A5100vs A7 III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
All-Round Photography & Video — A7 III (2018): Still one of the best all-round cameras money can buy — particularly strong used. The A7 III proved that full-frame doesn't have to mean compromises, and nothing at this price point has meaningfully beaten it.
Who should buy what
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
A7 III (2018)
- Enthusiast photographers upgrading from APS-C for the first time
- Working photographers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Anyone who shoots in low light regularly
- Hybrid shooters needing both stills and video performance
Quick take: The a5100 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a5100 is the most affordable; only the a7 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A5100 (2014) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A5100 | A7 III |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — |
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