Sony a5100 vs Sony HX300

Below is a comprehensive assessment of the Sony a5100 versus Sony HX300, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are offered by Sony. The image resolution of the a5100 (24MP) and the HX300 (20MP) is fairly well matched but the a5100 (APS-C) and HX300 (1/2.3") have different sensor sizes.

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The a5100 was announced 19 months later than the HX300 making them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras have different body design with the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving straight to a full comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the a5100 matches up against the HX300 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha a5100 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony a5100 Gallery & Sony HX300 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and volume. The Sony a5100 provides outside dimensions of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs) while the Sony HX300 has sizing of 130mm x 103mm x 93mm (5.1" x 4.1" x 3.7") and a weight of 623 grams (1.37 lbs).

Contrast the Sony a5100 versus Sony HX300 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the a5100 vs the HX300.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the a5100 and HX300 is 89 and 63 respectively.

Often, it's tough to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements just by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the a5100 and HX300.

As you can see, both the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The a5100 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony a5100 will resolve greater detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more modern a5100 provides an edge in sensor technology.