Upgrade Guide
Sony A5100→Sony Sony RX1R III
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 RX1R III
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Resolution61MP vs 24MP (+37MP)
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StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Generation11 years newer (2025 vs 2014)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | A5100 | Sony RX1R III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.5 | ||
| Street | +0.6 | ||
| Travel | -0.6 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.2 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Documentary | +1.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Landscape | +0.7 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Casual | -0.5 | ||
| Food | +0.4 | ||
| Macro | -0.4 | ||
| Architecture | +0.8 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.5 | ||
| Fun & simple | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A5100 | Sony RX1R III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £3,899 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2025 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 61MP full-frame Exmor R BSI CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 61MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 10-bit | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | Hybrid phase-detect AF (693 points) with eye detection | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | No stabilisation | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | 300 shots (CIPA, LCD) | ↓ |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 496g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | No viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | Tilting touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Fixed 35mm f/2 Zeiss Sonnar lens | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Single SD (UHS-II) |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A5100 and Sony RX1R III 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 Sony RX1R III against your specific genres — not just specs.
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