Sony a5100 vs Sony S980

Lets examine more closely at the Sony a5100 vs Sony S980, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both sold by Sony. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the a5100 (24MP) and S980 (12MP) and the a5100 (APS-C) and S980 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The a5100 was launched 5 years after the S980 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Sony a5100 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summary of how the a5100 scores against the S980 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Alpha a5100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The complete galleries are viewable at Sony a5100 Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera, you'll have to think about its weight and volume. The Sony a5100 has physical dimensions of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") having a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs) and the Sony S980 has sizing of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check the Sony a5100 vs Sony S980 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select at that time. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the a5100 and the S980.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the a5100 and S980 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to envision the gap between sensor dimensions simply by going over specs. The pic here might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the a5100 and S980.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The a5100 due to its bigger sensor will make achieving bokeh easier and the Sony a5100 will offer more detail utilizing its extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots far more aggressively. The newer a5100 will have a benefit in sensor tech.