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Sony A100 vs Sony RX1R Comparison

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Sony A100

10 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CCD Sensor

Sony A100
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Sony RX1R

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1R
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Sony A100 vs Sony RX1R Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Sony cameras cameras with different body types: Sony A100, which was introduced in July 2006 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 10.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Sony RX1R, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, A100 is 7 years older than RX1R. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A100 and Sony RX1R before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2006-07-31
  • 10MP - APS-C CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.5" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 638g. 133 x 95 x 71 mm
  • Replaced Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D Compare

Sony RX1R Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-26
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3 Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 482g. 113 x 65 x 70 mm

Sony A100 was replaced by Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
Sony Alpha DSLR-A580 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R

Sony RX1R was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A100 and Sony RX1R compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Viewfinder
Optical vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R over Sony Alpha DSLR-A100
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 10 MP 140% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 1.600 1500% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 9 16 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 230k dots 434% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 3.0fps 2 fps faster
Weight
482 g vs 638 g 156 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Color Depth
25.0 vs 22.0 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
13.6 vs 11.2 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
2537 vs 476 better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Sony A100 vs Sony RX1R: 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 Sony A100 and Sony RX1R side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A100 has external dimensions of 133 x 95 x 71 mm (5.24 x 3.74 x 2.8″) and weighs 638 g (1.41 lb / 22.50 oz) (including batteries). Sony RX1R has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A100 and Sony RX1R. Sony RX1R is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 20mm narrower, 30mm shorter and 1mm thinner than Sony A100. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Sony RX1R has a built-in lens but Sony A100 doesn't. Once you put a lens on A100, its thickness will increase significantly.

Sony A100 vs Sony RX1R Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A100 and Sony RX1R Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX1R is significantly lighter (156g ) than the Sony A100 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 A100, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R 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 DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony RX1R's 3 LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A100's 2.5" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Sony A100 vs Sony RX1R: Sensor Comparison

Sony A100 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Sony RX1R has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Sony RX1R's sensor provides 14MP more than Sony A100's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Sony RX1R's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A100 and RX1R sensor size comparison.

Sony A100 vs Sony RX1R Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A100 and Sony RX1R Cameras


As seen above, Sony RX1R has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Sony A100. 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

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It 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. Sony A100 and Sony RX1R sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that RX1R has a better overall score of 91, 30 points higher compared to A100's score of 61.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A100 61 22.0 bits 11.2 Evs 476 ISO
Sony RX1R 91 25.0 bits 13.6 Evs 2537 ISO
What types of Photography are Sony A100 and Sony RX1R Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A100 and Sony RX1R 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.

Sony A100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
External Flash Shoe
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R for Street Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Sony A100 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details
External Flash Shoe
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sony A100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Large Body
638g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Sony A100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony RX1R for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Sony A100 vs Sony RX1R: 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 Sony A100 and Sony RX1R, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 Sony A100 and Sony RX1R scores compare:

Sony A100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #60 out of 78 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #494 out of 1225 in all Cameras
Sony RX1R
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #11 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #178 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Sony RX1R is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony A100 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sony A100
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Sony RX1R
Sony RX1R
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Sony RX1R vs Sony A100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2006-07-31 2013-06-26
Body Type Compact SLR Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 35.8 x 23.9 mm
Area 372.88mm2 855.62mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 3872 x 2592 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 25,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 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 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony/Minolta Alpha fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture no lens F2.0
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.5" 3
Resolution 230k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Electronic and Optical (optional)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.55x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range n/a 6.00 m
Max Flash Sync 1/160s 1/4000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None 1920 x 1080
Video Formats n/a MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 638g 482g
Dimensions 133 x 95 x 71mm 113 x 65 x 70mm
Battery Life n/a 270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 61 91
DxO Color Depth 22.0 25.0
DxO Dynamic Range 11.2 13.6
DxO Low Light ISO 476 2537
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