Nikon D5100 vs Sony A68
The Nikon D5100 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2011 and November 2015. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D5100 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The physical size and weight of the Nikon D5100 and the Sony A68 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A68 is notably larger (20 percent) than the Nikon D5100. Moreover, the A68 is markedly heavier (9 percent) than the D5100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D5100 nor the A68 are weather-sealed.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.
Concerning battery life, the D5100 gets 660 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL14 battery, while the A68 can take 540 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D5100 | 128 mm | 97 mm | 79 mm | 560 g | 660 | n | Apr 2011 | 749 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A68 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 610 g | 540 | n | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon T2i | 129 mm | 98 mm | 62 mm | 530 g | 440 | n | Feb 2010 | 699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D3100 | 124 mm | 96 mm | 75 mm | 505 g | 550 | n | Aug 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D3200 | 125 mm | 96 mm | 77 mm | 505 g | 540 | n | Apr 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D5000 | 127 mm | 104 mm | 80 mm | 590 g | 510 | n | Apr 2009 | 749 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D5200 | 129 mm | 98 mm | 78 mm | 555 g | 500 | n | Nov 2012 | 749 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D5300 | 125 mm | 98 mm | 76 mm | 480 g | 600 | n | Oct 2013 | 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D5500 | 124 mm | 97 mm | 70 mm | 470 g | 820 | n | Jan 2015 | 899 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D5600 | 124 mm | 97 mm | 70 mm | 465 g | 970 | n | Nov 2016 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D7000 | 132 mm | 105 mm | 77 mm | 780 g | 1050 | Y | Sep 2010 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
12. | Pentax K-S1 | 121 mm | 93 mm | 70 mm | 558 g | 410 | n | Aug 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A58 | 129 mm | 95 mm | 78 mm | 492 g | 690 | n | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A77 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 732 g | 470 | Y | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 647 g | 480 | Y | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A6000 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 45 mm | 344 g | 360 | n | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-5N | 111 mm | 59 mm | 38 mm | 269 g | 460 | n | Aug 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A68 was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the D5100 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison
The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A68 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the A68 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the D5100. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.80μm for the D5100). However, it should be noted that the A68 is much more recent (by 4 years and 7 months) than the D5100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A68 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A68 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D5100 are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Nikon D5100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).
Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D5100 | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/30p | 23.5 | 13.6 | 1183 | 80 | |
2. | Sony A68 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 24.1 | 13.5 | 701 | 79 | |
3. | Canon T2i | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.1 | 11.5 | 784 | 66 | |
4. | Nikon D3100 | APS-C | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/24p | 22.5 | 11.3 | 919 | 67 | |
5. | Nikon D3200 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 24.1 | 13.2 | 1131 | 81 | |
6. | Nikon D5000 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 868 | 72 | |
7. | Nikon D5200 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 24.2 | 13.9 | 1284 | 84 | |
8. | Nikon D5300 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.9 | 1338 | 83 | |
9. | Nikon D5500 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 14.0 | 1438 | 84 | |
10. | Nikon D5600 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 14.0 | 1306 | 84 | |
11. | Nikon D7000 | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/24p | 23.5 | 13.9 | 1167 | 80 | |
12. | Pentax K-S1 | APS-C | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 23.5 | 13.0 | 1061 | 78 | |
13. | Sony A58 | APS-C | 19.8 | 5456 | 3632 | 1080/60i | 23.3 | 12.5 | 753 | 74 | |
14. | Sony A77 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.2 | 801 | 78 | |
15. | Sony A77 II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.4 | 1013 | 82 | |
16. | Sony A6000 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 13.1 | 1347 | 82 | |
17. | Sony NEX-5N | APS-C | 16.0 | 4912 | 3264 | 1080/60i | 23.6 | 12.7 | 1079 | 77 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A68 provides a faster frame rate than the D5100. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A68 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the D5100 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A68 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D5100 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A68 has a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.51x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D5100 and Sony A68 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D5100 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Sony A68 | 1440 | Y | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon T2i | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.7/s | Y | n | |
4. | Nikon D3100 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Nikon D3200 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D5000 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | full-flex | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Nikon D5200 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D5300 | optical | n | 3.2 / 1037 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Nikon D5500 | optical | n | 3.2 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Nikon D5600 | optical | n | 3.2 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Nikon D7000 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Pentax K-S1 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/6000s | 5.4/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A58 | 1440 | n | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A77 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 921 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A6000 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
17. | Sony NEX-5N | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that differentiates the A68 and the D5100 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A68 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the D5100 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
The D5100 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the A68 does not have a selfie-screen.The Nikon D5100 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.
The D5100 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A68 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D5100 and Sony Alpha SLT-A68 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D5100 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony A68 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon T2i | Y | stereo / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Nikon D3100 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Nikon D3200 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D5000 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Nikon D5200 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D5300 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
9. | Nikon D5500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Nikon D5600 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
11. | Nikon D7000 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Pentax K-S1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Sony A58 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony A77 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Sony A77 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A6000 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony NEX-5N | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
Both the D5100 and the A68 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D5100 was replaced by the Nikon D5200, while the A68 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D5100 and A68 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D5100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A68 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D5100 or the Sony A68 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Advantages of the Nikon D5100:
- Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.8 stops ISO advantage).
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (128x97mm vs 143x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (660 versus 540) on a single battery charge.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2011).
Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A68:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 22%.
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.51x).
- Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More modern: Reflects 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the D5100 launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D5100 comes out slightly ahead of the A68 (10 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D5100 and the Sony A68 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D5100 and the A68 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D5100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 76/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2011 | 749 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A68 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon T2i | .. | + + | .. | 77/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | 699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D3100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D3200 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 73/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D5000 | .. | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2009 | 749 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D5200 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2012 | 749 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D5300 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D5500 | 5/5 | + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2015 | 899 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D5600 | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2016 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D7000 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2010 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
12. | Pentax K-S1 | 4/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A58 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A77 | 5/5 | 91/100 | .. | 81/100 | .. | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A6000 | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-5N | 3/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2011 | 699 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 1D Mark IV vs Sony A68
- Fujifilm GFX 50S vs Nikon D5100
- Fujifilm X100 vs Nikon D5100
- Fujifilm XP140 vs Nikon D5100
- Nikon D5100 vs Nikon W300
- Nikon D5100 vs Sony A6000
- Nikon D5100 vs Sony A7C
- Panasonic GH4 vs Sony A68
- Panasonic GM1 vs Sony A68
- Panasonic S1 vs Sony A68
- Panasonic TZ200 vs Sony A68
- Sony A6300 vs Sony A68
Specifications: Nikon D5100 vs Sony A68
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Nikon D5100 | Sony A68 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | Sony A mount lenses |
Launch Date | April 2011 | November 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 749 | USD 699 |
Sensor Specs | Nikon D5100 | Sony A68 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.6 x 15.7 mm | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 370.52 mm2 | 366.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.3 mm | 28.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 16.1 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4928 x 3264 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.80 μm | 3.91 μm |
Pixel Density | 4.34 MP/cm2 | 6.55 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 6,400 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 25,600 ISO | no Enhancement |
Image Processor | EXPEED 2 | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 80 | 79 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 23.5 | 24.1 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.6 | 13.5 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1183 | 701 |
Screen Specs | Nikon D5100 | Sony A68 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.51x | 0.57x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 1440k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 2.7inch |
LCD Resolution | 921k dots | 460k dots |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | Tilting screen |
Shooting Specs | Nikon D5100 | Sony A68 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 4 shutter flaps/s | 8 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | 100 000 actuations |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-I | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Nikon D5100 | Sony A68 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Nikon D5100 | Sony A68 |
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL14 | Sony NP-FM500H |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 660 shots per charge | 540 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
128 x 97 x 79 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 3.1 in) |
143 x 104 x 81 mm (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.2 in) |
Camera Weight | 560 g (19.8 oz) | 610 g (21.5 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.