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Sony a6000 Review

May 2014 | By Richard Butler and Jeff Keller

Sony's NEX-6 was a departure from the company's usual lineup of mirrorless cameras when it was introduced in the Fall of 2012. It slotted in between the various NEX-5 models and the NEX-7, and staked out a middle ground between the two, aiming to offer an accessible camera that offered a strong feature set for photographers. So you got a small camera with an electronic viewfinder and a degree of direct control. To this the NEX-6 offered two things that were yet to appear on any Sony mirrorless camera: an exposure mode dial and an ISO-standard hot shoe.

The new a6000 sits in the same place in Sony's mirrorless lineup and offers a broadly similar feature set, but adds a number of significant new features (while also losing the NEX moniker of its predecessor). The resolution and processor have been bumped up, the most notable feature on the a6000 is its updated Hybrid AF system.

Where the NEX-6 had 99 phase-detect points covering approximately 50% of the sensor, the a6000 has 179, with 92% coverage - by far the most comprehensive of any contemporary camera. This, combined with the new Bionz X processor, allows the camera to shoot continuously at 11 fps with subject tracking, according to Sony. The company also claims that the a6000 has the fastest AF performance on the market, though those statements should always be taken with a grain of salt.

The only major losses are that the a6000 utilizes Sony's lower resolution, SVGA viewfinder, rather than its top-end XGA panel. It also loses the NEX-6's level gauge - which seems like an odd thing to remove, just to help it hit a lower price point. However, those cost-cutting measures seem to have worked: the a6000's list price is $100 lower, at $649, than the NEX-6's was at launch.

Sony a6000 key features

24.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
Bionz X image processor
Hybrid AF system with 25 contrast-detect and 179 phase-detect points
Built-in flash + Multi-Interface Shoe
11 fps continuous shooting with subject-tracking
3-inch tilting LCD with 921,600 dots
OLED electronic viewfinder with 1.44M dots
Diffraction correction, area-specific noise reduction, and detail reproduction technology
Full HD video recording at 1080/60p and 24p; clean HDMI output
Wi-Fi with NFC capability and downloadable apps

The major changes here are related to the sensor. The new 24 megapixel 'Exmor APS HD' CMOS sensor has on-chip phase detection like its predecessor, but it covers a much larger area of the frame. Sony promises better AF tracking, especially when shooting continuously. The a6000 uses Sony's latest image processor - Bionz X - which touts improved detail and smarter noise reduction as improvements.

While the specs of the a6000's movie mode aren't a whole lot different from the NEX-6, users now have access to a zebra pattern (a live exposure warning that can be set to indicate a chosen brightness level), and can output 'clean' video over HDMI. The menus have switched to the new 'Alpha' style found on the a7 and a7R (for better or for worse), and the camera can now be controlled via a Mac or PC over a USB connection. The Wi-Fi feature is about the same as on the NEX-6, offering remote control from a smart device, the ability to transfer images from the camera and options for uploading to the cloud, across Wi-Fi networks. The camera can also download and run Sony's feature-enhancing 'Playmemories Apps' of which there are an increasing number.

Hybrid AF System

If there's one area that makes the a6000 stand out from the crowd, it's the camera's improved AF system. While the 25-point contrast detect part of the system remains the same, the number of phase-detect points has increased from 99 to 179 since the NEX-6. All of those extra phase detect points give you a much wider coverage area: roughly 92% of the frame, compared to around 50%. The benefit? A wider area that lets phase detection autofocus do what it does best: track moving subjects.

Bionz X Processor

The company's latest 'Bionz X' processor is considerably more powerful than the previous generation, allowing what the company says will be more sophisticated processing.

Sony is being a little vague on specifics, but is touting the new processor as offering 'Detail Reproduction Technology' which appears to be a more subtle and sophisticated sharpening system. The company promises less apparent emphasis on edges, giving a more convincing representation of fine detail.

Another function promised by the Bionz X processor is 'Diffraction Reduction', in which the camera's processing attempts to correct for the softness caused by diffraction as you stop a lens' aperture down. This processing is presumably aperture-dependent and sounds similar to an element of Fujifilm's Lens Modulation Optimization system (introduced on the X100S), and, as we predicted when we first saw it here, it's subsequently appeared across several brands, including Olympus.

Finally, Sony says the Bionz X chip offers a more advanced version of its context-sensitive, 'area-specific noise reduction', which attempts to identify whether each area of an image represents smooth tone, textured detail or subject edges, and then apply different amounts of noise reduction accordingly.

Compared to a5000 and NEX-6

While most of the changes on the a6000 are for the better, there are a few things that have gone the other way compared to the NEX-6. For the sake of comparison we've also thrown in the a6000's step-down model, the a5000.

	a5000	NEX-6	a6000
Resolution	20.1MP	16.1MP	24.3MP
Processor	Bionz X	Bionz	Bionz X
AF system (contrast/phase)	25 / 0 point	25 / 99 point	25 / 179 point
ISO range	100-16000	100-25600	100-25600
LCD design (tilt up/down)	Tilting (180° up)	Tilting (90°/45°)	Tilting (90°/45°)
EVF type / resolution	None	OLED / 2.36M dot	OLED / 1.44M dot
EVF magnification (equiv.)	N/A	0.73x	0.70x
On-screen level gauge	No	Yes	No
Max burst rate	4 fps	10 fps	11 fps
Video resolution	1080/60i/24p	1080/60p/24p	1080/60p/24p
Zebra pattern	Yes	No	Yes
Clean HDMI output	No	No	Yes
PC remote	No	No	Yes
Battery life (CIPA)	420 shots	360 shots	360 shots

In most respects, the Alpha 6000 is a big step up from the NEX-6 - the slightly smaller, lower resolution viewfinder is the only major step down in the specification.

As you'd expect, the a6000 is considerably more capable than the lower-cost a5000, unless you want a 180 degree flip-up screen. The trade-off for that feature is the lack of an EVF.

Kit options and pricing

The a6000 is available in silver or black, at a price of $649/£589/€649 for the body and $799/£719/€799 for a kit including the 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 power zoom lens.

The a6000 is available in silver or black

Accessories of note include an 'active sling bag', screen protector, and body case. Some users may also be interested in the BC-VW1 external charger, as Sony only includes a USB charger in the box.

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.

We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C.

Gear in this story

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Discuss in the forums

Sony A6000 ILCE6000LB.CEC Kit Compact numérique hybride 3" (7,62 cm) 24,3 Mpix Zoom optique 3x Wi-Fi/HDMI/USB Noir + Objectif 16-50 mm rétractable	EUR 634,00
Sony A6000 ILCE6000B.CEC Appareil photo hybride 3" (7,62 cm) 24,3 Mpix...	EUR 534,68
Sony A6000 ILCE6000YB.CEC Kit Compact numérique hybride 3" (7,62 cm) 24,3 Mpix Zoom optique 3x Wi-Fi/HDMI/USB Noir + Objectif 16-50 mm rétractable + Objectif 55-210 mm rétractable	EUR 829,00
Sony A6000 ILCE6000LS.CEC Kit Compact numérique hybride 3" (7,62 cm) 24,3 Mpix Zoom optique 3x Wi-Fi/HDMI/USB Argent + Objectif 16-50 mm rétractable	EUR 629,90
Sony Alpha A6000 Kit Compact numérique hybride Ecran 3" (7,62 cm) 24,3 Mpix Zoom optique 4,4x Noir + Objectif 16-70 mm	EUR 1.423,81
Sony Alpha 6000 / ILCE-6000 Appareils Photo Numériques 24.7 Mpix	EUR 650,79
SONY ALPHA 6000 NOIR + 16-50 + SD 4 Go + Sac	EUR 744,70
SONY - SIGMA SONY ALPHA 6000 SILVER + SIGMA 30mm	EUR 854,70
SONY - SIGMA SONY ALPHA 6000 NOIR + SIGMA 30mm + Sac + SD 4 Go	EUR 889,60
SONY ALPHA 6000 SILVER + 16-70 f/4 OSS ZEISS	EUR 1.614,70

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Comments

Total comments: 840

does it have any problem with shooting long video ??? more than 20 m ?

0 upvotes

Just decided to post my opinion even I am starting amateur in photography. Bought A6000 body and kept the 1855 lens from my previous camera Sony NEX5R. I found the A6000 1650 kit lens too plastic. The 1855 obviously more durable. Amd I am postively surprised with images, sharp , true colores. However as I mentioned can not compare pictures from 1650 with the ones from 1855.

0 upvotes

Was thinking about purchasing the Sony A600. Not sure now after reading reviews. I am wanting to shoot my children's sports pictures, basketball, soccer, and tennis. Can anyone recommend a good camera and lens for action photos.

0 upvotes

i bought the a6000 despite not needing an action cam at all.
if thats your aim what are you waiting for? get an a6000, i dont see too many interesting alternatives as its quite perfect for shooting action and sports.

0 upvotes

Or should I get the NEX 6 (see below) to replace the older NEX 7 ?

0 upvotes

I accidentally trashed my NEX 7 and have a suite of lenses for it, including the Zeiss 24 mm 1.8. Am I better off buying another NEX 7 body, or the newer A6000?

0 upvotes

Depends on how much you value the triple dial system of the NEX-7. As a manual shooter, I found it quite invaluable, and the a6000 is a tiny bit slower since you need to press a button to dial the ISO. If you're using mostly Sony lenses, definitely go for the a6000 as its phase detection AF will help a lot (though I have found the accuracy to be hit or miss). I use my Sigma trio of lenses, which are contrast-detect only, so I don't benefit as much.

Like the NEX-7, the a6000 viewfinder lags somewhat in low light (especially when compared to recent Micro 4/3rds systems). The RAW files are slightly less noisy than the NEX-7 at ISO 1600 to 6400. However, keep in mind the colours start losing accuracy faster at ISO 3200, as compared to ISO 6400 on my Canon 650D.

If you're in a hurry, get the a6000. If not, wait around and see if a true successor to the NEX-7 will come out.

0 upvotes

Go with Oly. I have the A6000 and I am disappointed. Battery life is misserable, I hunt for a good lens for two months an picture quality is average. Just not worthy. It is an annoying camera.

5 upvotes

totally agree with you, i've been using it for 3 months. IQ is really just average, with the huge raw file, i can't believe how bad it is, you just can't get more from the file. Kit Len 16-50 isn't too bad, very easy to use, but focusing on the long zoom kit len is slow and painful. reminds me of something from 2008...

0 upvotes

piepie22, have you checked the firmware on the Long zoom? I had to update the firmware on mine in order to get it to focus well on the a6000. Still not as fast as the 16-50 or 18-105, but it seemed pretty fast at that point.

0 upvotes

Sony A6000 w/Zeiss 16-70mm F/4 vs
Olympus OMD EM-1 w/M Zuiko ED 12-40mm F/2.8 Pro

Which would you pick and why?

Comment edited 48 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Fujifilm X-E2 w/Fujinon 18-55mm f2/8 - 4.

2 upvotes

Olympus, no contest. Had Nex-6 and the Zeiss zoom and rented the A6000 to see if I could stay in the system and protect my lens investment. But I ended up taking a bit of a loss and bought the Oly combination you're asking about. Haven't regretted it for a second. The 6000 is easier than the Nex 6, but it's still one of the least intuitive cameras I've ever shot with. Sony IQ is great and the camera is nearly half the price, but I really hated shooting with it. Not inspiring at all. Oly user experience is familiar-once you've set the camera up for yourself (took me about 15 minutes), it's seamless. Oly IQ is terrific and unless you're blowing images up to billboard size, don't believe all the punters and pixel peepers who are dissing Micro 4/3. I make high quality 16x20 prints all the time--it's all you need.

2 upvotes

Thank you so much for your kind, detailed reply. Olympus it is!

0 upvotes

Why wasting money with micro 4/3? Did you ever tried Fujifilm X System cameras? Fantastic IQ, very intuitive controls (old school), the x-trans sensor (APS-C) is great especially in low light and is fully compatible with legacy lenses!

0 upvotes

Great question. Brand loyalty and familiarity, maybe? Fujifilm invokes images of the emulsion they sold back in the day and I simply never gave the company much consideration as a result.

Had and enjoyed using my old OM-1. Fit my hands better than the bigger, bulkier "Canikon" models and looked cooler than Pentax or Minolta's offerings to my subjective aesthetics, plus their glass has always produced nice images.

Where's a Kodachrome camera?

0 upvotes

I didn't consider Fujifilm X-Series camera until I tried one then I understood that it is the camera for me so my advice is to take one in your hands and take some shoots!

Cheers :)

1 upvote

Sounds like a worthwhile experiment/experience. Already acquired an EM-1 and will be taking myself through the challenging and enjoyable process of learning the ropes of it, albeit with some help from my new camera-buddies here. Can't express enough how much I appreciate the help I've been receiving from people here. You guys are awesome.

0 upvotes

Looked seriously at Fuji as well. Liked it for all the reasons you state, but there's limited lens selection and they're much more expensive. Bodies have a plasticky, hollow feeling build quality. Not sure why you think 4/3 is a "waste of money?" Oly is more like a Leica like than any camera I've ever shot with at about 25% of the cost. Less bulky than Fuji, and for my eye, better IQ. Not a zealot or a pixel peeper--am a working pro, have owned Nikon, Canon, Leica, Sony systems and use Canon for hardcore pro work. Oly is my personal favorite and the one that I want to pick up and shoot with all the time (and have used it for assignments, as well.)

1 upvote

It depends how you use it, I have a Fuji X-E2 and it doesn't feel plasticky at all but a good and solid body, there are plently of good lenses and not that much expensive for the quality they are, the zoom kit lens 18-55 f2.8-4 for example is much better than any other 18-55 f3.6-5.4, then there are the 18mm f2 abd 35mm f1.4 both are great lens.
If you want spend less you can adapt many legacy lenses and the feeling with the fuji controls is awesome, I personally own a Nikkor 50mm f1.4D which is full manual and I love it! Of course it also depends of what kind of shots you like to take but if we are talking about Sony lenses Vs fuji lenses then I think fuji beat Sony.
I think APS sernsors are better than 4/3 for many reason which you probably know already for example ISO noise and lens crop factor. The same reason why a full frame sensor is better than ASP.
Please forgive me if you think I've wrote many stupid things, Im not a professional photographer but just amateur :)

Cheers

0 upvotes

FeDost: Nothing stupid about what you write--I'm not a zealot in any way, unlike some others who seem to deal with brand and/or technical absolutes. Different opinions are healthy. If you feel you take great pictures with a smartphone, that's fine with me. It's just that there are so many great options, that for me, resolution, pixel count are pretty much secondary to a camera that inspires you. The X-E2, X-T1 are great cameras, so are Fuji lenses--just not as intuitive or comfortable as the Oly, and certainly not the only great photo tool out there.

1 upvote

not a professional here. was really considering between a6000 and nx500. how does oly and panna (m4/3) do in low light situations? like restaurants, churches with friends and family... thats the challenging situations my cams will be faced with. thx!

0 upvotes

hELLO, THIS FOCUS NOT CORRET, PLEASE CORRET THIS FOCUS IN THE POINT FOCUS IN THE FOTOS , THAK'S jOSEP

0 upvotes

Huh, are you for real?

2 upvotes

Hi, All,

I am not sure if it still right time to buy a6000 because of fast release cycle so far. I don't what buy a dated camera. I heard about the rumor new "A7000" months ago. But it seems no new ILCE release in NAB 2015 :(
Appreciate any updates or "rumors":)

1 upvote

I have the A6000 and I generally like it but it is not a good camera for bird photography because it's complicated to activate the internal zoom: you have to go into the menu and/or assign a button on the camera to use the internal zoom. This is way too time-consuming for bird photography and a huge design mistake.

The a5000 has that zoom lever and is much better to use, albeit a less developed camera than the a6000.

Overall, Sony doesn't have much to offer for bird photography but I hope they will come up with better lenses and cameras for that purpose.

0 upvotes

Hi,
im still not sure if buying the a6000 or panasonic gx7. I need it for vacation, children, it should be good in low-light and at least fit in a jacket.

I actually prefer the a6000 so far cause better grip, larger sensor and the gx7 is supposed to use too low shutter speed at Aperture mode.
However, i realised on ,,new comparison tool'' that the red/blue colour-stripes from the puppets at iso 3200/low-light still have full contrast with gx7, the sony is like mud....
Also the autofocus is said to be better on the gx7. There is also a touchscreen (really big advantage?) and it has an electronic noiseless shutter.

In terms of lenses the mft may be a bit smaller but i dont think its a big deal, price is almost the same i think. I wont buy huge bunch of lenses anyway, probably the sel 20 2.8 and the sel 35 1.8 for the sony.

Can anybody give me a hint or has anybod used both cameras?

I really would appreciate that, thanks.

Comment edited 3 times, last edit 7 minutes after posting

1 upvote

same situation here. the a6000 is really a steal for €500.
the lenses though... other than 1.8/35 and 1.8/24 (price: ouch!) i did not find a lens i fell in love. the 2.8/20 you mentioned seems like a better option (or 2.8/19 Sigma).

pro-GX7 for me would be in camera stabilizer and the silent shutter. plus if i would buy into m43s, i would not sell lenses anytime soon.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

@Karateka
Were you able to decide between the two? Am also stuck on the same decision. In-built OIS of GX7 seems to be impressive in tests. On almost all other parameters A6000 scores higher.

0 upvotes

I tried the a6000 at a store again and i liked it very much (evf, grip), the panasonic wasnt there anymore unfortunately, but the decision is made....I will go with the a6000, just waiting for the a7000 coming out for price dropping....concerning lenses i hope the kit zoom and the sigma 19,30,60 is enough for me...

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

This camera is great! I really like that you can move/bend the flash and it will flash on ceiling instead of flashing right at faces!!! I just got the camera and noticed that the 16-55mm lens seems like not enough to zoom in. Should I get the 55-210mm lens? Or I should get some other lens? Maybe the 55-210mm doesn't do anything BUT zoom? How does the 55-210mm lens behave at dark, sport ect? I got this camera to shoot some pics at a wedding.

0 upvotes

The 55-210mm lens doesn't cost much and does relatively much for the price ($200) It's quiet, relatively fast, but doesn't works better with the a5000 than with the a6000 because the a6000 doesn't have a lever for the internal zoom.

All better lenses are either relatively heavy or cost considerably more than the 55-210.

0 upvotes

"The a6000 produces some very impressive image quality - at base ISO it matches the Nikon D5300 for resolution. This puts it quite some way ahead of the Fujifilm X-M1, the Canon EOS 700D/ Rebel T5i and the Olympus OM-D E-M10. "

Sony's resolution appears to be ahead of D5300 in my opinion, not a huge leap, but surely visible.

3 upvotes

Definitely visible. The Nikon has sightly less noise (raw at any ISO) so choose your weapon :)

1 upvote

Does any one know what the best lens to take video is for this camera is (Sony A6000)?

0 upvotes

Ideally, you want a lens with electronic zoom option:

like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1001011-REG/sony_selp18105g_18_105mm_f_4_g_lens.html

1 upvote

where does the cost of sony's lenses fall compared with the canon and the Nikon cameras?

0 upvotes

Comparing the Sony Alpha a6000 vs. Nikon D7200. Both have very similar features when compared side by side.

Would appreciate takes on which one you'd prefer, why, and for what kinds of applications you think each product would best serve.

Comment edited 36 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Amazon now carries a white base (body) of the Sony A6000. Does anyone know if the area where you hold on the camera will discolor over time? I'm considering in upgrading my Sony A100 (I know it's a dinosaur!) to the A6000 series.
Please advice.
Aloha!

0 upvotes

what's a 'phone ?

0 upvotes

Just bought the A6000 and want to try shooting some video in addition to stills.

I have never shot video before on a real camera (only camera phones), so I 'm wondering which video mode is the "best"?

For maximum quality, is there any reason not to simply choose the 60p "highest quality" mode?

Why would one choose a 24p mode? I read somewhere that 24p is the same as traditional film frame rates, but does that matter?

0 upvotes

Footage shot at 24p (and around 1/50th of a second shutter speed) has a distinctive appearance in terms of how motion is conveyed. It's surprising how many people recognise it as being 'cinematic' even if they can't tell you why. Conversely, faster frame rates can look more soap opera-esque.

60p, although it sounds like it's higher quality setting, may not yield the results you want. It's better at accurately representing motion, but that's not always what you want.

Equally, many cameras shoot the same bitrate, regardless of how many frames per second you shoot (which means a lower frame rate will have more data representing each individual frame), so the 24p setting may appear less compressed, too.

1 upvote

I'd recommend you experience with various modes. See how rolling shutter is in various modes. Rolling shutter an make a shaky video uncomfortable to watch. Usually there is less rolling shutter at higher framerates.

0 upvotes

I'm a professional real estate photographer and I have the A6000 with the 16-50 kit lens. This camera replaces a Sony A65 with a Sigma F4-5.6 10-20 lens. I find the 6000 to be superior to the 65 in nearly every way. For my photos I find the 16-50 to be optically better than the Sigma. the 6000 does in camera lens corrections for lens distortion and color correction which greatly reduces my photography and post processing time by 30%. I know there has been lots of discussion about how bad the quality of the kit lens is but I've made very sharp 16x20 prints from it and it can go even larger.

I love my little A6000 and everything about it!

7 upvotes

Why didn't you buy a 10-18 lens?

0 upvotes

I don't need one, I already have the sigma 10-20 and a Sony lens adapter. I only use it when I need a wider angle. I find the 16mm setting on the 16-50 to be perfect for 99% of the photos I make, there's too much perspective distortion when used any wider which most RE snappers use.

1 upvote

I bought the a6000 camera body last month and have been so frustrated finding a good standard zoom lens for this e-mount camera. The 16-70mm seems like the one to go but I was hoping to get one with a 2.8 aperature. Is there a sigma or tamaron lens that would work better or some other lens that isn't over $2000? I don't want to regret moving from the canons but this hunt seems so much more difficult than anticipated, and I don't necessarily want to put an adapter on which would defeat the purpose of getting this lighter weighted camera as well. Any thoughts?

0 upvotes

You are SOL. Sorry. There are no good native options faster than 4.0. You can stick a prime on it and use it like a toy camera, and/or jump ship for another brand. Unfortunately, Sony do not support these bodies with enough good lenses to make them a primary platform for shooting. It's a huge disappointment. My girlfriend is inheriting my a6000 and I moved on to Nikon. I might have considered the Sony A7 series but their autofocus performance is not acceptable for my use.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Try to use primes, better Image quality and less weight. Sony and Zeiss have nice and High quality primes for this system.

2 upvotes

Primes are not suitable for several situations, and they do not necessarily mean less weight. Example: if you are shooting in conditions that do not allow changing lenses on a body, shooting primes mandates carrying multiple bodies.

If you are shooting in dusty or moist environments, or one that requires you to constantly be moving, such as covering a protest, you don't want to change lenses on a body. I tried to shoot a recent night-time protest with a single a6000 body and a prime lens and missed a lot of shots I could have had with a 2.8 zoom (that focuses before water boils).

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 5 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

get a manual zoom with an adapter. i have a canon fdn 35-105 f 3.5 at all focal lengths. this is same hi optical quality as a prime or l glass for under 100, but it does weigh a ton. if autofocus not an issue lots of options in legacy glass.

i would use my sony 50 f18 or sigma 30f28 alternatively if the 50 is too tight. the 30 gives you 60mm at 2x zoom equiv 90mm. 2x zoom (sensor crop) is decent iq.

the 16-50mm can produce good iq. some people say its bad but it has advantages, ie one of the few wide angle autofocus options available and not so bad iq equal to any kit zoom or better. if you got it with your camera its cheap, but i would not pay 400 for it. i bought the nex 3n kit with 16-50 and 55-210 for 400 new, sold the nex 3n for 200, so i have the 2 new zooms for 100 each with my body.

0 upvotes

A6000 dynamic range in VIDEO
Could some kind person advise please?
I want to maximise dynamic range during video capture with a view to 'grading' in post. How much range of adjustment does the 'contrast' setting on the A6000 offer? Does it actually include more of the dynamic range of the sensor if the contrast setting is reduced? Other cameras have features like S-LOG2 but I dont want the bulk and cost of those cameras e.g. GH4 and A7S.
Thanks in advance for any responses.

0 upvotes

These little camera simply don't offer full tethering support. THIS is what has kept me from buying a camera for years now. Maddening.
And I wish this was a standard item in the spec list. I find it very difficult to dig out info in this regard.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

The A6000 offers a full tethered option with the Remote Camera Control software, free from the Sony website. You can also tether natively using Capture One Pro. Plenty of good stuff, there.

5 upvotes

I pull back the question about charging (half an hour ago). It's already solved. Being connected with the micro USB the camery must be in the OFF mode to charge. In the ON mode it will discharge. I leave this question on the forum, maybe others will run in this same question/matter.

Comment edited 36 seconds after posting

3 upvotes

A question abouit the A6000. When I want to charge the battery with the micro USB cable the camera starts with unloading the battery. It takes quite some time before reaching zero, and before it starts eventually loading. Is there a way to avoid unloading and start immediately with loading?

0 upvotes

I have a dilemma. I love the size of the a6000. The iq is plenty good for me. I do not wish to go any bigger. The build quality, layout and some other quibbles leave me short. What absolutely kills it for me is removing the sd card and battery. I actually found the evf to be better than the a7 but neither are very good.

I want to stick with apsc. I doubt full frame or Sony. Going down to 4/3rd's does not have the iq of these cameras afaik.

Is there something comparable but higher grade without going all the way up to the xt-1?

1 upvote

The way the battery and SD Card are accessed are what kills it for you with this camera? I'm the first to say the SD Card is annoying to get out the first 20x times but it ends up being no big deal considering everything else. Even the layout has grown on me, although my Ricoh GR and 4/3 cameras are better.

0 upvotes

I have a 5N and thinking of trading up to the 6000; will I be disappointed with the 6000 at high ISO in comparison to the 5N? The 5N is a great camera, but mediocre AF and lack of EVF is giving me impetus to upgrade.

0 upvotes

The 6000 will actually outperform your 5n in every respect. It's a very worthy upgrade.

3 upvotes

in fact, I always shied away from the higher iso's because I thought it wouldn't be good, but WOW, was I surprised at how good my photos look even with the higher iso's. In fact, I'm getting some even clearer ones with those slightly higher numbers.

0 upvotes

Is there a way that the camera shoot whit a delay so that I can be in the picture??

0 upvotes

Wirelessly via WiFi with a smart device, with an infrared remote, or via the timer option on board. you'll have several ways in which to do this.

1 upvote

on the left side of the wheel on the back of the camera you will see a timer icon, and you can then choose your options: 2 second delay and 10 second delay as well as other options.

0 upvotes

@dervalrobert
you have to be kidding...
did you ever use a camera before?

1 upvote

really, do you have to be insulting to someone asking a question? that's why some people won't use this forum, because of caustic answers like yours. and this should be an open forum for everyone, not just ones who don't need answers.

2 upvotes

If you picture 14 year-old kids answering posts --you'll understand where some of the lack of civility comes from Deb...

1 upvote

oh, thank you, Eric, I didn't even think of that...

1 upvote

What lens was used by DPReview for the "image quality compared" section of this review? Certainly not the kit lens; and most certainly not the kit lens I have.

0 upvotes

If you hover your pointed on the little "i" next to the download image link under the magnified area it will tell you what lenses and settings were used. the lens used with the a6000 here is the Zeiss 55mm F1.8

1 upvote

I have a question related to the grid lines.
Are they also visible on the EVF or only on the LCD screen ? Thanks.

1 upvote

They're visible on both.

1 upvote

Like aliceinblack before me, I'm focused on purchasing the a6000. But I wanted to understand more about the lenses that can be attached to it. This would be first stand alone camera. So I'd like to make sure I get the right one. I plan on taking photos at sporting events. Nothing professional, just for myself. Will the lenses that are capable of attaching to the a6000 be sufficient? Thanks guys!

0 upvotes

The kit lens is fine for most daylight shooting, though it has heavy distortion at the wide end and relies on in-camera corrections or post-processing. I typically use it at 20mm and f5.6 onwards where sharpness are a priority, but am pretty forgiving otherwise.

If you like primes, the Sigma 19, 30 and 60mm Art lenses are great value for money, and perform very well too. If you need a better and more versatile zoom (that's also bigger), there's the 18-105 f4 G lens.

0 upvotes

I am thinking of getting a Sony a6000Black and was wondering if i will have problems just taking pictures and having prints made without downloading anything from Sony. I have a learning disability and have little knowledge of computers, except the for day to day use of my iMac (late 2012?). i do have the most recent download version of Yosemite. i just want to take pictures and have prints made without all the problems that come with Sony software for a6000. I am old-school film shooter with fading eyesight so i need to use the AF. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you. ali

0 upvotes

Alice there is no reason why you need computer skills for using the A6000. You take pictures, copy them from the camera to your computer to store them, and you can use the memory cards straight from the camera to print jpeg pictures at any photo printing facility or at home if you have a printer. You only need some additional computer skills if you want to do some additional processing of your pictures like processing RAW format images or doing some adjustments to the jpeg files. It's up to you how much of the additional fancy features etc. you want to use.

5 upvotes

Thank you for the post. ali

1 upvote

For your information: Now Available! The Complete Guide to Sony's A6000 Camera by Gary L. Friedman and Ross Warner
(599 pages.)

http://www.friedmanarchives.com/alpha6000/index.htm

3 upvotes

I also bought the Friedman/Warner A6000 Guide. I highly recommend it as it is the best resource that I've found that explains in detail how to get the most out of my A6000.

0 upvotes

Hi
i'ma newbie who likes the Sony a6000 but have little computer skills. will that be a problem if i use the camera? thank you

0 upvotes

Touch screen is for amateurs :-) and how do you use a touch screen when using the EVF?

Comment edited 18 seconds after posting

4 upvotes

It's a really nice feature when shooting video and wanting to select a focus point! Just saying. But you're right: it's useless for when using the viewfinder, that's why it needs to be implemented in the right why.

0 upvotes

amateurs? you can pull focus in video using a touch screen. you can move the focus point shooting stills so much more easily using a touch screen. you can navigate the menus more easily and quickly. it is a great piece of technology. i don't understand why camera companies think it's for "amateurs". ten year from now every pro camera will have them.

6 upvotes

Yeah --I remember when we all said the same about the I-Phone.
There's no reason for a modern camera not to have a touch-screen. Don't like it? Turn it off...amateurs...

0 upvotes

Seriously, not having a touch screen is a con these days?? Is this for photography or posting to facebook ffs!

2 upvotes

Not practical at all in winter.
No need for that.

3 upvotes

There are many things that aren't practical in winter. Should they all be discarded?

4 upvotes

touch screen -> quick focus selection. major pro in my opinion. like a dedicated button.

and it is not for facebook, ffs Cagey75

0 upvotes

Dpreviews ‘Cons’ for the a6000. Oups on the conclusion!

http://www.soundimageplus.com/soundimageplus/2014/06/dpreview-review-of-sony-a6000-oh-dear.html?q=Sony%20A6000

1 upvote

An otherwise fantastic and top-level camera ruined, for me, by the removal of the electronic level gauge. I use this a LOT on my NEX-6 and would not want to give that up.

Yes, I have spirit levels I could use, but then, it's much easier to simply call up the electronic one vs fussing with a slide-one or screw-on, as I had to on my NEX-3n (but you expect it on such an entry-level model). Also, you can't see attached ones while using the EVF--and once you start using an EVF on the better models vs having to use the LCD, you don't want to go back.

0 upvotes

Strange color rendition in outdoor landscape photography. Prone to post strong blue/purple cast especially in auto white balance mode. This problem is very bad for demonstrating skin tone. In this regard, Nex-6 performs way better than A6000.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I had the NEX-6, and bought the A6000. Unfortunately sold again due to the poor EVF. Huge mistake Sony and shame on you! An otherwise perfect camera. But there is a noticeable difference in the quality of detail reproduction.

3 upvotes

I totally agree. I took my Nex-6 to store for a side-by-side comparison w. the A6000. I was amazed at how much worse the A6000 EVF is, given the many reviews to the contrary. And focusing did not seem to be better under indoor lighting. And I use the Nex level gauge, which is missing in the A. Sony remains consistent in its giveth and taketh away marketing scheme. I'm keeping the Nex-6.

4 upvotes

The main use for an EVF is to see your framing. It could be in B & W without problem.

2 upvotes

Not correct.

With old-fashioned optical EVF yes - but not with the new electronic EVF's.

Have you tried the electronic EVF on a Sony A7? The new electronic EVF's are offering numerous advantages over optical.

Some of these benefits are maximized when using EFV's with very high resolution. Among other things, manual focus with old lenses.

Please Step into the future... into the light :-)

5 upvotes

I agree with you, but my future is bad Eye Sight vision. :(

4 upvotes

First thank you. Credit goes to what looks like a fair and unbiased review, showing the good with the bad.

Next I do not like Sony! Search "Sony rootkit" and Sony deserves to be dogged for their character there (forever) and in light of that what I'm saying next holds incredible weight.

Sony is actually attempting a "photographers camera" and making the best of new technologies! Arguably, a somewhat better value in the (photographic) balance; while majoring on the majors. It's about combined benefits. I reluctantly give credit where credit is due. Perhaps this is due to the stark absence otherwise; but this does seem to be the right direction. So much so, that it's showing others with their collective pants down. At least as far as available combined goodness. Does that mean we finally have "excellent" benefit balance? No; but better and this does give great hope. It does suggest somebody is finally listening. That doesn't mean I have no concern how Sony would raise prices later.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 7 minutes after posting

1 upvote

...and the (for APS-C) primes would have to be better and comparably affordable to Nikon primes. About a 35mm f/1.8 and a 50mm f/1.8; but both smaller, lightweight, durable and very low CA.

Also, while I understand and support anyones free choice to just do stills; I find it difficult to see a problem with having superior stills AND also superior video, without disadvantages and I know all about the technological conflicts. These are being and should be overcome, even understanding they are very challenging to BALANCE and make without ANY disadvantage. Far and away NOT impossible or expensive, however. Credit for progress here.

With no stills disadvantage, then who really rejects the option of good video in the combo?

Comment edited 5 times, last edit 12 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I own a number of Canon lenses including L 70-300mm zoom lens. Is there an adapter I can purchase to fit this in Sony A6000? Thanks!

0 upvotes

Search Google for - metabones canon adapter

1 upvote

"Sony should be applauded for essentially continuing to give full control over the camera while shooting footage - something none of its rivals currently do. "

Ummm...don't know if you consider Panasonic (GH3, GH4) to be a "rival," but they certainly do allow full control while shooting video. They even allow you to choose whether to use the video button or the shutter button.

1 upvote

Love the camera and its fastest AF features.
The following things are not cool.
No hot shoe cover.
Movie mode button position is not convenient.
Usb charger is not good.
Not weather sealed
No touch screen & in very low light can't see the object properly through the screen / live view

Comment edited 6 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

> Hot shoe cover - available from ebay for $3
> External charger - available on eBay for $10
> In low light, use viewfinder. If you're the sort of person that wants to use a touchscreen, and don't want to use the viewfinder, the recent Sony A5100 seems a better fit for you.

10 upvotes

Thanks for the reply.
Let me know the suitable cheap and best external flash as well.

0 upvotes

I use these: http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Professional-Speedlight-Flashlight-Olympus/dp/B00BXA7N6A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411862957&sr=8-1&keywords=yongnuo+flash

1 upvote

Loved my NEX-5N but its interface was not too well thought out. Also losing my accessory connector for the EVF when I wanted to use the flash was not so hot. Loved the images though. If I was going to take the plunge on a small Alpha, I think this would be it. I have no stake in the E Mount lenses, so I am in no hurry to jump back in on the Alpha line. It does have me curious though.

Comment edited 46 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

You've written a lot about the A6000, but not whether it's possible to sync it to a studio strobe. Is it possible?

0 upvotes

Yes

1 upvote

New A6000, and having an issue - wish to reprogram one of the Fn or C1/2 keys or something NOT on their "list" - in this case, wish to make a quick access key to turn on/off the Remote Control.

Anyone know if this is even possible?

0 upvotes

Anybody know what lens DPR used on the A6000 to take the Studio Scene comparisons shots?

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Good question. I'd like to know that as well, inasmuch as it seemed to outshoot the Canon 5D3

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

lightroom exif say: FE 55mm F1.8 ZA
A very sharp lens, better than the lens used for ia. the 70D.
I was wondering why the images looked so sharp on the A6000 ;)

0 upvotes

I almost decided to start saving up for a6000 until I read this comment. I am sure that 55mm ZA lens is EXPENSIVE ?

EDIT: That lens is over £800.00 in U.K. .... not for me I guess :(

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 5 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

dxomark can give you an idea how a lens performs technically.
It does not take into account the handling / bokeh and character of an lens.
As you can see there are some good E-mount primes out there, Zoom lenses less so.
Cheap and good primes are the 19, 30 and 60mm sigma and the 50mm OSS from sony. I do not know how fast the A6000 focus in combination with the sigma lenses since I use an older body.

Comment edited 56 seconds after posting

1 upvote

Planning to purchase alpha6000 body.

Is the Sony SEL16F28 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle Lens better than the kit 16-50? I have not seen a direct comparison. Have you?

I have no use for the kit lens at anything other than at 16mm (for 98% of shots), so from my point of view it's heavier and bigger than the sel16f28... but cheaper ($150) versus $248 plus $119 = $370 for the sel16f28 with the
Sony VCL-ECU1 Ultra Wide Converter, 0.75x.

I would view both of above as potential walk about pocketable lenses. I assume that neither would approach the Zeiss 12mm f/2.8 Touit Series for Sony E-mount NEX Cameras which I'd really like to have... but at $710 new, $600 used I'm not quite ready to spring for that... and it looks like quite a large hunk of glass... there would be no dropping the camera in a big pocket with that thing.

So for someone who shoots only very wide to slightly wide angle focal lengths, kits lens versus the SEL16F28 16mm f/2.8 seems like the right question. What say you?

0 upvotes

Hello DPREVIEW. I have the Sony-a6000 and it does not have an x-tra fine jpeg setting. It has fine and standard. Please contact me if this is incorrect. Thanks.

1 upvote

Strange that an model that starts with the a does not take a mount lens. Just sayin.......

0 upvotes

Technically all the NEX cameras were Alpha-NEX so its been the case for many years BUT I do take your point - its confusing to exisiting owners let alone the average buyer - Sony's brand management and communications are amongst the worst in the industry in my opinion which must be frustrating for the guys actually designing, making and selling the cameras.... and I say that as a long term owner and user of alpha mount and NEX cameras.

0 upvotes

In time, this will be moot, maybe in 5-7 years. Although they never said it, and will never say it, the long term plan really is to eventually kill off the SLT line. Thus, in time, Alpha will just be mirrorless.

Once they build the first global shutter alpha ILCE, the handwriting will be on the wall for DSLRs and SLTs. But it will be a gradual phase out stretching maybe 7-10 years. You'll know this is happening when the no. of SLT they introduce each year is outnumbered by 1:3 or 5 or more.

0 upvotes

This morning I had the opportunity to test this camera for about one hour (formerly I tried it in shop only). The af is impressive to say the least, compared to my Samsung nx300 (even with its fastest lenses on, like myn16-50 f2-2.8). I was able to lock focus on a passing biker and on a flying bird, with great precision. Also the buffer is great (the one of nx300 is ridiculous).

The evf is not as good as the one in x-e2, but does not show rainbows as the one in nx30 does.

I don't like the lack of a touch screen. I use it for focus point setting only, but that is handy. The rear display is about at the same level (quite low) of my nx300. Not visible in sunlight. But a6000 has evf, so it's fine.

I love the form factor, feels great in hands and during use.

I'm still perplexed about lens offering by Sony. Some good but expensive ones, many not so good ones.

1 upvote

If you want to see a brilliant review on the A6000, go to Gary Fong's review on youtube.com; that will definitely help you make the right decision before you purchase.

4 upvotes

rajusa, thanks for the Gary Fong’ review. Very interesting camera indeed that A6000.
Nice to know there is a eyeball focus point, very useful for portrait!

1 upvote

watched the Fong review.
This was the worst review i watched a long time ago. I don't even want to investigate if he is a good photographer. even advertisements can be better than this.

Comment edited 16 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Total comments: 840

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