Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Detailed Comparison

In this review, we’ll be looking at how two entry level cameras, Sony a5100 vs Canon 700D, do against each other. The idea is to help you see, not only which camera can generally be considered the better option, but basically which you can consider the better option for you.

Get the Sony a5100 now!	Get the Canon 700D now!

As a result, we’ve put together the features of each camera and pitted those of one camera against those of the other camera. And that is the basic idea of this comparison review.

Nonetheless, if you are in a bit of a hurry and wouldn’t have the time to go through the entire article we’ve got you covered. The comparison overview and comparison table sections contain information in bite size sizes that you ‘ll be able to go through them in no time at all.

We recommend, though, that you read through the entire article. Plus, you could also check out some of our other Sony-Canon comparisons like the Sony a7 vs Canon 7D and the Sony a77II Vs Canon 70D.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Comparison Overview

Here is a quick overview of the basic idea in this article

Overall Review Of The Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D

First off, we consider both the Sony a5100 and the Canon 700D entry-level cameras. Based on this, we can say that they are both decent cameras. While both cameras could be frustrating for a professional, a beginner would totally enjoy either.

More specifically, we consider the Sony a5100 the better camera for photography because it has the higher sensor resolution. However, if you want something to record videos with, the Canon 700D is the better option, basically because of its microphone port.

Ratings Of The Features of The Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D

First off, while the Sony a5100 is a mirrorless camera, the Canon 700D is a DSLR camera. So naturally, the Canon 700D comes with an optical viewfinder. However, the Sony a5100, on the other hand, comes with neither an electronic viewfinder no a provision for an external one to be attached.

As for battery life, we wouldn’t say either camera exactly wowed us (440 shots for the Canon 700D and 400 shots for the Sony a5100). However, if you’re using the camera for just beginner stuff, you might actually be OK with either.

Now to the unique things. These two cameras have very few common features between them that they are practically complementary. In fact, you might just be OK with getting them both because what one camera lacks, you’ll probably find with the other; just saying.

Now, the Sony a5100 is the camera with the better sensor resolution (24 vs 18 megapixels) the inbuilt wireless connection and the wider ISO range (100 to 25600 vs 100 to 12800). 

On the other hand, the Canon 700D is the camera that comes with a viewfinder, an external flash port and a microphone port.

However, it is not all differences and positive similarities, they also share a couple of not so exciting features or lack of features. Chief among those are the absence of an image stabilization feature and weather sealing.

Price/Value Ratio – Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D

Both cameras are pretty affordable and there is just a small price difference between them. The Sony a5100 being the more affordable one. Anyway, with the features and level of performance you’ll get with either camera, we believe the prices are justified.

About The Brands

Sony

You’ve probably heard of the Sony brand before and not because of the quality of its products or the wide range of prices they come in. Sony happens to be a brand of Japanese origins with its hands in a number of ventures ranging from electronics and gaming to entertainment and even finance.

Canon

Canon is another popular Japanese brand. However, unlike Sony, Canon has products in just one sector which is the imaging and optics sector. Canon, has overtime, established itself as a brand that can be look to if one needs any optical product.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Comparison Table

	Sony a5100	Canon 700D
Weight	0.6 pounds	1.3 pounds
Dimensions	4.3 by 2.5 by 1.4 inches	5.2 by 3.9 by 3.1 inches
Wireless Connection	Built-in	Eye-Fi
Viewfinder	None	Optical
Sensor Resolution	24 megapixel	18 megapixels
Continuous Shooting	6 frames per second (fps)	5 frames per second (fps)
Battery Life	400 shots per charge	440 shots per charge
External Flash Port	No	Yes
Screen Type	Tilting Screen	Full-flex
ISO Range	100 to 25600	100 to 12800

Get the Sony a5100 now!	Get the Canon 700D now!

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Which Is Better Under What Circumstance?

Sony a5100	Canon 700D
The Sony a5100 has an inbuilt wireless connection. So, you can be sure of having swift transfer of your photos from your camera to another device.	On the other hand, you might want to go with this camera because it has its own viewfinder.
The Sony a5100 is also the lighter of the two cameras.	It also has a microphone port and so has the better ability to record good audio.

Get the Sony a5100 now!	Get the Canon 700D now!

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Common Features

The idea of this section is to see how similar the Sony a5100 is to the Canon 700D. Hence, we’ve put together those features that you are sure to find in both cameras. Bear in mind though, that while some of these features will be exactly the same, some others will be slightly different.

1. Articulating Screen

One of the most prominent similarities between the Sony a5100 and the Canon 700D is the articulating screen. When you say a camera has an articulating screen, it basically means that the camera’s screen can be turned in certain directions independent of the camera body.

The major reasons manufacturers have been substituting the fixed screen for an articulating screen is because of creativity. Because you can turn your screen in certain directions, you are able to take shots of one particular subject from different angles.

That said, it is imperative that you know that there are basically two kinds of articulating screens. The tilting screen can only be turned upward and then back down. The angles to which a tilting screen can be turned differ from one camera to the other.

The other kind of articulating screen is the fully articulating or full-flex screen. This one can basically be rotated, making whatever camera it is attached to a good video camera for those that do their own video recording.

After all said, the Sony a5100 has a tilting screen while the Canon 700D has a full-flex screen. Still on the subject of screens, the screens of both cameras are 3 inches in size and are touch sensitive.

2. Continuous Shooting

This is a mode that allows you shoot faster than the normal mode. So, with just one click of the shutter button, you are able to take more than one shot in one second. This is a good idea to get behind if your subjects are very motion inclined like toddlers and sports people.

That said, both the Sony a5100 and the Canon 700D have a very basic continuous shooting rate. With the Sony a5100 you can take 6 frames per second while the Canon 700D does one less with 5 frames per second.

Nonetheless, seeing as they are both entry-level cameras, the continuous shooting might actually be satisfactory. Provided you do not encounter many swiftly moving subjects, you might actually be good with 5 or 6 frames in one second.

3. Flash

Both the Sony a5100 and the Canon 700D have an in-built flash. And if you have ever tried to take a picture in the dark, even with your phone, you’d have come to appreciate the idea of a flash.

Now, we are not saying that the inbuilt will solve all your low light issues. However, it will surely come in handy a number of time, so, it is a good thing both cameras have it.

4. RAW Support

That a camera has RAW support basically means that photos taken with said camera have the option of being saved in the RAW format.

Now, aside this RAW format, there is jpeg and photos that get stored as jpeg are usually of reduced quality. However, jpeg features do have one advantage which is that they take up less space.

On the other hand, photos saved as RAW retain their original quality (the RA format doesn’t necessarily impart on a picture a quality it doesn’t possess).

However, just like jpeg photos do not take up so much space, RAW photos take up a bit of space. Nonetheless, that’ll be a small price to pay for good quality photos.

5. Face Detection

Both the Sony a5100 and the Canon 700D have the face detection feature. Now, cameras that have this feature are able to pick out faces as you place them to take shots. Once those faces are detected, the cameras focus and lock in on them, making them good cameras for taking portraits.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – A Sony a5100 Demonstration Video

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Unique Features

In this section, we’ll be looking at how different the Sony a5100 is from the Canon 700D. To do this, we’ve rounded up those features that you’ll find in one camera but not the other. We’ve also included those features that are in both cameras but are really different.

1. Mirrorless Vs DSLR

While the articulating might be the most prominent similarity between these the Sony a5100 and the Canon 700D, this one is definitely the more prominent difference between the two cameras. The Sony a5100 is a mirrorless camera while the Canon 700D is a DSLR and this accounts for a number of other factors.

Furthermore, the basic difference between a mirrorless camera and a DSLR is the absence/presence of a mirror and an optical viewfinder. The mirrorless is usually the one without while the DSLR is usually with, of course.

That said, the absence/presence of these two features affect the general working of both cameras. With the DSLR, when light passes through the lens, it first hits the mirror before splitting; part of the light going to the Autofocus Sensor and the other going to the other part hits the optical viewfinder.

On the other hand, when light passes through lens of a mirrorless camera, it goes straight to the sensor since there is no mirror. Now, from the sensor then sends a digital image to the electronic viewfinder or the LCD, whichever is applicable.

Now, the absence/presence of a mirror does not only affect the working of a camera. Some have said that it is also responsible, to some extent, for the weight of a camera (we’ll discuss that soon).

2. Viewfinder

We already mentioned earlier that one difference between a mirrorless camera (e.g. the Sony a5100) and a DSLR camera (e.g. the Canon 700D) is the absence/presence of an optical viewfinder. What this tells us is that a DSLR typically has an optical viewfinder; you’d be hard-pressed to find one without.

However, that is not so for the mirrorless camera. An electronic viewfinder is kinda like the mirrorless camera’s alternative to an optical viewfinder.

However, not all mirrorless cameras come with an electronic viewfinder and that is why we did not mention the presence of a viewfinder as a factor that distinguishes a mirrorless camera from a DSLR.

Now, talking about mirrorless cameras that come without a viewfinder, some of them come with a viewfinder port while some come without. If you get one that has a viewfinder port, you basically just need to get an external viewfinder and you are set.

However, the Sony a5100 doesn’t come with a viewfinder or a viewfinder port. So what do you do? You’ll have to make do with the LCD screen.

Honestly, that is not the best option because if you are out in the sun or under very bright, you’ll struggle to see what’s on the viewfinder. However, in regular light, you won’t have so much of a problem. It won’t be as good as a viewfinder but it will be good enough.

3. Weight

Now, remember we said that the absence/presence of a mirror typically affects the weight of a camera. Well, mirrorless cameras are usually, more often than not, lighter than their DSLR counterparts. And some people have attributed this to the absence of the mirror which you’ll find in a DSLR.

Now, we are not saying that all mirrorless cameras are lighter than all DSLR cameras because we’ve sure seen some heavy mirrorless cameras and some light DSLR cameras in our time. However, the Sony a5100 and Canon 700D typify the mirrorless-DSLR weight thing.

The Sony a5100 weighs 0.6 pound while the Canon 700D weighs 1.3 pounds. Some people might actually consider the Sony a5100 too light a camera but we don’t think anybody would consider the Canon 700D a heavy camera. We’ll leave you to decide the weight that is better for you.

But before you do that, there’s something else you have to put into consideration and that is the lens or lenses. You cannot take any shots without the lenses, so, their weight is something you really need to consider.

To do this, we look to the size of their sensor because the size of the sensor will tell us the relative weight of the lenses that both cameras will need. That said, both cameras have the exact same APS-C sensor size.

What this implies is that, for the same aperture and focal length, both cameras will require the lenses of the same size and weight. So, while the weight of the attached lens will affect the weight of the camera, it will not affect its weight as compared to the other camera.

4. Wireless Connection

We have to start by appreciating the fact that both the Sony a5100 and the Canon 700D have a medium of getting internet access. However, while the Sony a5100 has an in-built wireless connection, you’ll have to get an Eye-Fi device to be able to have that access with the Canon 700D.

The inbuilt wireless connection is not only more convenient, it also allows for better connection that the Eye-Fi. Plus, you can do faster file transfers via the inbuilt wireless connection than via the Eye-Fi connection.

Furthermore, of the two cameras, only the Sony a5100 has the Near Field Communication connection. As a result, it can connect with other devices that are also NFC enabled and via this connection, transfers can be made.

One last thing is the smartphone control and this is something else you get with the Sony a5100 but not with the Canon 700D. The basic idea is for you to download the appropriate app and then connect said smartphone to said camera via said app.

Once this connection has been made, the smartphone can be used to control the camera in changing settings and even taking snapshots.

5. Battery Life

DSLR are usually said to have really impressive battery lives while mirrorless cameras are still kinda struggling with this concept. However, while the Sony a5100 basically supports this assertion, the Canon 700D is an obvious deviation.

With the Sony a5100, you can take up to 400 shots before it needs to be charged and this is actually an improvement on some of its other Sony mirrorless siblings. On the other hand, you can get 440 shots with the Canon 700D before it needs to be charged.

Are 40 shots enough to make a difference? That’s up to you to decide. However, we’ll say that it largely depends on what you need a camera for.

If you’ll be taking a lot shots and will always need your wireless connection (or Eye-Fi connection, whatever the case) to be on, you’ll go through the battery faster than if you weren’t and you didn’t.

Get the Sony a5100 now!	Get the Canon 700D now!

6. ISO Range

Range already suggests the upper and lower limits of something. Now, what is the ISO about? The ISO basically tells us, in numbers, how sensitive a camera is to light; that is how much light the camera can capture when it is set to a certain number.

That said, there are times when you’ll be trying to take a picture and there is just too much light. Those are the times when it is best to set your camera to a low ISO. The idea is that on a low ISO, the camera takes in as little light as possible so that the photos taken are not more light and no substance.

On the other hand, if the area is low lit, you’ll need to set your camera to a high ISO. What happens with a high ISO is that the camera tries to let in as much light as it possibly can to make up for the lack of light. However, the one issue with this is that there is a higher risk of having grainy photos.

Having known all these, you’ll agree with us that a wide ISO range is a good thing. The wider the ISO range, the more room you have to maneuver your light situation.

That said, this is something else that the Sony a5100 does better than the Canon 700D. While the Sony a5100 has an ISO range that spans from 100 to 25600, that of the Canon 700D is only between 100 and 12800.

7. Microphone Port

Now this feature you’ll find with the Canon 700D and not with the Sony a5100. This makes the Canon 700D the slightly better camera for recording videos.

We are not saying you cannot record videos with the Sony a5100 because you can. A good number of digital cameras have an inbuilt microphone. However, more often than not, videos recorded using just the inbuilt microphone come out sounding really noisy.

This is the reason people prefer using an external microphone. But of course, this will only concern you if you’ll be using the camera to record videos.

8. External Flash Port

When it comes to flashes, the external flash is actually the better option. With the inbuilt flash, which both cameras come with, you’ll be able to solve some low light issues. But it can only do so much.

On the other hand, if you are able to attach an external flash, you’ll get more use out of it than the inbuilt flash. You could even use it if you need to do flash photography. However, of the two cameras, only the Canon 700D comes with this external flash port.

9. Sensor Resolution

With 18 megapixels for the Canon 700D and 24 megapixels for the Sony a5100, both cameras could actually be said to have a decent sensor resolution. You’ll be able to print large pictures with either camera and the pictures will be really detailed.

However, we cannot deny the existence of the 6 megapixel difference. And that accounts for the difference in picture detailing and also how much cropping can be done with either camera. Of course, the Sony a5100 with the 24 megapixels has the upper hand.

10. Available Lenses

This is something else that the Canon 700D has as an upper hand over the Sony a5100. While Sony a5100 has 102 lenses available, the Canon 700D has 319 of them available. Both cameras have a reasonable amount of lenses available to them, especially for entry-level cameras.

Furthermore, neither camera has an image stabilization feature. The implication of this is that photos taken with either camera could come out looking really blurry if the camera is so much as jostled a little bit.

AS a result, both the Sony a5100 and the Canon 5100 have a number of optical stabilization lenses that will help balance things out. Sony a5100 has 23 optical stabilization lenses available while Canon 700D has 91 of those lenses available.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – A Canon 700D Demonstration Video

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Unique Pros

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Pros Of The Sony a5100

• First off, the Sony a5100 has an inbuilt wireless connection which is more convenient and swifter than the Eye-Fi which you’ll get with the Canon 700D.
• Furthermore, the sensor resolution of the Sony a5100 is 8 megapixels higher than that of the Canon 700D.
• Also, Sony a5100 has a wider ISO range than Canon 700D.
• The Sony a5100 is significantly lighter than the Canon 700D.
• Furthermore, Sony a5100 has the Near Field Communication that can be used to connect to other NFC enabled devices for device to device transfer.
• Also, Sony a5100 has 170 more focus points (179) than Canon 700D (9).
• The Sony a5100 can be controlled via a smartphone.
• And finally, the Sony a5100 is the more affordable of the two cameras.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Pros Of the Canon 700D

• First off, the Canon 700D has an inbuilt optical viewfinder while the Sony a5100 doesn’t have any viewfinder at all.
• Furthermore, the Canon 700D has a microphone port which makes for better audio quality than with the Sony a5100.
• Also, an external flash can be attached to the Canon 700D because of its external flash port. And with an external flash, you have a better solution for a low light situation than with an inbuilt flash.
• The Canon 700D has a longer flash coverage (13 meters) than the Sony a5100 (4 meters).
• Furthermore, the Canon 700D has a 21% wider pixel area than the Sony a5100.
• Finally, the Canon 700D has more lenses available to it than the Sony a5100, regular and optical stabilization lenses.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Unique Cons

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Cons Of The Sony a5100

• First off, the Sony a5100 doesn’t have a viewfinder and also doesn’t have a provision for one to be attached. As a result, the user will have to stick with the CD screen which isn’t always a great idea.
• Furthermore, this camera doesn’t have a provision for an external flash to be attached. And the inbuilt flash isn’t going to always cut it.
• Finally, the Sony a5100’s flash doesn’t have a very impressive range.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Cons Of The Canon 700D

• The Canon 700D uses an Eye-Fi to be able to connect to the internet and it is a pretty slow connection.
• Finally, the Canon 700D is not NFC enabled and as a result, you might have to transfer the memory card from the camera to another device to transfer pictures.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Common Pros

	Sony a5100	Canon 700D
Articulating Screen	The Sony a5100 has an articulating screen which is a tilting screen and so it can be angled such that you can take shots of the same subject from different angles.	The Canon 700D also has an articulating screen. However, this one is a full-flex screen and can even be rotated such that the camera can be used to record personal videos.
Inbuilt Flash	Also, this camera has an inbuilt flash which could come in handy in certain low light situations.	Same as the Sony a5100.
RAW Support	Photos snapped can be stored in the RAW format which allows photos to be stored in their original quality.	Same as the Sony a5100.
Face Detection	Finally, the Sony a5100 is able to detect faces and focus on those faces as you take your shot.	Same as the Sony a5100.

Get the Sony a5100 now!	Get the Canon 700D now!

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Common Cons

	Sony a5100	Canon 700D
Image Stabilization	The Sony a5100 doesn’t have an image stabilization feature. As a result, there is a high possibility of having blurry pictures. However, you can correct that by getting optical stabilization lenses.	Same as the Sony a5100.
Weather Sealing	The Sony a5100 is also not weather sealed. This means it is not dustproof, water resistant or waterproof. As a result, you’ll have to have to be careful when and where you use the camera so as not to get it wet or even dusty.	Same as the Sony a5100.
4K Videos	The Sony a5100 cannot take 4k videos. If you’ll be using this camera to record videos, you’ll probably miss this feature.	Same as the Sony a5100.
Headphone Port	Finally, headphones cannot be attached to this camera because it doesn’t have a headphone port. As a result, playing back videos you’ve recorded might not be the most pleasant of experiences.	Same as the Sony a5100.

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D—What People Think About Both

Sony a5100	Canon 700D
The Sony a5100 actually happens to have a good number of glowing reviews. For one, people like that the camera is really light, especially because the lenses tend to be a bit heavy. Apparently, things balance out such that the camera is the right weight; neither too light nor too heavy. Furthermore, a lot of vloggers happen to like that the camera has a flip screen. It helps them do their own video recording by themselves. The inbuilt wireless connection is another thing that people like about this camera. This connection allows users quickly transfer photos taken from the camera to any other device. There’s no need removing the memory card to do what needs to be done.	The Canon 700D actually has a lot more raving reviews than the Sony a5100. A good number of vloggers actually got behind this camera and still do get behind the camera. The combination of good video quality, microphone port and face detection and focus is the reason that a good number of vloggers get behind this camera. Also, probably because the users aren’t exactly professionals, they actually happen to like the battery life of this camera too. Plus, people like that the camera can do all these and is still quite affordable.
The absence of a viewfinder is an issue for some people, especially seeing as it doesn’t come with any kind of provision for an external viewfinder. Also, some people that use this camera to record videos have an issue with the absence of a microphone port.	There actually haven’t been much as regards complaints about this camera. Everybody just seems to be in agreement that this camera is for beginners and definitely not for professionals.

Get the Sony a5100 now!	Get the Canon 700D now!

Sony a5100 Vs Canon 700D – Our Take

Sony a5100	Canon 700D
We consider this camera a decent camera for an entry-level. It is light enough that you can carry it about as frequently as you need to. Also, don’t forget that it has its own inbuilt wireless connection and is also NFC enabled. So, transferring your pictures from the camera to any device of your choice won’t be a problem. Then there is the fact that it has a wide enough ISO range.	We also consider the Canon 700D a decent entry-level camera. And of the two cameras, we actually consider this the better camera for recording videos because of its full-flex screen and microphone port. At least, you can be sure that your videos will have decent audio. Let’s also not forget that this camera actually comes with its own viewfinder.
We’ve already pointed out the things that are not the best features of this camera. However, if you think you could still get behind this, get the Sony a5100 now!	While there are all those things we like about this camera, there are a number which we do not like, as we have already listed. However, if you still dig this camera, get the Canon 700D now!