Sony a5100 vs Sony RX10

Following is a thorough review of the Sony a5100 and Sony RX10, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Sony. The resolution of the a5100 (24MP) and the RX10 (20MP) is very well matched but the a5100 (APS-C) and RX10 (1") boast totally different sensor sizes.

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The a5100 was released 5 months after the RX10 which means that they are of a similar generation. The two cameras feature different body design with the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the a5100 grades versus the RX10 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Alpha a5100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The complete galleries are provided at Sony a5100 Gallery and Sony RX10 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera frequently, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Sony a5100 features outer measurements of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") along with a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs) while the Sony RX10 has sizing of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Compare the Sony a5100 and Sony RX10 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the a5100 compared to the RX10.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the a5100 and RX10 is 89 and 58 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizes simply by checking a spec sheet. The image underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the a5100 and RX10.

Clearly, both of those cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The a5100 because of its larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Sony a5100 will resolve more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics way more aggressively.