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Sony

Sony A5100

The Sony A5100 is one of the smallest and lightest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24.3MP Exmor CMOS sensor and hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF system pack genuinely capable performance into a shirt-pocket-sized body. The flip-up selfie screen and NFC / Wi-Fi connectivity made it an early favourite for vloggers and travel bloggers. It lacks an EVF and hot shoe, which limits its appeal for serious work — but as a compact everyday camera, backup body, or beginner's first mirrorless, it remains an excellent and affordable used-market buy.

GearFrame's Take

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.

Starting from
£200 new
Average price across retailers: ~£300
Available at 2 retailers
✓ Available at 2 retailers 🔒 No signup needed 📦 UK stock only
RetailerPrice
eBay
eBay
Lowest Buy It Now · marketplace
£102
Search eBay →
Prices are synced live from UK retailers. Not every product will be stocked by every retailer; older models may only be available second hand.
Core
Released
2014
Sensor
24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS
Resolution
24.3 MP
Mount
Sony E-mount
Dimensions
109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm
Weight
224g (body only)
Weather Sealed
No
Performance
Autofocus
Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection
Stabilisation
None
Burst Rate
6fps
Battery Life
~400 shots (CIPA)
Features
Video
1080p/60p
Viewfinder
None
Screen
3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots
Memory Cards
Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot
Connectivity
Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC

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Who should buy this
  • Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
  • Compact travel photographers
  • Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
GearScore™ — Suitability by Genre
Casual
9.0
Travel
8.5
Portrait
7.5
Street
7.5
Vlogging & Video
7.0
Landscape
6.5
Sports & Action
6.5
Great For
📷
Casual Effortless daily shooting with excellent AF in one of the most pocketable APS-C bodies ever.
✈️
Travel Genuinely pocketable APS-C quality — easy to carry everywhere without a camera bag.
👤
Portrait 24MP and fast phase-detect AF deliver sharp, pleasing portraits.
🎬
Vlogging & Video Flip-up screen and 1080p/60p make it a capable compact vlogging tool.
⚠️ Not Ideal For
🏔️
Landscape No EVF, no hot shoe, and no IBIS limit its appeal for serious landscape work.
📝 How suitability scores are calculated Scores reflect the aggregated consensus from verified purchaser reviews across tracked UK retailers, weighted by photography genre tags applied by reviewers. This is community opinion — not GearFrame editorial assessment. See our full methodology →
Price History — A5100

Video reviews and hands-on coverage for the Sony A5100 from across YouTube.

Video results sourced from YouTube. GearFrame is not affiliated with these channels.

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