A5100vs A7R II
Sony
A7R II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Portrait, landscape & studio photography
View A7R II
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.
Portrait, Landscape & Studio Photography — A7R II (2015): The A7R II transformed the A7R series — adding IBIS, 4K video, BSI sensor tech, and phase-detect AF in one generation. A landmark Sony camera.
Who should buy what
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
A7R II (2015)
- Landscape and architecture photographers who want 42MP with IBIS for handheld shooting
- Portrait and studio photographers who need high resolution with improved AF reliability
- Sony FE system users who want a capable high-resolution body at a used price
- A7R I owners who need the stabilisation, 4K, and improved AF the original lacked
Quick take: The a7r ii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the a5100 is the most affordable; only the a7r ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A5100 (2014) | A7R II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £799 |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection |
| Stabilisation | None | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 625g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A5100 | A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Architecture | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A5100
Camera family history