Upgrade Guide

Sony A5100→Sony A7C

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A5100

£200

2014

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7C

£1299 (+£1,099)

2020

✅

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 A7C

↑

Stabilisation

IBIS added — significant for handheld and video
↑

Burst rate

10fps with AF/AE tracking vs 6fps
↑

Battery life

~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless vs ~400 shots (CIPA)
↑

Generation

6 years newer (2020 vs 2014)

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A5100	A7C
Price	£200	£1,299
Released	2014	2020	↑
Sensor	24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS	24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS
Resolution	24MP	24MP	↓
Video	1080p/60p	4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3
Autofocus	Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection	Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF
Stabilisation	None	5-axis IBIS, 5 stops
Burst Rate	6fps	10fps with AF/AE tracking	↑
Battery Life	~400 shots (CIPA)	~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless	↑
Weight	224g (body only)	509g (body, battery, card)	↓
Weather Sealed	No	No
Viewfinder	None	None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF
Screen	3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots	3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots
Mount	Sony E-mount	Sony E-mount
Memory Cards	Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot	Single SD UHS-II

Compare side-by-side

See A5100 and A7C next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7C against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A5100

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