We and our partners use cookies to give you the best online experience, including to personalise advertising and content. Data about your interaction with this site and the ads shown to you may be shared with companies involved in the delivery and/or personalisation of ads on this site and elsewhere online.

Nikon D5100 vs Sony a5100

5.0 in
3.8 in
Nikon D5100 Digital Camera
Nikon D5100
4.31 in
2.47 in
Sony a5100 Digital Camera
Sony a5100
Available colors
Editiorial reviews
34
4.1 out of 5
17 user ratings
5 stars
41 %
4 stars
41 %
3 stars
11 %
2 stars
5 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
35
4.1 out of 5
16 user ratings
5 stars
31 %
4 stars
56 %
3 stars
12 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
User rating
51
3.9 out of 5
51 user ratings
5 stars
37 %
4 stars
29 %
3 stars
23 %
2 stars
7 %
1 stars
1 %
43
4.3 out of 5
43 user ratings
5 stars
37 %
4 stars
55 %
3 stars
6 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %

Full Comparison

Sensor

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Image sensor formatDX
Advanced Photo System type-C
Sensor size0.93 in0.93 in
Effective pixels16.0 Mpx24.0 Mpx
Image ratio w:h3:23:2
Max resolution4928 x 3264 px6000 x 4000 px
Other resolutions
  • 3696x2448
  • 2464x1632
  • 6000x3376
  • 4240x2832
  • 4240x2400
  • 3008x2000
  • 3008x1688
ProcessorExpeed 2BIONZ

Image

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
ISO
  • 100
  • 6400
  • 12800
  • 25600
  • 100
  • 200
  • 400
  • 800
  • 1600
  • 3200
  • 6400
  • 12800
  • 25600
ISO Autoyesyes
ISO minimum100100
ISO maximum2560025600
Maximum image resolution4928 x 3264 px6000 x 4000 px
White balance presets1210
White balance modes
  • Auto
  • Cloudy
  • Direct sunlight
  • Flash
  • Fluorescent
  • Incandescent
  • Manual
  • Shade
  • Auto
  • Cloudy
  • Custom modes
  • Daylight
  • Flash
  • Incandescent
  • Shade
  • Underwater
Custom white balanceyesyes
Supported image file formats
  • JPG
  • RAW
  • JPG
  • RAW
Photo effects
  • Black&White
  • Neutral
  • Vivid
  • Black&White
  • Vivid
Image stabilizernoyes
Image stabilization typeNoNo
Supported aspect ratios16:9
  • 3:2
  • 16:9
Uncompressed formatRAWRAW
HDRyesyes
AEB/HDR supportyesyes

Optics and focus

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Lens mountNikon FSony E
Optical zoom3.0 x3.1 x
Magnification (Crop factor)1.5 x1.5 x
Maximum aperture2.83.5
AF assist (auto-focus assist light)LampLamp
Focus adjustmentAutoAuto/Manual
Contrast autofocusyesyes
Autofocus in recording modeyesyes
Focal length multiplier1.5x1.5x
Autofocus
  • Continuous Auto Focus
  • Servo Auto Focus
  • Single Auto Focus
Face detection
Auto Focus (AF) lockyesyes
Manual focusyesyes
Number of focus points11179
Max number of AF points (incl. assistant)11179
Image stabiliserLens based onlyLens based only
Filter diameter2.83 in1.59 in
Phase detection autofocusyesyes

Screen and viewfinder

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Screen size3.0 in3.0 in
Articulated LCDyesyes
Screen technologyLCDLCD
Screen dots921000921600
Touch screennoyes
Live viewyesyes
ViewfinderOpticalNone
Viewfinder coverage95.0 %100.0 %
Viewfinder magnification0.78 x0.22 x
Separate info displaynono

Photography features

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Minimum shutter speed30.0 s30.0 s
Maximum shutter speed1.0 s1.0 s
Shutter priorityyesyes
Aperture priorityyesyes
Manual exposure modeyesyes
Number of exposures33
Exposure compensation plus53
Exposure compensation minus-5-3
Expousure compensation steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
1/3
Auto exposure lockyesyes
AE EV steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 2/3
  • 1
  • 2
Continuous shootingyesyes
Self-timer delay
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
  • 2
  • 10
Histogramyesyes
AE frames3
  • 3
  • 5
WB Bracketing
Yes
Yes
Subject / scene modesyesyes
Flash sync speed1/200s1/160s
Built-in flashyesyes
Flash range124
Flash modes
  • Flash OFF
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Slow Sync
  • Auto
  • Fill-in
  • Flash OFF
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Slow Sync
External flash connectionHot shoeHot shoe
External flashyesno
Continuous drive4.0 fps6.0 fps
Scene modes
  • Backlight
  • Beach
  • Candlelight
  • Children
  • Close-up
  • Dawn
  • Dusk
  • Food
  • Landscape
  • Night landscape
  • Night portrait
  • Party
  • Pet
  • Portrait
  • Snow
  • Sports
  • Sunset
  • Night portrait
  • Portrait
  • Self-portrait
  • Sunset
  • Landscape
Self-timeryesyes
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
Manual settingsyesyes
Self-timer options
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
  • 2
  • 10
Speed (JPEG)4.0 fps6.0 fps
Speed (RAW)4.0 fps6.0 fps
Exposure bracketing0.3 - 0.5±EV0.3 - 2.0±EV

Videography features

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Maximum resolution1920 x 1080 px1920 x 1080 px
Video recordingyesyes
Recording resolutions
  • 640 x 424
  • 1280 x 720
  • 1920 x 1080
  • 640 x 480
  • 1920 x 1080
HD typeFull HDFull HD
Supported video file formats
  • H.264
  • MOV
  • MPEG-4
  • AVCHD
  • MP4
Analog signal format systemNTSC
  • NTSC
  • PAL
Camera playback
  • Highlights
  • Movie
  • Single image
  • Slide show
  • Thumbnails
  • Movie
  • Slide show
Max resolution (highest frame rate)1920 x 10801920 x 1080
Max frame rate (highest resolution)30.0 fps60.0 fps
Max frame rate (regardless of res.)30.0 fps60.0 fps
Motion JPEG frame rate30.0 fps30.0 fps

Audio features

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Built-in microphoneyesyes
Microphone typeMonoStereo
Voice recordingyesyes
Audio systemStereoStereo
Noise reductionyesyes

Design

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Body typeSLRMILC
Body materialPlasticPlastic
Colour of productBlack
  • Black
  • Brown
  • White
Anti-dust systemyesyes
Environmentally sealednono

Dimensions

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Weight17.99 oz7.9 oz
Width5.0 in4.31 in
Height3.8 in2.47 in
Depth3.1 in1.41 in

Storage

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Compatible memory cards
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
  • MS Pro Duo
  • MS Pro-HG Duo
  • MS XC-HG Duo
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
Memory slots11
Storage types
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
  • Memory Stick Pro Duo
  • Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Camera file system
  • DCF 2.0
  • DPOF
  • Exif 2.3
  • DCF 2.0
  • Exif 2.3
  • MPF
  • RAW

Power

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Power source typeBattery
  • Battery
  • USB
Battery life (CIPA)660400
Battery technology
Lithium-Ion
Lithium
Number of batteries supported11
AC adapter includedyesY

Connectivity

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
HDMIyesyes
HDMI connector typeMiniMicro
USB version2.02.0
Microphone portyesno
WirelessEye-Fi ConnectedBuilt-In
Remote controlyesyes
NFCnoyes
Wireless network (Wi-Fi)yesyes
Firewirenono

Other features

Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Timelapse recordingyesyes
GPSnono
Orientation sensoryesyes
Energy Star certifiednono
Tripod mounting supportedyesyes

Pros & Cons

Pros
      Cons

          Often compared with Nikon D5100

          Often compared with Sony a5100