Sony a5100 vs Sony HX90V: A Hands-On Comparison for the Candid Photographer

When considering a camera upgrade that balances portability, image quality, and overall versatility, two Sony contenders from the mid-2010s stand out for budget-conscious buyers and enthusiasts: the Sony Alpha a5100 mirrorless and the Sony Cyber-shot HX90V compact superzoom. Both bring unique strengths to the table, and I have spent hours testing these cameras across all major photography disciplines to give you a detailed, down-to-earth comparison. Whether your passion lies in portraiture, wildlife, or just capturing vibrant street scenes, this deep dive will help you decide which of these two gem-like cameras best suits your style and wallet.

Getting to Know the Players: Body, Build, and Handling

Let’s start at the very beginning, with how these cameras feel in hand and how their designs support real-world shooting.

The Sony a5100 embodies the classic rangefinder-style mirrorless approach with its compact but chunky design, measuring 110x63x36mm and weighing a reasonable 283g. It lacks a viewfinder, relying solely on a 3-inch tilting touchscreen LCD with solid resolution. The HX90V is a true pocketable compact (102x58x36mm, 245g), perfect for travel and discreet shooting, but with a fixed superzoom lens and a built-in electronic viewfinder - a rare treat for a camera in this price bracket.

Testing them side-by-side, the a5100 feels a bit more serious and grippy, designed for those who prefer manual controls and lens swaps. The HX90V, with its thumb-friendly grip and wider zoom range, is more of a grab-and-go casual shooter. However, neither camera boasts environmental sealing, so mental notes should be made for some weather caution outdoors.

On top, the a5100 sports a minimalist layout, lacking dedicated dials for aperture or shutter speed, instead relying on menus and touch controls, while the HX90V stacks buttons densely but thoughtfully around the tiny body for quick shooting adjustments.

Ergonomics Verdict: If you’re a tinkerer who enjoys tweaking settings and swapping lenses, the a5100’s body better facilitates that approach despite no dedicated viewfinder. Casual users or travelers might prefer the HX90V’s compact design and built-in EVF for eye-level composition.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

You can’t talk image quality without addressing sensor size. The a5100 features a 24MP APS-C sensor - a significant step up from the HX90V’s smaller 18MP 1/2.3” sensor.

This APS-C sensor (approximately 366.6mm²) translates to larger individual pixels, better light gathering, reduced noise, and vastly improved dynamic range. DxOMark scores reflect this: the a5100 tallies an overall score of 80, with a color depth of 23.8 bits and a dynamic range of 12.7 EV stops. The HX90V hasn’t been officially tested by DxO, but cameras in its class usually score much lower, typically around half the dynamic range and worse in high ISO noise performance.

What does this mean in practice?

• Portraits: The a5100 breathes life into skin tones, delivering natural rendering and gradients thanks to the sensor size and 24MP resolution. Its 179-point hybrid autofocus system (combining phase and contrast detection) excels in eye detection with good speed, enabling crisp, well-focused portraits with creamy background bokeh - especially when paired with fast Sony E-mount primes.

• Landscape: The a5100’s sensor outclasses the HX90V here too, providing wider latitude in shadows and highlights, crucial when capturing colorful skies or intricate foliage. Its resolution supports large prints and significant cropping without image degradation.

• Low-Light and Night: The larger pixels on the a5100’s sensor shine in dim conditions, maintaining detail and reducing noise up to ISO 1600 and beyond. The HX90V, with a tiny sensor, suffers significant noise ramping above ISO 400 often, limiting its astrophotography or night cityscape potential.

In summary, if image fidelity and creative control over depth of field and noise are your priorities, the a5100’s sensor clearly leads.

The Lenses: Flexibility or Convenience?

Lens ecosystem is where these cameras diverge significantly. The a5100 uses Sony’s E-mount, opening the door to over 120 native lenses - from prime portraits and macro shooters to rugged telephotos. This versatility opens appealing creative opportunities for enthusiasts willing to invest gradually.

The HX90V has a fixed 30x zoom lens covering 24-720mm (35mm equivalent) with an aperture range from f/3.5 at the wide end up to f/6.4 at full zoom. This enormous zoom range is superb for travel, wildlife glimpses, and casual shooting where changing lenses isn’t practical.

• Regarding macro performance, the HX90V focuses down to 5cm, enabling close-ups without adding bulky accessories. The a5100 depends on the lens attached, but can achieve superior focus stacking and macro precision with dedicated glass and stable setups (as I tested with a 50mm Macro).

• Stabilization: The HX90V incorporates optical image stabilization, beneficial at longer focal lengths and video modes. The a5100 lacks in-body stabilization, requiring stabilized lenses or a tripod for shake-free images during telephoto or macro shooting.

Autofocus and Burst Shooting: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

When it comes to autofocus, the a5100 boasts Sony’s hybrid system with 179 autofocus points covering much of the frame and phase-detection for fast, reliable focus locks. It includes reliable face detection and even smile detection, though no animal eye AF in this generation.

The HX90V uses contrast-detection autofocus with a smaller number of focus points and no phase-detection, inherently slower in challenging lighting but still agile for its specs. The HX90V’s autofocus can hunt in low light or at extreme zoom past 600mm with more noticeable delay.

Continuous shooting speeds differ too:

• Sony a5100 tops out at 6fps continuous shooting with autofocus tracking, enough for casual sports and wildlife but not for professional bursts.

• Sony HX90V offers 10fps continuous, but often without AF tracking ON, limiting usefulness in dynamic focusing situations.

In hands-on tests with fast-moving children and sprinting dogs, the a5100 tracked subjects more consistently and refocused faster without hunting.

Video Capabilities: Which One Records Better?

Both cameras offer Full HD video recording up to 1080p at 60fps, with AVCHD and XAVC S codecs optimizing quality and file sizes.

• The a5100 lacks image stabilization, so handheld video suffers jitter unless using a stabilized lens or gimbal. No microphone or headphone ports limit audio control, but you can pair via Sony’s wireless options.

• The HX90V sports optical image stabilization, useful for smoother handheld video, though its small sensor limits low-light video capability and generally results in more noise.

Neither camera offers 4K video or advanced features like log recording or focus peaking, which you’d find in newer or higher-tier Sony models.

Displays and Viewfinding: Framing Your Shots

The a5100 uses a 3" tilting touchscreen at 922k resolution. The touchscreen is responsive and intuitive, allowing tap-to-focus and menu navigation, but the display only tilts upward, limiting low-angle shooting.

The HX90V’s 3" 921k TFT LCD tilts both up and down, facilitating creative angles, and importantly includes a pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 638k resolution and 100% framing coverage. This EVF is invaluable in bright sunlight or for steadier eye-level shooting - something the a5100 lacks without an external EVF add-on.

For photographers used to composing with a viewfinder, the HX90V’s integrated EVF is a major plus for on-the-go shooting.

Battery Performance and Storage

The a5100 houses an NP-FW50 battery delivering roughly 400 shots per charge - a respectable figure for a mirrorless camera, especially if you moderate screen use.

The HX90V uses an NP-BX1 battery rated just around 360 shots, slightly less but acceptable for casual use. Importantly, both cameras use single SD card slots supporting SDXC, which are affordable and widely available.

Wireless connectivity in both includes built-in WiFi and NFC, allowing seamless image transfer to smartphones via Sony’s PlayMemories app. No Bluetooth presence is noted.

Real-World Applications: How Do They Perform Across Photography Genres?

Having outlined specs, let me share insights from my cross-genre field tests.

Portrait Photography

The a5100 shines here due to its large sensor, 24MP resolution, and excellent hybrid autofocus face and eye detection. Skintones are rich and natural without post-processing, and pairing it with a fast 35mm f/1.8 lens yields delightful bokeh.

The HX90V, limited by its sensor and slower AF, produces less creamy backgrounds and struggles with shallow depth. Still, it can do the job for casual portraits when you don’t want to carry extra lenses.

Landscape Photography

The a5100’s dynamic range and resolution create images with excellent tonal gradation and room for heavy cropping. Its lack of weather sealing means caution in adverse conditions, but with a sturdy tripod and quality glass, it handles landscapes beautifully.

The HX90V’s small sensor reduces detail and dynamic range, but the ultra-wide-to-tele zoom can capture sweeping vistas and distant subjects in one package - not possible with the a5100 alone.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife demands sharp autofocus and good reach. The HX90V’s 720mm equivalent gives a long reach for a compact, but AF accuracy and subject tracking lag behind the a5100. The a5100, paired with tele lenses, outguns the HX90V’s zoom in both image quality and AF reliability but at the cost of bulk and expense.

Sports Photography

At 6fps continuous with reliable AF tracking, the a5100 can catch moderate action but is not tailored for intense, fast-paced sports. The HX90V's higher burst rate is less useful without AF tracking, making both limited choices compared to specialized sports cameras.

Street Photography

For street shooters valuing discretion and portability, the HX90V's pocket size, tilt screen, and EVF lend an advantage. The a5100 is compact but not pocketable and can be less discreet without a small prime.

Macro Photography

The HX90V can focus to 5cm, decent for casual macros. However, the a5100, with a dedicated macro lens, allows higher magnification and more precise focus stacking opportunities.

Night and Astro Photography

The larger APS-C sensor of the a5100 excels under low light with less noise and stronger dynamic range, although noise becomes evident beyond ISO 3200. The HX90V struggles with noise and detail loss even at much lower ISOs.

Video Use

Both cameras offer decent Full HD capture, but the HX90V’s optical stabilization benefits handheld video. Audio options are minimal on both, limiting external customization.

Travel Photography

For travel, the HX90V’s compact form factor and 30x zoom lens make it an all-in-one companion, ideal for various subjects without gear changes. The a5100, while pocketable with a pancake lens, needs additional lenses to cover the same range.

Professional Work

Neither camera is designed as a professional workhorse. The a5100 outputs RAW files for flexible post-processing, preferred by enthusiasts; the HX90V lacks RAW support, limiting professional workflows.

Price-to-Performance and Value Assessment

Both cameras hover around the $440-$450 price point, making them attractive to entry-level shooters or travelers on a budget.

• The a5100 delivers exceptional image quality for the money, especially for those who value sensor performance and lens flexibility without busting the bank.

• The HX90V offers unmatched zoom versatility and EVF convenience in a bargain compact, suiting casual users prioritizing convenience.

Summing Up Strengths and Weaknesses

Sony a5100 Pros:

• Large 24MP APS-C sensor with great image quality
• Hybrid AF system with 179 points and face detection
• Lightweight mirrorless with interchangeable lenses
• Good battery life for mirrorless
• Touchscreen interface, RAW support

Sony a5100 Cons:

• No built-in viewfinder
• No image stabilization (in body)
• Limited burst speed and no advanced video features
• No environmental sealing

Sony HX90V Pros:

• Pocket-sized compact with built-in EVF
• Massive 30x optical zoom (24-720mm) with optical stabilization
• Tilting screen with excellent flexibility
• Faster burst shooting (10fps)
• GPS tagging built-in

Sony HX90V Cons:

• Small 1/2.3-inch sensor with limited image quality
• Contrast-detection AF only, slower and less reliable
• No RAW support
• Limited low-light performance
• No touchscreen or external microphone input

Sony a5100 front Sony a5100 screen back Sony HX90V front Sony HX90V screen back

Who Should Buy Which?

• Choose the Sony a5100 if:
  You care deeply about image quality and creative flexibility, want to experiment with interchangeable lenses, and appreciate manual controls or portraiture potential. It’s fantastic for enthusiasts moving from smartphones who want a robust mirrorless foundation without breaking the bank.

• Choose the Sony HX90V if:
  You prioritize sheer convenience, pocketability, and an all-in-one zoom lens for travel or casual shooting. It’s perfect for travelers, street photographers, or casual snapshooters who want a small camera that can stretch from wide-angle landscapes to distant wildlife with no fuss.

Final Thoughts: A Real-World Lens on Your Next Camera Pick

Having logged extensive hands-on time, I consider the a5100 a smart investment for serious beginners and budget-conscious hobbyists seeking APS-C image quality and future upgrade paths. The HX90V, by contrast, is a practical compact superzoom for those who want an easy-to-use camera with impressive reach and discretion, but are willing to forego high-level image quality and RAW flexibility.

Both have aged gracefully given their price points and deliver value differently. My advice - think about your priorities: lens versatility and image quality (a5100) versus compactness and zoom range (HX90V). I’m happy to help readers decode their needs and save money by pointing them toward the camera that won’t end up lazily collecting dust.

In a nutshell: For quality and control, Sony a5100 is the pick; for travel and convenience, the HX90V fits your pocket.

If you want me to dive deeper into specific genre tests or lens recommendations for the a5100, just give me a shout in the comments below. Happy shooting!