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.
In Sony’s mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors lineup, these two models represent the company’s entry-level options.
Sony Alpha A6100 Mirrorless Camera with 16-50mm Zoom Lens, Black (ILCE6100L/B)
- World’s fastest AF at 0 02 sec W/ real-time AF & Object tracking
- Wide 425-phase/425-contrast detection AF points over 84% of sensor
- 24 2MP APS-C Exmor sensor w/ front end LSI and ISO up to 51 200
- Up to 11fps continuous shooting at 24 2MP RAW w/ AF/AE tracking
- World’s fastest AF at 0 02 sec W/ real-time AF & Object tracking
- Wide 425-phase/425-contrast detection AF points over 84% of sensor
- 24 2MP APS-C Exmor sensor w/ front end LSI and ISO up to 51 200
- Up to 11fps continuous shooting at 24 2MP RAW w/ AF/AE tracking
- Real-time AF Tracking Real-time Eye AF for human and animal
- Movie recording with mic and 180-degree tiltable 3” touchscreen LCD
- Touch Tracking provides smooth continuous focus tracking of your subject activated with a simple touch of the display screen
- In the box Lithium Battery (NP-FW50) AC Charger (AC-UUD12) USB cable Body cap Strap
- Display Size: 3"; EXPOSURE COMPENSATION: +/-5.0 EV (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps selectable)
- Viewfinder Type: Electronic Viewfinder
The term “APS-C” refers to the size of the camera’s image sensor, 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, however, the A6100 uses the entire sensor width (which implies complete pixel readout with no pixel binning), filling the 16:9 rear LCD. 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 somewhat more significant level of performance than the camera itself. 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 it has a firm feel. The exterior controls are also well-built, and the textured hand and thumb grips give a secure grasp. To God be the glory for the significantly more roomy grip than the one on the A6000.
This camera has an impressively large amount of options and functionality, especially considering its relatively small size. You will receive a flash that pops up and may be manually tilted back for indirect fill light. A microphone port is on the side of the device, and there is a hot shoe for attaching extra accessories like an external microphone. The connection is made through the port. (It should be no surprise that there is insufficient space for a headphone jack.)
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.
There are several different Focus Modes and Focus Areas 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 that is contained 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.
A burst mode of 11 frames per second looks like a decent option on paper. On the other hand, in practice, “continuous high” shooting turns out to be less impressive than it seems. According to our observations, the duration of bursts does not fully correspond to the promise of capturing up to 67 frames. Additionally, before the camera can resume functioning, it needs some time to buffer the previously captured sequences.
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 size, 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, of course, influenced by the lens that is 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
Sony Alpha A6100 Mirrorless Camera with 16-50mm Zoom Lens, Black (ILCE6100L/B)
- World’s fastest AF at 0 02 sec W/ real-time AF & Object tracking
- Wide 425-phase/425-contrast detection AF points over 84% of sensor
- 24 2MP APS-C Exmor sensor w/ front end LSI and ISO up to 51 200
- Up to 11fps continuous shooting at 24 2MP RAW w/ AF/AE tracking
- World’s fastest AF at 0 02 sec W/ real-time AF & Object tracking
- Wide 425-phase/425-contrast detection AF points over 84% of sensor
- 24 2MP APS-C Exmor sensor w/ front end LSI and ISO up to 51 200
- Up to 11fps continuous shooting at 24 2MP RAW w/ AF/AE tracking
- Real-time AF Tracking Real-time Eye AF for human and animal
- Movie recording with mic and 180-degree tiltable 3” touchscreen LCD
- Touch Tracking provides smooth continuous focus tracking of your subject activated with a simple touch of the display screen
- In the box Lithium Battery (NP-FW50) AC Charger (AC-UUD12) USB cable Body cap Strap
- Display Size: 3"; EXPOSURE COMPENSATION: +/-5.0 EV (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps selectable)
- Viewfinder Type: Electronic Viewfinder
The Sony A6100 is undoubtedly the most appealing camera in Sony’s A6000 series. This is because of the camera’s design, price point, and feature set.
The body design maintained throughout this series gives the impression that it is more suited to novice players and those whose skills are still developing.
Incredibly, this camera’s image quality and focusing capabilities are on par with those of the more costly Sony A6400 and Sony A6600. The primary issues we have with all of the cameras in the A6XXX series, which mostly center on limits in handling and performance, are likewise less excusable on the flagship models than here.
So, what are the advantages of purchasing a significantly more expensive model? In any case, the top-of-the-line Sony A6600 offers a considerably longer battery life, in-body image stabilization (IBIS), a higher resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF), and a metal housing that is weather protected. However, the cost is almost exactly twice as much.
Sony a6100 FAQs
Is Sony a6100 worth buying?
It would be best to consider purchasing the Sony a6100 because of its superior autofocus, high-quality images, and small dimensions.
Is the Sony a6100 discontinued?
The Sony a6100 was not officially phased out as of March 2023, when this sentence was written.
Is Sony a6100 suitable for photography?
Because of its sophisticated features and high-caliber photographs, the Sony a6100 is an excellent choice for photographers.
Can you use a Sony a6100 in the rain?
Even though the Sony a6100 is not weather-sealed, it can still be used safely in conditions with some moisture, such as moderate drizzle or mist.
Is Sony a6100 suitable for low light?
Because of its high ISO range and picture stabilization technology, the Sony a6100 does perform admirably even when the available light is low.
What is the lowest price of the Sony A6100?
The price of the Sony a6100 differs depending on the location and the retailer, but it is generally considered a camera that is not out of reach for most people.
Is the Sony A6100 full-frame?
However, the Sony a6100 does not have a full-frame camera but rather an APS-C compact sensor.
Does A6100 have eye autofocus?
The Sony a6100 does come equipped with sophisticated eye detection.
Is Sony A6100 good for Portrait Photography?
Because of its highly developed autofocus and high-quality images, the Sony a6100 can be an excellent option for taking headshot photographs.
Does A6100 have a silent shutter?
The Sony a6100 does come equipped with a silent capture setting.
Do professional photographers use Sony a6100?
Even though the Sony a6100 might not be the first camera that comes to mind for some professional photographers, it is a capable camera that can be used for various photographic and videography applications.
Is a Sony A6100 a DSLR?
The Sony a6100 is not a single-lens reflex camera; instead, it is a mirrorless camera.
