Upgrade Guide
Sony A5100→Sony A7R
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the A5100. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the A7R
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Resolution36MP vs 24MP (+12MP)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A5100 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | ||
| Travel | -4.5 | ||
| Portrait | -0.5 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -3.0 | ||
| Landscape | +2.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | -2.5 | ||
| Architecture | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A5100 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £349 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2013 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 36MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | |
| Stabilisation | None | None | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 4fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 465g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | No | |
| Viewfinder | None | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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