Sony a57 vs Nikon D5000

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a57 and Nikon D5000. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a57 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D5000 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a57 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D5000 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a57 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D5000 has 12,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a57 has a 31 % larger resolution than Nikon D5000. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Sony a57 has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D5000. Sony a57 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 16000 while Nikon D5000 has 200 to 6400.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Sony a57 has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D5000 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D5000 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a57
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D5000

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a57 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Nikon D5000 can shoot up to 4 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a57 and Nikon D5000 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a57 weighs 618 gr (equal to 1.36 lb) which is 5% heavier than Nikon D5000 and its 590 gr (or 1.3 lb).

Sony a57 vs Nikon D5000 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a57 and Nikon D5000, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Name	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Manufacturer	Sony	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Release Year	2012	2009
Release Date	2012-03-13	2009-04-14
MSRP	699 USD	849 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Camera Type	SLT	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX"
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	4912 x 3264 pixels	4288 x 2848 pixels
Megapixels	16 MP	12,3 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	EXPEED
Image	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
ISO Range	100 - 16000	200 - 6400
White Balance Presets	9	12
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift)	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Autofocus Motor	Yes	No
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	15	11
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Nikon F See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm	DX / APS-C (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Fully articulated
Screen size	3”	2,7”
Screen dots	921000	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	Xtra Fine TFT drive with TruBlack technology	N/A
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.04× (0.69× 35mm equiv.)	0.78× (0.52× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Frames per second	12 fps	4 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	10 meters	17 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD	MPEG4
Video resolution	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	Yes
Storage	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	Yes Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control	Yes (Optional)	Yes (Optional (ML-L3))
GPS	No	Yes Optional
Body & Dimensions	Sony a57	Nikon D5000
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger	Nikon EN-EL9a Lithium-Ion battery
Battery Life (CIPA)	550 shots	510 shots
Width	132 mm	127 mm
Height	98 mm	104 mm
Depth	81 mm	80 mm
Weight	618 gram	590 gram