Upgrade Guide
Sony A5100→Sony ZV-1F
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 ZV-1F
-
Generation8 years newer (2022 vs 2014)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution20MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
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 | ZV-1F | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.8 | ||
| Street | -0.7 | ||
| Travel | -0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.1 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +1.4 | ||
| Documentary | +0.9 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Landscape | -0.5 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Casual | +2.0 | ||
| Food | +0.3 | ||
| Macro | -1.0 | ||
| Architecture | -0.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.0 | ||
| Fun & simple | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A5100 | ZV-1F | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £200 | £549 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2022 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | Hybrid phase-detect AF with subject tracking (people, animals, birds) | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | None (digital Active SteadyShot only) | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 3.5fps (continuous AF) | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | 260 shots (CIPA, estimated) | ↓ |
| Weight | 224g (body only) | 256g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | No viewfinder | None (screen only) | |
| Screen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | Fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Fixed 20mm f/2 lens (wide-angle, vlogging-focused) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Single SD (UHS-I) |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A5100 and ZV-1F 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 ZV-1F against your specific genres — not just specs.
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