- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- Sony SLT A57
- Nikon D7000
- Pentax K-30
- Canon EOS 60D
- Nikon D3200
Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Nov, 2011)The Sony A65 can shoot full-resolution 24.3 megapixel pictures at up to 10fps whilst maintaining continuous auto focus and auto exposure, an impressively fast rate for such an inexpensive camera.
Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2011)All in all, though, the D5100 delivers excellent still and moving pictures with the minimum of fuss in a lightweight package and is a serious rival to the Canon EOS 600D and the Sony A55.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Sony SLT A65 compared to the Nikon D5100
MP24
APS-C
Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Nov, 2011)The new 24.3 megapixel sensor offers greatly increased resolution without impacting on low-light performance or operational speed, while the OLED viewfinder is simply the best EVF that we've ever had the pleasure of using.
16.1 MP
APS-C
Rated 100% by by Cebuano (May, 2011)D5100 superior low light excellent image quality and loving it more, I have returned my D3100 and keeping Nikon D5100 instead,using Nikon 35mm 1.8G AF-S ( same 1600 ISO and shutter, Aperture etc., clearly less noise under indoor night low light condition worth every penny IMHO).
megapixels
| 0 MP | 24 MP   | 30 MP |
SLT A65 by J.-Donaldson--Cal-diver (Apr, 2013)Not only is the image quality very good but I also find that photo processing algorithms work better on my computer with these high pixel count images.
D5100 by Photography Blog (Apr, 2011)The Nikon D5100 is a new 16.2 megapixel DSLR camera that can record Full HD movies at 1920x1280 pixels / 25fps with stereo sound.
sensor size
SLT A65 by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattIf you are willing to trade some of the low light ability for 1) more compact lenses/body; 2) much less money than a full frame system; 3) the best video you've ever seen from a DSLR camera, then this system is for you . . . and is a very good deal.
D5100 by Rob-LaRosa (Apr, 2011)I had purchased one of the Micro Four Thirds cameras because it was light and small, but I found the quality lacking when compared to APS-C cameras.
viewfinder size
SLT A65 by Eric-Tessmer--Honolulu-Hawaii (Mar, 2012)Unlike optical viewfinders, the size of an EVF doesn't have to be constrained by the size of the camera's sensor, which means it's possible to offer a finder much closer to the size photographers enjoyed when they shot film SLRs.
D5100 by dojokloViewfinder: The D5100 has a pentamirror viewfinder with approximately 95% coverage of the actual resulting image, the same as the D3100.
body size
132 x 97 x 81 mm
127 x 97 x 79 mm
SLT A65 by J.-Donaldson--Cal-diver (Apr, 2013)The truth is the three lenses I have add so much weight that the overall weight difference with the new body isn't really that much.
focus points
| 0 | 15 | 20 |
SLT A65 by jstover33 (Nov, 2011)Yeah, I guess it has a couple more focus points, but in real world I don't think that matters.
D5100 by Photography Blog (Apr, 2011)Ultimately the Nikon D5100 easily overcomes its few real weak points, offering a compelling mix of great image and movie quality, precise and quick auto-focusing, accurate metering and a fantastic LCD screen, all in a format that most users will find intutive and enjoyable to use.
Performance Real world tests of Sony SLT A65 vs Nikon D5100
DxOMark image quality
D5100 by Kmimi00 (Feb, 2013)Was very excited to get his camera in the mail and it was everything it said it was, the picture quality is great and I was VERY happy with this purchase.
DxOMark low light performance
SLT A65 by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattSony made a clear decision to trade low light ability for speed, resolution and detail in better light.
D5100 by Filmmaster-6 (Feb, 2012)This is an excellent camera for those photographers who do low light shooting, The colors are brilliant and clear.
shutter lag
| 0 ms | 138 ms | 200 ms |
SLT A65 by Damian-P.-Gadal (May, 2012)It is solid, with no real noticeable shutter lag, and the results are often stunning.
D5100 by Peter (May, 2012)Its shutter delay is minimal and it takes multiple pictures fast enough to catch the moment almost every time.
continuous shooting
SLT A65 by J.Xu (Apr, 2012)It is the only camera on the market with 24mp and 10fps burst mode for under a grand.
D5100 by dojokloContinuous Shooting Speed: As you work your way up the Nikon dSLR line-up the cameras' continuous shooting speed and maximum shots at that rate increases.
battery life
560 photos
660 photos
SLT A65 by Eddison-O-Neal-Fowler (Dec, 2012)The battery life is better than I expected for a 24 mp camera with so many qualities.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the Nikon D5100
| Much faster rapid fire | 10 fps | vs | 4 fps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5x faster continuous shooting; Take photos in rapid succession to capture motion | |||
| Much higher definition video | HD video | vs | HD video |
| Great video; great for displaying on a large flat panel TV | |||
| Image stabilization | Sensor shift | vs | None |
| Supports image stabilization | |||
| Much higher resolution | 24 MP | vs | 16.1 MP |
| Around 50% higher resolution; Capture more detail, good for large prints | |||
| Much bigger viewfinder | 0.71x | vs | 0.51x |
| Around 40% bigger viewfinder size | |||
| Much less delay taking photos | 138 ms | vs | 273 ms |
| Around 50% less shutter lag; Avoid missing spontaneous moments | |||
| Includes a GPS | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Records the location of your photos automatically | |||
| Create realistic 3D images | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Create 3D photos to view on a 3D TV | |||
| Much larger viewfinder coverage | 100% | vs | 95% |
| Around 10% larger coverage | |||
| Automatic panorama | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Stitches together multiple photos into a single ultra-wide view | |||
| Significantly more highly reviewed by consumers | 88.76% | vs | 82.7% |
| Around 10% more highly reviewed by consumers | |||
| More cross-type focus points | 3 | vs | 1 |
| Three times as many cross type focus points; Easier and faster focusing in low light | |||
| Marginally more recently announced | Aug, 2011 | vs | Apr, 2011 |
| Announced date 4 months later | |||
| More phase-detection focus points | 15 | vs | 11 |
| 4 more phase detection focus points; Faster autofocus in reasonably lit settings | |||
Advantages compared to the Sony SLT A65
| Much less startup delay | 500 ms | vs | 2,800 ms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6x less startup delay; Be ready for anything | |||
| Better overall image quality | 80.0 | vs | 74.0 |
| Around 10% better image quality | |||
| Significantly less noise at high ISO | 1,183 ISO | vs | 717 ISO |
| More than 60% higher low light performance | |||
| More photos per charge | 660 | vs | 560 |
| 100 more shots; Longer battery life | |||
| Better dynamic range | 13.0 ev | vs | 12.6 ev |
| Almost the same | |||
| Lighter | 560 g | vs | 622 g |
| Around 10% lighter | |||
| Smaller | 127 x 97 x 79 mm | vs | 132 x 97 x 81 mm |
| Around 10% smaller | |||
| Slightly thinner | 79 mm | vs | 81 mm |
| Almost the same | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Sony SLT A65 | Nikon D5100 | ||
 |  
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rated by 80 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by Alex-Parker (Nov, 2011) Rated 80% by by S.-Vogt (Apr, 2012)  Rated 100% by by Greg-R. (Jun, 2012) | Rated by 645 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by Will-F--uGems Rated 100% by by Will-F--uGems Rated 100% by by romerider (Dec, 2011) | |
quality
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by DACHokie (Oct, 2012)The HD Video Quality: While other cameras I've owned had video capability none compare to the overall quality of the A65 ... it instantly replaces my Sony Camcorder.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by sfreez (Nov, 2011)Picture/Video quality:Coming from a Canon Rebel XSI and having a friend who bought a Nikon D5100 recently I have some decent comparisons.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Nov, 2011)The truest testament to the A65 is that I almost exclusively used it by holding it up to eye-level, something that I wouldn't do unless the EVF was of sufficient quality.
video
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Nov, 2011)The A65 can record 1080p HD 1920 x 1280 pixel movies at either 50fps or 25fps (PAL), or 60fps and 24fps (NTSC) in the AVCHD format, or 1440 x 1080 pixels at 30fps/25fps in the MPEG-4 format, useful as this format can currently be shared more easily.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattThe clincher is that the A65 takes good to great video and the A99 pretty average (at best) video.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by Alex-Parker (Nov, 2011)If you are mulling the a65 specifically because it has a 24p option, do yourself a favour, save your money and get the a55, just trust me on this.
iso
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattBest high ISO performance outside of a FF sensor (and full weather sealing - unheard of at this price point), but limited movie mode support (no options for external mic, no dedicated movie button, no still shooting during movies) - Pentax was really thinking about stills when they made this camera, and although its low light abilities are clearly better than the A65's - and anything else in the sub-frame world - if you are not shooting in low light much of the time, the Sony is the more `balanced' choice.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattBest high ISO performance outside of a FF sensor (and full weather sealing - unheard of at this price point), but limited movie mode support (no options for external mic, no dedicated movie button, no still shooting during movies) - Pentax was really thinking about stills when they made this camera, and although its low light abilities are clearly better than the A65's - and anything else in the sub-frame world - if you are not shooting in low light much of the time, the Sony is the more 'balanced' choice.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattThe Olympus OMD 5 has fantastic high ISO performance for a micro 4/3 sensor (better than either the Nikon 3200 or the Sony A65), underscoring that manufacturers are continually moving the goalposts in terms of improving both high ISO performance and resolution at the same time.
sensor
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 80% by by brenco (Oct, 2012)If you ton't mind the bigger price, go for the a77 (weatherproof body, adjustable auto iso range, better AF system....), btu for this price range the a65 is a bargain.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattThe Olympus OMD 5 has fantastic high ISO performance for a micro 4/3 sensor (better than either the Nikon 3200 or the Sony A65 frankly) and also offers better JPEG definition than either Sony or Nikon (to the point where RAW post processing typically yields little).
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattEven in head-to-head comparisons with the A900 (full frame 24MP sensor), the A65 does a very credible job as ISO rises - and with the disadvantage of a smaller APS-C sensor.
image quality
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by jstover33 (Nov, 2011)Shot to shot comparison is: A65 is sharper, but with better color rendition.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattNice job overall by Pentax, so if you find the A65's Achilles heel of low light noise a real hindrance, you will likely love the Pentax K-30, unless you are a serious videographer.
Sony SLT A65 | Rated 100% by by D.-F.-Watt--dfwattIt is a real testimony to the A65 that most of the time I couldn't take a better picture with the A99, except when it got dark.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Sony SLT A57 Fastest rapid fire mode |
 | 2 | Nikon D7000 Good benchmarked shot to shot times |
 | 3 | Pentax K-30 Largest sensor |
 | 4 | Canon EOS 60D Most shots per battery charge |
 | 5 | Nikon D3200 High resolution |
 | 6 | Nikon D5200 Best image quality as rated by DXOMark |
 | 7 | Canon EOS 600D 3-way tie: Highest resolution screen |
 | 8 | Canon Rebel T4i Has a touch screen |
Popular Questions
April 21, 2012
Studio portraits
Hello, I am having trouble figuring out if I want to stick with the Sony or if I want to go with the Nikon. I will be using this camera for family portaits and team sports. I am having trouble my...
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Answers April 19, 2012
Outdoor photography of landscapes, and ocean/water scenes.
This is my first purchase of a DSLR. I will be using the camera for photography of landscapes, and ocean scenes, as wells as filming waterspout recreation. The camera will primarily be used to ...
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2
Answers May 21, 2012
Action Video and photos
Hello I don't now if i should choose sony SLT a65 or nikon d5100. I'm going to use it for action clip and sport photos also making some short films. But i don't now. some say the sony :)...
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December 31, 2012
Image Quality, Low Noise at High ISO
I am a professional Photographer. I choose Nikon as a complete system. Nikin D5100 offers most of the features available in 3 times expensive camera like Sony SLT-A65. It only lakes in 2 major in...
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Answers Community What does Sortable's community think
7
vs
1
Sony SLT A65
87% of users recommend the Sony SLT A65 over the Nikon D5100
Sony SLT A65
Diego-Tony-Silva 
Intermediate II
Sony A65 has bigger viewfinder, and better, cus you can see better than your eye, is OLED tru-finder, I checked, cus i have an A65, you can shoot at 10fps with continuous focus between shoots !... View Diego-Tony-Silva's recommendation
- 0 comments
- October 17, 2012
- Reply to: Action Video and photos
Feras-Douba 
Beginner I
Because of the faster auto focus ... i think sony is much better and very fast View Feras-Douba's recommendation
- 4 comments
- August 12, 2012
- Reply to: Outdoor photography of landscapes, and ocean/water scenes.
Philip-Davis 
Expert III
The Sony has a much bigger view finder, which helps a lot when composing shots. Sure, the Nikon has slightly better image quality at high ISO... but you're probably always at ISO 100 for studio... View Philip-Davis's recommendation
- 0 comments
- April 27, 2012
- Reply to: Studio portraits
Nikon D5100
PixelCrazy 
Beginner I
Its all about ISO and better GLASS View PixelCrazy's recommendation
- 0 comments
- April 27, 2012
- Reply to: Studio portraits
