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Sony A5100 vs A9 III

The Sony Alpha A5100 and the Sony Alpha A9 III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2014 and November 2023. Both the A5100 and the A9 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (A5100) and a full frame (A9 III) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Sony A5100
versus
Sony A9 III
Sony A5100   Sony A9 III
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video 4K/120p Video
ISO 100-25,600 ISO 250-25,600 (125 - 51,200)
No viewfinder, LCD framing Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots 3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fully flexible touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second 120 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge530 shots per battery charge
110 x 63 x 36 mm, 283 g 136 x 97 x 83 mm, 702 g
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Check A5100 offers at
ebay.com
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Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A5100 and the Sony Alpha A9 III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A5100 and the Sony A9 III is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A5100 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A9 III is only available in black.

Size Sony A5100 vs Sony A9 III
Compare A5100 versus A9 III top
Comparison A5100 or A9 III rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A9 III is considerably larger (90 percent) than the Sony A5100. Moreover, the A9 III is substantially heavier (148 percent) than the A5100. It is noteworthy in this context that the A9 III is splash and dust-proof, while the A5100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A5100) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A9 III). Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the A5100 gets 400 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the A9 III can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A5100 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 283 g 400 n Aug 2014 US$ 549ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A9 III 136 mm 97 mm 83 mm 702 g 530 Y Nov 2023 US$ 5 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Sony A1 II 136 mm 97 mm 83 mm 743 g 520 Y Nov 2024 US$ 6 499 amazon.com
4.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 US$ 4 499ebay.com
7.
 
Sony A9 II 129 mm 96 mm 76 mm 678 g 690 Y Oct 2019 US$ 4 499 amazon.com
8.
 
Sony A3000 128 mm 91 mm 85 mm 411 g 470 n Aug 2013 US$ 329ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A5000 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 269 g 420 n Jan 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A6000 120 mm 67 mm 45 mm 344 g 360 n Feb 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-3 117 mm 62 mm 33 mm 297 g 330 n May 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
12.
 
Sony NEX-3N 110 mm 62 mm 35 mm 269 g 480 n Feb 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
13.
 
Sony NEX-F3 117 mm 67 mm 42 mm 314 g 470 n May 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
14.
 
Sony RX100 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 240 g 330 n Jun 2012 US$ 649ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX100 II 102 mm 58 mm 38 mm 281 g 350 n Jun 2013 US$ 749ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX100 III 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 290 g 320 n May 2014 US$ 799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX100 IV 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 298 g 280 n Jun 2015 US$ 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The A5100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 91 percent) than the A9 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A5100 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A9 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 III is 131 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the A9 III uses a more advanced image processing engine (Dual BIONZ XR) than the A5100 (BIONZ X), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Sony A5100 and Sony A9 III sensor measures

Even though the A9 III has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A9 III has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.91μm for the A5100), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the A9 III is much more recent (by 9 years and 2 months) than the A5100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Sony Alpha A5100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 III are ISO 250 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the A5100 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 III uses a Stacked CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

A5100 versus A9 III MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A5100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.812.7134780
2.
 
Sony A9 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/120p25.414.7324396
3.
 
Sony A1 II Full Frame 49.8 8640 57608k/30p25.414.8336397
4.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
5.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
6.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
7.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493
8.
 
Sony A3000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.712.8106878
9.
 
Sony A5000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.813.0108979
10.
 
Sony A6000 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.113.1134782
11.
 
Sony NEX-3 APS-C 14.0 4592 3056720/30p22.112.083068
12.
 
Sony NEX-3N APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i22.812.5106774
13.
 
Sony NEX-F3 APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i22.712.3111473
14.
 
Sony RX100 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.612.439066
15.
 
Sony RX100 II 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.512.448367
16.
 
Sony RX100 III 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.412.349567
17.
 
Sony RX100 IV 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.659170
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A9 III provides a better video resolution than the A5100. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the A5100 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A9 III has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the A5100 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A5100, the Sony A9 III, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Sony A5100none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
2.
 
Sony A9 III9440 n3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/80000s 120.0/s n Y
3.
 
Sony A1 II9437 n3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/8000s 30.0/s n Y
4.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
5.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
7.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
8.
 
Sony A3000202 n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
9.
 
Sony A5000none n3.0 / 461 tilting n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
10.
 
Sony A60001440 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
11.
 
Sony NEX-3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 7.0/s n n
12.
 
Sony NEX-3Noptional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
13.
 
Sony NEX-F3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s Y n
14.
 
Sony RX100none n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
15.
 
Sony RX100 IIoptional n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Sony RX100 III1440 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Sony RX100 IV2359 n3.0 / 1228 tilting n 1/2000s 16.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The A5100 has one, while the A9 III does not. While the built-in flash of the A5100 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A9 III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Sony A9 III has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The A5100 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the A9 III uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A9 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A5100 only has one slot. The A9 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A5100 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A5100 and Sony Alpha A9 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A5100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
2.
 
Sony A9 IIIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Sony A1 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
4.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
5.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
6.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
7.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
8.
 
Sony A3000Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Sony A5000-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
10.
 
Sony A6000Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
11.
 
Sony NEX-3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
12.
 
Sony NEX-3N-stereo / mono--micro2.0---
13.
 
Sony NEX-F3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
14.
 
Sony RX100-stereo / mono--micro2.0---
15.
 
Sony RX100 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony RX100 III-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
17.
 
Sony RX100 IV-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the A9 III has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The A5100 lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 III (unlike the A5100) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The A9 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the A5100 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the A5100 from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the A5100 and A9 III can be found, respectively, in the Sony A5100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 III Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Sony A5100 better than the Sony A9 III or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.


Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A5100:

  • More compact: Is smaller (110x63mm vs 136x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 419g or 60 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (91 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2014).


Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A9 III:

  • Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
  • Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (Dual BIONZ XR vs BIONZ X).
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/120p vs 1080/60p).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 922k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/80000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (120 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (530 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
  • More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 9 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A5100 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A9 III is the clear winner of the contest (27 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

A5100 06:27 A9 III

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A5100 and the Sony A9 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A5100 or the A9 III perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A51004.5/5+....4.5/55/5 Aug 2014 US$ 549ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A9 III4.5/5....91/100.... Nov 2023 US$ 5 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Sony A1 II............ Nov 2024 US$ 6 499 amazon.com
4.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 US$ 4 499ebay.com
7.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 US$ 4 499 amazon.com
8.
 
Sony A30003/5+....4/54/5 Aug 2013 US$ 329ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A50003/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A60005/5+4.5/580/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-3......70/1004.5/54/5 May 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
12.
 
Sony NEX-3N3/5......4.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
13.
 
Sony NEX-F34/5....74/1004.5/54.5/5 May 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
14.
 
Sony RX1005/5+ +..78/1004/55/5 Jun 2012 US$ 649ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX100 II5/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2013 US$ 749ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX100 III5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 US$ 799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX100 IV4.5/5+ +..85/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2015 US$ 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Sony A5100 vs Sony A9 III

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Sony A5100 Sony A9 III
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2014 November 2023
    Launch Price USD 549 USD 5,999
    Sensor Specs Sony A5100 Sony A9 III
    Sensor Technology CMOS Stacked CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 366.6 mm2 847.28 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm 42.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.91 μm 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 6.55 MP/cm2 2.83 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 4K/120p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25,600 ISO 250 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 125 - 51,200 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X Dual BIONZ XR
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 80 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.8 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.7 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1347 ..
    Screen Specs Sony A5100 Sony A9 III
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.9x
    Viewfinder Resolution 9440k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 922k dots 2100k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fully flexible screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Sony A5100 Sony A9 III
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/80000s
    Continuous Shooting 6 shutter flaps/s 120 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/80000s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards CFexA or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Sony A5100 Sony A9 III
    External Flash no Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.2
    HDMI Port micro HDMI full HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in no NFC
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Sony A5100 Sony A9 III
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony NP-FW50 Sony NP-FZ100
    Battery Life (CIPA)400 shots per charge530 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 110 x 63 x 36 mm
    (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.4 in)
    136 x 97 x 83 mm
    (5.4 x 3.8 x 3.3 in)
    Camera Weight 283 g (10.0 oz) 702 g (24.8 oz)
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    Check A9 III price at
    amazon.com

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