Sony Alpha 5100 Review

Sony Alpha 5100 Review - The Sony Alpha 5100 is one of the most feature-packed entry-level CSCs on the market, complete with a 179-point hybrid autofocus system and advanced video shooting capabilities

Product Overview

Overall rating:

89%

Sony Alpha 5100

Features:95%
Design:85%
Performance:90%
Value:85%
Image Quality:90%

Pros:

  • Impressive video capture performance; Tough body; Good image quality and AF speeds

Cons:

  • Touchscreen performance not as comprehensive as competitors; No microphone socket

Product:

Sony Alpha 5100 Review

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:

£549.00 (with kit lens)

Sony Alpha 5100 Review – Image Quality

Resolution

Sony Alpha 5100 resolution charts

In terms of the amount of detail the a5100 is capable of resolving, at the lowest ISO setting it performs much in line with what you would expect from an APS-C DSLR.

Towards the higher ISO settings detail rendered does gradually drop off, and if you want the very best in terms of detail resolution it’s best to stick to the lower ISO settings.

Noise

Sony Alpha 5100 noise charts

At the lower ISO settings the camera handles image noise well, although one you start to head up the ISO range luminance noise does begin to creep in.

Once you get to ISO 800, for example, both luminance and chroma noise become and issue, while once you head above this noise reduction artefacts make themselves evident.

Dynamic range

Sony Alpha 5100 dynamic range charts

In terms of the camera’s dynamic range, the results are almost identical to those delivered by the Alpha 6000.

At the base ISO setting the a5100 performs well, rendering a good amount of detail in shadow and highlight areas. At higher settings the dynamic range does drop, although on the whole it’s a capable level of performance in this area.

  1. 1. Specification
  2. 2. Page 2
  3. 3. Page 3
  4. 4. Page 4
  5. 5. Page 5
  6. 6. First Impressions
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