Sony A5000 vs RX1R II

The Sony Alpha A5000 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2014 and October 2015. The A5000 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the RX1R II is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (A5000) and a full frame (RX1R II) sensor. The A5000 has a resolution of 19.8 megapixels, whereas the RX1R II provides 42.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony A5000		Sony RX1R II
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Sony E mount lenses		35mm f/2.0
19.8 MP – APS-C sensor		42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60i Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-16,000		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
3.5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
420 shots per battery charge		220 shots per battery charge
110 x 63 x 36 mm, 269 g		113 x 65 x 72 mm, 507 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 Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II? 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 Sony A5000 and the Sony RX1R II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A5000 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the RX1R II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX1R II is notably larger (6 percent) than the Sony A5000. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A5000 nor the RX1R II are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX1R II has a lens built in, whereas the A5000 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the A5000 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the A5000 gets 420 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the RX1R II can take 220 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. 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. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
9.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-5T	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A5000 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX1R II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the RX1R II is 140 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 42.2MP, the RX1R II offers a higher resolution than the A5000 (19.8MP), but the RX1R II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.50μm versus 4.25μm for the A5000) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the RX1R II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the A5000, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the RX1R II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony RX1R II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the RX1R II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 39.8 x 26.5 inches or 101 x 67.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 31.8 x 21.2 inches or 80.8 x 53.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 26.5 x 17.7 inches or 67.3 x 44.9 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 Sony Alpha A5000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the A5000 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the RX1R II uses a BSI-CMOS imager. 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the RX1R II offers substantially better image quality than the A5000 (overall score 18 points higher). The advantage is based on 2 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.6 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		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	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
2.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
3.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
4.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
5.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
6.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
7.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
8.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
9.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
10.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
11.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
12.		Sony NEX-5T	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60p	23.6	13.0	1015	78
13.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
14.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
15.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
16.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70

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 RX1R II provides a faster frame rate than the A5000. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the A5000 is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the RX1R II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the A5000 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A5000, the Sony RX1R II, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		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 A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
2.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
6.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony NEX-5T	optional	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The A5000 has one, while the RX1R II does not. While the built-in flash of the A5000 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A5000 and the RX1R II 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.

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 Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		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	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony NEX-5T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the RX1R II has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The A5000 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the A5000 and the RX1R II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A5000 was replaced by the Sony A5100, while the RX1R II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A5000 and RX1R II can be found, respectively, in the Sony A5000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX1R II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A5000 and the Sony RX1R II? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A5000:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (420 versus 220) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2014).

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 19.8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 46%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (18 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.9 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.6 stops ISO advantage).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 461k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the A5000 necessitates an extra lens.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 9 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX1R II is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 6 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Sony A5000 and the Sony RX1R II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings 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 A5000 and the RX1R II in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
9.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-5T	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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