Sony A5100 vs A3000

The Sony Alpha A5100 and the Sony Alpha A3000 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2014 and August 2013. Both the A5100 and the A3000 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The A5100 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the A3000 provides 19.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony A5100		Sony A3000
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		19.8 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-16,000
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 230k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
400 shots per battery charge		470 shots per battery charge
110 x 63 x 36 mm, 283 g		128 x 91 x 85 mm, 411 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A5100 and the Sony Alpha A3000? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A5100 and the Sony A3000 is provided 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 width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A5100 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A3000 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 A3000 is considerably larger (68 percent) than the Sony A5100. Moreover, the A3000 is substantially heavier (45 percent) than the A5100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A5100 nor the A3000 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 table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
3.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
4.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
5.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
6.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	599	ebay.com
7.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
8.		Sony NEX-5T	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2013	699	ebay.com
9.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	999	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	1,349	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-F3	117 mm	67 mm	42 mm	314 g	470	n	May 2012	599	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	649	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The A3000 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the A5100, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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 A3000 is 3 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the A5100 uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ X) than the A3000 (BIONZ), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24MP, the A5100 offers a higher resolution than the A3000 (19.8MP), but the A5100 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.25μm for the A3000). However, the A5100 is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the A3000, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

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 A3000 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 A5100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A3000 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000 (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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
2.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
3.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
4.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
5.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
6.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
7.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
8.		Sony NEX-5T	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60p	23.6	13.0	1015	78
9.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
10.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
11.		Sony NEX-F3	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.7	12.3	1114	73
12.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
13.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
14.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
15.		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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A5100 provides a higher frame rate than the A3000. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the A3000 is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A3000 has an electronic viewfinder (202k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the A5100 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A5100 and Sony A3000 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
3.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
4.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
5.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
6.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
7.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
8.		Sony NEX-5T	optional	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
9.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony NEX-F3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
12.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		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 differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The A5100 has a touchscreen, while the A3000 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A5100 and the A3000 write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A5100 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the A3000 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 A5100 and Sony Alpha A3000 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 A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Sony NEX-5T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony NEX-F3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the A5100 offers wifi support, while the A3000 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the A5100 and the A3000 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the A5100 and A3000 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A5100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A3000 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A5100 or the Sony A3000 – 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.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A5100:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 19.8MP) with a 10% higher linear resolution.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.3 stops ISO advantage).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ X vs BIONZ).
• 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 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x63mm vs 128x91mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 128g or 31 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 11 months after the A3000).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A3000:

• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (470 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (40 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2013).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A5100 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 5 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 Sony A5100 and the Sony A3000 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the A5100 and the A3000 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 table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
3.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
4.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
5.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
6.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	599	ebay.com
7.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
8.		Sony NEX-5T	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	699	ebay.com
9.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	999	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	1,349	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-F3	4/5	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	599	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	649	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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

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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