Mirrorless Camera News

Sony introduced the compact A5100 mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera this morning, which features the same 24-megapixel APS-C size sensor and same Fast Hybrid Autofocus (AF) system as the slightly higher-end A6000 model. That camera can lock in autofocus in as little as 0.07 seconds, Sony said.

The A5100 also uses the same Bionz X-branded processor as the A6000 and can shoot full 1080p, HD video in AVCHD as well as the XAVC S codec, which records video at a data rate of 50 Mbps. The camera features a 921k-dot, 3-inch, LCD touchscreen on back that can tilt 180 degress upright for self-portraits, aka “selfies.” There’s a zoom lever on top of the camera and a pop-up flash.

The A5100 has built-in Wi-Fi, and one-touch, wireless transfer with Xperia or NFC-compatible Android smartphones or tables. The camera is quite small, with dimensions of 4.3 inches (w) x 2.5 inches (h) x 1.4 inches and a weight of about eight ounces (body only).

The A5100 is positioned below the A6000 and above the A5000, and aimed at amateur photographers looking to step up from their current consumer camera, or at entry-level digital SLR or mirrorless users looking to replace their cameras.

The Sony A5100 goes on sale in September 2014 in black or white versions as a kit with a 16-50mm “motorized” zoom lens for $700, or body-only for $550.

More info on the A5100 here.