Upgrade Guide
Sony Sony FX5→Sony A5100
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the Sony FX5. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A5100
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Resolution24MP vs 17MP (+8MP)
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Battery life~400 shots (CIPA) vs ~105 min actual recording, ~170 min continuous (LCD)
Unchanged or similar
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
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StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
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 | Sony FX5 | A5100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.5 | ||
| Street | +1.7 | ||
| Travel | +0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -3.5 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -1.1 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -4.2 | ||
| Sports & Action | -2.1 | ||
| Landscape | -0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.3 | ||
| Casual | — | ||
| Food | -1.5 | ||
| Macro | — | ||
| Architecture | -0.9 | ||
| Astrophotography | -2.0 | ||
| Fun & simple | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Sony FX5 | A5100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,699 | £200 | |
| Released | 2026 | 2014 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 16.6MP full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | |
| Resolution | 17MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | 5K/60p open-gate, 4K/120p, internal RAW/X-OCN, 10-bit Log, triple base ISO | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | AI-powered hybrid phase-detect AF (759 points) with subject tracking | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS with Dynamic Active Mode | No stabilisation | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 6fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~105 min actual recording, ~170 min continuous (LCD) | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 734g (with battery and card) | 224g (body only) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Optional detachable EVF (DVF-EL1), OLED | No viewfinder | |
| Screen | Fully articulating touchscreen (4-axis arm) | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | CFexpress Type A + SDXC (dual) | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A5100 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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