Nikon D5100 vs Sony RX10

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Nikon D5100 vs Sony RX10

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APS-C 368.2mm²
16.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D5100 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D5100.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 200.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10.
Compare Sony RX10 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D5200
Compare D5100 vs D5200

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 II
Compare RX10 vs RX10 II

Compare NIKON D5200 vs SONY RX10 II

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Differences

Nikon D5100 advantages over Sony RX10

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.79 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
D5100 test data on DxO Mark RX10 test data on DxO Mark

1,183 vs 474 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

660 vs 420 shots
Capture more photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
100 vs 21 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony RX10 advantages over Nikon D5100

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Higher max flash sync
1/3200 vs 1/200 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
More dots on screen
1229k vs 922k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.52x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
20.2 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 3.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
6.5 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D5100 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read RX10 User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Side-mounted tilt / swivel LCD screen; same sensor and processing as the Nikon D7000; good speed and battery life; in-camera HDR and filter effects; Full HD video capture with aperture control; audio levels control and external microphone jack.
AF-S lens mount doesn't offer autofocus with screw-drive lenses; popup flash isn't the greatest; no built-in wireless flash control; HDR function doesn't microalign source images.
Read our Nikon D5100 Full Review

Smaller than SLR/CSC with comparable lenses; Larger sensor than other bridge cameras; SLR-like body without the hassle of changing lenses; Weather-sealed; Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture; Generous zoom range; Great viewfinder; Swift performance; Plenty of enthusiast-friendly features including raw shooting; Wi-Fi and NFC wireless sharing.
Expensive compared to other bridge cameras; Menus respond slowly after burst shooting; Lens doesn't zoom very quickly; High ISO performance doesn't quite match RX100 II.
Read our Sony RX10 Review

The Competition

Compared to Panasonic FZ1000

Nikon D5100

Panasonic FZ1000

$650
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$773
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Sony RX10

Panasonic FZ1000

$698
1 inch

Top deck display
Integrated ND filter

$773
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony RX10 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Compared to Sony A55

Nikon D5100

Sony A55

$650
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$734
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
In-camera panoramas

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Sony A55

Sony RX10

Sony A55

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
Built-in Wi-Fi

$734
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 vs Sony A55

Compared to Sony A33

Nikon D5100

Sony A33

$650
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$540
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
In-camera panoramas

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Sony A33

Sony RX10

Sony A33

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
Built-in Wi-Fi

$540
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 vs Sony A33

Compared to Sony A57

Nikon D5100

Sony A57

$650
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$800
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Sony A57

Sony RX10

Sony A57

$698
1 inch

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 vs Sony A57

Compared to Sony RX10 II

Nikon D5100

Sony RX10 II

$650
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$998
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Sony RX10 II

Sony RX10

Sony RX10 II

$698
1 inch

Less expensive

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Higher effective ISO

Compare Sony RX10 vs Sony RX10 II

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