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Sony A5000 vs A5100

The Sony Alpha A5000 and the Sony Alpha A5100 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2014 and August 2014. Both the A5000 and the A5100 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The A5000 has a resolution of 19.8 megapixels, whereas the A5100 provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Sony A5000
versus
Sony A5100
Sony A5000   Sony A5100
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
19.8 MP – APS-C sensor 24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 100-16,000 ISO 100-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 461k dots 3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen) Tilting touchscreen
3.5 shutter flaps per second 6 shutter flaps per second
420 shots per battery charge400 shots per battery charge
110 x 63 x 36 mm, 269 g 110 x 63 x 36 mm, 283 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A5000 and the Sony Alpha A5100? 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Sony A5000 and the Sony A5100 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A5000 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the A5100 is available in two color-versions (black, white).

Size Sony A5000 vs Sony A5100
Compare A5000 versus A5100 top
Comparison A5000 or A5100 rear

In this particular case, the Sony A5000 and the Sony A5100 have exactly the same width and height, and, thus, have identically-sized bodies. However, the A5100 is markedly heavier (5 percent) than the A5000. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A5000 nor the A5100 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A5000 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 269 g 420 n Jan 2014 449ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A5100 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 283 g 400 n Aug 2014 549ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M10 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 301 g 255 n Oct 2015 499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D3300 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 430 g 700 n Jan 2014 499ebay.com
5.
 
Sony RX100 IV 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 298 g 280 n Jun 2015 999ebay.com
6.
 
Sony A6000 120 mm 67 mm 45 mm 344 g 360 n Feb 2014 599ebay.com
7.
 
Sony RX100 III 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 290 g 320 n May 2014 799ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A3000 128 mm 91 mm 85 mm 411 g 470 n Aug 2013 329ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-3N 110 mm 62 mm 35 mm 269 g 480 n Feb 2013 499ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-5T 111 mm 59 mm 39 mm 276 g 330 n Aug 2013 699ebay.com
11.
 
Sony RX100 II 102 mm 58 mm 38 mm 281 g 350 n Jun 2013 749ebay.com
12.
 
Sony NEX-3 117 mm 62 mm 33 mm 297 g 330 n May 2010 599ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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 A5000 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 18 percent) than the A5100, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A5100 is 3 percent bigger. 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.

Sony A5000 and Sony A5100 sensor measures

With 24MP, the A5100 offers a higher resolution than the A5000 (19.8MP), but the A5100 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.25μm for the A5000). Yet, the A5100 is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the A5000, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A5100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A5100 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 Sony A5000 are 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.3 x 46.1 cm for good quality, 21.8 x 14.5 inches or 55.4 x 36.9 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.1 inches or 46.2 x 30.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A5100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Alpha A5000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A5100 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.

A5000 versus A5100 MP

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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A5000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.813.0108979
2.
 
Sony A5100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.812.7134780
3.
 
Canon M10 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.475365
4.
 
Nikon D3300 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.312.8138582
5.
 
Sony RX100 IV 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.659170
6.
 
Sony A6000 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.113.1134782
7.
 
Sony RX100 III 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.412.349567
8.
 
Sony A3000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.712.8106878
9.
 
Sony NEX-3N APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i22.812.5106774
10.
 
Sony NEX-5T APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60p23.613.0101578
11.
 
Sony RX100 II 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.512.448367
12.
 
Sony NEX-3 APS-C 14.0 4592 3056720/30p22.112.083068
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A5100 provides a faster frame rate than the A5000. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the A5000 is limited to 1080/60i.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The A5000 and the A5100 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A5000, the Sony A5100, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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.
 
Sony A5000none n3.0 / 461 tilting n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
2.
 
Sony A5100none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon M10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.6/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D3300optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Sony RX100 IV2359 n3.0 / 1228 tilting n 1/2000s 16.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Sony A60001440 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
7.
 
Sony RX100 III1440 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Sony A3000202 n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
9.
 
Sony NEX-3Noptional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
10.
 
Sony NEX-5Toptional n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n n
11.
 
Sony RX100 IIoptional n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Sony NEX-3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 7.0/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The A5100 has a touchscreen, while the A5000 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A5000 and the A5100 write their files to 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.

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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 Sony Alpha A5000 and Sony Alpha A5100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A5000-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
2.
 
Sony A5100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon M10-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Nikon D3300Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
5.
 
Sony RX100 IV-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
6.
 
Sony A6000Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
7.
 
Sony RX100 III-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
8.
 
Sony A3000Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Sony NEX-3N-stereo / mono--micro2.0---
10.
 
Sony NEX-5TYstereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Sony RX100 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
12.
 
Sony NEX-3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
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Both the A5000 and the A5100 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A5000 was replaced by the Sony A5100, while the A5100 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A5000 and A5100 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A5000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A5100 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A5000 or the Sony A5100 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A5000:

  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (18 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2014).


Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A5100:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 19.8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 461k dots).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 3.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (7 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A5100 is the clear winner of the contest (7 : 2 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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.

A5000 02:07 A5100

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A5000 and the Sony A5100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A5000 or the A5100 perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A50003/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 449ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A51004.5/5+....4.5/55/5 Aug 2014 549ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M10..........4/5 Oct 2015 499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D33003/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 499ebay.com
5.
 
Sony RX100 IV4.5/5+ +..85/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2015 999ebay.com
6.
 
Sony A60005/5+4.5/580/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2014 599ebay.com
7.
 
Sony RX100 III5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 799ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A30003/5+....4/54/5 Aug 2013 329ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-3N3/5......4.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 499ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-5T........4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2013 699ebay.com
11.
 
Sony RX100 II5/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2013 749ebay.com
12.
 
Sony NEX-3......70/1004.5/54/5 May 2010 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Sony A5000 vs Sony A5100

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Sony A5000 Sony A5100
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date January 2014 August 2014
    Launch Price USD 449 USD 549
    Sensor Specs Sony A5000 Sony A5100
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.2 x 15.4 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 357.28 mm2 366.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 27.8 mm 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 19.8 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5456 x 3632 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.25 μm 3.91 μm
    Pixel Density 5.55 MP/cm2 6.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 16,000 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 79 80
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.8 23.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.0 12.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1089 1347
    Screen Specs Sony A5000 Sony A5100
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder no viewfinder
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 461k dots 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Sony A5000 Sony A5100
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 3.5 shutter flaps/s 6 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium MS or 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 Sony A5000 Sony A5100
    External Flash no Hotshoe no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Body Specs Sony A5000 Sony A5100
    Battery Type NP-FW50 NP-FW50
    Battery Life (CIPA)420 shots per charge400 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 110 x 63 x 36 mm
    (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.4 in)
    110 x 63 x 36 mm
    (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.4 in)
    Camera Weight 269 g (9.5 oz) 283 g (10.0 oz)
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