Samsung PL120 vs Sony a5100

The following is a thorough assessment of the Samsung PL120 vs Sony a5100, former is a Ultracompact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Samsung and Sony. There is a sizable difference between the resolutions of the PL120 (14MP) and a5100 (24MP) and the PL120 (1/2.3") and a5100 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The PL120 was launched 4 years earlier than the a5100 which is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Samsung PL120 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a quick summation of how the PL120 grades against the a5100 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Samsung PL120 & Sony Alpha a5100. The complete galleries are available at Samsung PL120 Gallery & Sony a5100 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Samsung PL120 offers external measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") and a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) and the Sony a5100 has dimensions of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") having a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs).

Check the Samsung PL120 vs Sony a5100 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the PL120 against the a5100.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the PL120 and a5100 is 99 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions just by reading a spec sheet. The pic below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the PL120 and a5100.

As you can see, both the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The PL120 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony a5100 will offer more detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images much more aggressively. The more aged PL120 is going to be behind in sensor technology.