The Sony A6100 is the inevitable successor to the highly well-liked Sony A6000. However, this beginner-friendly mirrorless camera can still be purchased brand new today, five years after its introduction. This is an indication that the camera has maintained its popularity throughout time.
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These two models represent the company’s entry-level options in Sony’s mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors lineup. The term “APS-C” refers to the camera’s image sensor size, which is noticeably more significant than those available in smartphones but smaller than the full-frame processors found in professional-grade cameras like the Sony A7 III.
The Sony Alpha A6100 maintains many of the fundamental characteristics of its predecessor, the Sony Alpha A6000. It has a familiar body design, a sensor with the exact 24MP resolution as the A6000’s sensor, an identical electronic viewfinder (EVF), and a tilting rear LCD screen; however, the A6100’s screen is now touch-sensitive.
Sony a6100 Features
The APS-C sensor used by Sony remains unchanged at 24.2 megapixels; it is the same sensor found in the more costly Sony A6400 and Sony A6600 cameras. Moreover, it has a sufficient resolution for an entry-level camera, par for the course.
If you shoot 4K at 25 frames per second, the A6100 uses the entire sensor width (which implies complete pixel readout with no pixel binning), filling the 16:9 rear LCD. So although the A6100 can shoot 4K at 30 frames per second, it does so with a minor cut.
There is a feature called S&Q, which stands for “Slow & Rapid Motion movies,” that can record slow motion films in Full HD at speeds of up to 100 frames per second (4x) or quick motion videos at rates of down to 1 frame per second (25x).
Sony a6100 Build Quality.
In general, our time spent with the Sony A6100 was delightful. We matched the camera with two lenses with a more significant performance than the camera. These lenses, the FE 2470mm f/4 and the FE 35mm f/1.8, are a suitable size and weight match for the camera.
The A6100 is a compact camera that, depending on the lens, may be carried in a jacket pocket. This is because of its design factor, which enables it to have a relatively flat profile and a height of just 67 millimeters, unlike competitors like the Fujifilm X-T3, which has a hump in the shape of a pentaprism.
The body is made of polycarbonate and has a sturdy feel; the external controls are also well-made, and the textured hand and thumb grips provide a secure grasp. To God be the glory for the significantly more roomy grip than the one on the A6000.
Sony a6100 Performance
Regarding photography and videography, the A6100’s most impressive feature is its lightning-fast and dependable focusing technology. Unfortunately, it shares the same autofocus (AF) mechanism as Sony’s top camera, the A6600, which costs almost twice as much as this model.
Several different Focus Modes and Focus Areas are available for selection. After experimenting with several combinations of these settings, we found that the most versatile combination was continuous AF combined with the ‘Tracking: Expand Flexible Spot’ focus area.
When this autofocus system is activated, it is incredibly dependable to focus on a general action, such as taking pictures of a family or a specific topic inside the frame; because of how reliable the A6100 is when it comes to achieving precise focusing, there have been instances when we have forgotten that this is an entry-level camera.
Sony a6100 Image Quality
Since over ten years ago, Sony’s APS-C cameras have provided a resolution of 24 megapixels. Even in the present day, there are very few people who go higher or lower than 24MP. So although it is a sound decision for Sony’s entry-level A6100 model, one has more grounds for criticism about its flagship A6600 model.
At 350 pixels per inch, the 6000 x 4000-pixel resolution is equivalent to an A3 print size. However, reducing the PPI may generate high-quality prints up to A2, which should be sufficient for most photographers.
The Quality of the video is good. The continuous tracking autofocus is dependable and clever, significantly contributing to the overall high quality of the 4K films captured at 25 frames per second from the entire sensor width.
Image quality is influenced by the lens attached to the camera, and the 16-50mm Power Zoom kit lens that comes with the A6100 has a reputation for being of low Quality. But if you switch to a different lens, like one of the two we tried, you can shoot at an ISO of 3200 and still obtain sharp and detailed shots.
Sony a6100 Specs
| Body type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless |
|---|---|
| Body material | Composite |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 6000 x 4000 |
| Image ratio w h | 1:1, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 24 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 25 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Bionz X |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100-32000 (expands to 51200) |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 51200 |
| White balance presets | 10 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Extra fine, fine, standard |
| File format | JPEG (Exif v2.31)Raw (Sony ARW) |
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive view. |
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 425 |
| Lens mount | Sony E |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.5× |
| Screen/viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 921,600 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 1.07× (0.71× 35mm equiv.) |
| Viewfinder resolution | 1,440,000 |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Exposure modes | ProgramAperture priorityShutter priorityManual |
| Scene modes | PortraitSports ActionMacroLandscapeSunsetNight SceneHand-held TwilightNight PortraitAnti Motion Blur |
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash Range | 6.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes |
| Flash modes | Flash off, auto, fill flash, slow sync, rear sync, wireless, hi-speed |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/160 sec |
| Drive modes | Single shootingContinuousSelf-timerBracketing (AE, DRO, WB) |
| Continuous drive | 11.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes |
| Metering modes | MultiCenter-weighted spot |
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | Yes |
| Videography features | |
| Format | MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264 |
| Modes | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 50i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC + Memory Stick Pro Duo |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| USB charging | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes (micro HDMI) |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth |
| Remote control | Yes (wireless or smartphone) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 420 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) |
| Dimensions | 120 x 67 x 59 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 2.32″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
Sony a6100 Verdict
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The Sony A6100 is one of the most excellent options if you are searching for a compact camera that is easy to use and capable of shooting still images and video. Its primary advantages are image quality, battery life, and focusing performance that leads the pack.
It borrows several capabilities from Sony’s APS-C cameras, which are substantially more expensive, so they can develop with your photography needs. The only significant drawbacks are some handling idiosyncrasies and a somewhat weak buffer while shooting continually. Still, other than that, it’s a terrific buy once you’ve spent some time customizing it to your preferences. Once you’ve done that, it’s a fantastic buy.
