Sony A5100 vs A6700

The Sony Alpha A5100 and the Sony Alpha A6700 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2014 and July 2023. Both the A5100 and the A6700 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The A5100 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the A6700 provides 25.6 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 A6700
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		25.6 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/120p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		570 shots per battery charge
110 x 63 x 36 mm, 283 g		122 x 69 x 64 mm, 493 g

Check A5100 offers at
ebay.com
Check A6700 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A5100 and the Sony Alpha A6700? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony A5100 and the Sony A6700. 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 A6700 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 A6700 is notably larger (21 percent) than the Sony A5100. Moreover, the A6700 is substantially heavier (74 percent) than the A5100. It is noteworthy in this context that the A6700 is splash and dust-proof, while the A5100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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.

Concerning battery life, the A5100 gets 400 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the A6700 can take 570 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 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. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
3.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
4.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
5.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
6.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
7.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
11.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-5T	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-F3	117 mm	67 mm	42 mm	314 g	470	n	May 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	US$ 749	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The A5100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 61 percent) than the A6700, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the A6700 uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ XR) than the A5100 (BIONZ X), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the A6700 offers a slightly higher resolution of 25.6 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the A5100. This megapixels advantage translates into a 3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the A6700 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 3.91μm for the A5100). However, it should be noted that the A6700 is much more recent (by 8 years and 10 months) than the A5100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Sony Alpha A5100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A6700 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the A5100 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A6700 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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. 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 A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
3.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
4.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
5.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
6.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
7.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
8.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
9.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
10.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
11.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
12.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
13.		Sony NEX-5T	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60p	23.6	13.0	1015	78
14.		Sony NEX-F3	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.7	12.3	1114	73
15.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
16.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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 A6700 provides a better video resolution than the A5100. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the A5100 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A6700 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k 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 A6700 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 A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
3.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
6.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
7.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
8.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
12.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony NEX-5T	optional	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony NEX-F3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 II	optional	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 A5100 has one, while the A6700 does not. While the built-in flash of the A5100 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A6700 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Sony A6700 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A5100 and the A6700 write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A6700 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A5100 can use UHS-I cards (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 A5100 and Sony Alpha A6700 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 A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y
3.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony NEX-5T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony NEX-F3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the A6700 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The A5100 lacks such a headphone port.

The A6700 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the A5100 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the A5100 from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the A5100 and A6700 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A5100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A6700 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A5100 and the Sony A6700? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A5100:

• More compact: Is smaller (110x63mm vs 122x69mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 210g or 43 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (61 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2014).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A6700:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ XR vs BIONZ X).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/120p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (570 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 10 months of technical progress since the A5100 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6700 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A5100 and the Sony A6700 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A5100 or the A6700 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.

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 A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
3.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
4.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
5.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
6.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
7.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
11.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-5T	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-F3	4/5	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 749	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 assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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.

Check A5100 offers at
ebay.com
Check A6700 price at
amazon.com

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.

~

Check A5100 offers at
ebay.com
Check A6700 price at
amazon.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.