Reasons to choose D5100
Released in 2011, D5100 has about 368 mm² of sensor area, 16.2 MP effective resolution, and a 560 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Nikon D5100
vs Sony Alpha SLT-A58
VS
Sensor area
368 mm²
D5100357 mm²
Alpha SLT-A58- Area ratio
- 1.03:1
- Absolute difference
- 11 mm²
- Relative difference
- 3%
The D5100 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
D5100MetricAlpha SLT-A58
16.2 MPEffective pixels20.1 MP
23.6 × 15.6Sensor23.2 × 15.4
4.77 µmPixel pitch4.22 µm
22.73 µm²Pixel area17.78 µm²
4.4 MP/cm²Pixel density5.63 MP/cm²
1.53Crop factor1.55
1,920 × 1,080Maximum video1,920 × 1,080
560 gWeight573 g
SDHC, SDXC, Secure DigitalStorageSD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo/XC-HG Duo
Lithium-Ion EN-EL14 rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBatteryRechargeable NP-FM500H battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The D5100 has the larger sensor area. The D5100 has the lighter body. The Alpha SLT-A58 has the higher effective resolution. The Alpha SLT-A58 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose Alpha SLT-A58
Released in 2013, Alpha SLT-A58 has about 357 mm² of sensor area, 20.1 MP effective resolution, and a 573 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.