Z6 IIvs A5100
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
All-Round Full-Frame Photography — Z6 II (2020): The Z6 II is the Nikon most photographers should buy. It's balanced across every discipline — stills, video, autofocus, weather sealing — without overpaying for megapixels you don't need. The Z-mount glass is superb.
Casual & Travel — A5100 (2014): 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
Z6 II (2020)
- Nikon DSLR users ready to move to mirrorless
- Photographers who need a reliable all-rounder without specialising
- Video creators wanting 4K/60p in a weather-sealed body
- Enthusiasts who shoot everything from portraits to travel
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The z6 ii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a5100 is the most affordable; only the z6 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z6 II (2020) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699 | £200 |
| Sensor | 24.5MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.5MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 273 points, Eye AF, subject tracking | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) | None |
| Burst Rate | 14fps mechanical, 14fps electronic (12-bit RAW) | 6fps |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 705g (body, battery, card) | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | None |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z6 II | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Video | — | |
| Street | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history