Sony Malaysia has announced the new A5100 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, offering the same fast hybrid AF system found on the larger A6000 DSLR in a compact body. Offering a massive 179 AF points, the A5100 promises super-fast auto focus and blur-free action shots.
The A5100 may be a mid-range mirrorless camera, but its compact body takes a lot of features from Sony’s larger and more expensive cameras in Sony’s stable. The fast hybrid AF system, for example, debuted in the A6000, while the BIONZ X image processor is ever-present in the A7 series DSLRs.
Not only that, the A5100 is also the world’s smallest interchangeable-lens digital camera with an APS-C sensor, built-in flash and also WiFi. The A5100 also sports a 3-inch LCD touchscreen that can be tilted a full 180 degrees as well as NFC – and it only weighs 283g with battery.
Combine all of these together and you get a compact camera that punches above its weight. The 24.3MP Exmor CMOS sensor works with any Sony E-mount lenses, while the Fast Hybrid AF ensures fast action shots are captured blur-free. The sensor also supports EV-1 to EV20, and an ISO range from 100-25600. Max continuous shooting is also at an impressive 6fps, while the A5100 also records Full HD videos in MP4, XAVC-S and AVCHD formats.
Of course, with the built-in NFC and WiFi, users can pair their smartphones via the PlayMemories Camera app for even greater creative uses, including remote viewfinder and shutter release, as well as one-touch image and movie sharing.
The Sony A5100 is now available for pre-order at a retail price of RM2399 in three colours – White, Black and Brown. Sony Malaysia is also offering two attractive pre-order packages, bundling products worth RM937 for free with each pre-order. You can opt for a single-lens (16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS) package at RM2399, or the twin-lens package (16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS and 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS) at RM3199. Also available are a wide range of accessories for the A5100, including a body case, carrying cases and bags, as well as various straps.
Sample images – click to view full 6000 x 4000 resolution:
The A5100 will be available nationwide from September 2014. For more information on the Sony A5100, head on to Sony Malaysia’s product page here.
