Upgrade Guide
Sony Sony RX1R III→Sony A5100
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the Sony RX1R III. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the A5100
-
Battery life~400 shots (CIPA) vs 300 shots (CIPA, LCD)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution24MP (down from 61MP — optimised for low light)
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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 RX1R III | A5100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.5 | ||
| Street | -0.6 | ||
| Travel | +0.6 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -2.2 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -1.4 | ||
| Landscape | -0.7 | ||
| Casual | +0.5 | ||
| Food | -0.4 | ||
| Macro | +0.4 | ||
| Architecture | -0.8 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.5 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Fun & simple | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Sony RX1R III | A5100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,899 | £200 | |
| Released | 2025 | 2014 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 61MP full-frame Exmor R BSI CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | |
| Resolution | 61MP | 24MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p, 10-bit | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect AF (693 points) with eye detection | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | No stabilisation | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 6fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | 300 shots (CIPA, LCD) | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 496g (with battery and card) | 224g (body only) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots | No viewfinder | |
| Screen | Tilting touchscreen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Fixed 35mm f/2 Zeiss Sonnar lens | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD (UHS-II) | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See Sony RX1R III and A5100 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 A5100 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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