SONY Cameras
Sony a6100 Review
Sony a6100 is a direct successor to the extremely popular Sony a6000. It keeps the same body, the same sensor and the same EVF and LCD panels, but it upgrades to a new faster version of the BIONZ X processor taken from the full-frame Sony A9, leading to even better AF performance, improved color science and increased buffer. It also adds a tilting flip-up screen and 4K video recording, making it a very capable entry-level camera.
SONY E-Mount
Sony introduced the E-mount in 2010 alongside their first mirrorless cameras, giving them a huge head start. Over a decade later, there are over 100 native lenses and more than 200 if you include third-party options. Because the mount hasn’t changed, old lenses still work with newer cameras, creating a huge second-hand market. Compare that to Canon and Nikon, which only introduced new mounts in 2018, Sony users have had years to build and upgrade their kits without starting from scratch. For beginners entering the Sony system that means more options and much better prices.
SONY a6100 Price
Sony a6100 Specifications
General
Sony a6100 features a 24.2 MP APS-C sensor, very similar to the sensor used in the original a6000. A huge upgrade was the new and improved processor taken from the full-frame Sony A9 (it’s still named BIONZ X, but it’s a newer generation). This led to better autofocus, improved color science and a better buffer.
Most other features remain the same as on the a6000. The a6100 still uses the same body, it’s compact and lightweight, but not weather sealed. The camera still has no in-body stabilization (IBIS).
The a6100 upgrades to a tilting flip-up LCD screen design. The screen is touch-sensitive, but there is no touch sensitivity when in the menu. The touch screen only works for selecting and moving the focus point.
The a6000 still has just one card slot and it still supports only older and slower UHS-I SD cards. It also uses the same batteries as the a6000 and battery life is still very poor, so users will need to purchase a few additional batteries for prolonged shooting.
Autofocus
Sony a6100 features Sony’s new version of ‘Fast Hybrid AF’ system, similar to the first generation a6000 cameras, but improved thanks to a more powerful processor. It offers 425 phase-detection and contrast-detection AF points.Â
Face and eye detection are available for humans and autofocus tracking works well even with moving subjects. Tracking is improved over older models and continuous autofocus is supported in video mode as well.
At the time of their release in 2019, the a6100, a6400 and a6600, featured one of the best AF systems in the industry and they still hold up today.
Photography
Image quality is great and color science is improved over the 1st generation models, thanks to a more powerful processor.
14-bit RAW is now available in Single Shooting mode as well as in ‘low-speed’ drive modes (3-6 fps). Some reviewers note that there is little to no noticeable loss of image quality between 14-bit and 12-bit RAW files.
Sony a6100 is capable of shooting at up to 11 fps in 12-bit RAW with full autofocus tracking for up to 3 seconds (around 33 frames) before the shooting speed drops to about 1 fps. After the buffer is full it can take the camera more than half a minute to clear the buffer. If you don’t mind shooting just JPEGs, then you can shoot for about 7 seconds continuously, but in that case it could take a full minute for the buffer to clear.
Shutter options include mechanical, electronic front-curtain (EFCS) and electronic (silent) shutter modes.
The use of the electronic shutter causes rolling shutter distortion, low-light performance and dynamic range are reduced and banding may occur under certain lighting conditions, especially with flickering lights.
Some other models, such as the a6300 and a6500, only offer the 12-bit RAW when using the electronic shutter. Information on whether this is also the case with the a6100 is hard to find, since Sony does not officially document this behavior for this model.
Video
Sony a6100 can record oversampled 4K at up to 25 fps using full width of the sensor and up to 30 fps with a 1.2x crop. The footage is oversampled from 6K (a bit less than 6K for the cropped 30 fps mode) and fairly detailed considering the APS-C sensor size. Keep in mind that rolling shutter distortion is noticeable.Â
Full HD (1080p) recording is available at up to 60 fps with full sensor readout and up to 120 fps with an additional 1.15x crop and reduced detail.
Recording is limited to 8-bit. There are no picture profiles.
The camera officially has a 13 hour recording limit, but in practice it is limited by storage, camera settings and potential overheating (in case you use the camera in a hot environment or direct sunlight).
| Feature | Sony A6100 |
|---|---|
| Release Date | August 2019 |
| Megapixels | 24.2 MP |
| Image Resolution | 6000 × 4000 |
| Sensor Size | APS-C |
| Sensor Type | CMOS |
| Image Processor | BIONZ X |
| IBIS | No |
| Weather Sealing | No |
| Lens Mount | Sony E |
| Body Type | Mirrorless |
| PHOTO | |
| Native ISO | 100 – 32,000 |
| Expandable ISO | 100 – 51,200 |
| Shutter Speed | 1/4000 – 30s |
| Burst Rate (Mechanical) | 11 fps RAW |
| Burst Rate (Electronic) | 8 fps |
| Buffer | 33 RAW |
| Shutter Types | Mechanical, Electronic, EFCS |
| Silent Shooting | Yes |
| Exposure Compensation | ±5 EV |
| High-Res (Sensor Shift) | No |
| Pre-Capture Mode | No |
| VIDEO | |
| 4K Video | 4K 24fps (oversampled from 6K) / 4K 30fps (1.2x crop, oversampled from ~6K) |
| Max Frame Rate | 4K 30fps (1.2x crop) / 1080p 60fps / 1080p 120fps (1.15x crop) |
| Bit Depth | 8-bit |
| Recording Limit | 13 hours |
| Timelapse Recording | Yes |
| AUTOFOCUS | |
| AF System | 'Fast Hybrid AF' |
| AF Points | 425 |
| AF Coverage | ~ 90% Frame Coverage |
| AF Joystick | No |
| DISPLAY / VIEWFINDER | |
| Articulated Screen | Tilting, Flip-Up |
| Touch Screen | Limited (focus only) |
| LCD Size | 3.0" |
| LCD Resolution | 921,600 |
| EVF Resolution | 1,440,000 |
| EVF Refresh Rate | 60 fps |
| EVF Coverage | 100% |
| EVF Magnification | 1.07× |
| MORE INFO | |
| Card Slot 1 | SD (UHS-I) |
| Card Slot 2 | / |
| Sensor Protection System | No |
| USB | Micro USB |
| USB Charging | Yes |
| HDMI | Type D (Micro HDMI) |
| Microphone Port | 3.5 mm |
| Headphone Port | No |
| Built-in Flash | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Battery | NP-FW50 |
| Battery Life | ~ 400 frames |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Yes |
| Dimensions | 120 × 67 × 59 mm |
| Weight | 396 g |
Understanding Sony's APS-C Camera Lineup
Sony’s modern APS-C camera lineup, commonly referred to as the a6000 series, includes some of the most popular beginner and hobbyist cameras on the market. They’re compact, lightweight and offer fast autofocus, great image quality and excellent value. They benefit from Sony’s long-standing E-mount ecosystem and there are plenty of affordable used options available since they are very popular and has been around for quite a while.
Sony a6000
2014
Sony a6300
2016
Sony a6500
2016
Sony a6100
2019
Sony a6400
2019
Sony a6600
2019
Sony a6000 was released in 2014. The mid-range Sony a6300 and the high-end Sony a6500 were released in 2016. Most notable improvements over the original model are the slightly upgraded sensor design, an even better AF system, higher-quality video recording options, the addition of 4K video recording and a weather-resistant body. The high-end a6500 also added IBIS, an improved buffer, a touch screen and a more rugged weather-sealed camera body.
Sony a6000, a6300 and a6500 are considered the 1st generation of a6000-series cameras. They are no longer in production, but can be found at an affordable price on the used market.
Sony a6100, a6400 and a6600, released in 2019, are the 2nd generation of a6000-series cameras. They basically serve as updated successors to their respective 1st generation models: the entry-level a6000 was replaced by the a6100, the mid-range a6300 was replaced by the a6400 and the high-end a6500 was replaced by a6600.
All 2nd generation models still keep the same 24 MP APS-C sensor, but they upgrade to a much better processor taken from the Full-Frame Sony A9 (a new version of the BIONZ X processor). This led to even better autofocus performance, noticeably better color science and more natural-looking skin tones. They all also gained a tilting flip-up screen (instead of a basic tilting screen), improved eye autofocus, a new menu system, a 13 hour video recording limit (instead of 30 minutes) and more.
All 6 models can shoot at 11 fps with the mechanical shutter. Video recording is always limited to 8-bit and all cameras (except the original a6000) can record high-quality 4K video at up to 30 fps oversampled from 6K. Image quality is comparable across the entire lineup since all six cameras use a very similar 24 MP APS-C CMOS sensor.
A few key differences worth noting:
– a6000 and a6100 are entry-level models with a cheaper body without weather sealing and IBIS.
– a6300 and a6400 both have a weather-sealed body, neither has IBIS.
– a6500 and a6600 both have IBIS and a durable weather-sealed body, a6600 also adds a larger battery.
Sony a6100 and a6400 are still in production and serve as entry-level and mid-range APS-C models. Sony a6600 replaced the a6500 in 2019 and it served as the most advanced APS-C model until the release of the new a6700 which completely replaced the a6600 by introducing a new sensor and processor.
Alternatives to the a6100
Sony a6400
Sony a6700
Sony a6400 (2019) is Sony’s modern mid-range APS-C model also featuring the same 24 MP sensor. Most specifications are similar to the a6100, but the a6400 uses a weather-sealed body and doesn’t apply a crop in 4K 30 fps recording. Video recording is still limited to 8-bit, but the a6400 includes Sony’s higher-quality S-Log 2 and S-Log 3 picture profiles.
Sony a6700 (2023) is Sony’s most advanced APS-C model featuring a new 26 MP BSI sensor paired with Sony’s new BIONZ XR processor and Sony’s AI processing unit. It features several notable upgrades like a fully articulating screen and an even more advanced AF system with an AI-based deep-learning engine for enhanced subject recognition and tracking. It offers continuous shooting at up to 11 fps, it can record 4K video at 120 fps and oversampled 4K video at up to 60 fps in 10-bit. It has IBIS and a weather sealed body.
Nikon Z50 II
Nikon Z50 II (2024) could be considered a competitor to the mid-range a6400. It has a 21 MP BSI sensor and uses a new version of Nikon’s hybrid AF system. It can record 4K video at up to 30 fps and at 60 fps with a 1.5x crop in 10-bit, but the footage is not oversampled. It can shoot at up to 11 fps in RAW with the mechanical shutter and up to 15 fps in RAW with the electronic shutter (30 fps in JPEG). The body is weather resistant.
Canon R10
Canon R50
Canon EOS R10 (2022) is a mid-range APS-C camera. It has a 24 MP sensor. It offers continuous shooting at up to 15 fps with the mechanical shutter and 23 fps with the electronic shutter in 12-bit RAW. It can record 4K video at 60 fps with a 1.6x crop and oversampled 4K video at up to 30 fps without a crop, but video recording is limited to 8-bit. It has no IBIS and no weather-sealing.
Canon EOS R50 (2023) is Canon’s entry-level APS-C model. It has the same 24 MP sensor and the same processor as the R10, but it doesn’t have the mechanical shutter. It can record oversampled 4K video at 30 fps. It can shoot up to 12 fps with the EFCS and 15 fps with the electronic shutter in 12-bit RAW, but the buffer is extremely limited (only 7 RAW images) since the R50 accepts only slower UHS-I SD cards. It has no weather sealing and no IBIS. The R50 is clearly inferior to any other camera on this list.
SONY a6100 Price
Final Verdict
Sony a6100 is a solid entry-level APS-C camera. Its reliable autofocus system, 11 fps RAW shooting and oversampled 4K video recording make it a practical entry point into Sony’s mirrorless system.
Prices in this segment can fluctuate over time and sometimes the a6400 is only slightly more expensive. In that case, the a6400 is generally the better option, as it also offers weather sealing and more advanced video features.