Sony Alpha 6100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Sony Alpha 6100 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Sony Alpha 6100 was introduced in August 2019 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 was introduced in December 2011. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Sony Alpha 6100 Highlights

      • 24.2 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 32,000 Native ISO
      • 425 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 922k dot Tilting Screen
      • 0.39" 1,440k dot Electronic (OLED) Viewfinder
      • 11.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Highlights

      • 10.1 MP 1/1.63-inch CCD Sensor
      • 80 - 12,800 Native ISO
      • 23 Focus Points (23 Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 460k dot Fixed Screen
      • 2.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Sony Alpha 6100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5.

      PROS

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Unlimited Video Recording
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      •   USB Charging
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz)
      •   Internal Storage
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.1 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 41
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   -2 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec

      Advantage of Sony Alpha 6100

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha 6100 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5.

      Sony Alpha 6100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1/1.63-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 24.2 Megapixel vs 10.1 Megapixel
      Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 vs 3648 x 2736
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 425 vs 23
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Multi Area Autofocus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Screen Type Tilting vs Fixed
      Touch Screen vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 922k dot vs 460k dot
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 2.5 fps
      Average Metering vs
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720
      Unlimited Video Recording vs
      Built-in Microphone Stereo vs Mono
      Microphone Input vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Built-In Bluetooth vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha 6100.

      Advantage of Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 over Sony Alpha 6100.

      Sony Alpha 6100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 80
      Higher Native ISO 32,000 vs 12,800
      Image Stabilization vs
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 30 sec vs 60 sec
      Lighter 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) vs 271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz)
      Internal Storage vs 40 MB

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Sony Alpha 6100 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5
        Video Capture
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
        HDMI Output Micro
        Light396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz)
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Sony Alpha 6100 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Environmental Sealing

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Sony Alpha 6100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 have 3.0" screens with 922k dot and 460k dot resolutions respectively. Sony Alpha 6100 has a Tilting screen which makes it very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 has a Fixed screen Sony Alpha 6100 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed

      Sony Alpha 6100 with Tilting screen


      Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha 6100 has a built-in 0.39" Electronic (OLED) viewfinder with 1,440k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage and 1.07x (0.71x 35mm equivalent) magnification.Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 does not have a built-in viewfinder but an optional electronic viewfinder can be attached.

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 6100 features a 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 366.6 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 32,000 and expands to 100 - 51,200 in boosted mode. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 features a 10.1 megapixel 1/1.63-inch CCD sensor with dimensions of 8.07 x 5.56 mm and a total area of 30.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 80 - 12,800.

      Photography Features

      Sony Alpha 6100 is equipped with BIONZ X processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 is equipped with Venus Engine FHD processor and can take pictures up to 3648 x 2736 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3968 x 2232, 3776 x 2520, 3328 x 1872, 3168 x 2112, 3072 x 2304, 2784 x 1568, 2736 x 2736, 2656 x 1768, 2560 x 1920, 2304 x 2304, 2208 x 1248, 2112 x 1408, 2048 x 1536, 2048 x 1360, 1920 x 1920, 1920 x 1080, 1600 x 1200, 1536 x 1536, 640 x 480, 480 x 480 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.

      Image Stabilization on Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Sony Alpha 6100

      Sony Alpha 6100 has a built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Sony Alpha 6100

      Sony Alpha 6100 has a built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      NFC

      Cameras have Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Sony Alpha 6100 has a Micro HDMI and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 has an HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Sony Alpha 6100 comes with NP-FW50 battery pack with battery life of 420 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Sony Alpha 6100 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo Hybrid (UHS-I) card slot. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Sony Alpha 6100 has Electronic shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Sony Alpha 6100, and up to 1/4000 sec on Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. Sony Alpha 6100 can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 can shoot continuously up to 2.5 fps.


      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 6100 has Fast Hybrid AF (Phase-detection / Contrast-detection) system with 425 focusing points and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 has 23 focusing points. Sony Alpha 6100 has detection range from -2 to +20 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Sony Alpha 6100 ranges from -2 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Sony Alpha 6100 and ±2 range on Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. You can also do exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Alpha 6100 and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 6.00 m at ISO 100 on Sony Alpha 6100 and 7.20 m on Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. They also accept external flash which can be connected via Intelligent Hot Shoe or Wireless connection to Sony Alpha 6100 and via Shoe Mount to Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec on Sony Alpha 6100.

      Physical Parameters

      Sony Alpha 6100 body has dimensions of 120 x 67 x 59 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 2.32") and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 body has dimensions of 110 x 65 x 43 mm (4.33 x 2.56 x 1.69"). Sony Alpha 6100 weighs 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 weighs 271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz).

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      120 mm

      67 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      110 mm

      65 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      67 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      65 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      59 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      43 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Sony Alpha 6100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      Sony Alpha 6100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      71
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      60
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      75
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      56
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      73
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      59
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      84
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      73
      •   Small Sensor
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      GOOD
      82
      •   Small Sensor
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      84
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Sony Alpha 6100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 and give them scores of 75 and 61 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      OVERALL
      75
      OVERALL
      61

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.1 Megapixel
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 41

      Photo

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      GOOD
      71
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps

      Video

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      74
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Unlimited Video Recording
      POOR
      43
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720

      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   -2 EV Min AF Detection
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      POOR
      52
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      GOOD
      83
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      GOOD
      70
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot

      Connectivity

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      62
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

      POOR
      42
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      POOR
      47
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz)
      •   Internal Storage


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

      Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
      ZKelectronics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca, etc) and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.