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Sony Announces A5100 With Fast Autofocus, Tracking Share This on LinkedIn   Share This on Google   Tweet This   Forward This

18 August 2014

Sony has announced its $550 compact A5100, updating the NEX-5 series with the A6000's Fast Hybrid AF system, 24.3 MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor and BIONZ X processor.

Sony A5100. Compact with the virtues of the A6000.

"Sony continues to innovate in the mirrorless camera space, offering products that are not only smaller and lighter than competitive dSLRs, but that consistently outperform them," said Neal Manowitz, director of the interchangeable lens camera business at Sony. "The new A5100 is a primary example, offering world-class AF speed and performance in a palm-sized body at a great price. It's powerful enough to satisfy the most experienced dSLR shooters, yet not too intimidating for the casual weekend photographer."

The hybrid autofocus system, which can achieve focus in as little as 0.07 seconds, features focal plane phase-detection AF points with a wide autofocus coverage area using 179 focal points, which is teamed with high-precision contrast-detection AF.

Touch Focus is available on the articulated touch screen, allowing you to focus by simply touching the intended subject. The A5100 also features WiFi and NFC connectivity for remote control.

The A5100 supports full HD video in AVCHD as well as the XAVC S2 codec, which records video at a high data rate of 50 Mbps with advanced compression. With its BIONZ X processor, the camera ican read, process and output data from all of the sensor's pixels during video recording, eliminating aliasing, moir and false color artifacts.

The new camera also features dual video recording, simultaneously recording one in Full HD (AVCHD or XAVC S) and the other in lower resolution MP4 format to the same SD card.

Expected to ship in September, the A5100 is available for pre-order from:

For more information see the news release below.

Sony Debuts Ultra-Compact A5100 Interchangeable Lens Camera with Impressive Autofocus

New Mirrorless Camera Features Remarkable AF speed and tracking, 24 MP APS-C Size Sensor, BIONZ X Processor and more

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Sony Electronics has today introduced the stylish new A5100 camera, a new model packing pro-quality AF performance and image quality into a portable, lightweight package. The speedy new camera (model ILCE-5100) features the same Fast Hybrid AF system as the acclaimed A6000 model, which allows it to acquire focus in as little as 0.07 seconds. It also shares the A6000's image sensor -- a 24.3 MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor -- and powerful BIONZ X processor. This impressive combination of hardware ensures that the camera can capture still images and full HD videos in sharp focus with incredible detail.

Unique to the new A5100 is its extremely compact design, placing it among the smallest and lightest interchangeable lens cameras in market today.

"Sony continues to innovate in the mirrorless camera space, offering products that are not only smaller and lighter than competitive dSLRs, but that consistently outperform them," said Neal Manowitz, director of the interchangeable lens camera business at Sony. "The new A5100 is a primary example, offering world-class AF speed and performance in a palm-sized body at a great price. It's powerful enough to satisfy the most experienced dSLR shooters, yet not too intimidating for the casual weekend photographer."

Fast Hybrid AF system

Borrowing from the award-winning A6000, the compelling Fast Hybrid AF system on the new A5100 camera features focal plane phase-detection AF points with an extremely wide autofocus coverage area (179 focal points) that is teamed with high-precision contrast-detection AF. This potent combination allows the camera to accurately track and respond to a subject moving through nearly the entire frame, whether shooting still images or full HD videos.

Additionally, the A5100 camera has an extremely responsive touch screen which works with the AF system to enable Touch Focus, allowing shooters to focus by simply touching the intended subject on any area of the LCD screen -- even if it's at the far edges.

The new A5100 model also comes equipped with Eye AF and Lock-on AF functions that debuted in the a7/ a7R, a Flexible Spot AF area function and AF-A mode (automatic switching between AF-C and AF-S) that is also offered in the A6000.

HD Video Performance

The versatile A5100 supports full HD video shooting in AVCHD as well as the XAVC S2 codec, which records video at a high data rate of 50 Mbps with advanced compression for impressive video quality. XAVC S paired with the advanced focusing system of the A5100 makes for a compelling HD video shooting solution that only a select number of cameras in market today -- mirrorless or dSLR -- can offer.

Additionally, with the power of the BIONZ X processor, the camera is able to read, process and output data from all of the sensor's pixels during video recording, ensuring that it produces the highest quality video possible by eliminating aliasing, moir and false color artifacts.

The new camera also features dual video recording, allowing it to simultaneously record two files -- one in Full HD (AVCHD or XAVC S) and the other in lower resolution MP4 format -- to a single installed SD card. This gives videographers a high-quality file for viewing on large screens or working on in post-processing, as well as a smaller, lower data-rate version that is ideal for uploading and sharing.

Design, Controls, WiFi and New Accessories

The compact new mirrorless camera features a high resolution 921k dot WhiteMagic LCD screen that can tilt a full 180 degrees upright, ideal for self-portraits. On top of the camera body, there's a zoom lever for convenient one-handed camera operation and a handy pop-up flash for tough lighting conditions.

The A5100 camera has built-in WiFi, giving consumers one-touch connection with Xperia or NFC-compatible Android smartphones or tablets for instant image transfer and sharing. A single touch also activates Smart Remote Control, giving users a live image preview through their compatible smartphone or tablet and allowing them to use the smart device to release the camera's shutter.

For devices without NFC one-touch capabilities, users can wirelessly transfer images and videos and activate Smart Remote Control through Sony's free PlayMemories Mobile application, available for the iOS and Android platforms.

The camera is also compatible with downloadable Sony PlayMemories Camera Apps, adding a range of exciting and creative capabilities. Currently there are a total of 10 different applications available with several others to be released this spring. Learn more at http://www.sony.net/pmca .

New accessories that are compatible with the A5100 camera include the style-matching LCS-EBD body case -- available in three color variations -- as well as the compact, easy-to-carry RM-SPR1 remote.

Pricing and Availability

The Sony A5100 compact interchangeable lens camera will be available in September in black and white in a kit with a compact, versatile 16-50mm motorized zoom lens (model SELP1650) for about $700 or as body-only for about $550.

The new camera and all compatible lenses and accessories will be available at Sony retail stores and other authorized dealers nationwide.


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