Sony Alpha 5100 Review – Performance

As has been the case with previous Sony Alpha CSCs, an impressive level of performance generally backs up the full specification.

What’s perhaps most impressive is the camera’s AF performance, especially when used with the standard Sony E PZ 16-50mm kit lens. During the time testing the camera there wasn’t a single occasion where the camera failed to acquire focus.

It’s not just the focus accuracy that’s impresses, as the focus speed is also worthy on note. With a simple half press of the shutter button the a5100 almost instantly acquires focus.

There’s also a broad range of different focus settings to suit a range of conditions, all of which function impressively.

Connected

The inclusion of Wi-fi and NFC connectivity is welcome. As you might expect from an electronics giant such as Sony it is easy to operate and performs well, transferring images between the camera and either smartphone or tablet in a short amount of time.

Another welcome element of the camera’s performance is that even though it’s lacking in any real proliferation of physical controls, and the touchscreen operation isn’t as comprehensive as some might like, it still handles well. This is no doubt in some part due to the simplified user interface as well as the clever operational arrangement the a5100 boasts.

Video performance

As mentioned previously, the level of performance with regards to video capture offered by the a5100 is seriously impressive and outstrips most competing CSCs. The range of capture settings, variety of recording output formats and general capture experience all combine to great effect.

The only real concern here is the lack of a microphone output, although many professional shooters will record audio separately so this won’t be of concern for them.