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S5 IIX vs A5100

Quick take: The A5100 has the highest resolution at 24MP; the A5100 is the most affordable; only the S5 IIX is weather sealed.

Where the S5 IIX wins

  • Burst Rate: 9fps mechanical, 30fps electronic (6MP crop)
  • Weather Sealed: Yes
  • Portrait: 8.2 vs 5.4
  • Wedding & Events: 7.9 vs 3.5
  • Vlogging & Video: 6.6 vs 4.8

Where the A5100 wins

  • Cheaper new: £102 vs £1,599
  • Resolution: 24.3MP
  • Battery Life: ~400 shots (CIPA)
  • Weight: 224g (body only)
  • Street: 7.0 vs 6.3

16 specs side by side·16 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video, Clifton Cameras, MPB, eBay and Amazon UK

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
0 25 50 75 100 125 S5 IIX 134 mm 102 mm A5100 110 mm 63 mm
  • S5 IIX 134 × 102 × 90 mm · 740 g
  • A5100 110 × 63 × 36 mm · 283 g

The A5100 is 24 mm narrower, 39 mm shorter, 54 mm slimmer and 457 g lighter than the S5 IIX.

Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.

Verdictwhich should you buy?

S5 IIX — Professional Video, Filmmaking & Hybrid Shooters On L-Mount: The S5 II with ProRes RAW and 6K Open Gate — the most serious L-mount video tool in a portable, weather-sealed body.

A5100 — Casual & Travel: The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.

Who should buy what
S5 IIX (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Video professionals who need ProRes RAW output and 6K Open Gate in a portable L-mount body
  • L-mount filmmakers who want USB power for extended recording without battery changes
  • Hybrid shooters who need both 24MP stills quality and professional video specs in one camera
  • S5 II users who specifically need ProRes RAW support for their post-production workflow
A5100 (2014)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
  • Compact travel photographers
  • Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification S5 IIXLumix · 2023A5100Sony · 2014
Price £1,599£102 usedBest
Sensor 24.2MP full-frame CMOS24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS
Resolution 24.2MP24.3MPBest
Video 6K/30p Open Gate, 4K/60p 10-bit, ProRes RAW via HDMI — V-Log, LUT support1080p/60p
Autofocus Phase-hybrid AF — improved over S5 with subject recognitionHybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection
Stabilisation 5-axis IBIS — 6.5 stopsNo stabilisation
Burst Rate 9fps mechanical, 30fps electronic (6MP crop)Best6fps
Battery Life ~370 shots (CIPA)~400 shots (CIPA)Best
Weight 740g (body only)224g (body only)Best
Dimensions 134.3 × 102.3 × 90.1mm109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm
Weather Sealed YesBestNot weather sealed
Viewfinder OLED EVF, 3.68M-dot, 0.78×No viewfinder
Screen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.84M dots3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots
Mount L-mount (Leica/Panasonic/Sigma)Sony E-mount
Memory Cards Dual SD UHS-II slotsSingle SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot
Connectivity USB-C with power delivery, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks, HDMI full-sizeMicro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
S5 IIX
A5100
Portrait
8.2/10
5.4/10
Street
6.3/10
7.0/10
Travel
6.0/10
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
7.9/10
3.5/10
Vlogging & Video
6.6/10
4.8/10
Filmmaking
8.2/10
—
Documentary
7.9/10
4.1/10
Sports & Action
8.0/10
4.7/10
Landscape
6.9/10
5.0/10
Wildlife
7.9/10
5.5/10
Casual
5.4/10
5.2/10
Food
7.5/10
5.9/10
Macro
8.1/10
5.2/10
Architecture
7.2/10
5.2/10
Astrophotography
7.3/10
4.7/10
Fun & simple
—
4.9/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

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