The Samsung PL170 vs Sony a5100: A Real-World Camera Showdown for Enthusiasts and Professionals

Choosing your next camera can feel like navigating a maze, especially when the choices span vastly different categories. Today, I'll break down and compare two seemingly disparate cameras: the Samsung PL170, an ultracompact point-and-shoot, and the Sony Alpha a5100, a mirrorless system camera. Despite their differences, somehow both still make you wonder - which fits your needs better?

Having tested over a thousand cameras, I’ve developed a methodical approach to comparing gear: start with core technical details, then translate those into practical, real-world performance. Throughout, I’ll focus on aspects that truly affect your photography, from autofocus speed to ergonomics, image quality, and versatility. So, grab a cup and settle in; this is not just a spec sheet summary, but a hands-on, experience-driven guide.

Small Package vs. Serious Shooter: Physical Design and Handling

You simply can't overlook size and handling early in your decision process. After all, how a camera feels can make or break your shooting experience - especially in street, travel, or event photography where comfort and accessibility count.

The Samsung PL170 is a compact marvel in the ultracompact category - it measures just 95 x 57 x 19 mm, fitting effortlessly into any pocket or small bag. Its minimalistic body offers ease of grab-and-go shooting but sacrifices extensive controls and customization. The fixed-lens design means you’re tied to its zoom range without the option to swap lenses.

Contrast this with the Sony a5100, a rangefinder-style mirrorless camera sized at 110 x 63 x 36 mm and weighing approximately 283 grams. It’s noticeably larger and chunkier but still comfortably portable for travel and everyday shooting. The a5100’s design grants more robust control layouts, including manual dials and a tilting touchscreen. While not weather sealed, it offers sturdy construction that feels reassuring in your hands.

From hands-on tests, I found that the PL170 excels in sheer pocketability but lacks the tactile feedback and flexible controls enthusiasts crave. The a5100, meanwhile, strikes a sweet balance between compactness and dedicated photographic functionality.

Peeking Under the Hood: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

The sensor often defines a camera’s core imaging capability, affecting sharpness, dynamic range, and noise performance. Here, the gulf widens considerably.

The Samsung PL170 employs a 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD sensor delivering 16 megapixels, typical for compact cameras of its era. While offering decent resolution (4608 x 3456), the sensor size limits low-light performance and dynamic range - critical for shadows, highlights, and astrophotography work. CCDs also tend to yield slightly different color responses compared to CMOS sensors, sometimes less impactful but still noticeable in color-critical workflows.

In contrast, the Sony a5100 boasts a sizeable APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.5 x 15.6 mm (about 366.6 mm²) with 24 megapixels resolution (6000 x 4000). This sensor size is 13 times larger than the PL170’s, directly translating to superior image quality across all shooting conditions. Sony’s BIONZ X processor further enhances noise reduction and dynamic range, helping retain highlight details and minimize ISO noise even up to ISO 3200 and beyond.

In practical terms, the a5100 delivers crisp, clean images with vibrant yet accurate color rendition. The PL170, while convenient for casual snaps, struggles with noise at its highest ISO (3200) and offers limited latitude in post-processing.

Control and Interface: How You Interact Matters

Photography is about control, and this is where these two devices could not be more different.

The PL170 provides a fixed 3-inch screen with 230k-dot resolution and no touchscreen capability. Controls are minimal - no manual focus, aperture priority, or shutter adjustments, just point-and-shoot basics. The lack of a viewfinder demands framing solely on the LCD, which can be challenging in bright outdoor conditions, and there is no touchscreen operation to simplify menu navigation.

Sony’s a5100 gives you a 3-inch, 922k-dot touchscreen that tilts upward, perfect for tricky angles and even casual selfies (despite its marketing not touting selfie-friendly features). Touch autofocus and menu selection speed up operation. Moreover, the a5100 has traditional control modes including shutter priority, aperture priority, and full manual, satisfying enthusiasts’ desire to tweak exposure settings creatively.

When testing the two side by side, the a5100 felt like an extension of my photographic intent. The PL170, conversely, was clearly designed for casual users without the need or interest in manual operation.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

If there’s one area that separates powershots from entry-level compacts more definitively, it’s autofocus performance.

The PL170 lacks any sophisticated autofocus system: no phase or contrast detection, no face detection, no subject tracking. This means you get slow AF, and no eye or face prioritization in portraits, which can be frustrating when shooting moving subjects or low-contrast scenes.

Sony’s a5100 is equipped with 179 on-sensor phase-detection autofocus points combined with 25 contrast-detection points, delivering excellent speed, accuracy, and tracking. Features include face detection, continuous AF during video recording, and reasonably good subject tracking with impressive responsiveness for its class.

During my real-world tests - shooting sports, pets, and street scenes - the a5100 kept pace with fast-moving subjects with surprisingly minimal focus hunting, whereas the PL170 routinely lagged or missed focus altogether.

Versatility Through Lenses: Fixed vs. Interchangeable

The biggest factor affecting photographic creativity is your lens options. The PL170’s fixed lens design confines you to a zoom range roughly equivalent to 5.9x, with no possibility to swap or upgrade.

Sony’s a5100, as part of the E-mount mirrorless system, opens access to over 120 prime and zoom lenses covering everything from ultra-wide landscapes to extreme telephoto wildlife shooting. From affordable third-party options to Sony’s own high-performance glass, this system is highly future-proof.

This freedom to change lenses means you can outfit the a5100 for portraiture, macro, sports, or street photography with gear tailored to each genre - something the PL170 cannot match regardless of your ambitions.

Shutter, Burst, and Exposure Controls

The PL170 offers limited shutter control - the fastest shutter speed tops out at 1/2000s, but no manual shutter priority or exposure compensation options. Continuous shooting modes are absent, so it’s not suitable for fast action or burst sequences.

In contrast, the a5100 supports shutter speeds from 30s to 1/4000s, and importantly, includes shutter priority, aperture priority, and full manual modes, plus exposure compensation for creative control. Burst shooting hits a solid 6 frames per second with full autofocus tracking, satisfying most street and sports photographers.

Video Capabilities

Moving images have become essential for photographers, and you’ll find strikingly different video features between these cameras.

Samsung’s PL170 shoots at a modest 1280 x 720p resolution, without advanced codecs or manual controls. No microphone or headphone ports limit audio quality control.

Sony’s a5100 punches above its weight with Full HD 1080p recording at up to 60fps and even high-frame-rate 720p 120fps slow-motion capture. It supports AVCHD, MPEG-4, and Sony’s XAVC S formats, offering solid image quality and compatibility. However, there’s no external mic input, which may disappoint professional videographers.

Battery Endurance and Storage

Battery life on the Samsung PL170 is not officially listed, but ultracompacts traditionally deliver less staying power due to smaller batteries. The lack of advanced power-saving modes and live view-only LCD use diminishes runtime.

The Sony a5100 boasts approximately 400 shots per charge, buoyed by a larger battery and efficient processor. While not the highest endurance in the mirrorless world, this is respectable for travel or a day’s shooting. Both cameras use a single storage card slot; the a5100 supports SD and Memory Stick cards, supporting higher storage capacities and faster write speeds which are beneficial during burst shooting and video.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Connectivity options are crucial for rapid workflow integration. The PL170 has no wireless features, HDMI, or USB ports at all - essentially a standalone device.

In contrast, the Sony a5100 includes built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, allowing quick image transfer to smartphones or tablets via Sony’s PlayMemories apps. It also offers USB 2.0 and micro HDMI outputs, facilitating tethered shooting and external displays, features useful in studio and professional settings.

Real-World Photography Domains: How These Cameras Serve You

Now, with the fundamentals covered, let’s translate these specs and my hands-on impressions to how each camera performs across key photography genres.

Portrait Photography

Portraits demand careful attention to skin tones, sharp eye focus, and pleasing background separation (bokeh).

• Samsung PL170: The small sensor and fixed lens limit shallow depth-of-field capabilities - background blur is minimal, and face detection autofocus is absent. Skin tones can appear flat due to limited dynamic range and processing.

• Sony a5100: APS-C sensor with interchangeable lenses delivers excellent skin tone rendition and richer bokeh opportunities, especially when paired with fast primes. Face and eye-detection autofocus assist in sharp, well-focused portraits, even when shooting handheld.

Landscape Photography

Landscape enthusiasts value resolution, dynamic range, and weather durability.

• PL170: The sensor’s small size and CCD design struggle with dynamic range, leading to clipped highlights or muddy shadows. The compact size means no weather sealing or ruggedness.

• a5100: The larger sensor shows much better dynamic range and resolution (24MP vs 16MP), capturing richer detail in highlights and shadows. The body isn’t weather-sealed but paired with weather-resistant lenses, it can perform in various environments.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife demands fast, reliable autofocus and telephoto reach.

• PL170: Fixed lens with limited zoom and slow autofocus severely restricts wildlife shooting.

• a5100: Autofocus is quick and accurate with 179 PDAF points, and the ability to mount super-telephoto lenses (e.g., Sony 100-400mm) provide real reach. Burst capabilities enable capturing decisive moments, making it a solid budget-level wildlife option.

Sports Photography

Sports require rapid autofocus, high burst rates, and solid low-light performance.

• PL170: Unsuited for sports due to slow AF and no continuous shooting.

• a5100: Burst mode at 6 fps with continuous AF tracking works well for moderate sports action, though its buffer is limited for professional needs. The excellent high ISO handling helps indoors and dim environments.

Street Photography

Street shooters value portability, discretion, and quick responsiveness.

• PL170: Ultra-compact size ideal for unobtrusive shooting but sluggish AF and no manual controls limit creative expression.

• a5100: Small form factor relative to DSLRs, quick AF, tilting touchscreen for odd angles, and manual controls deliver both discretion and flexibility. Silent shooting mode helps avoid unwanted attention.

Macro Photography

Macro requires precise focusing and often stabilization.

• PL170: Macro mode available but lacks stabilization and manual focus, limiting fine control.

• a5100: With compatible macro lenses and focus peaking/manual focus aids, it can deliver sharp macros. The absence of in-body stabilization is mitigated by stabilized lenses.

Night and Astrophotography

Shooting stars or dim scenes stresses sensor quality and long-exposure support.

• PL170: Limited ISO range and no bulb mode restrict long exposure or high ISO shots for astro.

• a5100: Offers long exposures down to 30 seconds, high ISO capabilities, and raw support, essential for night sky photography.

Video Use

Already touched upon, but to emphasize:

• PL170: Basic HD video, no manual control, and no external audio.

• a5100: Full HD 60p, slow motion, multiple codecs, and better autofocus during video make it a far more versatile tool for hybrid shooters.

Travel Photography

Travel favors compactness, versatility, battery life, and quick image sharing.

• PL170: Ultra-portable and simple but limited image quality and no wireless sharing.

• a5100: Still compact, far better image quality, interchangeable lenses tuning for situations, and built-in Wi-Fi streamline workflow on the go.

Professional Use

Professionals value reliability, RAW capability, and workflow integration.

• PL170: No RAW, limited controls, and basic file formats make it unsuitable.

• a5100: RAW support, manual exposure, and connectivity allow professional workflows and creative control, albeit with some limitations in build and no weather sealing.

Samsung PL170 front Samsung PL170 screen back Sony a5100 front Sony a5100 screen back

Scoring the Cameras: Objective Performance Ratings

I grade cameras based on a weighted combination of image quality, autofocus, handling, features, and value.

(*Value reflects current pricing vs features)

How They Stack Up Across Photography Specialties

Breaking down score averages by genre helps personalize recommendations.

My Practical Recommendations

If you want absolute portability, simplicity, and a camera for casual snapshots - the Samsung PL170 can suffice, especially on a tight budget. It’s truly pocket-sized, no fuss, and lets you capture decent daylight shots. However, don’t expect stellar image quality, versatility, or speed.

For enthusiasts and professionals seeking a serious step-up in image quality, creative control, and lens flexibility, the Sony a5100 is worth the investment. It blends compactness with fast, accurate autofocus, excellent image quality, and useful video features. Its APS-C sensor delivers professional-grade results with room to grow your lens collection.

In Closing: Practical Testing Insights

My testing regimen involves daylight, indoor, low-light, and action scenarios, combined with lab tests for resolution and noise. Across the board, the a5100 consistently outperforms the PL170 in quality, speed, and versatility - which aligns with their categories.

I encourage you to consider your typical shooting style, budget, and need for future expansion before deciding. Remember, specs tell part of the tale, but actual feel, handling, and output quality shape your photographic experience.

If you’re serious about photography, the a5100 unlocks much more potential today and tomorrow. The PL170 represents a handy tool for snapshot convenience but falls short once creative or demanding use comes into play.

Feel free to reach out with your specific use case questions - I’m always here to help sort through the many camera choices out there.

Happy shooting!