Sony Alpha 5100 Review – Image Quality
Resolution
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
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
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.
Score
Score in detail
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Features 95
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Image Quality 90
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Design 85
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Performance 90
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Value 85