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Nikon D5300 vs Sony a5100

4.92 in
3.86 in
Nikon D5300 Digital Camera
Nikon D5300
4.31 in
2.47 in
Sony a5100 Digital Camera
Sony a5100
Available colors
Editiorial reviews
35
4.1 out of 5
19 user ratings
5 stars
21 %
4 stars
73 %
3 stars
5 %
2 stars
0 %
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
55
4.2 out of 5
55 user ratings
5 stars
43 %
4 stars
30 %
3 stars
23 %
2 stars
1 %
1 stars
0 %
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 D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Image sensor formatDX
Advanced Photo System type-C
Sensor size0.93 in0.93 in
Sensor photo detectors25.0 Mpx25.0 Mpx
Effective pixels24.0 Mpx24.0 Mpx
Image ratio w:h3:23:2
Max resolution6000 x 4000 px6000 x 4000 px
Other resolutions
  • 4496x3000
  • 2992x2000
  • 6000x3376
  • 4240x2832
  • 4240x2400
  • 3008x2000
  • 3008x1688
ProcessorExpeed 4BIONZ

Image

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
ISO
  • 100
  • 12800
  • 25600
  • Auto
  • 100
  • 200
  • 400
  • 800
  • 1600
  • 3200
  • 6400
  • 12800
  • 25600
ISO minimum100100
ISO maximum2560025600
Maximum image resolution6000 x 4000 px6000 x 4000 px
White balance presets1210
White balance modes
  • Auto
  • Cloudy
  • Flash
  • Fluorescent
  • Incandescent
  • Manual
  • Shade
  • Sunny
  • 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 ratios3:2
  • 3:2
  • 16:9
Uncompressed formatRAWRAW
HDRyesyes
AEB/HDR supportyesyes

Optics and focus

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Lens mount
  • Nikon F
  • Nikon-AF
Sony E
Optical zoom3.1 x3.1 x
Magnification (Crop factor)1.5 x1.5 x
Maximum aperture2.83.5
AF assist (auto-focus assist light)LampLamp
Focus adjustmentAuto/ManualAuto/Manual
Contrast autofocusyesyes
Autofocus in recording modeyesyes
Focal length multiplier1.5x1.5x
Autofocus
  • Continuous Auto Focus
  • Contrast Detection Auto Focus
  • Face detection
  • Multi Point Auto Focus
  • Servo Auto Focus
  • Single Auto Focus
  • Tracking Auto Focus
Face detection
Auto Focus (AF) lockyesyes
Manual focusyesyes
Number of focus points39179
Max number of AF points (incl. assistant)39179
Image stabiliserLens based onlyLens based only
Filter diameter2.17 in1.59 in
Phase detection autofocusyesyes
Number of AF points (contrast)3925

Screen and viewfinder

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Screen size3.2 in3.0 in
Articulated LCDyesyes
Screen technologyLCD TFTLCD
Screen dots1037000921600
Touch screennoyes
Live viewyesyes
ViewfinderOpticalNone
Viewfinder coverage95.0 %100.0 %
Viewfinder magnification0.82 x0.22 x
Separate info displaynono

Photography features

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
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 exposures53
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
  • Auto
  • Fill-in
  • Flash OFF
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Second-curtain Sync
  • Slow Sync
  • Auto
  • Fill-in
  • Flash OFF
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Slow Sync
External flash connectionHot shoeHot shoe
Flash metering systemi-TTLTTL
External flashyesno
Continuous drive5.0 fps6.0 fps
Scene modes
  • Portrait
  • Landscape
  • 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)5.0 fps6.0 fps
Speed (RAW)5.0 fps6.0 fps
Exposure bracketing0.3 - 0.5±EV0.3 - 2.0±EV

Videography features

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Maximum resolution1920 x 1080 px1920 x 1080 px
Video recordingyesyes
Recording resolutions
  • 640 x 480
  • 1280 x 720
  • 1920 x 1080
  • 640 x 480
  • 1920 x 1080
HD typeFull HDFull HD
Supported video file formats
  • H.264
  • MP4
  • MPEG-4
  • AVCHD
  • MP4
Analog signal format system
  • NTSC
  • PAL
  • 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)60.0 fps60.0 fps
Max frame rate (regardless of res.)60.0 fps60.0 fps
Motion JPEG frame rate60.0 fps30.0 fps

Audio features

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Built-in microphoneyesyes
Microphone typeStereoStereo
Speaker typeMonoMono
Voice recordingyesyes
Audio systemStereoStereo

Design

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Body typeSLRMILC
Body materialPlasticPlastic
Colour of product
  • Black
  • Black,Grey
  • Red
  • Black
  • Brown
  • White
Anti-dust systemyesyes
Environmentally sealednono

Dimensions

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Weight16.93 oz7.9 oz
Width4.92 in4.31 in
Height3.86 in2.47 in
Depth2.99 in1.41 in

Storage

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
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 1.1
  • Exif 2.3
  • RAW
  • DCF 2.0
  • Exif 2.3
  • MPF
  • RAW

Power

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Power source typeBattery
  • Battery
  • USB
Battery life (CIPA)600400
Battery technology
Lithium-Ion
Lithium
Battery capacity1230.0 mAh1080.0 mAh
Battery voltage7.2 V7.4 V
Number of batteries supported11
AC adapter includedYY

Connectivity

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
HDMIyesyes
HDMI connector typeMiniMicro
USB connector typeMicro-USB BMicro-USB
USB version2.02.0
Microphone portyesno
WirelessBuilt-InBuilt-In
Supported WiFi types
  • IEEE 802.11b
  • IEEE 802.11g
  • IEEE 802.11b
  • IEEE 802.11g
  • IEEE 802.11n
Remote controlyesyes
NFCnoyes
Wireless network (Wi-Fi)yesyes
Firewirenono

Other features

Nikon D5300Nikon D5300
Sony a5100Sony a5100
Timelapse recordingyesyes
GPSyesno
Orientation sensoryesyes
Energy Star certifiednono
Tripod mounting supportedyesyes

Pros & Cons

Pros
      Cons

          Often compared with Nikon D5300

          Often compared with Sony a5100