Sony Alpha a5000 MSRP $49,999.00 Score details Pros Very high quality photos Lightweight, good price Auto-shifting LCD screen Cons Burst speed

Sony Alpha a5000

MSRP

$49,999.00

Score details

Advantages

Very high quality photos

Lightweight, good price

Auto-shifting LCD screen

Disadvantages

Slow burst speed

Video 1080/60i, not 60p

The 20.1-megapixel Sony Alpha A5000 compact mirrorless camera is very affordable and surprisingly light, with a list price at launch that was just $450 - including a starter lens. Many photographers are looking to improve their photography by upgrading to an entry-level interchangeable lens camera (ILC), and

the A5000

is certainly appealing to these users. p>

Perhaps that's why, despite being over three years old, the A5000 is still available from Sony. Since its launch, its price has dropped by $50, and it comes with a 16-50mm pancake zoom lens (B&H has it

even cheaper

for $379). While a good buy for casual photographers looking for a good, affordable mirrorless camera, those looking for new features may want to spend more on Sony.

A5100

Where

A6000

, where the

Fujifilm X-T20

and Panasonic

Lumix GX85

.

Nevertheless, the A5000 also offers a lot. Now let's see if this featherweight still stands up to the competition.

Features and design

When we received a box containing the A5000, it was so light we thought it was empty. But there it was, nestled in the bubble wrap. Sony claims it's "the lightest interchangeable lens camera in the world", and at 7.4 ounces without battery or card - 9.5 with - it's really feathery. Now in the real world with a lens it's closer to a pound, but it's significantly lighter than the $700 kit

Olympus OM-D E-M10

, as well as the $500 Canon EOS Rebel SL1, the world's lightest DSLR at 14.36 ounces with just the battery/card.

The A5000 is so light we thought the box it came in was empty.

While the A5000 is barely the size of a smartphone, you'll have no problem carrying it around all day. The camera replaces what was once called the NEX series, which included the

NEX-5T

- an interchangeable lens camera with similar attributes. We also like that the A5000 is light on your wallet as it costs $450 with a lens, among the cheapest ILCs on the market. Interestingly, when the A5000 was announced at CES, the price was going to be $599, rather than the current $499. This shows how weak the camera market is as manufacturers prime the pump with low prices to counter declining sales. In other words, their pain is your gain. And when you step back, it's pretty amazing that you can now buy a 20.1MP interchangeable lens APS-C sensor camera kit for less than $500, the price of some enthusiast digital cameras with tiny imaging chips.

The A5000 is available in black, silver or white and measures 4.4×2.5×1.9 inches. The A5000 is as simple as it gets with few buttons or dials, so our feature tour will be pretty quick. The front houses the Sony E mount and there are currently around two dozen lenses to choose from. The kit comes with the 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 motorized zoom lens with built-in optical image stabilization. Since the numeric factor is 1.5x, that translates to 24-75mm in 35mm terms. It's a good starting point, but you'll want more focal length as you get more familiar with it and enjoy the imager. Also on the front is an AF assist lamp, a lens release button and a few discreet decals.

The top deck includes stereo mics, built-in flash, on/off lever, and combo zoom/zoom shutter button. There's no hot shoe or mode dial, and almost all of your major adjustments will be made via the menu system (more on that in a moment). The shutter sits atop the textured grip, which is nice, but because the camera is so small it doesn't have the depth of the larger models. As always, do your own testing before you buy; we found it reasonably comfortable.

At $499 with a lens, it's one of the cheapest ILCs on the market.

The main feature on the rear is a tilting LCD screen rated at less than 461,000 dots; there's a reason the camera costs relatively little, because the more expensive CSCs have screens rated 921K or higher and are touch-enabled. Even with the lower resolution, we had few issues in the Arizona sun once we upped the monitor's brightness levels, but there are some reflectivity issues. Another nice perk is the fact that the monitor moves 180 degrees, so flipping it into the selfie position is a breeze.

Other elements on the back include buttons to open the flash and a red dot video button. On the right side is a Menu key and a four-way control wheel with the central OK button. The dial dots give quick access to display, ISO, exposure compensation and burst mode. There are also Play and Help/Delete buttons. You can customize many of these buttons if you want quick access to special features.

We've been using Sony NEX cameras since day one and found the stock menu system somewhat obtuse. With the new A5000, things have become much more streamlined. Tap Menu and bring up six sections to adjust: Camera Settings, Custom Settings, Wireless, Application, Playback, and Setup. These titles are similar to almost any linear menu system from any other company, and you'll have no problem finding and making the adjustments you want.

On the right side of the Wi-Fi enabled A5000 is the NFC Sensor for quick pairing with your smartphone. The left side door covers the Memory Stick/SD card slot as well as the USB and micro HDMI connections.

What's in the box

You will find the body and the PZ 16 -50 mm lens as well as a rechargeable battery, various caps and a strap. You also get a mains charger and a USB cable. Since the battery charges in the camera, get used to plugging it in at night like your tablet or smartphone to avoid buying a spare. The power cell is rated at 420 good shots (CIPA rating), so you'll have a full day of shooting and recording. A 40-page owner's manual is also included. No disc is provided, so you need to download PlayMemories Home and Image Data Converter software from Sony's website to manage the files. Download PlayMemories Mobile to your phone (iOS/Android) to share images via your smartphone.

Performance and use

Since the Alpha A5000 is virtually dial-free, we first want to focus on the new menu system. Once you power on, you press the button in the center of the control wheel. Your main shooting modes appear and all you have to do is turn the command dial to choose the one you want. Brief descriptions appear on the screen to help you make your decision. Your options are those found on almost all Sony ILCs, including Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, PASM, Movie, Scene (nine options) and Sweep Panorama. Once you've made your choice, just press Menu to make any other settings you want. It really is a no-brainer. Given the price and easy-to-follow menu system, this Alpha is clearly aimed at those transitioning from a compact digital camera and wanting to dive into the vastly superior photographic pool of larger sensor and interchangeable lens cameras.

Unlike the older 16MP NEX 3 and 5 series, the new A5000 features a 20.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor. It also has the new BIONZ X processor. Realize that this is an affordable CSC, so you shouldn't expect a speed demon. This is rated at 2.5fps with continuous AF, 3.5fps in shutter priority. If you really want to take sharp photos of sports action, this one might not be for you, but for casual shooters it shouldn't be a problem. For comparison, the A5100 is rated at 6 fps at high continuous shooting, and the

A6000

,

A6300

, and< /p>

A6500

at 11 fps

A big difference with the A5000 compared to high-end CSCs is the focusing system. Here it's pure contrast detection (25 AF points) versus the more sophisticated combination of hybrid AF with phase detection, the technology used in the A5100 and newer CSCs. Is a hybrid system better than the A5000? Sure, but we didn't encounter many issues with hunting and grabbing.

We took the camera out in our South West regions, cycling through the shooting modes, even trying out the Auto HDR option. As we were shooting in the field with the A5000, we reviewed our images on the LCD screen and were somewhat detail-oriented; the shots just didn't feel very sharp. That impression went out the window once we enlarged the photos on a quality 27-inch monitor. This is where we were able to take a close look at the results of the new 20.1MP sensor (see examples). Colors in the default setting were rich and accurate. And that detail that worried us in the field was just seeing on the right screen: the camera's 461K screen just can't do them justice.

Colors in the default setting were rich and accurate; video quality is good but not outstanding.

In addition to the Power Zoom kit, we also received two expensive Zeiss Primes for our review: the $1100 Zeiss Sonnar T* 24mm/f1.8 and the $749/1.8 Zeiss Touit 32mm f. You might wonder why we used lenses that cost so much more than the kit itself, but high quality glass gives a really good idea of ​​a sensor's capability - and we love shooting with lenses. fixed focal length. Neither lens has optical image stabilization built in, so good technique is required when you're flying. As you can imagine, the results are worth it. We noticed a big difference between the kit and 32mm on a multi-colored Tiffany-like glass shade shot indoors. And getting nice blurred backgrounds was practically a given with the Zeiss legacy. At the end of the line ? The Alpha A5000 takes great pictures with the kit lens, but an investment in glass would be worth it.

The camera has an ISO range of 100-16000. In our tests with the Dynamic Range Optimizer disabled, files were cleaned up to ISO 1600, with a gradual drop off to higher levels. Even the highest setting of 16,000 felt decent. Now, you can't expect an ultra-clean shot at this spec, but with a good wide lens you'll get solid results in available light. By the way, camera makers on the whole have really tamed the noise monster. It's just another good reason to go for a larger sensor and interchangeable lens camera if you still have an older compact.

The A5000 uses the AVCHD format for movies with a maximum resolution of 1080/60i versus 60p more. -terminate Sony CSCs. Video quality is good but not outstanding, however the stereo soundtrack is quite crisp and distinct. Alas, if you're using the Power Zoom, you'll hear the motor loud and clear if there isn't a lot of ambient noise. And breezes sound like hurricanes, but it's no different than any camera with built-in mics.

Wi-Fi and NFC are hardly new in 2014, but some companies like Sony are implementing it better. Pairing the A5000 with your smartphone is easy. Basic Wi-Fi only takes about a minute when you enter the password provided by the camera. Sony's PlayMemories Mobile app is good as it offers basic sharing, remote control and editing. The company offers more advanced apps for extra money, if you want to go there.

Conclusion

With its 20.1MP APS-C sensor and $450 kit price, the Sony Alpha A5000 is a good option for those looking for a budget mirrorless camera. It would be a great move for those switching from a point-and-shoot or smartphone, but not looking for anything too complicated. That said, the A5000 does have its limitations, as we've detailed. If you want better LCD, faster burst mode and 60p video, look elsewhere. Still, the value for money equation here is good.

The A5000 earned our Recommended badge when we first reviewed it, and we still think it's a great camera. But as it passes the three-year mark, the technology is on the verge of extinction. We think Sony will eventually phase out the A5000 and make the A5100 the new entry-level device – a better camera with a higher-resolution sensor and hybrid AF. Unless you can get the A5000 for less than $300, there are other options with newer features.

Tops

Very high quality photos

Lightweight, good price

Auto-shifting LCD screen

Weak

Slow burst speeds

Relatively low quality, non-contact LCD

Video 1080/60i, not 60p

Update of May 19, 2017:

Although over three years old, the A5000 is still available from Sony. Since its launch, its price has dropped by $50, and it comes with a 16-50mm pancake zoom lens (B&H has it

even cheaper

for $379). While a good buy for casual photographers looking for a good, affordable mirrorless camera, those looking for new features may want to spend more on Sony.

A5100

Where

A6000

, where the

Fujifilm X-T20

and Panasonic

Lumix GX85

.

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