BFvs A5100
Sigma
BF (2025)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Photographers who want to strip back every distraction
View BF
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Photographers Who Want To Strip Back Every Distraction — BF (2025): The most radical camera in years — no dials, no buttons, just a flat aluminium body and total creative minimalism.
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
BF (2025)
- Photographers who find camera menus and dials a distraction from the creative process
- L-mount system users who want the lightest, most minimal full-frame body available
- Design enthusiasts who value the object quality and philosophy as much as the output
- Sigma fp/fp L users ready for a more radical step toward minimal photography
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 bf is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | BF (2025) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £200 |
| Sensor | 24MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.0MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF — face and eye detection | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 7 stops | None |
| Burst Rate | 9fps electronic | 6fps |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g body only | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 127.0 × 75.0 × 45.0mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.75× 3.68M-dot | None |
| Screen | 3.15" fully articulating touchscreen — primary interface | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | L-mount (Leica/Panasonic/Sigma) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | BF | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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