Upgrade Guide
Sony A5100→Sony A7 II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
→
Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A5100. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7 II
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (24MP)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A5100 | A7 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | ||
| Travel | -0.5 | ||
| Portrait | +1.5 | ||
| Street | +0.5 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -2.0 | ||
| Landscape | +1.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A5100 | A7 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £549 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2014 | |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 24MP | |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p 60fps | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | 117-point phase-detect hybrid AF | |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | 350 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 599g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | None | EVF 0.71× 2.36M-dot | |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.23M-dot | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | SD / Memory Stick Pro Duo |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A5100 and A7 II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7 II against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A5100
Related buying guides
Camera family history