Sony Alpha 6100 vs Pentax Q7

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Sony Alpha 6100 and the Pentax Q7, 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 Pentax Q7 was introduced in August 2013. 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

      Pentax Q7 Highlights

      • 12.4 MP 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 12,800 Native ISO
      • Unknown Focus Points (Unknown Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 460k dot Fixed Screen
      • 5.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 25 min Video Recording Limit
      • 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 Pentax Q7.

      PROS

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      •   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
      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz)

      CONS

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      •   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 - 12.4 Megapixel
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 250 shots


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

      AVERAGE

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      •   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
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps

      Advantage of Sony Alpha 6100

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha 6100 over Pentax Q7.

      Sony Alpha 6100 vs Pentax Q7
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1/1.7-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 24.2 Megapixel vs 12.4 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 32,000 vs 12,800
      Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 vs 4000 x 3000
      Higher Bit Depth 14-Bit vs 12-Bit
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Multi Area Autofocus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Animal Eye 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 Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/2000 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 5.0 fps
      Average Metering vs
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
      Unlimited Video Recording vs
      Built-in Microphone Stereo vs Mono
      Microphone Input vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs Eye-Fi connection possible
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Longer Battery Life 420 shots vs 250 shots

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

      Advantage of Pentax Q7

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pentax Q7 over Sony Alpha 6100.

      Sony Alpha 6100 vs Pentax Q7
      Cheaper $750 (body only), $850 (w/16-50 lens), $1100 (w/16-50 and 55-210 lenses) vs $499 inc 02 5-15mm lens
      Sensor Type CMOS vs BSI-CMOS
      Image Stabilization vs Sensor Shift
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/160 sec vs 1/2000 sec
      Lighter 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) vs 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Pentax Q7.

      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 Pentax Q7
        Cheap$750 (body only), $850 (w/16-50 lens), $1100 (w/16-50 and 55-210 lenses)$499 inc 02 5-15mm lens
        Video Capture
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
        HDMI Output Micro output terminal Type D
        Light396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz)
      WEAKNESSES Sony Alpha 6100 Pentax Q7
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Environmental Sealing
        Short Battery Life420 shots250 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Sony Alpha 6100 and Pentax Q7 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. Pentax Q7 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.Pentax Q7 does not have a built-in viewfinder but an optional optical 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. Pentax Q7 features a 12.4 megapixel 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 7.44 x 5.58 mm and a total area of 31.1 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 12,800.

      Pentax Q7 has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Sony Alpha 6100 is equipped with BIONZ X processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution. Pentax Q7 can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4000 x 2664, 4000 x 2248, 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 2048, 3072 x 1728, 2992 x 2992, 2304 x 2304, 1920 x 1440, 1920 x 1280, 1920 x 1080, 1440 x 1440 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Sony Alpha 6100 has Sony E lens mount and Pentax Q7 has Pentax Q lens mount. Due to APS-C sensor in Sony Alpha 6100 its crop factor is equal to 1.5x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5. Due to 1/1.7-inch sensor in Pentax Q7 its crop factor is equal to 4.7x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 4.7.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Pentax Q7

      Pentax Q7 has a built-in Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      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 on Sony Alpha 6100

      Sony Alpha 6100 has 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 Pentax Q7 has a output terminal Type D HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Sony Alpha 6100 comes with NP-FW50 battery pack with battery life of 420 shots and Pentax Q7 comes with D-LI68 battery pack with battery life of 250 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Sony Alpha 6100 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo Hybrid (UHS-I) card slot. Pentax Q7 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) and Eye-Fi Card 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 1/2000 sec on Pentax Q7. Sony Alpha 6100 can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Pentax Q7 can shoot continuously up to 5.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 6100 has Fast Hybrid AF (Phase-detection / Contrast-detection) system with 425 focusing points and Pentax Q7 has . 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 ±3 EV range on Pentax Q7. You can also do exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Alpha 6100 and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Pentax Q7.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 6.00 m at ISO 100 on Sony Alpha 6100 and 4.90 m (ISO100/m) on Pentax Q7. They also accept external flash which can be connected via Intelligent Hot Shoe or Wireless connection to Sony Alpha 6100 and via Hot Shoe to Pentax Q7. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec on Sony Alpha 6100 and 1/2000 sec on Pentax Q7.

      Physical Parameters

      Sony Alpha 6100 body has dimensions of 120 x 67 x 59 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 2.32") and Pentax Q7 body has dimensions of 102 x 58 x 34 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.34"). Sony Alpha 6100 weighs 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) and Pentax Q7 weighs 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz).

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      120 mm

      67 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      102 mm

      58 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      67 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      58 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      59 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      34 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Sony Alpha 6100 and Pentax Q7

      Sony Alpha 6100 and Pentax Q7 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

      Pentax Q7

      GOOD
      71
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      POOR
      51
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      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
      66
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 250 shots

      Wildlife Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      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
      60
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 250 shots

      Portrait Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      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
      79
      •   Small Sensor
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec

      Street Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      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
      84
      •   Small Sensor
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      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
      85
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 250 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Sony Alpha 6100 and Pentax Q7 and give them scores of 75 and 64 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

      Pentax Q7

      OVERALL
      75
      OVERALL
      64

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.4 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      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
      77
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec

      Video

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      GOOD
      74
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Unlimited Video Recording
      POOR
      45
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit

      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   -2 EV Min AF Detection
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      GOOD
      83
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Low Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot

      Connectivity

      Sony Alpha 6100

      Pentax Q7

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   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

      Pentax Q7

      POOR
      42
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      POOR
      43
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 250 shots


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

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