The Sony a6000 Extensive Highly Detailed Review
Well, time to focus on the A6000 again with a long list of links to new reviews and SAR readers first impression feedback.
Gordon laing from CameraLabs says:
The Sony A6000 is a good solid interchangeable lens camera with one major advantage over rivals: effective continuous AF which works pretty much anywhere on the frame for stills or movies. If you’re shooting stills, it also works at the top continuous speed of 11fps, and if you’re filming movies you can even fine-tune the AF speed and response time. This takes the A6000 beyond what any other mirrorless or DSLR camera offers at this mid-range price point, shooting it to the top of your shortlist if you’re after a camera that can confidently shoot or film sports or even just your kids running around.
Photographyblog writes:
The Sony A6000 is a full-featured, responsive compact system camera that delivers excellent images in a variety of situations, all at a very competitive price that significantly undercuts its main rivals.
Sony a6000 shooting experience and samples gallery at Dpreview.
Shooter’s Report Part I: Getting Things Fixed and Heavenly Light (Imaging Resource).
Rock: “To share my album http://goo.gl/ylpHHV about A6000 with comparison to NEX-6 about features and ISO from 100 up to crazily 25600 just for fun! 🙂”
Axel: “I just got my a6000 from Amazon today, and to my disappointment it does not have an electronic level gauge (unlike my NEX-6 and 5T). I just hope that this is just a matter of fixing the firmware – the level gauge functionality is very important for me, and quite frankly I cannot understand why Sony has left it out.”
Jeff: “A5000/A7/A6000 lowlight af test http://youtu.be/G4gfAZgH0yM Continuous focus test http://youtu.be/DELBkI6kyeM AF-S focus test http://youtu.be/Lra77vXaxXs”
Note: Don’t forget that Gariz is now shipping the A6000 leather case and you can buy it right now on eBay in [shoplink 26006 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 26007 ebay]Brown (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 26008 ebay]Camel (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 26009 ebay]Red (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sony A6000 store link list with US and Europe links:
Sony A6000 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonyStore. In Europe at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, AT, NL, BE, CH, FI, SE, PT, WexUK.
Silver A6000 at Amazon US, BHphoto, WexUK.
Sony A6000 with lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonyStore, Sony Canada, WexUK.
Silver A6000 with lens at Amazon US, BHphoto, WexUK.
Sony 70-200mm FE at Amazon, BHphoto, SonyStore. In Europe at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, AT, NL, BE, CH, FI, SE, PT
0 Responses
no level gauge? really? that’s a bit disappointing.
yeah, it’d be quite strange for sony to drop this. someone else please verify.
Many times confirmed, its not there.
OK Thanks!
I’ve left it turned off on my A7R lately. It’s a bit more pleasurable. With it on, photography can feel like a video game.
Still, it’s a very useful feature sometimes. Strange decision by Sony.
I like it mostly for doing a setup on a tripod, when doing fast shooting handheld you tend to look right past the level to frame and focus. So it’s no guarantee of a level shot.
Just get a magnetic level and mount it on top of the camera. LOL
Try it and let me know how it works out for you. 🙂
+1 A 6000 is quite an improvement over my current NEX
I remember when Sony put all those tool in and people calls it useless gimmicks…. And now everyone is now growing dependent on those gimmick… Somehow we need to learn how not to rely on them to operate…
Even im addicted to QLV and evf… Pass me a DSLR, I’ll be totally no idea how to operate them anymore
I had this exact problem the other day. My friend handed me his DSLR for a quick portrait at an event. I had to just slam that sucker into program mode. Live view and exposure preview is perfecto for more manual stuff. 🙂 Granted, I learned proper technique with analog cameras… It’s just been too long.
The level is a great feature, for landscapes and anytime the camera is mounted on a tripod. If Sony left it out that would be a disappointment.
It’s disappointing and somewhat silly that Sony left something out that is quite useful for a lot of people. Hopefully, the hardware to implement the gauge is in the camera and a firmware update will bring the gauge back.
Just have to do your leveling in post processing.
Not easy for video.
Not sure if the 6000 can generate overlays in the viewfinder, they help when shooting panoramas and skylines and keeping images level.
I would so love to have custom overlays!
I doubt they removed the level gauge. It wasn’t activated by default, at least on my a57.
Edit : http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/a6000-reviews-at-cameralabs-and-photographyblog-and-first-sar-readers-first-impression-roundup/#comment-1356217019
Panasonic says GH4 preorders exceeded the expectations. Will ramp up production. —- This is the result when ‘you’ listen to users and then made ‘the one’ exactly to fulfil what those users wanted; That mean to say Panasonic started their efforts since GH3 and made GH4;
At the other side, Sony came from no where, did not WELL know what their users want; Sony just wanted to keep trying something Sony ‘think’ it will fulfil their users, so Sony cont’ their road map with A7s but received major hammered on no internal 4K and possible high selling price*; if Sony ‘think’ this approach is aim to dominate 4k world, in reality can says this approach is failed; but the near half million high ISO in A7s is something stunning everyone; however, if saying A7s is to dominate for STILL, somehow existing users are not convinced with the low MP.
Why not Sony listen to the users and make something Sony can predicted their sale result in the end…
Panasonic Says? So what, only a fool like you would believe the hype generated from a companies marketing department. Does Panasonic send you daily talking points to troll with? Sounds like a company that’s desperate, and a fan-boy that can’t think for him/her self.
Another acute case of sensor envy. I think there’s a support group for that, the postage stamp sized sensor club.
Let’s say you predict 3 and you get 4. From a percentage basis, you’ve greatly exceeded expectations.
Well, even if they made internal 4k, it’s cheaper and more logical to buy a external recorder(ssd) then a 128gb uhs II card just for 4recording. No point introduce non partical practise. It’s like Ferrari introduce a sportcar with dirttyre but can’t go rally….
It is so much fun to read complaints about Sony and explanations how some other brand ‘gets it’; then you look at that brands’ forum and you see the opposite commentaries. This addresses your first paragraph. The second one is entirely built of your assumptions.
Sony a6000 is an improvement over NEX6 for sure – for one the menu is no longer the horrible NEX menu 🙂 and of course the new AF is impressive for moving objects although I do not think it is any faster for still objects than what the Olympus OMD-em1 or Panasonic GX7 or Fuji X-T1 offers – but for sure better with moving objects – still find the body lacks more manual controls like 2 more Fn buttons and a scroll dial and of course the real issue – Lenses – seems that Sony has deemed the Nex6 and now the A6000 a beginner camera and therefore beginners are not opt to buy many additional lenses – so therefore no 24-70mm f2.8 or 70-200mm F2.8 or any F1.4 prime and most likely will not be made – so the a6000 although nice for the price etc – just is a miss due to lack of lenses – yes I am not going to buy an adapter and by A glass or Canon glass to be in MF mode – eyes not good enough – I have the NEX5n and NEX7 collecting dust along with some of the E-mount glass but glass just not that impressive – to bad –
my M43 bodies and glass getting the main use now
Not as fast as m43 and still less reliable in low light. This is from the CameraLabs review.
“I tested the A6000 alongside the most recent Micro Four Thirds models from Panasonic and Olympus, and both were quicker than the Sony. I should also add as the light levels became lower the A6000 (like the XT1) slowed down and in dim conditions often struggled to lock-on, whereas the latest Olympus and Panasonic models continued to autofocus successfully even in very low light.”
but way faster in CAF…
That was in AF-S which I understand I cdaf. Later they tested AF-C which uses the on sensor phase (much faster).
In low light it will switch to CDAF as PDAF won’t work. You don’t have a choice.
One touch manual focus zoom is gone, no review yet mentions this, which means they never used the camera, and never noticed the difference from N6/7 with manual focus lenses. Just hope Sony doesn’t deprecate more manual focus features or make us use CPU/native lenses exclusively in the future. Please Sony, let us continue to use manual focus on alpha, I don’t want to lose use of my old lenses.
What exactly do you mean by one touch manual focus zoom?
I set focus magnification to the AEL button on my a6000 and can zoom in for manual focus very quickly. It’s to clicks though. Or what do you mean?
Before it was one click, now it is two clicks, and you cannot change it back to one click. Is it a big deal to anyone but me, no.
I get what you mean, cause I come from a NEX and almonst only shoot manual. Though at the pricepoint I decided not to bother 😉
I’d also rather pay a more and get exactly what I want, but unfortunately thats not possible 🙁
Many people on this forum have stated that if you shoot with Sony camera products then get prepared for frustration. And that is true. Unfortunately Sony is out of touch with their customers and they repeatedly manipulate the features of their new releases to protect their higher end models to the point that it drives their current customers away. The frustration never stops. Many of the Sony cameras are good but everyone of them missed the mark of being great. Then there is the issue of Sony’s pricing. For example their a99 should have been $2K from the every start. I own it, an a77 and a Nex 6. I enjoy these cameras and have shot 20,000+ images on the Nex 6 this past year. I know it well and what is can and can’t do. Lately it has became a landscape camera with a Sigma 10-20mm and adapter attached. I was interested in the a6000 camera thinking that maybe Sony finally made a camera that can track and capture action. Then the camera is released without a touch screen. Come on this is 2014. We all use touchscreens on smartphones all the time. That would be great for setting the AF point and reviewing pics. Tonight I learned that they have removed the level gauge from the camera, there is no audio jack and they have not improved the video codec and bits rates. I think Sony’s goal is to get people to buy two or three cameras not one to get the features you want. My conclusion it that I will not be sucked into Sony’s marketing machine to buy a new “updated” camera every year. I laugh when someone says that the new model is the firmware update that you were hoping for to fix issues. Sony you don’t understand what is means to support existing products. I think buying a Sony product 6 to 12 months after its release is the only way to get a better price especially when it comes to lenses. I just shake my head in disbelief that I bought the a77 for full price because I thought I needed that upgrade to my a700 right away. Now I don’t mind waiting and buying used equipment. Sony please produce some good lenses for the E mount that also offer value. I am not interested in spending $1K for each lens for E mount from Zeiss. I plan on spending my money for slowly and wisely. I can wait for the second generation a7 too.
That is hardly limited to Sony. Every camera brand comes with some frustrations.
Well, I bought the NEX-3 (mark 1) and received in consecutive firmware updates faster AF, focus peaking, custumisable function buttons that kept me happy with one camera for more than 3 years. Such breakthroughs were impossible in the old analogue days. Just as some counter noise against firmware bashing.
Coming from an original NEX-3, the 6000 is nothing BUT upgrades in every way. I’m excited to get this camera and won’t have any reason to look back.
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/sony_a6000_review/
The Sony A6000 offers switchable framing lines, a live histogram and a ___dual-axis level gauge display___ in both the LCD screen and the viewfinder, helping you to compose your image and keep horizons straight. The A6000 also has a clever eye level sensor that switches off the rear screen’s info display as you bring your eye close to the excellent viewfinder, although be aware that this might cause a slight inconvenience when shooting from the hip if your body blocks the eye proximity sensor.
check out these videoclips he refers to “Jeff: “A5000/A7/A6000 lowlight af test”
If you watch the focus test and look at the low light test they do not focus on the same object so you can’t really compare them.
‘Note there is no standard 3.5mm microphone jack on the A6000, so if you want to upgrade the audio recording you’ll need to go for the XYST1M accessory which mounts on the accessory shoe at the top – not much good if you want off-camera microphone recording…’
‘…none of the dials are completely silent, you will hear clicking in your footage as you make adjustments – another reason why an external microphone option which wasn’t mounted on the camera would have been useful.’
What no electronic level? Noooo! Ive come to depend on it thanks to using my RX100. For video when you cant crop/rotate its essential. For landscape and architecture shots its a quick way to be sure youre not skewing perspective. Maybe the a6000 isnt for me.
ILCE-6000 samples from over 150 creative people around the world. Visit https://www.flickr.com/groups/ilce-6000/
Anyone has any experience with using MF lenses on a6000?
I have nex 5n and I’m not satisfied with focus peaking, so I use touch screen a lot for manual focusing (tap to zoom to the area I want in focus -> focus -> shoot; this proved to be a pretty fast way of focusing).
Since I use manual focusing a lot (even with autofocus lenses) I wonder if a6000 focus peaking got improved.
Better then ever, now I don’t even need to enlarge first. Focus peaking on ILCE-6000 is more accurate than Nex-7 or Nex-5N.
I disagree and have been using NEX 6/7 in a professional setting for over a year. A6000 is much much slower to acquire focus because one touch zoom is gone.
The lack of audio jack and the touchscreen, features I love on previous Nex cameras, will keep me from jumping on the a6000. I’m sure those features will be on the a7000/8000/9000 that’s undoubtedly just a few months away. I’d prefer the new AF and the better sensor, but I’ll hold on to my Nex 5n and 7 for a little longer.
Here’s my prediction for the rest of the year. A model above the 6000 with the audio jack and a touch screen coming late summer. Then a top end model with the xvac codec from the A7s announced at Photokina, available in November, along with the new AF in refreshed A7models.
I think every time Sony has designed an awesome camera, they have a boardroom raffle meeting. They write each feature of the camera on a numbered slip of paper, sell tickets with these numbers to the members of the board, and then chuck the slips into a hat.
Three lots are then drawn at random, the winners split the pot, and the three features are ceremonially removed from the new camera.
That is the only reasonable explanation for the ongoing string of missing/removed features on subsequent models.
Spot on.
The slips that didn’t get drawn will be used similarly to choose three additional features for the cheaper model.
Please tell us how much the A7S costs, i’ve been stalking this site throughout the day, everyday since it was announced. this is torture :/
If this continues, GH4 or BMPCC
I find these reviews somehow irrelevant.
It’s like writing a car review saying that the top speed has been improved to 260 KM/H and the hydraulic brakes are impressive, but compared to competition, the brakes are not as efficient when the road is wet or slippery.
Because everybody has obviously tried all these competing models, right? And what about how it feels? How it is to operate the camera? The small improvements in the sensor technology and high ISO don’t actually mean anything. It’s all the other things that matter in the end. I can read the spec sheet if I’m interested in the numbers.
Sony is no the only camera maker with frustrating releases.
The problem here is that dedicated customers care WAY more about their gear than the camera companies do!
To the camera makers, it’s just profit. Whatever sells the most cameras. Unfortuantely the heart of the customer base, the dedicated, enthusiasts, and professionals, are ALWAYS on the back burner. And, as consumer products get better and better and the gap between consumer and pro narrows, there will be fewer professionals and they’ll be shunned further and further back on the priority lists.
I think you’re right.