Sony A100
- 10MP - APS-C Sensor
- 2.5" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 1600
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- No Video
- Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
- 638g - 133 x 95 x 71mm
- Revealed July 2006
- Older Model is Konica Minolta 5D
- Refreshed by Sony A550
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Lenses
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
64 Imaging
48 Features
38 Overall
44
Sony A100 summary
Sony A100 is Sony's Entry-Level DSLR camera originally announced on July of 2006. The camera houses a 10MP, CCD APS-C size sensor with a max resolution of 3872 x 2592.
Sony released this camera as a way to update the previous Konica Minolta 5D (Read Full Comparison) and then introduced the fresher Sony A550 (Read Full Comparison) in order to replace this camera.
The A100 ranks at #66 out of 80 in Entry-Level DSLR cameras and over all #567 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should look at our Smart camera search to find camera rankings based on your customized criteria.
Below is a chart of multiple factors used in the rating system.
Sony A100 family
The Sony A100 comes with a history of related digital cameras. Down below, you can look at all older and latest models alongside main specifications.
Sony A100 Gallery
You can look at the A100 from different angles in the gallery here.
Sony A100 Pros and Cons
Here is a collection of upsides and downsides of the Sony A100 based on things that are oftentimes considered necessary in a camera.
Sony A100 Sensor features
The sensor size on the Sony A100 is 23.6mm x 15.8mm (APS-C). The 373 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 3872 x 2592 pixels using aspect ratios of 3:2. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Sensor based). Optical stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization since the latter can easily cause cropping.
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhoneThe CCD sensor boasts 10 megapixels and delivers a native ISO range of 100 to 1600. RAW photos are saved which means that you have more room to maneuver in post.
The graphic below displays the A100's sensor size compared to other common sizes. The A100 sensor comes with a crop factor of 1.5 and is presented in green.
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music videoTo get a sense of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.
Sony A100 dimensions
Sony A100 weighs around 1.41 pounds (638 grams or 22.50 oz) and the physical size of the camera is 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8"). The weight of typical Entry-Level DSLR camera is 540 grams and the Sony A100 is heavier as compared with other rivals.
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modesBelow is a pic of the Sony A100 alongside a soda so you're able to have a feel for its size.
The top view here will provide the button layout on the A100.
Sony A100 Lens features
The A100 works with the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount and has 145 lenses that are available. Here is a small number of the lenses we have in our database that will fit the A100.
Sony A100 Connectivity
The A100 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
Digital cameras that have NFC and Bluetooth support can be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You will be able to copy photos and at times adjust settings without connecting physically with the camera.
A few apps also allow a Liveview and hit the shutter when you are not close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI out, it can be connected to an external display. Many cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack with the USB socket.
Sony A100 Video features
Sony A100 doesn't take video. If you are looking for a camera to shoot just photos, it is not a concern.
Sony A100 Weather Sealing
Sony A100 does not have environment proofing so damp conditions can affect the camera.
Sony A100 Display and Viewfinder
The Sony A100 is equipped with a 2.5" fixed display having a resolution of 230k dots.
Sadly the display is not a touch screen.
Photography GlossaryThe ViewFinder specifications regarding Sony A100 are below:
- ViewFinder Optical (pentamirror)
- ViewFinder Coverage 95 percent
- ViewFinder Magnification 0.55x
Viewfinders are pretty useful in bright outdoor conditions which can make the camera display washed out and hard to view.
Sony A100 Shutter features
Sony A100 continuous shooting speed is 3.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.
Sony A100 Flash and Hot shoe features
Sony A100 has got both in-built flash and also external flash support. The max flash sync speed is 1/160 sec.
Sony A100 Autofocus features
Sony A100 has got both Phase Detect Autofocus along with Contrast Based Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot quicker and accurate as compared with Contrast Based autofocusing.
The AF system supports 9 focus points to select from. Sony A100 has the ability to use manual focusing when required in low light situations or you want to have more exact control on focusing.
Sony A100 Battery life
The usual Entry-Level DSLR camera battery life is 589. Pentax K-x offers the maximum (1900) battery life in this class of cameras.
Following is a list of Entry-Level DSLR cameras that come with the best battery life:
Sony A100 for specific categories of photography
The following diagram provides a summary of the Sony A100 for specific categories of photography. To view more, check out the specific section below.
Portrait photography with Sony A100
The Sony A100 receives a rating of 52 which is reasonable, and means the camera is somewhat adequate for portrait photos. Shooting portraits leans greatly towards sensor dimension, RAW support plus the potential to work with external lighting.
Sony A100 Street photography information
Coming in at a above average points total of 64, the Sony A100 is a fine choice to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera provides a perfect balance of image quality and portability.
Sony A100 Sports photography details
A reasonable sports photography points tally of 49 suggests the Sony A100 is somewhat appropriate for photographing sports. A camera should have fantastic autofocus plus shutter speeds for sports photography.
Sony A100 Travel photography factors
Size is very crucial in picking a camera for travel. All round, the Sony A100 gets a low 45 for a travelling camera which makes it not really good for your vacations.
Sony A100 Landscape photography highlights
If you're looking to pick a digital camera for landscape photos, the most significant factor will be image quality. The Sony A100 with it's modest rating of 53 as a landscape camera is somewhat adequate in the current marketplace.
Sony A100 as a Vlogging camera
A camera for vlogging ought to posses a moving display, microphone input and ideally IBIS. Considering all things, the Sony A100 is not really good for vlogging as it delivers a low rating of 9.
Sony A100 Alternatives
If you are searching for alternatives to the A100, below is a number of the top rated cameras which fall within the category of Entry-Level DSLR.
The graph followed below shows you an overview of the A100 vs it's top ranking competitors listed previously.
Following are additional cameras you might take into account as alternative options. To read through a complete comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.