A5100vs A7R III
Sony
A7R III (2017)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
View A7R 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.
Landscape, Studio & Commercial Photography — A7R III (2017): The camera that converted professionals to mirrorless — 42MP, IBIS, and 10fps in a body that still competes today.
Who should buy what
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
A7R III (2017)
- Landscape and studio photographers who need 42MP resolution at a used-price discount vs A7R IV
- Canon/Nikon DSLR professionals considering a mirrorless switch at a lower investment
- Commercial and product photographers who want full-frame resolution with IBIS for handheld work
- Portrait photographers who want the sharpest possible full-frame files for large print work
Quick take: The a7r iii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the a5100 is the most affordable; only the a7r iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A5100 (2014) | A7R III (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 650g body only |
| Dimensions | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A5100 | A7R III |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports | — |
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