Sony alpha 5100 cameras description. Sony Alpha A5100 review – Marketing or worthy upgrade? Example photos of Sony Alpha A5100

With this article we continue the section “Video shooting with a camera”, where we have been trying to find the ideal camera for several years now. The difficulty is that everyone has their own concept of ideal. Some people are looking for a miniature device for every day, while others need a more serious tool, with the capabilities of a movie camera. However, size has long ceased to play a special role, remaining important factor except in terms of ergonomics. Current technologies make it possible to fit into a miniature body all the mechanics and electronics necessary for high-quality photography and video filming. Today we will study another proof of this statement.

Design, technical characteristics

The body of this camera is made of rough plastic in a “nice” white color. The “default” or “kit” lens included in the kit seems disproportionately large in comparison with the camera to which it is attached.

The camera in question bears the official name Sony ILCE-5100L, which means the A5100 camera complete with a Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens (SELP1650). This lens, in addition to a small 3x zoom, has an optical stabilization system. The camera itself lacks such a system.

The kit consists of a camera, lens, battery, strap, USB cable and AC power adapter with adapters for different types sockets

The area of ​​one of the sides of the device’s body is occupied by a folding door, under which there is a USB port, a Micro-HDMI video output and a memory card slot.

The pop-up flash-devil rests on a flimsy-looking leg; There is also a power switch and a forward-facing zoom lever on top. The video recording start button is recessed into the case - without getting used to it, it is impossible to feel it blindly, unless you are a watchmaker by profession.

The other buttons located on the back of the case also cannot be found by touch - except for the five-way joystick ring with a button in the center, which sticks out even just a little. The LCD touch screen can tilt up to 180°, and its “touch” functionality is used only in rare cases, such as finger pointing at the subject to focus on. But for some reason, navigation through the menu is done only using a joystick, the old fashioned way.

The camera is equipped battery NP-FW50 W series with a capacity of 1080 mAh. I would like to know how much video recording time a battery of such a small capacity can guarantee. Looking ahead, we note that half an hour of video shooting in XAVC S format takes up approximately 30% of the energy reserve.

Obtaining more accurate information is hampered by a well-known and standard limitation for most cameras. To quote:

Continuous shooting is possible for approximately 29 minutes per shot (limited by product specifications). For movie size, continuous shooting is possible for approximately 20 minutes (limited to 2GB file size).

Simply put, video recording automatically stops when the 30-minute limit is reached. To continue recording, you need to press the Rec button again. But even such a 30-minute video we managed to film not on the first try. And that's why:

Yes, the camera has a tendency to overheat. In a room with a temperature of 20 °C, it is unlikely that you will be able to shoot at least 20 minutes of continuous video. Especially when holding the camera in your hands. We managed to get around the effects of overheating by filming outside, where the temperature was close to zero - the filming camera was simply placed outside the window, on the windowsill. As a result, we received an 11-gigabyte XAVC S video with a duration of 29 minutes 50 seconds and 20 frames.

Why did we do this if the manual clearly describes these restrictions? Because necessary. This is necessary because the limitation on the duration of video recording does not fit in the minds of some readers - potential camera owners. The nature of this limitation apparently originates in the intricacies of European trade and customs agreements, and this is a completely separate topic. You need to remember about it, but revealing it is the task of specialists of a different profile.

Basic specifications camera are shown in the following table:

Video/photography

You can clearly imagine the difference in detail and character of the picture that different recording modes provide using the following still frames and original videos:

At first glance, it seems that all modes (with the exception, of course, of interlaced and “low-end” MP4) capture the image equally well. Actually, it is so, but only in this case. Since the scene being filmed does not have a lot of movement and color, so that, for example, a lack of bitrate could affect it.

By the way, about bitrate, and not only. What is this “new” codec - XAVC? In general, this is the long-familiar AVC (H.264), only with more advanced encoding algorithms that support increased bit rates and bit depth of the encoded image. Considering that the patent for this codec belongs to Sony, it seems unlikely that this format will be used in cameras from other manufacturers.

But what are the differences between “regular” AVC (AVCHD) and the unusual XAVC (MP4)? The camera in question can record with both the first and second codec. Let’s take advantage of this circumstance and compare both records head-on. To do this, we will shoot the same scene in different formats. Below is a summary of the received files. For the convenience of the reader, the differences found are highlighted in bold.

So the only visible difference is in this case- this is a high bitrate XAVC. Where and what is it spent on and how is it distributed across the video stream? Let's study the files frame by frame in a special program for video analysis, developed by a domestic company.

Yeah, here you can see that the XAVC codec devotes several times more bitrate not only to encoding key frames, but also to describe the movement in intermediate frames, which are a matrix of numbers. Therefore, we can expect that much more of this same movement is recorded in intermediate frames than is recorded in AVCHD. Let's take a look at the graphical display of motion vectors that describe the movement of blocks (groups) of pixels:

Indeed, XAVC, unlike AVCHD, records the movement of pixels in a frame differently - it is clearly visible that the bitrate required for such a description is several times greater.

Actually, this is where the differences between XAVC and AVC(HD) end in this case. If the camera in question was able to record video with increased bit depth, then the difference would be much more significant, worthy of a separate analysis and description. As a result, one could clearly state that you should shoot only in XAVC. But in this case we cannot say this. At least, the available comparative videos do not allow us to make a categorical conclusion about the exclusivity of XAVC, about some noticeable priority of this format over the usual AVCHD with its half the bitrate and simplified encoding algorithm.

Have you noticed the difference? " And she is" The truth lies in the bitrate distribution tables described above. In the picture this difference is almost not visible. Well, what will a dynamic scene like splashing water show?

In this example, if you really want to, you can notice in AVCHD a slightly larger number of blocking artifacts than XAVC allows. This may be critical for rare users involved in frame-by-frame video processing (compositing, for example). In general cases, if there is a difference, it is on the verge of perception, which means that for those who want to save space on a memory card or hard drive for subsequent storage of material, there is no point in shooting in high-bitrate XAVC. However, the test videos in the article will be shot in XAVC - “to avoid”, so to speak.

Stabilizers built into photographic lenses are designed exclusively for photography; they eliminate the micro-shaking that occurs due to the natural tremor of the photographer’s hand. Delicious press releases that appear from time to time, colorfully describing the exceptional smooth operation of the next stabilizer in the next photographic lens, use the same cliched phrases. What's the reality?

In fact, it's the same as always. Good relief from micro-shaking (which is noticeable when shooting in a stationary position handheld at full zoom) and complete helplessness in any movement (when the operator and, accordingly, the camera moves).

The CMOS matrix that the camera is equipped with requires the presence of a rolling shutter (for more details, see the material Rolling shutter in video shooting - description of the defect, examples, explanations). During testing and studying the footage, we did not notice any annoying rolling shutter. There is a small one, of course, but it’s a long way from the “eye-opening” level.

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Autofocus will have to be given much more attention than we usually do. By the way, this issue is hardly touched upon in reviews of video cameras, and the reason is banal - there is nothing to study there. Video camera autofocus, as well as zoom, are fundamentally different from camera autofocus simply because their purpose is video shooting. And not photography where required rapid change zoom ratio or fast focusing before creating a photograph. Exactly before, but not during. Therefore, camera zoom is not smooth, but usually step-by-step, discrete. Autofocus is jumpy and sharp. Some craftsmen who have extensive experience in video shooting with a camera are masters of the lens focusing ring, but such practice still needs to be gained. The following videos were taken from a good tripod, which ensures the stability of the camera. Only thanks to this the picture did not move to the sides while turning the focus wheel.

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Even with the manual focus assistant outlining the edges of objects on the display, it's still a challenge to accurately focus on the desired object manually. Autofocus could correct the situation, but you can’t always trust it, as will be shown below.

The camera has autofocus speed adjustment. Good, suitable parameter. Selecting medium autofocus speed results in results that resemble video camera autofocus. Not bad!

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And one more plus to the autofocus advantages of the camera in question: low light (in the presence of small, bright objects) is not an obstacle to confident and fast autofocus. In this video, autofocus quickly responds to a wristwatch with auto-illumination brought to the lens, and as soon as you remove it, the camera smoothly focuses on the distant moon.

But serious errors occur in autofocus operation. Sometimes he "dances". This behavior is probably familiar to those who have experience shooting with a camera. Yes, the scene in which the autofocus will start to fail is usually itself poorly framed, with “wrong” lighting and “wrong” object placement. Due to these reasons, the camera is not able to make a choice on which object to focus on. Note that this case is not at all unique: we were forced to throw a considerable part of the test videos into the trash precisely because of the poor performance of the autofocus. Let's add just in case: when shooting the next video, where the autofocus error is demonstrated, all focusing options were tried: wide, zone, etc. Even registering the focus object by poking at the desired location on the screen did not help - autofocus still continues its dance. But if you change the camera position a little...

Yes, the frame is framed incorrectly, which the camera signals in such an original way. But let’s imagine a trivial situation: the camera records in stationary mode, mounted on a tripod. What is the probability that the objects being photographed (for example, children playing) will not take a position in which the camera’s autofocus is “lost”? But children are like that; having played too much, they won’t even think that one of the cameras filming requires them to follow the rules of the golden ratio.

However, if we remember the existing limitation on the duration of continuous video recording, and also taking into account the tendency of the camera to overheat and then automatically turn off, this camera is unlikely to be on a tripod and unattended.

Finally, a few words about autofocus tracking. This technology appeared several years ago - back in 2009, we tested one of the video cameras that had such a mechanism. This method of automatic focusing has not changed since then, remaining (in the opinion of the author) an interesting toy in terms of electronic signal processing, but a useless toy in practical use. This tracking focus is only applicable for shooting staged videos with the ability to create multiple takes, as well as for photography.

Before shooting the next video, we focused on a nearby object - the tripod head. Slow, smooth movement of the camera almost never leads to loss of focus on the selected object, even if it is far from the center of the frame. Well, of course, it can’t be done without small sharp jumps here and there, but these are minor things. However, moving the camera or the object it's focused on too quickly will inevitably cause it to lose focus. Just like in our experiment five years ago.

It's no secret that last years Developers of photo/video equipment paid special attention to improving software algorithms for image analysis and processing. Due to this In most cases there is no longer any need to manually adjust white balance or exposure parameters (we will look at other rare cases later). We are, of course, talking about the amateur segment of technology. That is why the result of shooting in scene mode is no different from the result of shooting in fully automatic mode. The device determines the type of scene with exceptional accuracy and sets the values ​​necessary for such shooting.

However, for the sake of inquisitive users, the opportunity to experiment with different settings still remains. For example, in the camera in question you can adjust the DRO level (more on this parameter below) or change the picture profile (“Creative Style”) from standard to “Bright”, “Portrait”, etc. These actions and their combination can theoretically give better result than shooting “on full automatic”.

Now a few words about the mentioned parameter DRO. This is the abbreviated name for the dynamic range optimizer, which has five levels of correction. What is regulated by this parameter? Let's quote the manual again:

By dividing the image into small areas, the product analyzes the light and shadow contrast between the subject and the background and creates an image with optimal brightness and gradation.

Note: the manual does not say a word in which modes these settings apply. In the photo? In the video? Rarely mentioned “snapshots” give reason to believe that we are talking about photography after all. We tried, by changing the DRO parameter, to find at least some differences in video recording of a contrast scene.

We clearly understand how much enthusiasts want to believe in the wonderful possibility of expanding the dynamic range by changing some parameter in the camera settings. Let not one parameter, but several. But miracles, it seems, were not delivered again. If the camera had the ability to shoot video in “raw” RAW format, then perhaps talking about DRO would make sense.

Finally, let's remember those cases when automatic settings cannot be trusted. In our case, this is shooting in low light conditions. The fact is that, working in automatic mode, the camera “does not remember” that the shooting is carried out at a frequency of 50 frames per second. And he shamelessly reduces the shutter speed to 1/25 when it is impossible to increase the exposure parameters in other ways.

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You can avoid such arbitrariness on the part of the camera by using the shutter priority mode or the scene selection mode (in this case, the “Night Scene” preset was used).

Finally, you should study how changing the ISO value affects the sensitivity of the device and at what values ​​unwanted noise appears. With a camera mounted on a tripod, we filmed the same moonlit night scene.

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It seems that when shooting in automatic mode, the camera considered the optimal ISO value to be 3200 - with it, the object is sufficiently distinguishable, and noise is not as annoying as with a higher increase in sensitivity.

It would not be out of place to add that the human eye sees this scene much more clearly and clearly than this camera, even at maximum ISO. And here a miracle did not happen, no matter how sad it is.

In conclusion, it’s time to remember that the camera we’re studying is, first and foremost, a camera. And this is proven by excellent photographs, where the gray autumn nature suddenly takes on colors.

Software

When you connect the power adapter, the camera, while turned on, goes into one of three modes, which are pre-selected in the settings: Removable drive, MTP or Remote PC(but it's better to leave the automatic mode). The battery is not charged in this case - it will start only if you turn the power lever to the Off.

I'm glad that the camera can be controlled from a computer directly via USB: to do this you will need to install the program on your PC.

And - lo and behold! - The HDMI output in the camera is completely unlocked, as is done in any video camera. If desired, HDMI can output both a pure video stream and a picture with service information.

The camera menu has a tiled start page. Each tile leads to the corresponding section, which, in turn, is divided into tab pages with parameters. It would seem - well, what’s stopping you from enabling touch control when navigating through this service menu? The camera’s display is quite suitable for this, it’s touch-sensitive. However, no - control is performed only by buttons on the device body.

In order to establish the sensitivity of the video camera under unchanging conditions, as well as to determine the relative clarity of the output image

The camera in question has a resolution of approximately 950 conventional TV lines horizontally. A very good result for a camera with Full HD video recording.

conclusions

What do you remember about this camera? First of all, the automatic focusing mechanism is surprisingly good for a camera. Which, moreover, has adjustable speed. There is every reason to believe that the Sony A5100 will produce a significantly lower percentage of defective defocused video footage than many other cameras. A big plus is the fairly high resolution when shooting video - a rarity in the camera camp.

Well, what about Not Do you remember the camera? More precisely, in what ways does it differ from the vast majority of other cameras? Everything is simple here: weak stabilization and a form factor not suitable for video shooting. There's nothing you can do about the first one; either an iron grip or additional stabilization devices will save you. As for the form factor, we have already become familiar with it. Moreover, when using the same monopod, the form factor no longer plays any role.

Sony is one of my favorite companies, so I am always very excited about its new products. But when I first met the Alpha 5100, I had a certain feeling déjà vu. The thing is that I have been using the Sony Alpha 5000 as a travel camera for quite a long time, and the new one is like a twin brother. But this is Sony, this doesn’t happen with them. Upon closer acquaintance, the new product truly deserves the title of “worthy update.” Let's see what users can expect from the new camera and whether Sony has managed to improve an already good device. You can get acquainted with Alpha 5000.

Design

As mentioned earlier, the new product, like a twin brother, is similar to its predecessor. The layout of controls and connectors has not changed at all. Except that the plug for the flash card and interface connectors has a collapsible design, which now makes charging or connecting the camera to a PC somewhat more convenient.

Also worth a special mention is the new body finish. It's still the same plastic, but this time it's stylized to look like leather. It looks quite nice, and the tactile sensations from using the camera are much more pleasant, but this is completely individual.

This is probably where the external differences end. The same built-in flash, the absence of a hot shoe, and the controversial location of the video recording button seem to hint that this is an update, and not a radically new camera, and the main changes await us inside.

Filling

This is where the fun begins. The camera is equipped with hardware from its more advanced brother Alpha 6000, this is a CMOS APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor with a resolution of 24.3 MP and a BIONZ X processor. This has a very positive effect on the capabilities of shooting in low light. The camera was able to raise the maximum ISO value to 25600, and even at such high values ​​it retains good detail and color reproduction. It is difficult to call such ISO values ​​working, but, nevertheless, the result looks quite impressive.

But ISO up to 6400 can be called “working” for most scenes. And taking into account the fact that the camera is designed for novice users who are more interested in the ability to take “non-blurry” pictures indoors (in poor lighting), the new product looks very profitable. It does this while maintaining a decent level of detail and noise while providing the ability to set faster shutter speeds.

But the improvements don’t end there; along with the sensor, the new product also has one of the fastest autofocus systems among mirrorless cameras at the moment. This is a hybrid system that consists of 179 phase sensors, occupying 92% of the entire matrix, and 25 contrast sensors, which significantly increases the chances of catching the right moment when shooting fast-moving objects, especially if you activate the autofocus tracking system. And coming back to potential camera clients who will most likely be photographing children, pets and various family events, this is a very important characteristic.

The continuous shooting speed remains strange, only 6 fps, especially considering that the Sony Alpha 6000, which has the same hardware, reaches 11 fps (with the same sensor and processor). Probably, this marketing ploy is needed in order to increase the distance between the older and younger models, in addition to the presence/absence of a viewfinder. It’s good that the length of the series remained at the same level (60 consecutive frames).

The addition of a touch screen deserves special praise, although the implementation looks somewhat unfinished. So, you can use its touch capabilities only in 2 cases: selecting focus points or shooting by touch. In all other tasks, the touch screen is not used at all. And this is, to say the least, strange, since viewing footage or navigating through menus using a touch interface would be much more convenient, not to mention entering passwords for Wi-Fi networks. But even in this implementation, this is a feature that is sorely lacking in modern mirrorless cameras, especially entry-level ones, which have a very limited number of controls. How, if not by touch, could it be more convenient to select a subject?

Video shooting

Video shooting with a camera has already become a standard, and Sony, like no other, knows a lot about video shooting. The Alpha 5100 is ideal for everyday users to shoot superb quality video. The servo-driven lens (with a fast ultrasonic motor, stabilization and zoom drive) will allow you to forget about shooting video with manual focusing. And this is a real punishment when shooting video on a DSLR; zooming was out of the question. Add to this the ability to record video in 1080/60p or 1080/24p formats in XAVC S, AVCHD, MP4, as well as the presence of built-in Wi-Fi and NFC modules for convenient sharing of footage - and we get the ideal solution for home and leisure.

An advanced videographer will also find a lot of useful things in this camera. This is a matrix with excellent color rendering, providing excellent quality under different shooting conditions, and fast system autofocus in combination with a touch screen (for selecting subjects). And the presence of such functions as focus peaking, which will not allow you to miss the focus by highlighting the edges, and a zebra pattern, which will very conveniently indicate any overexposure in real time, make it simply an ideal solution. True, the sound will have to be recorded exclusively using the built-in stereo microphone.

Other little things

As mentioned earlier, the camera has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC modules. They allow you to quickly and conveniently connect your camera to your smartphone to transfer footage or remote control camera. All these delights work only with Android, iOS, PCs and TVs with DLNA support, there is no talk of any WindowsPhone and others yet. But working with TV is a very useful thing, especially if you like to view photos with a large group. With the Alpha 5100, everything works quickly and conveniently even with older TV models that are connected to the network via wire. You need to connect the camera to the same network - and the camera itself will find the TV and display the image.

The Alpha mirrorless cameras also inherited the menu from older DSLR cameras, and this is perhaps the biggest disappointment. Due to the small number of controls, you have to access it quite often, and sometimes it can be difficult to find the right setting. For the NEX line, it was much more thoughtful and intuitive, although it is very individual.

Image gallery

Alpha 5100 VS Alpha 5000

• 24 MP vs 20 MP matrix
• New high-speed autofocus system
• Touch screen
• Improved video capabilities

Liked

• Thoughtful ergonomics
• Low noise matrix
• Color accuracy
• Touch screen focusing
• Focusing speed and accuracy
• Autofocus in video
• Tracking autofocus
• Rotating screen
• A flash that can be aimed at the ceiling
• Wi-Fi and NFC

Did not like

• Inconvenient menu
• Limited Wi-Fi and NFC compatibility
• Limited touchscreen functionality
• No hot shoe

Alternative

A vision of mirrorless cameras, from one of the leaders in the DSLR market. This camera, by and large, is a smart version of such legendary cameras as 60d and 650d. It is more suitable for owners of Canon DSLRs who are looking for a compact camera for travel, as the transition will be as comfortable as possible. By the way, this camera has one of the best implementations of the touch interface, and also has a hot shoe, and is fully compatible with EOS accessories.

Many people treat Samsung cameras with caution and some mistrust, but all these doubts disappear after you pick it up and take a few pictures. It is worth choosing for those who want to buy an entry-level camera with the ability to work in a studio and external flashes.

And this is a baby from Nikon, a slightly different type of camera, it has interchangeable lenses, but is aimed at those users who do not want to bother with shooting parameters. It is small, compact and maximally oriented towards automatic shooting.

I also advise you to take a look at our mirrorless cameras 2014 for a more detailed comparison and choose exactly what you need.

Which glass to choose

It is usually used as a kit lens for most new Sony products, and practically makes them more attractive compared to their competitors. It allows you to decide what the next lens should be. And at the same time, it will become an indispensable assistant, even for an advanced videographer, thanks to stabilization, a fast autofocus motor and a zoom drive.

A high-aperture “fifty kopeck” and this could have ended its description if it had been a lens from some other company. But this is Sony, which means that it’s a stuffed fifty-kopeck piece, it has a fast ultrasonic focusing motor, optical stabilization, and a high-quality metal body.

And this is a unique glass for the most demanding users. Focal lengths 18-200mm, as compact as possible for such a range of focal lengths, with servo zoom, fast ultrasonic motor, and a powerful optical stabilization system. Ideal for photo and video shooting anywhere and anytime.

Summary

Sony has achieved a truly worthy update available camera. This is perhaps the best mirrorless camera for a beginner photographer. The only downside you should pay attention to is the lack of a hot shoe, as this makes it impossible to use the camera with studio equipment and external flashes. But how often does the average user need this? Otherwise, this is an ideal camera, especially as a first serious camera. I definitely recommend it to amateurs, as well as to all young parents, as this camera will definitely be able to capture a child at any speed. Have a nice photo everyone, and don't forget to write in the comments what you think of this little girl.

The NEX series of amateur cameras were among the first mass-produced mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses and are still popular among amateur photographers due to the combination of small size and large APS-C sensor. In 2014, Sony released three new cameras to continue this series - the budget A5000, the top-end A6000, and the model presented in this review with the 5100 index.

Appearance, controls, equipment

The ILCE-5100 (this is the official model name) is a hobbyist mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses, corresponding to the NEX-5 in the previous line. It is not designed for professionals and seasoned enthusiasts, this is immediately obvious. The camera does not have a viewfinder; there is nowhere to connect an external flash, an external microphone and headphones; There is also no hardware shooting mode selector - it is displayed only on the screen and is called up by the central joystick button. But, as they say, it's what's inside that counts. The A5100 received a 24-megapixel matrix and hybrid contrast-phase autofocus, like the older model A6000. Moreover, the A5100 has something that even the A6000 and the new A77 Mark II DSLR cannot boast of (but more on that later).

The camera is light, compact and well built. With the included lens, it easily fits into a jacket pocket. You can wear it on your neck and in your hands all day long without the slightest discomfort. Thanks to the rather large protrusion, the A5100 lies comfortably and securely in your hand, and you quickly get used to it. All the few controls are located on the right side, their convenient location allows you to shoot and adjust all parameters with one hand. I especially liked the bidirectional lever that houses the shutter button - it makes it very convenient to control the zoom when shooting and the zoom when viewing photos. The purpose of the buttons and joystick wheel can be changed to suit your taste.

The memory card slot, unlike most entry-level cameras, on the A5100 is not located in the battery compartment, but on the right side of the body, under the same cover with the MicroHDMI and MicroUSB/Multi connectors. Traditionally, Sony supports two types of cards - universal SD/SDHC/SDXC and proprietary Memory Stick. The 7.3 Wh battery charges directly in the camera when connected charger The camera cannot operate (as can charging from the computer’s USB port). An AC adapter and an off-camera battery charger can be purchased separately.

The camera's flash is low-power and can be raised manually, but it can be tilted upward to produce softer illumination of the subject.

The folding display makes it more convenient to shoot from below and from the stomach. In addition, it rotates upward almost 180°, while the camera switches to self-portrait mode - it flips the image on the display and turns on the timer (which can be turned off if desired). Unfortunately, rotation along other axes is not provided, so this design is useless for shooting from above (above the heads in a crowd). The brightness of the backlight can only be adjusted manually. The maximum level is sufficient for artificial light and cloudy weather, and there is a special mode for shooting in bright sunshine.

Unfortunately, the display does not have an oleophobic coating and quickly becomes covered with fingerprints, which significantly impair the visibility of the image. The screen coating is soft; from the very first days, even with the most careful use, micro-scratches appear on it, so it is better to immediately apply a protective film. The display's touch functions are only used for focusing or tapping snapshots. When viewing, scrolling and zooming with gestures are not implemented.

I am glad that in the updated line of cameras with 4-digit indexes, the company has abandoned the NEX series interface, which is inconvenient, in my opinion. Now the menu is the same as in the mirrored Alphas, the full-frame mirrorless A7 and the RX series compacts.

The settings are simplified as much as possible in terms of additional functions and settings that do not affect the quality of shooting. Many parameters that have several options or levels in other cameras work here on an “on/off” basis. There are no features such as time-lapse photography or multiple exposure. However, you can expand the functionality of the camera by registering in a special online store and installing the missing functions in the form of applications (several applications are already installed).

The photosensitive sensor of the a5100 is the same as that of the older model - a 24-megapixel Exmor CMOS APS-C format with built-in phase detection autofocus sensors. This is the maximum resolution for amateur-grade cameras today; the image size is up to 6000x4000 pixels. Theoretically, with such a pixel density, the matrix should be quite noisy, but in reality it’s not that bad. So, values ​​up to ISO 6400 (and sometimes up to 8-10 thousand) can be considered working. At ISO 12800 the image has a high level of noise with a minor loss of detail during noise reduction, but at ISO 25600 detail suffers greatly.

Noise when shooting at different ISO values ​​in JPEG format (gallery with full-size files):

Here are some real shots taken at ISO 10000, 16000 and 25600:

The colors in the photo at default settings are cool and pale when looking at RAW files. When saving in JPG, the camera slightly adds contrast, saturation, makes colors warmer, and with the dynamic range function (DRO) enabled, shadowed areas are well developed. As a result, looking at the RAW and JPG versions of the same photo, you begin to doubt – is it worth bothering with RAW? Sometimes it’s worth it, because auto white balance noticeably tints pictures with a blue-green tint in low light; it’s not advisable to correct this in JPG. But the BB presets work great, including for artificial light (for fluorescent lamps there are as many as 4 options). There is also a custom color temperature setting based on the Kelvin scale and white sheet.

Lens

The A5100 comes with a Power Zoom lens. The zoom control slider located on the left side of the lens is duplicated on the camera body by a lever that houses the shutter button. This lever is not only more convenient, but also more functional - it provides the so-called progressive zoom, when the speed of the zoom depends on the angle of rotation of the lever. The single ring on the lens successfully combines two functions. When using autofocus, it also duplicates the zoom (with an arbitrary zoom speed), and in MF and DMF modes it is responsible for manual focusing. Unfortunately, the noise of the operating zoom drive is clearly audible in video recordings. A slight delay in the lens response to turning the ring does not play a special role when zooming, but it complicates focusing, but for static objects this is not critical, and autofocus copes well with moving ones.

The aperture of the lens, as befits a “whale,” does not shine, but it is light and compact, like the camera itself. The minimum aperture, like the maximum, varies depending on the focal length, reaching F/36 at 50 mm. But you shouldn’t close it beyond f/16-f/22; diffraction noticeably “blurs” the image. The lens has quite decent sharpness in the center of the frame at any focal length and moderate chromatic aberration. The geometry is worse - if the “cushion” at 50 millimeters is noticeable only on the test chart, then the “barrel” at 16 simply catches the eye, it’s almost a fish. In photographs with the widest possible angle, the vignette is clearly visible; it affects only the very corners of the frame, but the darkening is quite strong. When saving as a JPG, the camera can correct these defects if the appropriate settings are enabled, but it does cut off the edges of the frame. The real angle of view of the lens corresponds to a focal length of 14 mm; this was done precisely so that, after software correction of distortion, the angle of view approximately corresponds to a lens with a 16 mm focal length.

Sharpness at 16mm:

The minimum focusing distance does not allow you to shoot “true macro”; moreover, it increases with increasing focal length. But due to the high resolution of the images, small objects can be captured in good detail, even when they occupy a small part of the frame area.

Focusing

The autofocus of the A5100 will give odds to many DSLRs. Focusing speed is not fantastic, but very good, probably with lenses faster high class it will be even higher. But in terms of functionality, the A5100 focusing system will give odds to many cameras over high level, including A7 and A77M2. The variety of focus types and areas is impressive, and phase sensor coverage of 90% of the frame area makes continuous and tracking autofocus really useful and in-demand tools. During testing, I shot more often with AF-C than AF-S. The camera quickly identifies a moving object in the frame and tenaciously holds on to it, both during photo and video shooting. As an example, I will give the result of serial shooting of a radio-controlled car:

Most of the frames are sharp, a very good result.

By default, for some reason, the pre-focus function is enabled; disabling it will save battery power.

The short flange length of the camera allows you to install non-autofocus lenses of most existing systems on it while maintaining focus at infinity. Not all of them provide a resolution corresponding to a matrix with such a pixel density, but even the Soviet Helios-44M-4, Jupiter-11A and (especially) Industar-50U tested in conjunction with the A5100 showed good results. Magnification, focus peaking and green indicator Focus confirmation in the lower left corner of the display makes manual focusing simple and convenient, and such features of manual optics as a large rotation angle of the focusing ring and its direct mechanical connection to the lens unit significantly increase accuracy compared to a kit lens in MF/DMF mode. By the way, Helios-44M-4 looks very harmonious on camera:

Automatic shooting modes and other functions

The A5100 implements all the standard auto modes for Sony cameras - intelligent auto mode, super auto mode and scene selection, including a proprietary method of stitching images from a series of 3-5 frames to reduce noise. Auto modes have a simple menu with which a novice photographer can adjust depth of field, brightness, saturation, and also apply artistic filters.

Panorama is displayed as a separate item on the selector. It can be shot in any of 4 directions (that is, you can also use the vertical orientation of the camera), with a standard or extended angle of view. The panorama sizes are as follows: 8192x1856, 121416x1856, 3782x2160 and 5536x2160 pixels. After pressing the shutter, the camera automatically takes a series of photos, and quickly, so you will have to practice to select the appropriate moving speed.

I would also like to note big choice drive modes, which, in addition to single-frame and continuous, include a timer with shooting one, three and five frames, bracketing for exposure, white balance and dynamic range. When photographing children at holidays, parents will benefit from face recognition with registration, when the camera selects the native one from all the faces (one of those stored in the camera’s memory) and focuses on it.

Below you will find examples of photos taken on the A5100 with different lenses.

Complete Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS (gallery):

Video

Video recording is possible in any of the photo modes by simply pressing the MOVIE button, but there is also a corresponding position on the selector. The difference is that in the first case, the video is shot with the same settings that were selected for the photo, while in video mode you can set others. For video, all 4 main types of exposure are supported - P, A, S and M. During shooting, you can change the shutter speed/aperture and adjust the exposure within ±2 EV. You can save videos in AVCHD and MP4 formats, but here the A5100 has a feature that neither the top-end mirrorless a6000 nor the latest A77M2 mirrorless camera can boast of. We are talking about support for the new XAVC S codec, designed for recording video with 4K resolution. Only HD and FullHD are available for the A5100, but XAVC S allows recording at frame rates up to 50p and bitrates up to 50 Mbps. You can also change the video standard to NTSC and shoot at 60 frames per second, but this will require reformatting the memory card.

The quality of the video can be assessed in the examples below. But there are two "buts". Firstly, the XAVC S codec is not yet supported by all players, and secondly, to use it, the camera requires an SDXC UHS-1 memory card or Memory Stick HG with a capacity of at least 64 GB. When recording at a lower bitrate, it is possible to save video in parallel into two files – HD and FullHD. I hope the A6000 and other modern cameras will also receive these new features in new firmware.

Example of XAVC S video recording using Sony A5100:

Wireless features

The A5100 is equipped with Wi-Fi and NFC modules. The camera (using the proprietary PlayMemories application on a PC or smartphone) allows file transfer to a smartphone/tablet/computer and remote control. Interestingly, for remote shooting with the A5100, the PlayMemories Mobile application uses a new sleek design and a full set of settings, while for other cameras (for example, the same A77M2) the old primitive interface is activated with a minimum of options and shooting exclusively in auto mode. Perhaps the fact is that the new interface is implemented as an application in the camera and is processed in it, and not only the image being captured is transferred to the smartphone, but the entire picture.

Performance, autonomy

Thanks to the modern Bionz X processor, the camera has no performance problems. Apart from pseudo-manual focusing lag, there are no other noticeable delays when shooting. In terms of speed and duration of burst shooting, the A5100 is one of the best cameras today - 24 frames in RAW + JPG and continued shooting with an interval of 1.5-2 seconds between frames. The complete series is saved for no more than 20 seconds (it is impossible to measure more precisely, because there is no indication of this process or its end); while saving, you can take pictures, but you cannot view the pictures. With a regular class 10 SDHC card, viewing a just shot series of 3-5 frames in RAW will be impossible for 2-3 seconds; on an SDXC card, the same series is saved almost instantly.

I usually test cameras in my favorite aperture priority mode with center single focus. This time all options were tested, however, the camera easily completed the stated 400 frames and even a little more, despite the presence of an additional motor in the lens. This is a good indicator for a mirrorless camera; other devices with batteries of similar capacity (7-8 Wh) were enough for 300-320 shots.

Bottom line

The Sony A5100 is perfect for an amateur photographer with basic knowledge of photography (or no knowledge at all), for whom the camera is just another household device that performs a certain function (taking photos and videos for a personal/family album), and photography is not the source income or lifelong passion. I really liked the healthy and, I would say, selective minimalism in the design and software of the A5100. The camera has the simplest and most convenient controls, a simple logical menu and the minimum necessary equipment - only what will actually be used by the majority of users. At the same time, the most important components and characteristics are at the level of semi-professional (advanced amateur) class cameras (optics are a separate matter, but you can take excellent pictures with the included zoom). The camera does not have any genre restrictions; it is capable of reporting, photo hunting, portraits of restless children, landscape (if you do not use the widest possible angle of the included lens), subject matter, and macro. Of course, we are not talking about shooting in a studio, since there is no way to connect pulsed studio light. With this camera you can easily shoot in JPG without bothering with RAW and converters. It is possible that even the lens will remain the only one for many users, that is, the function of replacing it will not be in demand, but as long as large matrices are not installed (en masse) in compacts, such a choice is quite justified.

The choice of alternatives with a budget of 11,500 UAH (the same price as the A5100 with the SELP1650 lens) is ambiguous. You can look towards the recent Panasonic GM1 or Olympus E-M10 - the smaller matrix size and lower resolution are compensated by better equipment, a larger selection of optics, and in addition the viewfinder and stabilizer in the Olympus body. Both options are also a couple thousand cheaper. Perhaps an enthusiast or professional who needs a second camera would prefer to buy for the price of the A5100 the heavy Fujifilm X-E1 with an excellent proprietary sensor, viewfinder and a much higher-quality fast zoom included. In general, if you choose based only on functionality, then the A5100 is not the best option for their money. But not everyone needs a large, heavy and maximally stuffed device with a bunch of incomprehensible settings - the popularity of the NEX series has proven this. In addition, the autofocus of the A5100 is damn good, and no camera comparable in size and price can record video with such quality. In general, I didn’t want to give the camera away after the test, and this is perhaps the best assessment.

9 reasons to buy Sony A5100:

• compactness
• convenient controls and simple menu
• excellent autofocus
• high working ISO
• good autonomy
• huge burst buffer
• stable operation of wireless functions
• excellent remote control
• high quality JPG

3 reasons not to buy Sony A5100:

• Disadvantages of the kit lens in the wide-angle position
• unsuccessful implementation of manual focusing
• No electronic level and matrix cleaning systems

Score 4

Pros: Fast autofocus,
large ISO range,
good display
relatively light weight and dimensions

Cons: Quite a confusing menu
The battery allows you to take no more than 200 photos,
The video button is inconvenient,
sharpness can be obtained more or less decent only in manual mode and in continuous autofocus (AF-C) with a wide AF area,
poor moisture resistance.

Comment: We use the camera mainly when traveling. The Sony HX9V compact, purchased in 2012, was satisfactory in almost everything, except for one thing - inside museums and in churches, a not entirely disgusting picture can be obtained only at ISO no more than 1600, which is often not enough when shooting handheld. Therefore, the main criterion when choosing a new device was the declared ISO of at least 25600 with low weight and dimensions. I was choosing among mirrorless cameras with an eye to the future. After a long study of characteristics and reviews, two contenders remained: Sony A5100 and Olympus OM-D E-M10. Still, after a careful comparison on imaging-resource.com of photos taken in low light conditions, the choice was made in favor of Sony, although the picture from Olympus normal conditions I like it better.
In principle, it delivers what is required from the device. I use the device mainly in automatic mode. Very fast focusing and correct exposure metering ensure an almost complete absence of technical defects in conditions of short shooting time.
The only thing is that I expected a sharper picture.
Those complaining about the dim display may not have found the sunny weather mode in the menu. In this mode, the brightness is always enough for me.
Examples of daytime photos can be viewed here https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/kononenkoelen/album/232114/
photo in an aquarium through glass https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/kononenkoelen/album/232113/
night pictures https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/kononenkoelen/album/232117/
very poor lighting in the cave, almost at the limit of sensitivity https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/kononenkoelen/album/232122/
In Rome we were caught in heavy rain. The camera was put in the backpack, but after 2 hours of rain, the backpack was of course wet through. The next day, the device’s display failed. After returning from Italy, the device was handed over to the Sony branded service in Moscow. To the credit of the service, I must say that they repaired it under warranty without any questions, but they warned me that it needed to be protected from moisture.

Score 4

Advantages: 1.Modern appearance, without flirting with antiquity
2.Video at the level of expensive video cameras
3.Lightweight, comfortable to hold and wear
4.Excellent automation
5. Relatively sharp picture
6.Good sensor (matrix)
7.Well, finally the screen rotates 180
8.Good built-in stereo microphone, no need for an external one

Disadvantages: 1.Very dim screen. Nothing is clear, nothing is visible in the sun at all.
2. The battery is half empty, with an artificially low capacity.
3. It takes a very long time to turn on.
4.Kit soaps, well, just like a cell phone.
5. The matrix gets very hot, saving half a cent on the heat sink
6. Wi-Fi is very weak. It takes a long time to connect, but everyone does
7.Very expensive glass. It's easier to buy another camera than a good interchangeable lens

Comment: The software is very buggy and poorly thought out. For every little thing you have to spend a long time looking through the menu. Every time you turn it on, it also warns you about being included in the NTSC, and requires several confirmations of creating and recovering the database on the card. But in the end it shows empty files.
The battery lasts for half an hour of active use, but it costs an unreasonable amount of money. When the Chinese gobble up the market, then they’ll grab it and make it for capacious and cheap AA
The sharpness of the whale is at the level of top mobile phones from three years ago. However, all competitors Fuji, Olympus, Kenon, Nikon, Panasonic are still a worse mess. Except, surprisingly, Samsung, which is on par and will probably soon become the best.
Despite all the problems, some of which, like the creation and restoration of unnecessary databases on each memory card, are simply infuriating, this is probably the best camera.

Potteg Huggy October 21, 2015, Moscow \Using experience: several months

Rating 5

Advantages: Personally, my, as mentioned earlier, girlish “IMHO”:
- A decent picture, not inferior to DSLRs - and it’s true.
- Lightweight (criteria for carrying at the bottom of a bag).
- Beautiful (I have a white case + bought a white leather strap and case - it looks like a bomb)
- Changing lenses.
- The main function for me was the transfer of images to the iPhone. Those. a few meters away you can take pictures of yourself or yourself with your dog, friends, loved ones, which is very cool. And most importantly, down with the selfie sticks. But a tripod is required to make it more convenient to place, direct, rotate, deploy - in all positions.

Disadvantages: My personal cons.
- When there is no card, he intrusively writes “no card” in small yellow font at the top and takes photos, but the photos are not saved anywhere. (I’m in the habit of transferring photos to the laptop via a card, rather than connecting a wire, and I often forget the card in the laptop). I’ll take cool photos without a map and then walk around sad =)
- in sunny weather it is completely invisible on the screen. In this case, the viewfinder would have saved the day.

Comment: Bought to replace a heavy Nikon d3100 DSLR. Sonya’s picture is truly wonderful, the macros are amazing. I'm going to buy a photosensitive lens, I think I'll go crazy with the beauty. If you are an amateur photographer and just want very beautiful photos for yourself and your family, buy it and don’t hesitate.
I haven’t gotten to all the functions yet; it can do a lot of things not in auto mode.

Score 4

Pros: The camera is good in all respects, even the simulated shutter release is pleasing to the ear. The workmanship is very good, the controls are extremely convenient, I got used to it in 1 day. There is a very fine adjustment of the white balance and the necessary functions for video: picking, zebra (different modes), histogram. The video is very clean and sharp up to ISO 1600, although the image has a characteristic cool tone.

Disadvantages: I bought this camera exclusively as a second one for video shooting, so I will list the disadvantages in this area. The most basic problem is that the matrix heats up after 12-14 minutes of continuous recording and the camera automatically turns off to cool down. Next - it’s difficult, very uncomfortable to press the record button, much more inconvenient than the A7S, which is criticized for this; The button is small and recessed into the body, so, as they say, you can’t press it intuitively, not to mention shooting with gloves in winter. Third, the battery runs out in less than an hour, and you can’t connect it to the network via USB and remove it (you can only charge it when it’s turned off), to do this you need to buy an additional network adapter. There is also no separate charger included. The fourth drawback is the lack of a microphone input, in practice this is very bad because the built-in microphone is a complete misunderstanding. Well, I would like the display to be able to rotate down and sideways, and not just up.

Comment: Taking into account all these shortcomings, I sold the camera after a month of use. And I really counted on it, the declared characteristics of the codec were very impressive. However, it is excellent for photography. But only for photos. The villains from Sony are not going to release a UNIVERSAL good camera.

Rating 5

Advantages: 1. Lightweight!!!
2. Small!!!
3. There is a 50 megabit codec in the video.
4. A decent picture in a photo, not inferior to DSLRs.
5. Good tracking autofocus (and autofocus in general) with face recognition for video, which is why I recommend buying only autofocus glasses for the device.
6. The 16-50 lens is fully automatic and, in good light, is suitable for most shooting tasks. In addition, it turns a camera into a small video camera
7. The preview works quite quickly over Wi-Fi on a mobile gadget. Faster than GoPro

Disadvantages: 1. The control joystick is very close to the right edge of the camera. It usually appears when shooting video - you accidentally press it and select ISO.
2. There is no hot shoe, but this is a price to pay for compactness, weight and a new codec.
3. One control wheel is missing, as in SONY Nex 5T and similar models. The Fn button could also be made.
4. Noise reduction is not turned off - the picture always undergoes noise reduction at least to a minimum. After ISO500, noise reduction always works and in some situations, say, in low light, frames with some “striped” artifacts may appear in the video. You can only see this on still frames in the edit. Not noticeable during continuous viewing.
5. Because Since this is a mirrorless camera, the matrix, after removing the lens, runs a very high risk of becoming dirty with dust, which means that changing the optics very often is risky.
6. It eats up the battery quite quickly, so you should immediately buy a spare battery for it

28.04.2015 18:42

In recent years, Sony has several filled its own assortment of entry-level cameras with a large number of interchangeable lenses new models. High-aperture matrix with very good quality The shooting technology used in the Sony NEX-3 continues to be used to this day in currently produced cameras of the same line (which has now become known as Alpha), and we do not see any significant technical changes in the new devices.

This is a familiar Exmor CMOS APS-C matrix with 24.3 megapixels, an ISO range of 100–25600 units and a maximum image resolution of 6000x4000 pixels.

The level of pictures taken is still high, autofocus works quickly and flawlessly, minimal innovations have been introduced into the body of the devices, and the main changes concern exclusively the software interface and sometimes completely unnecessary network options (NFC, Wi-Fi, etc.).

Actually, the next camera Sony Alpha ILCE-5100 or simply Sony Alpha A5100 with a standard 16-50 mm lens confirms the above facts.

The battery does not last long; it can run out at the most inopportune moment. Already at the 25% mark, it’s worth considering relocating closer to an outlet or replacing one battery with another.

Recently we have become acquainted with the predecessor and classics genre as well. Skeptics and lovers of fundamentally new things in photographic equipment need only look at the photographs taken of previous models and the current camera to understand that the engineers did not use anything new in the Sony Alpha A5100.

This is the same familiar Exmor CMOS type matrix APS-C(23.5 x 15.6 mm) with 24.3 MP, ISO range 100–25600 units and maximum image resolution 6000x4000 pixels. There is support for JPEG and RAW formats, a bunch of visual templates, a convenient and simple automatic mode, as well as a functional and no less simple manual shooting format, panorama mode with automatic gluing frames according to horizontal and vertical principles, etc.

Could not do without video format Full HD with very high quality audio recordings (and it’s not a sin to post the resulting video on video hosting or use it when editing clips).

Bayonet Sony E allows you to take advantage of a growing range of high-quality and diverse lenses every year (don’t forget about the adapter ring for Sony SAL lenses, and, in principle, any other modern mount).

We have already seen all this many times in past variations of compact amateur cameras with entry-level interchangeable lenses.

The body of the Sony Alpha A5100 has not undergone any significant changes compared to the cameras of a similar line and predecessors of the series already mentioned above. The controls are extremely simple: keys for activating the standard flash and recording video, a menu wheel that can be programmed in manual mode to change the sensitivity or shutter speed, plus buttons for viewing the received material and calling up help.

Of course, there are no semi-professional additions in the form of separate controls for ISO, aperture and shutter speed here. Still, the Sony Alpha A5100 is positioned as an entry-level device for the world of amateur photography.

The shooting process and the result are also worth recognizing thereby. The battery does not last long; it can run out at the most inopportune moment. Already at the 25% mark, it’s worth considering relocating closer to an outlet or replacing one battery with another.

The maximum ISO level, which can be considered acceptable for comfortable viewing, printing and working with the resulting frame in the Sony Alpha A5100, in our opinion, is limited to 800 units (although at ISO 300-400 the detail is extremely low, take a look at the footage, color rendition unnatural, and the pixels look like huge mud smears).

The values ​​above have already caused some emotional rejection when viewing due to extremely low color rendering and large pixel grain. Set shutter speed from hand We also don’t recommend longer than 1/30-1/50 s if you don’t have a tripod at the time of shooting.

It may seem that we are absolutely dissatisfied with the capabilities of the Sony Alpha A5100 camera, but we hasten to assure you, dear readers, that this is not the case. The camera shoots excellent video and is perfect as a main amateur camera on vacation trips and even for leisurely reportage shooting, as well as for working with multiple lenses.

The Sony Alpha A5100 fits comfortably in the hand, the camera is compact and offers all the features that are already used in the younger Sony Alpha and Sony NEX devices, without any fundamental “buts”.

There is only one “but” here - we have already seen all this many times in past variations of compact amateur cameras with entry-level interchangeable lenses. And the answer to the question - why create another (except, of course, for marketing reasons) similar camera is not obvious to us.

Sony Alpha A5100 with whale a 16-50 mm lens can actually be purchased for 25,000 rubles with a little. In the current economic situation, the cost of the camera does not seem incredible and wild. But before you go to the store to buy this particular sample, go through it again. model range all from the same company Sony.

It is possible that the devices mentioned in this material will be more suitable for you.

Examples of images from Sony Alpha A5100:

f/5, 1/250 sec

f/4.5, 1/125 sec, ISO 800

f/4.5, 1/200 s

f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 800