Half a year after introducing the impressive Alpha 6000 DSLR camera, Sony comes out with the next in its line of interchangeable lens cameras, the Alpha 5100, which Sony touts as the world's most compact interchangeable lens camera.
Just like its a6000 predecessor, the mirrorless a5100 carries the same 24.3-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor with combined phase and the speedy hybrid autofocus detection system, all backed by a powerful BIONZ X processor, for a fraction of the price customers pay for the higher-end a6000. At $550, the a5100 can zone in and autofocus on an object for 0.07 seconds, even as the object moves across the camera's field of vision due to its wide autofocus area of 179 focal points and 25 contrast-detection points. Users can also tap on the camera's 3-inch tilting touchscreen to focus on an object manually.
The a5100 can also record high-definition 1080p videos on the XAVC S2 and AVCHD codecs at a data rate of 50Mbps with advanced compression. Combined with the camera's super-fast autofocus system, this makes the a5100 one of the best mirrorless video recorders on the market, at least on paper. The XAVC S2 codec also allows for faster video-sharing over the camera's built-in Wi-Fi.
"The new a5100 is a primary example, offering world-class AF speed and performance in a palm-sized body at a great price," says Neal Manowitz, Sony's director of its interchangeable lens camera division. "It's powerful enough to satisfy the most experienced DSLR shooters, yet not too intimidating for the casual weekend photographer."
One glitch some users would definitely notice, though, is the lack of a microphone jack, which isn't exactly a surprise since the a6000 also didn't have one. Photographers will not find that a problem, but those who use their cameras for taking videos will want something that provides them high-quality HD footage to have a feature that allows them to record decent audio as well.
The a5100 also does not come with an electric viewfinder, but for those willing to shell out an additional $250, users can opt for the a6000 with more advanced features, including an EVF, instead.
Sony will start shipping the a5100 in black or white by September. Those who cannot wait to get their hands on the camera can pre-order starting Tuesday. Customers can also opt to include a 16 to 50-millimeter motorized zoom lens for an additional $150.
