Both Sony NEX-5T and Panasonic GM5 have 16.0 MP resolution sensors but Sony NEX-5T's sensor is APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm ) and Panasonic GM5's sensor is Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ).
Since Sony NEX-5T's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Panasonic GM5.
Below you can see the NEX-5T and GM5 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony NEX-5T and Panasonic GM5 Cameras
As seen above, Sony NEX-5T has a 1.6x Larger sensor area than Panasonic GM5. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
Both Sony NEX-5T and Panasonic GM5 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, NEX-5T has scored 78, 12 points higher than GM5.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Sony NEX-5T
78
23.6 bits
13.0 Evs
1015 ISO
Panasonic GM5
66
22.1 bits
11.7 Evs
721 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Sony NEX-5T
or the
Panasonic GM5 ,
including hyperfocal distance.
One thing to watch when comparing these two: they have different sensor sizes
(APS-C versus Four Thirds),
so compare them at the same framing rather than the same focal length.
Put the same focal length on the smaller sensor and it will show less depth of
field, not more, because it also crops tighter. The calculator shows the
full frame equivalent focal length for each body so you can match the framing.
