The a5100 is a great beginners mirrorless camera with an ecosystem you can grow into.

I'm sure you know the difference between this and the A6000 spec-sheet-wise but let me add a more blunt distinction from an owner's perspective: A5100 is for video shooters and A6000 is a photography monster. More bluntness: - No, the touchscreen isn't all that great and don't buy it just for that.

This is a beautifully designed compact camera that is generally easy to use and produces amazing photos. It takes a while to get to know your way through all the menus and hooking the camera up to my phone so I can take photos remotely, necessitated a trip back to the camera store but the...

One of the smallest, lightest and most affordable mirrorless cameras currently offered with an APS-C sensor, and sharing the same imaging pipeline as the Sony A6000, the Sony A5100 has few rivals in terms of offering good quality for the price.

Very small and comfortable form factor; Very good image quality for its class; New dual video record function; Quick autofocus and good dynamic range, Amazing amount of firepower for this size and price point, Largest sensor found in an inexpensive compact camera (APS-C, Image quality is virtually...

Lacks an EVF and external mode dial; No hot shoe; JPEG processing at higher ISOs not as good as some competing mid-level models, No EVF, Limited external controls compared to some mid-range models, No mode dial - have to go into the menus to change the mode, High ISO noise handling with JPEGs is not...

I purchased this camera for a very specific purpose where I need a physically small body with high picture quality to be used with manual, prime lenses. It is only used on manual settings and I don't need a viewfinder. For all these conditions stated, it is superb.

Great Picture Quality

Since Sony dropped its NEX branding and blanketed its compact system camera line with the Alpha brand name, the range has not morphed dramatically, simply divided itself into different schools of thought: those seeking a compact alternative, and those seeking a DSLR alternative.

Small yet sensible size; good picture quality overall; point-and-shoot simplicity; 180-degree tilt-angle screen for selfies

Excess menu digging; no mode dials or standard function buttons; low-light autofocus can't be pinpointed; distortion and excessive JPEG processing qualms

Who it's for: Novices who want to develop advanced photo skills, or anyone who wants a good balance of image quality and portability. Sony's a5100 is a scaled down version of the already petite Alpha a6000 mirrorless camera (see review) .

Pocket-size design; excellent low-light image quality; fast; accurate autofocus; smooth video; built-in tutorials for novices

Important settings buried in menus; doesn't take external flash or microphone; Wi-Fi not iOS friendly

Sony's CSC have an enviable track record in our reviews. The old NEX brand was retired, but the cameras, unchanged in concept, continue coming under the Alpha brand. The A5100 has all the usual traits: big APS-C sensor, interchangeable lenses and a slim body that's much closer in appearance and...

The Sony Alpha 5100 ($549.99, body only) is the midrange model in Sony's APS-C mirrorless camera line. Like other mirrorless shooters, it delivers image quality that's on par with an SLR, but isn't nearly as big.

Fast autofocus; 5.9fps burst shooting with tracking focus; Strong high ISO performance; Tilting touch-screen display; In-body flash; Slim design; Wi-Fi with NFC; Downloadable camera apps; 1080p60 video

No EVF or EVF add-on capability; Display only tilts up and forward; Lacks microphone input; Some apps must be purchased; Requires in-camera battery charging

The A5100 may be Sony's mirrorless middle child, but it's a great value.