Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R→Sony A5100
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The A5100 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7R owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A5100
-
Burst rate6fps vs 4fps
-
Battery life~400 shots (CIPA) vs ~340 shots (CIPA)
-
Generation1 year newer (2014 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution24MP (down from 36MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R | A5100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | -2.5 | ||
| Portrait | +0.5 | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Travel | +4.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | +2.5 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +3.0 | ||
| Casual | — | ||
| Street | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R | A5100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £200 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2014 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | |
| Resolution | 36MP | 24MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | None | None | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 6fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 224g (body only) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | No | No | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | None | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
Compare side-by-side
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