Sony A6100 vs Zeiss ZX1

The Sony Alpha A6100 and the Zeiss ZX1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2019 and September 2018. The A6100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the ZX1 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (A6100) and a full frame (ZX1) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Zeiss provides 37.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony A6100		Zeiss ZX1
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Sony E mount lenses		35mm f/2.8
24 MP – APS-C sensor		37.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 80-51,200
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (6221k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		4.3" LCD – 2765k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
420 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 59 mm, 396 g		142 x 93 x 46 mm, 800 g

Check A6100 offers at
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Check ZX1 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6100 and the Zeiss ZX1? 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 A6100 and the Zeiss ZX1. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A6100 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the ZX1 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 Zeiss ZX1 is considerably larger (64 percent) than the Sony A6100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A6100 nor the ZX1 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the ZX1 has a lens built in, whereas the A6100 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 A6100 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the A6100 gets 420 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the ZX1 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Zeiss DD-PS1A power pack. The power pack in the A6100 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

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.

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 A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	749	ebay.com
2.		Zeiss ZX1	142 mm	93 mm	46 mm	800 g	250	n	Sep 2018	5,999	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-E3	121 mm	74 mm	43 mm	337 g	350	n	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T20	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	383 g	350	n	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T30	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	121 mm	84 mm	55 mm	370 g	270	n	Jan 2020	699	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
9.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
11.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
15.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	1,349	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	699	amazon.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 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. 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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A6100 features an APS-C sensor and the Zeiss ZX1 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the ZX1 is 135 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 37.4MP, the ZX1 offers a higher resolution than the A6100 (24MP), but the ZX1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.81μm versus 3.91μm for the A6100) due to its larger sensor. However, the A6100 is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the ZX1, 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 Zeiss ZX1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the ZX1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 37.4 x 25 inches or 95.1 x 63.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 30 x 20 inches or 76.1 x 50.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 25 x 16.6 inches or 63.4 x 42.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A6100 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A6100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Alpha A6100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Zeiss ZX1 are ISO 80 to ISO 51200 (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 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 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 A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
2.		Zeiss ZX1	Full Frame	37.4	7488	4992	4K/30p	25.2	14.1	2759	94
3.		Fujifilm X-E3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1764	82
4.		Fujifilm X-T20	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
5.		Fujifilm X-T30	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.5	1895	83
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1991	84
7.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
9.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
10.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
11.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
12.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
13.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
14.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
15.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
16.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
17.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the ZX1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A6100 (6221k vs 1440k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A6100 and Zeiss ZX1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Zeiss ZX1	6221	n	4.3 / 2765	fixed	Y	1/1000s	3.0/s	n	n
3.		Fujifilm X-E3	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
4.		Fujifilm X-T20	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-T30	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	2360	n	3.5 / 2780	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
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 A6100 has one, while the ZX1 does not. While the built-in flash of the A6100 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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 A6100 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 A6100 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the ZX1 uses an internal SSD.

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 A6100 and Zeiss ZX1 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 A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Zeiss ZX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.1	Y	Y	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-E3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-T20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-T30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the A6100 has a microphone port, which is missing on the ZX1. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the A6100 and the ZX1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A6100 was replaced by the Sony A6600, while the ZX1 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A6100 and ZX1 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Zeiss ZX1 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A6100 or the Zeiss ZX1 – 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.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A6100:

• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/1000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 142x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (420 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 11 months after the ZX1).

Advantages of the Zeiss ZX1:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (37.4 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (6221k vs 1440k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.70x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (4.3" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2765k vs 922k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the A6100 necessitates an extra lens.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• More prestigious: Has the Zeiss luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2018).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (13 points each). 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A6100 and the Zeiss ZX1 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A6100 or the ZX1. 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 A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	749	ebay.com
2.		Zeiss ZX1	3/5	..	..	83/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2018	5,999	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-E3	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T20	5/5	+ +	5/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T30	5/5	+ +	5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	3.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	699	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
9.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
11.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
15.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	1,349	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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

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