Upgrade Guide
Sony A5100→Sony Sony RX100 VII
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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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 Sony RX100 VII
-
Burst rate20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) vs 6fps
-
Generation5 years newer (2019 vs 2014)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution20MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A5100 | Sony RX100 VII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | ||
| Travel | +0.5 | ||
| Portrait | -3.5 | ||
| Street | -0.5 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +2.0 | ||
| Landscape | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | ||
| Wildlife | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A5100 | Sony RX100 VII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £1,099 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2019 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking | |
| Stabilisation | None | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 302g with battery and card | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | No | |
| Viewfinder | None | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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