex 7 good for video?

The Sony Nex 7 shoots full HD, and so, it is surely a good camera to record videos with. Now, of course, full HD is not the best quality there is, but it very well does the job if you are not a professional looking for videos for a large scale production.

Now, while you will be sure to get good video quality, the Nex 7 goes further to also guarantee good audio quality. With this camera, you can easily attach an external microphone and get good sound even when there’s some background noise.

More so, you have a tilting screen which makes it easy and convenient for you to shoot from certain rather difficult angles.