CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
  • LENSES
  • TOOLS
    • Smart Find
    • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Size Comparison
  • BRANDS
    • Sony Cameras
    • Canon Cameras
    • Nikon Cameras
    • Pentax Cameras
    • Fujifilm Cameras
    • Olympus Cameras
    • Panasonic Cameras
    • Leica Cameras
    • Samsung Cameras
  • BODY TYPE
    • Mirrorless Cameras
    • DSLR Cameras
    • Compact Cameras
    • Bridge Cameras
    • Waterproof Cameras

Sony a5100 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Sony a5100

    Select a Camera to Compare

    x
    Add a Camera for comparison

    Main Features

    • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
    • ISO 100 - 25600
    • 3" Tilting Screen
    • 6 fps continuous shooting
    • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video
    • Built-in Wireless
    • 283g. 110 x 63 x 36 mm
    • Replaced Sony a5000
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Sony a5100 Overview

    First introduced in August 2014 , Sony Alpha a5100 is a 24.0MP Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor, Tilting touch screen and Sony E (NEX) lens mount. Sony replaced the older a5000 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
    Compare Sony Alpha a5100 vs Sony a5000

    Sony a5100 Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Lens Mount and Lenses
    4. Sensor and Photography Features
    5. Physical Specs
    6. LCD and Viewfinder
    7. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    8. Video
    9. Other Features
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Sony a5100 has an Overall Score of 66/100 and ranked #101 out of 211 in Mirrorless cameras (Top 10 Mirrorless), and ranked #202 out of 1220 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Sony a5100 Physical Specs
    Sony a5100 weighs 283 g (0.62 lb / 9.98 oz) and has external dimensions of 110 x 63 x 36 mm (4.33 x 2.48 x 1.42″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 442g, Sony a5100 is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 36mm, it is also quite small, 14mm thinner than the average of its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony a5100
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony a5100
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Here is the front and top view image of Sony a5100 with the dimensions:

    Sony a5100 Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Sony a5100 Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony a5100, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Sony a5100 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Sony a5100 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Sony a5100 with its main competitors:

    Sony a5100 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs a5100 Thickness vs a5100
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6000
    Compare
    344g 61g heavier 45mm 9mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony a5000
    Compare
    269g 14g lighter 36mm equal thickness
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Canon M200
    Compare
    299g 16g heavier 35mm 1mm thinner
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Canon M100
    Compare
    302g 19g heavier 35mm 1mm thinner
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6100
    Compare
    396g 113g heavier 59mm 23mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Canon M50
    Compare
    390g 107g heavier 59mm 23mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6300
    Compare
    404g 121g heavier 49mm 13mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    403g 120g heavier 50mm 14mm thicker

    Weather Sealing

    Sony a5100 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Sony a5100 Sensor and Photography Features

    Sony a5100 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. a5100 has a native ISO range of 100 - 25600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

    Sony a5100 is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Canon M6 MII with its 33.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony a5100 vs Canon M6 MII or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

    Sony a5100 DxOMark Sensor Scores

    DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Sony a5100 sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 80 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Sony a5100 here.

    Let's look at how the size of the Sony a5100's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Sony a5100 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Sony a5100 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Sony a5100 Lens Mount and Lenses

    Sony a5100 has a Sony E (NEX) lens mount and currently there are 128 native lenses available for this mount. Sony keeps on adding new lenses to its E and FE mount selection and third party lens manufacturers also offer lot of good options. Thanks to its very short flange focal distance, choices of adapting lenses from other mounts are almost limitless. Sony also sells an adapter (Sony LA-EA4) which lets A mount lenses to be used with functionality including AF with E mount cameras.Metabones and Fotodiox also offers adapters which makes use of full range of Canon EF lenses with Auto Focus on E mount cameras.

    Sony a5100 doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 31 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 60 lenses with weather sealing for a5100 but bear in mind that a5100 body doesn't have weather sealings.

    Here are some of the most popular Sony a5100 Lenses on Camera Decision:

    Popular Sony E (NEX) Mount Lenses for Sony a5100
    Model Focal Length on a5100 Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
    Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Lens Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
    36-360mm 35mm FF 780gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T
    36-105mm 35mm FF 426gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS Lens Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS
    82.5-315mm APS-C / DX 345gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS
    105-300mm 35mm FF 840gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Lens Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T
    52.5mm 35mm FF 120gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS
    105-450mm 35mm FF 854gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 50mm F1.8 Lens Sony FE 50mm F1.8
    75mm 35mm FF 186gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS Lens Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS
    24-75mm APS-C / DX 116gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

    Check our Sony a5100 Lenses page for more detailed lens search.



    Sony a5100 LCD

    Sony a5100 has a Tilting 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

    LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

    Sony a5100 back view and LCD

    a5100 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Mirrorless camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Sony Alpha A7R (Compare) or Canon EOS M50 Mark II (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Sony a5100 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Sony a5100 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11b/g/n with NFC) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. With its NFC feature, a5100 can communicate with devices such as smartphones which are also equipped with this technology by simply touching each other.One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our a5100. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

    You can connect a5100 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

    Battery

    Sony a5100 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 400 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 369 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

    Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony a5100
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Samsung NX mini with its 650shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of Sony a5100 vs Samsung NX mini or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

    Sony a5100 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6000
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 360shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony a5000
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 420shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Canon M200
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 315shots Yes Yes No
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Canon M100
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 295shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6100
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 420shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Canon M50
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 235shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6300
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 400shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha a5100 Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 410shots Yes Yes Yes

    Sony a5100 Video Features

    With Sony a5100, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60p,60i,24p fps and save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S formats. Full HD resolution of Sony a5100 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

    a5100 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
    Sony a5100 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Mirrorless camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Sony Alpha A7R or Canon EOS M50 Mark II in a similar price range.

    Sony a5100 Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Sony a5100 can shoot continuously at max speed of 6 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately a5100 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Sony a5100 features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 179 points to choose from.

    Sony a5100 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

    Sony a5100 PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Sony a5100 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)
    NFC Connectivity
    Articulating Screen
    Full HD Video
    Touch Screen
    Face Detection Focusing
    24.0MP - High Resolution Sensor
    25.600 Max ISO
    179 Focus Points
    922k dots LCD Resolution
    6.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter
    283g Light Body
    Timelapse with optional downloadable app
    Good Low Light ISO - 1347
    Flash Sync Port
    Remote control with a smartphone
    Compatible with fast UHS-I cards
    Report a correction

    Buy Sony a5100 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Image Stabilization
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Viewfinder Option
    x magnification - Small Viewfinder
    Low Battery Life: 400 shots
    No Environmental Sealing
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Sony a5100 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Sony a5100 in 5 different photography areas.

    Sony a5100 for Portrait Photography

    Sony a5100 has a score of 46 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Portrait Photography list.
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
    Average Ergonomics&Handling
    No Image Stabilization
    No Built-in Viewfinder

    Read the details of how we scored Sony a5100 for Portrait Photography

    Sony a5100 for Street Photography

    Sony a5100 has a score of 60 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Street Photography list.
    Live-view
    Face-Detection Focusing
    Tilting LCD Screen
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Medium sized Body
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Image Stabilization

    Read the details of how we scored Sony a5100 for Street Photography

    Sony a5100 for Sports Photography

    Sony a5100 has a score of 58 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography list.
    Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
    179 Focus Points
    Good Low Light ISO
    Wireless Connection
    Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
    Average Ergonomics&Handling
    Environmental Sealings
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Image Stabilization

    Read the details of how we scored Sony a5100 for Sports Photography

    Sony a5100 for Daily Photography

    Sony a5100 has a score of 68 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    283g
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Medium size Body

    Read the details of how we scored Sony a5100 for Daily Photography

    Sony a5100 for Landscape Photography

    Sony a5100 has a score of 44 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography list.
    Live-view
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Sony a5100 for Landscape Photography
    Sony a5100 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Sony a5100 compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Sony a5100 alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Sony a5100

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony a5100 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Sony A6000
    Sony A6000
    Compare
    Sony a5000
    Sony a5000
    Compare
    Canon M200
    Canon M200
    Compare
    Canon M100
    Canon M100
    Compare
    Sony A6100
    Sony A6100
    Compare
    Canon M50
    Canon M50
    Compare
    Sony A6300
    Sony A6300
    Compare
    Sony A6400
    Sony A6400
    Compare

    Sony a5100 Alternatives in DSLR Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Sony a5100 with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in Sony a5100's price range.

    Sony A77 II
    Sony A77 II
    Compare
    Sony A99
    Sony A99
    Compare
    Pentax K-3
    Pentax K-3
    Compare
    Pentax K-S2
    Pentax K-S2
    Compare
    Pentax K-70
    Pentax K-70
    Compare
    Nikon D7200
    Nikon D7200
    Compare
    Pentax K-3 II
    Pentax K-3 II
    Compare
    Canon SL3
    Canon SL3
    Compare
    Frequently Asked Questions about Sony a5100
    Does the Sony a5100 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Sony a5100 have RAW support?
    Does the Sony a5100 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Sony a5100 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Sony a5100?
    What is the Sensor Size of Sony a5100?
    is the Sony a5100 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Sony a5100 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Sony a5100 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony a5100?
    What is the Weight of Sony a5100?
    What are the Dimensions of Sony a5100?
    Sony Alpha a5100 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Sony
    Model Sony Alpha a5100
    Announced 2014-08-17
    Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount Sony E (NEX)
    Number of Lenses 128
    Focal Length Multiplier 1.5x
    Macro Focus Range n/a
    Screen
    Screen Type Tilting
    Screen Size 3"
    Screen Resolution 922k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder None
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage n/a
    Viewfinder Magnification n/a
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 30s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 6.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation Yes
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range 4.00 m (at ISO 100)
    Flash Modes Flash off, auto, fill-flaw, slow sync, redeye reduction
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score 80
    DxO Color Depth 23.8
    DxO Dynamic Range 12.7
    DxO Low Light ISO 1347
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CMOS
    Sensor Size APS-C
    Sensor Dimensions 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 366.60mm2
    Sensor Resolution 24 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000
    Max Native ISO 25,600
    Min Native ISO 100
    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 179
    Number of Cross Focus Points Unknown
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p, 25p), 1280 x 720 (120p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p)
    Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
    Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity Built-In
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 283g
    Physical Dimensions 110 x 63 x 36mm
    Battery Life 400 shots
    Battery Type Battery Pack
    Battery Model NP-FW50
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous (3-5 shot))
    Timelapse Recording With downloadable app
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
    Storage Slots 1


    FOLLOW US


    Most Popular Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras
    Canon M50
    24 MP | APS-C Sensor| Canon EF-M Mount
    Olympus E-M10 II
    16 MP | Four Thirds Sensor| Micro Four Thirds Mount
    Fujifilm X-T30
    26 MP | APS-C Sensor| Fujifilm X Mount
    Nikon Z50
    21 MP | APS-C Sensor| Nikon Z Mount
    Fujifilm X-T100
    24 MP | APS-C Sensor| Fujifilm X Mount
    Sony a5100
    24 MP | APS-C Sensor| Sony E (NEX) Mount
    Fujifilm X-T20
    24 MP | APS-C Sensor| Fujifilm X Mount
    Sony a5000
    20 MP | APS-C Sensor| Sony E Mount
    Latest Mirrorless Cameras
    Leica SL2-S
    24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
    Fujifilm X-S10
    26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
    Canon M50 II
    24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon EF-M Mount
    Nikon Z6 II
    25 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
    Nikon Z7 II
    46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
    Sony A7c
    24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
    Panasonic S5
    24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
    Olympus E-M10 IV
    20 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
    Copyright © 2020 by CameraDecision
    About Feedback Privacy Cameras

    Report a Correction