Nikon Z50 II vs Sony A6100

The Nikon Z50 II and the Sony Alpha A6100 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2024 and August 2019. Both the Z50 II and the A6100 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon Z50 II		Sony A6100
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
250 shots per battery charge		420 shots per battery charge
127 x 97 x 67 mm, 550 g		120 x 67 x 59 mm, 396 g

Check Z50 II price at
amazon.com
Check A6100 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z50 II and the Sony Alpha A6100? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z50 II and the Sony A6100 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A6100 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the Z50 II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A6100 is considerably smaller (35 percent) than the Nikon Z50 II. Moreover, the A6100 is markedly lighter (28 percent) than the Z50 II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the Z50 II is splash and dust resistant, while the A6100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z50 II	127 mm	97 mm	67 mm	550 g	250	Y	Nov 2024	US$ 909	amazon.com
2.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
4.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z6 III	139 mm	102 mm	74 mm	670 g	380	Y	Jun 2024	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z30	128 mm	74 mm	60 mm	405 g	330	Y	Jun 2022	US$ 709	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z50	127 mm	94 mm	60 mm	450 g	320	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 859	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	US$ 959	amazon.com
13.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
16.		Sony ZV-1 II	106 mm	60 mm	47 mm	292 g	290	n	May 2023	US$ 899	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The A6100 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 18 percent) than the Z50 II, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A6100 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the A6100 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 20.7 MP of the Z50 II. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.22μm for the Z50 II). Moreover, it should be noted that the Z50 II is much more recent (by 5 years and 2 months) than the A6100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Z50 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A6100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A6100 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon Z50 II are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Z50 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A6100 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon Z50 II	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/60p	24.3	14.1	2467	86
2.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
3.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
4.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
5.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
6.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
7.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
8.		Nikon Z6 III	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3318	97
9.		Nikon Z30	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	13.9	2230	86
10.		Nikon Z50	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1963	84
11.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
12.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
13.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
14.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
15.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
16.		Sony ZV-1 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.3	12.9	965	67
17.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Z50 II provides a higher frame rate than the A6100. It can shoot video footage at 4K/60p, while the Sony is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Z50 II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A6100 (2360k vs 1440k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon Z50 II, the Sony A6100, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon Z50 II	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
5.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon Z6 III	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Z30	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon Z50	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony ZV-1 II	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z50 II and the Sony A6100 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The Z50 II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A6100 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The Z50 II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A6100 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z50 II and Sony Alpha A6100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon Z50 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Nikon Z6 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Z50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony ZV-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the Z50 II has a headphone jack, which is not present on the A6100 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

The Z50 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the A6100 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A6100 was succeeded by the Sony A6600. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon and Sony websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon Z50 II better than the Sony A6100 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Z50 II:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 1440k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A6100 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A6100:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 20.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 8%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.68x).
• More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 127x97mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 154g or 28 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (420 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (18 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2019).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z50 II emerges as the winner of the contest (11 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z50 II and the Sony A6100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the Z50 II and the A6100 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z50 II	..	..	..	88/100	..	..	Nov 2024	US$ 909	amazon.com
2.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
4.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
8.		Nikon Z6 III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z30	4/5	..	4/5	86/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2022	US$ 709	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z50	5/5	..	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 859	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	US$ 959	amazon.com
13.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
16.		Sony ZV-1 II	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	83/100	3.5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 899	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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