CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
    • All Cameras
    • Cameras by Brand
      • Sony Cameras
      • Canon Cameras
      • Nikon Cameras
      • Pentax Cameras
      • Fujifilm Cameras
      • Olympus Cameras
      • OM-System Cameras
      • Panasonic Cameras
      • Leica Cameras
    • Cameras by Body Type
      • Mirrorless Cameras
      • DSLR Cameras
      • Compact Cameras
      • Bridge Cameras
      • Waterproof Cameras
    • Cameras by Lens Mount
      • Sony E Mount Cameras
      • Canon RF Mount Cameras
      • Nikon Z Mount Cameras
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm X Mount Cameras
      • Leica L Mount Cameras
      • Nikon F Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF M Mount Cameras
      • Canon EF S Mount Cameras
      • Pentax KAF Mount Cameras
      • Sony Alpha Mount Cameras
      • Fujifilm G Mount Cameras
      • Sigma SA Mount Cameras
      • Nikon 1 Mount Cameras
  • LENSES
    • All Lenses
    • Lenses by Mount
      • Sony E Mount Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF M Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF S Mount Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Lenses
      • Pentax KAF Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm G Mount Lenses
      • Sigma SA Mount Lenses
      • Sony Alpha Mount Lenses
    • Teleconverters
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Nikon S6100

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Nikon S6100
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Sony NEX-5R

16 MP | APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony NEX-5R
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon S6100, which was introduced in February 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Sony NEX-5R, which was introduced in August 2012 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. There is 19 months difference between S6100 and NEX-5R so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger NEX-5R, especially in sensor tech.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S6100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-02-09
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 28-196 mm F3.7-5.6 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 175g. 98 x 58 x 27 mm

Sony NEX-5R Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-08-29
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 276g. 111 x 59 x 39 mm
  • Replaced Sony Alpha NEX-5N Compare

Sony NEX-5R was replaced by Sony Alpha NEX-5T. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha NEX-5T vs Sony Alpha NEX-5R
Sony Alpha NEX-5T vs Nikon Coolpix S6100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


Related Blog Posts

Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE Lens is in Stock
Readers Vote: Which is the Best Flagship Camera?
Nikon Z50 Firmware brings Eye-detection AF during Video and more
Firmware Update turns the Sony 16-50mm pancake in to a F2.8 Lens and makes it Weatherproof!
Daily Deals: I am just a Messenger Bag
Daily Deals: A Travel tripod, an affordable UHS-II card and more
Nikon Firmware Updates Released for Nikkor Z 400mm f4/5, Z 400mm F2.8, Z 600mm F4 TC and Z 800mm F6.3 lenses
The New Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G Lens Size and Feature Comparison vs 24-70mm F2.8 GM vs 24-70mm F2.8 GM II vs 24-105mm F4 G vs 24-70mm F4 OSS vs 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 vs 28-60mm F4.0-5.6


**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S6100 over Sony Alpha NEX-5R
In-built Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Internal Storage
20 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Weight
175 g vs 276 g 101 g lighter
CHECK S6100 PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha NEX-5R over Nikon Coolpix S6100
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max ISO
25.600 vs 3.200 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
99 vs 9 90 more focus points
LCD Resolution
920k dots vs 460k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 1.0fps 9 fps faster
Battery Life
330 shots vs 210 shots 120 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Sensor Pixel Area
22.77µm2 vs 1.76µm2 1193% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
CHECK NEX-5R PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S6100 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S6100 and Sony Alpha NEX-5R
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S6100 has external dimensions of 98 x 58 x 27 mm (3.86 x 2.28 x 1.06″) and weighs 175 g (0.39 lb / 6.17 oz) (including batteries). Sony NEX-5R has external dimensions of 111 x 59 x 39 mm (4.37 x 2.32 x 1.54″) and weighs 276 g (0.61 lb / 9.74 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R. Nikon S6100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 13mm narrower, 1mm shorter and 12mm thinner than Sony NEX-5R. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon S6100 has a built-in lens but Sony NEX-5R doesn't. Once you put a lens on NEX-5R, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R.
Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S6100 is significantly lighter (101g ) than the Sony NEX-5R which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on NEX-5R, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S6100 nor Sony Alpha NEX-5R provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

On the other hand, Sony NEX-5R features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Nikon S6100 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to NEX-5R.
Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R have 16.0 MP resolution sensors but Nikon S6100's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Sony NEX-5R's sensor is APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm ).

Since Sony NEX-5R'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 Nikon S6100.

Below you can see the S6100 and NEX-5R sensor size comparison.

Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R Cameras


As seen above, Sony NEX-5R has a 13.0x Larger sensor area than Nikon S6100. 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.

What types of Photography are Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon S6100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Sony NEX-5R for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony NEX-5R for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.70
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Tilting LCD Screen
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony NEX-5R for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
196 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
Read the details
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
99 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony NEX-5R for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
175g
7.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
276g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony NEX-5R for Landscape Photography

POOR
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.4 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S6100 vs Sony NEX-5R: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon S6100 and Sony NEX-5R scores compare:

Nikon S6100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #185 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #793 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Sony NEX-5R
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #71 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #347 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Sony NEX-5R is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S6100 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S6100. Otherwise, Sony NEX-5R is the better camera overall.

Nikon S6100
Nikon S6100
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Sony NEX-5R
Sony NEX-5R
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Sony NEX-5R vs Nikon S6100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix S6100 Sony Alpha NEX-5R
Brand Nikon Sony
Announced 2011-02-09 2012-08-29
Body Type Compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 23.4 x 15.6 mm
Area 28.07mm2 365.04mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4912 x 3264
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 25,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 99
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Sony E
Lens Focal Range 28-196 mm (7×) no lens
Max Aperture F3.7-5.6 no lens
Macro Focus Range 3cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 460k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.50 m no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, Motion JPEG AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 175g 276g
Dimensions 98 x 58 x 27mm 111 x 59 x 39mm
Battery Life 210 shots 330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 78
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.7
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 13.1
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 910
Report a correction Report a correction


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Sony A7 IV
33 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7R IV
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Canon R3
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Canon M50 II
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon EF-M Mount
Nikon Z9
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Fujifilm X-T30 II
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Fujifilm GFX 100
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Nikon Z5
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Latest Cameras
Panasonic S5 II X
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Panasonic S5 II
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Pentax KF
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Pentax KAF2 Mount
Fujifilm X-T5
40 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R6 II
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony A7R V
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
OM System OM-5
20 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Sony ZV-1F
20 MP | 1″ Sensor | 20 mm
Copyright © 2023 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction