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A5100vs ZV-1 II

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Sony A5100 Sony A5100 (2014) Starting from £200 new Best for Casual & Travel View A5100
VS
Sony ZV-1 II Sony ZV-1 II (2023) Starting from £649 new Best for Pocket vlogging View ZV-1 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.

Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt pocket.

↓ Full specifications below

A5100 (2014)

  • Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
  • Compact travel photographers
  • Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality

ZV-1 II (2023)

  • Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
  • Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
  • ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
  • Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses

Quick take: The a5100 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a5100 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification A5100 (2014)ZV-1 II (2023)
Price £200 £649
Sensor 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS
Resolution 24.3MP 20.1MP
Video 1080p/60p 4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF
Stabilisation None Optical SteadyShot (OIS)
Burst Rate 6fps 15fps
Battery Life ~400 shots (CIPA) ~260 shots (CIPA)
Weight 224g (body only) 292g
Dimensions 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm
Weather Sealed No No
Viewfinder None None
Screen 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen
Mount Sony E-mount Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv
Memory Cards Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot Single SD UHS-I slot
Connectivity Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input
Genre A5100ZV-1 II
Casual
9.0
Travel
8.5
9.0
Portrait
7.5
4.0
Street
7.5
7.0
Vlogging & Video
7.0
9.0
Landscape
6.5
4.0
Sports & Action
6.5
Family & Everyday
7.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

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