Sony has revealed the Alpha 5100, which is the latest addition to its line of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.
The Alpha 5100, one of the smallest interchangeable lens cameras in the world according to Sony, replaces the NEX 5T and phases out the NEX name that is mostly associated with the company's compact system cameras. It will occupy a space in the product line-up in between the midrange Alpha 6000 and the entry-level Alpha 5000.
The Alpha 5100 will be targeting the same kind of customers as did by the Alpha 5000, namely entry-level users that are upgrading from smartphone cameras or digital point-and-shoot cameras or downgrading from entry-level DSLR cameras. However, the Alpha 5100 is more like a budget Alpha 6000 rather than an upgraded Alpha 5000 due to some higher-end features that comes from the Alpha 6000.
The camera uses the same 24MP APS-C sensor and Bionz X image processor used by the Alpha 6000, along with the autofocus system which utilizes both phase-detection and contract-detection points to be able to focus the camera as quick as 0.07 seconds.
The Alpha 5100 is also able to support Lock-on AF and Eye AF, which are both from the higher-end A7/A7R full-frame cameras. Flexible Spot AF and an AF-A mode that automatically switches the camera from using AF-S and AF-C.
Continuous shooting speed for the Alpha 5100 is only at 6 frames per second though, compared to the 10 frames per second of the NEX 5T and the 11 frames per second of the Alpha 6000. The camera makes up for that by having a higher number for maximum frames per burst.
Another new feature for the Alpha 5100, which cannot be found in both the Alpha 5000 and the Alpha 6000, is the selfie-friendly touchscreen LCD. It measures 3 inches and has a 921k-pixel display, and can be tilted 180 degrees. In addition, it also has a built-in flash.
The Alpha 5100 is also great for shooting movies, with Full HD 1080p recording at 60fps. In addition, the camera is also able to record in the video format XAVC S, which will allow users to record at a 50 Mbps data rate with a form of compression that is able to retain high quality video. For advanced users, the Alpha 5100 also has a zebra function, which shows which parts of the recordings are overexposed.
The camera also has built-in Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity for transferring pictures wirelessly and for remote operations.
The Alpha 5100 will come with a price tag of $550 for only the body and $700 including a 16mm-50mm motorized zoom kit lens. The camera, which will be released in September, is looking like it would be a great deal for its price.
