If you are on the lookout for a light and compact mirrorless camera, then the Sony A5100 and A6000 are both great choices.
Gone are the days of needing to haul around a massive DSLR to get great shots, and Sony is leading the way in this area.
Both these cameras are quite similar with APS-C 24 MP sensors and very similar specifications, but there are a few key differences.
So, to help you make a quick and easy decision between the two, let's start with a comparison table with the major differences highlighted in bold.
Sony A5100 | Sony A6000 | |
|---|---|---|
Sensor | APS-C CMOS Sensor 24.3 Megapixel | APS-C CMOS Sensor 24.3 Megapixel |
Processor | BIONZ X | BIONZ X |
Dimensions | 4.33 x 2.48 x 1.42″ 110 x 63 x 36mm | 4.72 x 2.63 x 1.77″ 120 x 67 x 45mm |
Weight | 9.9oz / 283g | 12.1oz / 344g |
Autofocus | 179 point phase detection | 179 point phase detection 25 point contrast detection |
ISO Range | 100 - 25600 | 100 - 25600 (extendable to 51200) |
Shutter Speed | 1/4000 - 30sec | 1/4000 - 30sec |
Continuous Shooting | 6 fps | 11 fps |
Video | 1080p @ 60 or 24p | 1080p @ 60 or 24p |
Flash | Built-in | Built-in Hotshoe |
LCD | 3 inch - 180 degree tilt up | 3 inch touch screen - 90/45 degree tilt up/down |
Viewfinder | None | 100% view, 1.4 Million Dots |
Battery Life | 400 shots | 360 shots |
Wireless Technology | Wifi, NFC, connect to Apps | Wifi, NFC, connect to Apps |
Major Differences
Size & Weight
Starting with the most basic difference, the A6000 is heavier by almost 30%. It's still a very light camera though, so this won't make a huge difference to most people.
The size is also noticeably different, but the majority of that is in the front where the extended grip is actually a nice addition, helping you keep a grip on the camera in a variety of situations. This is something a lot of mirrorless cameras get wrong, so the A6000 addresses this nicely.
Sony A5100 Tilts 180 Degrees Up Only
Sony A6000 Tilts Up & Down
LCD Screen
A 3 inch LCD is almost a given on a camera these days, so it's the details that you want to really look at. Both these cameras have a decent screen that moves, but the difference lies in the angle. The A5100 comes up 180 degrees only, so it's great for selfies or vloggers, but it lacks a downward angle which can be handy for those overhead shots.
The A6000 does something slight different with 90 degrees up and 45 down, so is great for photographers, but lacks that 180 selfie mode.
Viewfinder
This is an easy one, the A6000 has a nice OLED viewfinder offering 100% view, while the A5100 does not have one at all. So, if you prefer to shoot through a viewfinder to better frame your shots the A6000 is the go.
Access To Shooting Modes
This may seem like a small thing, but the A6000 has a dedicated shooting mode buttons on top, whereas the A5100 does not. Sure, the A5100 is probably a little smaller and simpler as a result, but if you want to be able to control your photos (Manual, Aperture, Shutter etc) then having to go into the menus to do it is a royal pain!
So, if you want to be able to jump more deeply into photography and control your shots, the A6000 is a clear winner here.
Continuous Shooting (fps)
If you love shooting moving objects (sports, cars, wildlife or people) then having a high frame rate for continuous shooting is a must. The A5100 has a decent 6fps, but the A6000 ups the game with 11fps, which is actually one of the higher you will find on any such camera.
Sony A6000 Flash Hotshoe
Flash
Both of these cameras have a built in flash. The A5100 has a 4m (about 12ft) range while the A6000 has 50% more at 6m (18ft). On top of that, the A6000 also has a hotshoe for external flash mount. So, if you plan on doing any shooting in low light, the A6000 is a clear winner.
Battery Life
This is one area where the A5100 shines a bit more than the A6000 with 400 shots vs 360 shots on the A5100. So, if this is important to you, the choice is clear.
Shared Features
Despite all their differences, the A5100 and A6000 are fundamentally very similar cameras, not to mention a great camera. Especially for anyone wanting to get a bit deeper into photography.
Both have 24 Megapixels, which is far more than you need to print any photo you take. They also both have a reasonable video capability at 1080p with 60fps which is nice for those slo-mo shots.
The interchangeable APS-C lenses are also the perfect option for anyone wanting to be able to choose what kind of lens/zoom they work with. Or, you can just stick with the nice range of the kit lens (16-50mm, which is 32-100mm in DSLR terms) which will suit most situations you encounter.
The autofocus on both is also super-fast and capable with a huge range of the image covered and a combination of both phase and contrast autofocus there to help get the perfect focus. They also both have face detection which is awesome for taking shots of people, as it prioritises the face in the shot, even when there is a lot of distracting elements around.
Although the A6000 has a faster continuous shooting option (11 fps) both are good enough for most situations. As is the battery life. Anyone who wants even longer battery life, knows they need spare batteries, right?
All in all, you can't really go wrong with either of these Sonys.
Which Should You Choose?
There are some clear and simple choices here in my opinion:
If you want to take your photography further: the A6000 has more options with the manual control, flash hot shoe and higher continuous shooting (11fps).
The A5100 excels in terms of size, weight and simplicity, as well as battery life. It is also usually a tad cheaper, so unless you need all the extra bells and whistles (which most of you won't) then it's a great camera to dip your toe into the deeper world of photos.
