KFvs A5100
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Landscape & Outdoor — KF (2022): The Pentax KF is a rare thing — a weather-sealed DSLR with in-body stabilisation and an articulating screen at an accessible price. Video is modest at 1080p/60p, but for outdoor and landscape photographers who prefer optical viewfinders and want real weather sealing, the KF delivers in a format that is increasingly hard to find.
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
KF (2022)
- Outdoor and landscape photographers who want weather sealing at an accessible price
- DSLR users who want IBIS and an articulating screen without switching systems
- Pentax K-mount lens collectors who want a modern body for their glass
- Photographers who prefer the natural feel of an optical viewfinder
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The a5100 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a5100 is the most affordable; only the kf is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | KF (2022) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £700 | £200 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | SAFOX 13 phase-detect AF with 11 points | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | In-body Shake Reduction (SR II), up to 5.5 stops | None |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 6fps |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 643g (body only) | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 131.0 × 101.0 × 76.0mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 0.95× magnification, ~100% coverage | None |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Pentax KF-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | KF | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Casual | ||
| Street | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| 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