Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.
Sony Alpha 5100 was announced in 2014 and is an APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) Mirrorless camera with 24.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor. Its native ISO ranges from 100 to 25,600. The camera has a Tilting 3.0" screen with 922k dot resolution.
Sony Alpha 5100 can capture video up to 1920 x 1080 resolution.
In this section we present pros and cons of Sony Alpha 5100.
And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:
Here we are comparing Sony Alpha 5100 to its predecessor Alpha 5000 and displaying the major changes.
| UPGRADES | Sony Alpha 5100 | vs | Sony Alpha 5000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheaper | $549 (body only), $699 (with 16-50 PZ lens) | vs | $600 (with 16-50mm power zoom lens) |
| Higher Sensor Resolution | 24.3 Megapixel | vs | 20.1 Megapixel |
| Higher Native ISO | 25,600 | vs | 16,000 |
| Max Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 | vs | 5456 x 3632 |
| Focusing System | Fast Hybrid AF (Phase-detection / Contrast-detection) | vs | Contrast-detection AF |
| More Focus Points | 179 | vs | 25 |
| Touch-to-Focus | vs | ||
| Phase Detection for Autofocus | vs | ||
| Touch Screen | vs | ||
| Higher Resolution Screen | 922k dot | vs | 461k dot |
| Higher Max Continuous Shooting | 6.0 fps | vs | 3.5 fps |
| Higher DxO Low Light ISO | 1347 | vs | 1089 |
| Higher DxO Overall Score | 80 | vs | 79 |
| Speaker | Mono | vs |
| DOWNGRADES | Sony Alpha 5100 | vs | Sony Alpha 5000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower DxO Dynamic Range | 12.7 | vs | 13.0 |
| Heavier | 283 g (0.62 lb / 9.98 oz) | vs | 269 g (0.59 lb / 9.49 oz) |
| Shorter Battery Life | 400 shots | vs | 420 shots |
For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Sony Alpha 5100 vs Alpha 5000.
Sony Alpha 5100 has a 3.0" Tilting touchscreen with 922k dot resolution. Tilting screen makes this camera very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting.
Sony Alpha 5100 with Tilting screen
Sony Alpha 5100 features a 24.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 366.6 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 25,600.
Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how Sony Alpha 5100's APS-C sensor compares with other types of sensors:
| Sensor | Dimensions | Area | Aspect Ratio | Crop Factor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Medium Format | 44 x 33 mm | 1452 mm2 | 4:3 | 0.79x |
 | Full Frame | 36 x 24 mm | 864 mm2 | 3:2 | 1x |
 | APS-H | 27 x 18 mm | 486 mm2 | 3:2 | 1.3x |
 | APS-C | 23.5 x 15.6 mm | 366.6 mm2 | 3:2 | 1.5x |
 0.webp) | APS-C (Canon) | 22.3 x 14.9 mm | 332.3 mm2 | 3:2 | 1.6x |
 | Micro Four Thirds | 17.4 x 13 mm | 226.2 mm2 | 4:3 | 2x |
 | 1-inch | 13.2 x 8.8 mm | 116.2 mm2 | 3:2 | 2.7x |
 | 1/1.7-inch | 7.44 x 5.58 mm | 41.5 mm2 | 4:3 | 4.7x |
 | 1/2.3-inch | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 28.1 mm2 | 4:3 | 5.6x |
Camera is equipped with BIONZ X processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolutions like 6000 x 3376, 4240 x 2832, 4240 x 2400, 3008 x 2000, 3008 x 1688 with 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.
Sony Alpha 5100 has Sony E lens mount. Due to APS-C sensor its crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is 1.5x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.
The camera does not have in-body image stabilization (IBIS) so it needs lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction.
Camera has a built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.
Sony Alpha 5100 has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.
Sony Alpha 5100 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) input for data transfer. There is a Micro HDMI connector for video signal output.
Sony Alpha 5100 comes with NP-FW50 battery pack with battery life of 400 shots.
The camera has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo Hybrid (UHS-I) card slot.
Sony Alpha 5100 has Electronically controlled Vertical-traverse Focal-plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec. Camera can shoot continuously up to 6.0 fps.
Sony Alpha 5100 has Fast Hybrid AF (Phase-detection / Contrast-detection) system with 179 focusing points and from -1 to +20 EV detection range. Touch-to-Focus allows users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording. There is also face detection feature which automatically finds and focuses on faces.
Camera's exposure metering ranges from -1 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±3 EV range. You can also do exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment.
Sony Alpha 5100 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 4.00 m at ISO 100. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec. Flash compensation can be set from -2 to +2 EV with 1/3 EV step increments.
Sony Alpha 5100 has dimensions of 110 x 63 x 36 mm (4.33 x 2.48 x 1.42"). It weighs 283 g (0.62 lb / 9.98 oz), so it is a lightweight camera.
110 mm (4.33")
63 mm (2.48")
63 mm (2.48")
36 mm (1.42")
Sony Alpha 5100 dimensions
We give scores to the camera for different type of photography based on its features and specifications. Let us see how Sony Alpha 5100 is suitable for six different types of photography.
Sony Alpha 5100 gets a score of 75 and is GOOD choice for Landscape photography.
Sony Alpha 5100 gets a score of 74 and is GOOD choice for Sports photography.
Sony Alpha 5100 gets a score of 67 and is AVERAGE choice for Wildlife photography.
Sony Alpha 5100 gets a score of 80 and is GOOD choice for Portrait photography.
Sony Alpha 5100 gets a score of 86 and is EXCELLENT choice for Street photography.
Sony Alpha 5100 gets a score of 84 and is GOOD choice for Travel photography.
We evaluate Sony Alpha 5100 and give score of 70 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.
We give Sony Alpha 5100 a score of 71 for Sensor parameters.
We give Sony Alpha 5100 a score of 67 for Photo parameters.
We give Sony Alpha 5100 a score of 32 for Video parameters.
We give Sony Alpha 5100 a score of 90 for Focusing parameters.
We give Sony Alpha 5100 a score of 78 for Screen and Viewfinder parameters.
We give Sony Alpha 5100 a score of 79 for Connectivity parameters.
We give Sony Alpha 5100 a score of 43 for Battery, Storage and Physical parameters.
For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:
