Sony a5100 vs Sony RX10 III

In this article, we are looking at the Sony a5100 versus Sony RX10 III, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom and they are both produced by Sony. The sensor resolution of the a5100 (24MP) and the RX10 III (20MP) is fairly close but the a5100 (APS-C) and RX10 III (1") feature different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The a5100 was manufactured 19 months before the RX10 III making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX10 III being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the a5100 matches up vs the RX10 III in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Alpha a5100 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III. The entire galleries are provided at Sony a5100 Gallery & Sony RX10 III Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and proportions. The Sony a5100 offers exterior measurements of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") with a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs) while the Sony RX10 III has measurements of 133mm x 94mm x 127mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.0") accompanied by a weight of 1051 grams (2.32 lbs).

Look at the Sony a5100 versus Sony RX10 III in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the a5100 and the RX10 III.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the a5100 and RX10 III is 89 and 53 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by researching technical specs. The picture here will give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the a5100 and RX10 III.

As you can tell, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The a5100 due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Sony a5100 will render more detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will let you crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged a5100 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.