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Posts Tagged ‘a6100’

We’ve updated our Sony a6100 sample gallery

02 Jan

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Sony’s a6100 is the perfect entry-level camera for folks looking to step up their photography game to something more powerful than their phone. We’ve updated our sample gallery to give you a better sense of its capabilities.

See our Sony a6100 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony a6100 review sample gallery (DPReview TV)

16 Nov

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Check out our gallery of Sony a6100 sample photos captured during this week’s production of DPReview TV.

View DPReview TV’s a6100 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DPReview TV: Sony a6100 review

16 Nov

The a6100 is Sony’s newest entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera. As Chris and Jordan highlight in their review, it features some useful upgrades over to the [apparently immortal] a6000.

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  • Intro
  • Design and handling
  • Animal eye-AF
  • Jpeg processing
  • Burst shooting
  • Kit lens
  • Image quality
  • Real-time tracking
  • Auto ISO limitations
  • Video capabilities
  • Conclusion

Sample gallery from this episode

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony a6100 review: Should it be your next family camera?

29 Oct

The Sony a6100 is a 24MP APS-C mirrorless camera, aimed squarely at beginners and people who want attractive photos but don’t necessarily think of themselves as photographers. A new, powerful autofocus system makes it one of the easiest cameras to use, if you just trust it to do its thing and concentrate instead on what you’re shooting.

The a6100’s specifications aren’t cutting edge, and it’s priced accordingly. But that simple, effective autofocus system means it makes it easy to get the photos you want, and hence, arguably, it’s better value than those less expensive rivals. On paper it looks a lot like the bargain-basement a6000 but in use this is a vastly better camera.

Our main doubts about the camera come if you want to get more involved in the photographic process.

Key features:

  • 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor
  • Advanced AF system with highlight dependable subject tracking
  • 1.44M dot OLED electronic viewfinder
  • 0.9M dot LCD tilting rear touchscreen
  • Wi-Fi for image transfer to smart devices (with NFC for quick connection)
  • 4K video capture
  • USB charging

The Sony a6100 has a list price of $ 750, a $ 50 premium over the launch price of the original a6000, which suggests it may take a similar low-cost position in the lineup, long term. It has a list price of $ 850 with the small but uninspiring 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 power zoom. A two-lens kit adds a 55-210mm zoom for an additional $ 250.


What’s new and how it compares

The a6100 contains many familiar components, combines them in a way that can be excellent as a family camera. After some initial setup.

Click here to find out the camera, its features and its rivals

Image quality

Improved JPEG color, a good sensor and sophisticated processing mean the a6100 delivers attractive images.

Click here to take a closer at the a6100’s images

Autofocus and Video

Autofocus is the camera’s great claim-to-fame, and its video is easy to capture.

Click here to read more

Conclusion

The a6100 has probably the most powerful, easy-to-use autofocus systems on the market. But there are a few too many inconveniences, we feel.

Click here to read what we found

Sample gallery

We think the a6100 can turn its hand to a bit of everything, see what you think of its performance.

Click here to see our sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600: what’s the difference and which should I buy?

11 Sep

Introduction

The a6000-series cameras all look very similar, which can give a confused picture of a lineup that is designed to appeal to photographers from beginners up to enthusiast users

The a6000 has been one of the world’s best selling cameras but it’s only the first rung on a ladder of cameras trying to cater to a range of photographers. If you go online you’ll probably end up be confronted with the a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500 and a6600. We’re going to try to make sense of the lineup: which ones are current, how they all compare and which ones are worth a look.

We’ve used all these a6x00 series cameras we’re going to talk about here, listened to Sony’s explanation of its intent and have been around the block enough times to be able to cut through the, er, let’s call it ‘marketing speak.’

The lineup as it stands

For everything from snapshots and upwards, Sony’s latest JPEG color is an appreciable upgrade, but that’s only the start of it

At its simplest, the current lineup is the a6100 as the entry-level model, the a6400 as the slightly more enthusiast-friendly one and the a6600 as the range-topping, image stabilized version. All three cameras are based around the same sensor, so the image and video quality ends up being identical but the spec differences between the cameras may make a difference to how well they suit your needs.

Interestingly, Sony insists that the a6000 remains in the lineup. This may be the case, or it could simply be that there’s inventory still floating around the market that Sony doesn’t want to devalue by declaring the camera ‘dead.’ Whichever it turns out to be, we wouldn’t recommend buying one, no matter how inexpensive, for reasons we’ll come to.

Real-time Tracking AF

Even the entry-level a6100 has an AF system that confidently maintains focus on your chosen subject (particularly human subjects), whatever’s going on in front of it

The biggest change in the refreshed Sony lineup is ‘Real-time Tracking’, an autofocus system that’s been trained to recognize people and pets so that it tracks them doggedly (or, by logical extension, ‘cattedly’). It’s present in the a6100, a6400 and a6600.

Oddly, Real-time Tracking isn’t switched on by default (or ever referred to as such on the cameras). But, once the cameras have been switched across to AF-C mode and one of the ‘tracking’ AF area modes has been chosen, the system is really impressive. Point the camera at your subject, half press the shutter and it’ll dependably follow it, wherever it moves in the scene. This makes it one of the simplest and most effective AF systems we’ve ever used.

‘Real-time Tracking’ is present in the a6100, a6400 and a6600

We don’t say this lightly (and we’re not easily impressed) but, having experienced it, we think it helps the latest models stand out, even though some other aspects of their spec aren’t particularly exciting.

However, while the system is really impressive in the daytime, we found it’s less effective in low light. We’ll be testing this in more detail as part of our a6600 and a6100 reviews, so don’t take this as an unalloyed recommendation until we’ve completed that testing.

In with the new

The a6100, a6400 and a6600 all now offer touchscreens that tilt all the way up, to facilitate selfies and vlogging

This ‘Real Time Tracking’ AF system is good enough to make it awkward to go back and use the earlier models and Sony appears to recognize this. The a6300 and a6500 are, we understand, discontinued and replaced by the a6400 and a6600 respectively.

There’ll no doubt be some last-minute sell-offs of any remaining stock, so we’d suggest thinking how dependent your photography (or videography) is on autofocus, and whether you need any of the other improvements, before deciding whether to try to grab a bargain.

For instance, the new generation of cameras all gain touchsceens, which only the a6500 previously had. They also promise improved color rendering in their JPEGs. These improvements add up.

They add up most noticeably when you compare the a6100 to the generations-old a6000, which is why we’d suggest side-stepping the older model at this point.

Sony a6100

The a6100 looks a lot like the a6000 but gains improved AF and more attractive JPEGs, as well as features such as a mic socket

The a6100 is the most basic of the models. It is built from an engineering plastic and has a lower-resolution viewfinder [800 x 600 pixels] than the rest of the models.

The most recent JPEG engine gives it much more attractive color than the a6000

The most obvious change over the (we suspect) outgoing a6000 is the vastly improved AF system. This in itself makes it a much more capable camera. In addition it gains the ability to shoot 4K video (albeit with very noticeable rolling shutter) and, also pretty significantly, it has the most recent version of Sony’s JPEG engine, which gives it much more attractive JPEG color than the a6000 produced.

Capable but entry-level

The a6100’s screen is touch-sensitive and flips all the way up, neither of which was true of the a6000

Unlike the a6000 and in common with the other new a6x00 cameras, it’s got a touchscreen that flips up by 180 degrees, for vlogging or selfie shooting and a mic socket.

The a6100 doesn’t have the full capabilities of its more expensive siblings, though. It can’t shoot Log video, and loses some subtle features such as the ability to let you specify the shutter speed at which Auto ISO mode changes ISO and to let you set up different AF points and modes for portrait- and landscape-orientation shooting.

Also, while you can customize the camera’s ‘Fn’ menu, you can’t define separate versions for stills and video shooting: something the a6400 and a6600 let you do. It’s really useful if you switch back and forth between the two types of shooting.

These are small changes but they add up. For example, we regularly assign a button to access ‘Auto ISO Min Shutter Speed’ so that we can change the camera between 1/focal length and something faster, depending on whether we’re more concerns about camera shake or subject movement.

Sony a6400

From the outside, it’s only really the switch around the AEL button that distinguishes the a6400 from its more basic sibling

The next model up from the a6100 is the a6400. You get a higher-res viewfinder, giving 1024 x 768 pixels from its 2.36m dots. You also get ‘moisture and dust resistant’ magnesium alloy construction (though, as is all too common, this resistance comes with no guarantee or substantive claims of effectiveness).

The a6400 offers a customizable AF/MF switch on the back of the body, which the a6100 lacks, but that’s about the extent of the physical handling differences. On the software side you gain a handful of menu options, including the ability to set the Auto ISO shutter threshold, define different AF areas and area modes by camera orientation and set up custom features such as ‘My Dial.’ These all make a difference if you like to define the fine detail of the camera’s handling.

Mid-level option

The a6400 lets you take more fine control of its operation than with the a6100

Video shooters gain the ability to shoot S-Log and HLG video footage over the a6100, which opens up opportunities for color grading or output to high dynamic range televisions. However, this is only in 8-bit and is still subject to significant rolling shutter in the cropped 30p mode which gets even worse in the full-width 24p mode. We were very impressed with this highly detailed footage when the a6300 was launched, back in 2016 but the likes of Fujifilm’s X-T30 will now offer better results.

The a6400 offers some benefits over the a6100 but you may find better options from other camera makers

So, while the a6400 offers some benefits over the a6100, you may not find the difference worth the cost. And, if you’re looking for a more advanced camera, and want to take more control, you may find better options from other camera makers.

Sony a6600

Not only does the a6600 offer image stabilization over its sister models, it also adds a headphone socket and much larger ‘Z-type’ battery. There’s no built-in flash, though

The range-topping model is the a6600. The main thing you gain over the lower models is in-body image stabilization, which is a major benefit for both stills and video shooting. A new feature of the a6600 is the inclusion of a much larger NP-FZ100 battery. This significantly boosts the camera’s endurance and will all-but eliminate concerns about keeping the camera charged, while you’re shooting.

The space demands of this larger battery have prompted the design of more substantial, more comfortable hand grip than on other a6x00 models and these ergonomic improvements are supplemented by the addition of an extra custom button, which leaves the a6600 with one more than its predecessor and two more than its current siblings.

Steady endurance

The a6600 offers two more custom buttons than the others in the lineup: one on the top plate and a second, marked ‘C3’ on the back

However, while these improvements make the a6600 stand out from its own sister models, it looks like a half-generational update of the a6500. Its autofocus is, without question, best-in-class and its battery life is the best of any of its peers. But its video isn’t especially competitive, either in terms of specifications (Fujifilm’s X-T3 can shoot much more gradable 10-bit footage), or in terms of appearance (the rolling shutter is likely to limit the way you shoot, if you don’t want it to be visible in your videos).

The a6600 also gains a headphone socket for monitoring audio, which is a first for the series

And, in sharing the same 2.36m dot EVF panel with the a6400, its viewfinder is noticeably lower resolution than the Fujifilm.

The option to pair the a6600 with a sensibly-sized 16-55mm F2.8 lens makes the camera more attractive for enthusiasts, but puts it worryingly close in price to an a7 III with the more flexible 24-105mm F4, which will offer similar output and access to a potentially larger performance envelope (or even Tamron’s 28-75mm F2.8).

Impressive AF but…

The latest a6x00 cameras may seem like minor upgrades in some respects, but the improved AF system makes them significantly easier to shoot with

Sony’s latest cameras have an AF system that out-performs anything we’ve experienced before and, importantly, makes it relatively easy to exploit this potential (though we’d prefer it to be engaged by default, especially on the a6100). They also produce more attractive JPEGs than the older models, particularly when compared to the elderly a6000.

But, as we’re sure the comments below will remind you, none of these camera is cutting-edge in terms of hardware such as sensor or viewfinder tech. Sony’s touchscreen implementation is still oddly limited (why isn’t the Fn menu touch-sensitive?), they all shoot only lossy Raws that limit the processing flexibility and they still have one of the most difficult-to-navigate menu systems on the market. This means they’re beginning to slip behind the best of their peers in some respects, particularly in terms of video.

Compared to their peers

Between Canon’s EF-M cameras, Fujifilm’s X-series and various Micro Four Thirds options, the new a6x00 models have a lot to live up to

In the absence of a replacement for the image stabilized Fujifilm X-H1, the a6600 looks pretty strong at the top end, so long as the shortcomings and omissions listed on the last slide don’t affect your shooting too much. Its video isn’t as good as the X-T3’s, but the better AF in both stills and video mode, along with built-in stabilization may be more appealing for some people.

The 16-55mm F2.8 lens makes APS-C E-mount look more photographer-friendly

The a6100’s simple autofocus and relatively low price immediately make it a strong contender against other entry level APS-C and Micro Four Thirds rivals. It’s the a6400, which has to square up against the Fujifilm X-T30 and Canon’s new EOS M6 Mark II that’s probably the least compelling of this trio.

That said, it should also be recognized that Sony has made some effort to address previous criticisms and that its latest models will produce nicer images than its older APS-C cameras and will do so more easily than ever before. And, perhaps more than this, the arrival of the 16-55mm F2.8 lens makes APS-C E-mount look more photographer-friendly than it’s previously appeared.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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First samples from the Sony a6100, E 16-55mm and E 70-350mm

31 Aug

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We’re in New York City where Sony’s launched an impressive range of new APS-C gear including a flagship a6600 body, budget-friendly a6100 body, E 16-55mm F2.8 standard zoom lens and E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 telephoto lens. We got our hands on both the a6100 and duo of lenses. Check out our initial samples.

See our Sony a6100 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DPReview TV: Sony a6100, a6600 and new APS-C lenses

30 Aug

Join Chris Niccolls and Richard Butler for another in our ongoing ‘hotel room’ series of shorts, straight from the mini-bar. They share their first thoughts on Sony’s new a6100 and a6600 cameras as well as the new 16-55mm F2.8 and 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 APS-C lenses.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony’s new low-priced a6100 is a stripped-down a6400

29 Aug

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Sony has introduced its new low-priced a6100 APS-C E-Mount camera, which will slot in-between the a6000 (yes, it’s still being produced) and the a6400. The a6100 is essentially the a6400 with a lower resolution EVF (1.44M rather than 2.36M dots), smaller ISO range (ISO 51200 vs 102400) and no Picture Profiles.

What it does feature is Sony’s familiar 24MP APS-C sensor, a 425-pt PDAF system with Real-time Tracking, 11 fps burst shooting, 3″ flip-up touchscreen LCD and oversampled 4K video capture (which is cropped at 30p). It also features a mic input, making the a6100 a good option for vlogging.

The a6100 will be priced at $ 750 body-only, $ 850 with a 16-50mm power zoom lens, and $ 1100 with the 16-50 plus a 55-210mm lens. It will be available in October.

Sony Electronics Strengthens APS-C Mirrorless Line-up with Launch of Two New Cameras

Company Introduces Alpha 6600 with in-body Image Stabilization and Enhanced Battery Life, Also Boosts Product Portfolio with Introduction of Alpha 6100

SAN DIEGO — August 28, 2019 — Sony Electronics today announced two new additions to its ? (Alpha) series of mirrorless cameras with the launch of the Alpha 6600 (model ILCE-6600) and Alpha 6100 (model ILCE-6100). These new models bring many of Sony’s most advanced imaging technologies into compact, lightweight APS-C bodies.

The new, extremely versatile Alpha 6600 camera has been designed to address the needs of the most demanding photographers and videographers, while the new Alpha 6100 is targeted at users who are looking to produce high-quality photos and videos with an interchangeable lens camera.

In addition to the new bodies, the Sony APS-C range has been further strengthened by the launch of two new lenses: E 16-55mm F2.8 G and E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS. Sony’s “One Mount” solution for both APS-C and Full-frame cameras provides creators an extreme amount of versatility for all of their photography and video needs.

“These new APS-C cameras provide excellent image quality in a compact package, with the ability to take full advantage of Sony’s growing lineup of 54 different E-mount lenses,” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Products and Solutions at Sony Electronics. “We are proud to bring so many of our innovations into our APS-C lineup and to provide creators with several new tools to realize their vision.”

The new Alpha 6600 and Alpha 6100 include a 24.2MP[i] Exmor™ CMOS image sensor, the latest BIONZ X™ image processor, and a front-end LSI implemented in Sony’s full-frame cameras. This powerful trio combine to deliver all-around enhancements in image quality and performance across all areas of photo and video capture.

The Alpha 6600 and Alpha 6100 offer a lightning-fast autofocus acquisition time of 0.02 seconds[ii]. With 425 focal-plane phase-detection autofocus (AF) points covering approximately 84 percent of the image area and 425 contrast-detection AF points, the high density and wide coverage of the AF system ensure reliable AF, even in the most challenging light conditions. Both new models benefit from Sony’s ‘Real-time Tracking’ which utilizes Sony’s latest algorithm with Artificial Intelligence[iii]-based object recognition to ensure that subjects can be captured with excellent accuracy, even via the touch panel on the rear screen. In addition, the new models offer ‘Real-time Eye AF’, the latest version of Sony’s acclaimed Eye AF technology. Real-time Eye AF employs AI-based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real time, resulting in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF for both humans and animals[iv], and it allows the photographer to concentrate exclusively on composition.[v] The Alpha 6600 also offers Real Time Eye AF in video. When activated, the eye of a subject is automatically tracked with high precision and reliability, allowing the shooter to focus on the content itself as opposed to what is in focus or not.

Additionally, both cameras can shoot high-quality 4K video, and include a microphone jack and flip screen that allows for easy framing and shooting of vlog-style content. The Alpha 6600 also features a headphone jack to monitor audio.

An Eye for Detail

Based upon feedback from users of existing Sony APS-C camera users, Sony has added features to the Alpha 6600 and Alpha 6100 to fine tune the user experience. These include:

  • Improved color reproduction; algorithms inherited from full-frame models deliver natural color reproduction, particularly in skin tones
  • Hi-resolution internal 4K[vi] movie recording with full-pixel readout without pixel binning in Super 35mm format with easy smartphone transfers via the Imaging Edge™ Mobile application[vii]
  • Interval shooting[viii] for stunning time-lapse videos
  • 180-degree tiltable, 3.0-type 921k-dot (approx.) LCD touch screen
  • Integrated Microphone input for clear and crisp audio on video recordings

Alpha 6600

Across an ISO range of 100-32000 (expandable to ISO 50 – 102400[ix]), the new Alpha 6600 offers superb low-noise performance and delivers extremely high-quality images, even in low-light conditions. By applying noise reduction and sharpness processing optimally in each area, Area-specific Noise Reduction and Detail Reproduction Technology greatly reduce noise while preserving high resolution. This contributes to fine reproduction of subject textures and shadow details.

The Alpha 6600 features many of the technology breakthroughs that are attracting praise on Sony’s high-end full-frame cameras. These include:

  • Sony’s innovative 5-axis in-body image stabilization system that results in a 5.0-step[x] shutter speed advantage
  • Implementation of the industry-leading[xi] long battery life with Sony Z Battery for the first time on an APS-C camera, enabling extended power performance; approx. 720 still images using viewfinder, approx. 810 images using LCD monitor[xii]
  • A tough magnesium alloy design that is dust and moisture resistant[xiii]
  • Real-time Eye AF for movie shooting[xiv]; when activated, the eye of a subject is automatically tracked with high precision and reliability, allowing the shooter to focus on the content itself as opposed to what is in focus or not in focus. Touch Tracking functionality will also automatically initiate Eye AF when a human subject is selected
  • Integrated headphone jack which allows the user to connect high-quality headphones for accurate monitoring of recorded sound

4K Recordingvi

The Alpha 6600 and Alpha 6100 boasts internal 4K movie recording in Super 35mm format with full pixel readout without pixel binning, to enable them to capture approximately 2.4x[xv] the amount of information required for 4K movies. This oversampling results in stunning footage, delivered in the XAVC S™ format with unparalleled resolution. The Alpha 6600 also equips an HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)[xvi] picture profile that supports an instant HDR workflow. Recorded movies played back on an HDR (HLG) compatible TV will appear true-to-life, with no blocked shadows or blown highlights, and without the need for color grading. For users who want to color grade their footage in post-production, S-Log3 and S-Log2 Gamma profiles are provided.

Pricing and Availability

The new Alpha 6600 will be available in November and will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America at below prices:

  • Camera body – $ 1,400 US / $ 1,900 CA
  • Camera kit with Sony 18-135mm Lens – $ 1,800 US / $ 2,400 CA

In addition, the Alpha 6100 will be available in October and will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America at below prices:

  • Camera body – $ 750 US / $ 1,000 CA
  • Camera kit with Sony 16-50mm Lens – $ 850 US / $ 1,100 CA
  • Camera kit with Sony 16-50mm Lens and 55-210mm Lens – $ 1,100 US / $ 1,550 CA

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new lens and Sony’s other imaging products can be found at alphauniverse.com, a site created to educate and inspire all fans and customers of Sony’s ? – Alpha brand.

The new content will also be posted directly at the Sony Photo Gallery and the Sony Camera Channel on YouTube. For detailed product information, please visit:

  • (US) – Alpha 6600
  • (CA) – Alpha 6600
  • (US) – Alpha 6100
  • (CA) – Alpha 6100

A product video on the new Alpha 6600 and Alpha 6100 can be viewed HERE.

[i] Approximate effective megapixels

[ii] Based on Sony research, CIPA-guideline-compliant internal measurement with an E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens mounted, Pre-AF off and viewfinder in use

[iii] AI (artificial intelligence) including machine learning technology is used

[iv] Real-time Eye AF for Animals supports still images only and cannot be used in combination with tracking. Does not work with some types of animal. Focusing may not perform well depending on scene and subject conditions

[v] Both right eye and left eye are selectable, either via the menu or by the touchscreen panel

[vi] 3840×2160 pixels. A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format. UHS-I (U3) SDHC/SDXC card is required for 100Mbps

[vii] Imaging Edge Mobile Ver. 7.2 or later is required

[viii] Wi-Fi does not work during interval shooting

[ix] Only on still images

[x] Based on CIPA standard. Pitch/yaw shake only. With Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA lens mounted. Long-exposure Noise Reduction off

[xi] Among mirrorless interchangeable-lens digital cameras equipped with an APS-C image sensor. As of August 2019, based on Sony research

[xii] CIPA standard compliant

[xiii] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof

[xiv] This function does not track animal eyes

[xv] 24p recording. Approx. 1.6x at 30p

[xvi] Connect this product to an HDR (HLG) compatible Sony TV via a USB cable when displaying HDR (HLG) movies

Sony a6100 specifications

Price
MSRP $ 750 (body only), $ 850 (w/16-50 lens), $ 1100 (w/16-50 and 55-210 lenses)
Body type
Body type Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Body material Composite
Sensor
Max resolution 6000 x 4000
Image ratio w:h 1:1, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels 24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors 25 megapixels
Sensor size APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor type CMOS
Processor Bionz X
Color space sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array Primary color filter
Image
ISO Auto, 100-32000 (expands to 51200)
Boosted ISO (maximum) 51200
White balance presets 10
Custom white balance Yes
Image stabilization No
Uncompressed format RAW
JPEG quality levels Extra fine, fine, standard
File format
  • JPEG (Exif v2.31)
  • Raw (Sony ARW)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus
  • Phase Detect
  • Multi-area
  • Center
  • Selective single-point
  • Tracking
  • Single
  • Continuous
  • Touch
  • Face Detection
  • Live View
Autofocus assist lamp Yes
Manual focus Yes
Number of focus points 425
Lens mount Sony E
Focal length multiplier 1.5×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD Tilting
Screen size 3
Screen dots 921,600
Touch screen Yes
Screen type TFT LCD
Live view Yes
Viewfinder type Electronic
Viewfinder coverage 100%
Viewfinder magnification 1.07× (0.71× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder resolution 1,440,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed 30 sec
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 sec
Exposure modes
  • Program
  • Aperture priority
  • Shutter priority
  • Manual
Scene modes
  • Portrait
  • Sports Action
  • Macro
  • Landscape
  • Sunset
  • Night Scene
  • Hand-held Twilight
  • Night Portrait
  • Anti Motion Blur
Built-in flash Yes
Flash range 6.00 m (at ISO 100)
External flash Yes
Flash modes Flash off, auto, fill flash, slow sync, rear sync, wireless, hi-speed
Flash X sync speed 1/160 sec
Drive modes
  • Single shooting
  • Continuous
  • Self-timer
  • Bracketing (AE, DRO, WB)
Continuous drive 11.0 fps
Self-timer Yes
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
Exposure compensation ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
AE Bracketing ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps)
WB Bracketing Yes
Videography features
Format MPEG-4, XAVC S, H.264
Microphone Stereo
Speaker Mono
Storage
Storage types SD/SDHC/SDXC + Memory Stick Pro Duo
Connectivity
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB charging Yes
HDMI Yes (micro HDMI)
Microphone port Yes
Headphone port No
Wireless Built-In
Wireless notes 802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth
Remote control Yes (wireless or smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed No
Battery Battery Pack
Battery description NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 420
Weight (inc. batteries) 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz)
Dimensions 120 x 67 x 59 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 2.32)
Other features
Orientation sensor Yes
Timelapse recording Yes
GPS None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Hands on with the Sony a6600 and a6100

29 Aug

Hands on with the Sony a6600 and a6100

Sony’s just dropped two new APS-C interchangeable lens cameras, the a6600 and the a6100, at a launch event in New York City. We’ll be working with the cameras to get you our initial impressions as soon as we can, but for now, we’ve had a chance to see how they handle, as well as give you a closer look at some of the design changes Sony’s brought to the series.

We’ll start with the a6600, which Sony is describing as the new flagship of its APS-C range.

The new Z-type battery

Aside from the Real-time Tracking autofocus enhancements Sony has bestowed upon the a6600, one of the most significant upgrades is that the camera now uses Sony’s NP-FZ100 battery, first seen on the a7-series of full-frame cameras.

This battery offers 2.2x the capacity of the older NP-W50, and gives the a6600 a CIPA rating of 810 shots per charge using the rear LCD (this drops to 720 using the EVF exclusively). As with all CIPA ratings, you can expect to get more shots in real-world use. In our experience with this Z-type battery in Sony’s full-frame offerings, we’ve enjoyed several days’ worth of fairly frequent shooting and reviewing before we needed to top it off.

Headphone and other ports

On the side of the new a6600 is an updated array of ports, the most significant addition being a headphone jack for monitoring audio while recording video. This immediately makes the a6600 a more appealing video camera, particularly for run-and-gun style shooters who don’t want to carry an external audio recorder.

Above the audio jacks is a micro-USB port offering USB 2.0 transfer speeds as well as in-camera charging for the new battery. There’s also a standard micro-HDMI port as well.

Selfie screen

The a6600 has inherited the updated screen mechanism we first saw on the midrange a6400. This means it tilts down by 90 degrees for shooting from high angles, and it also tilts up 180 degrees for shooting selfie photos or vlogging.

Helping out users who are into vlogging – or really, video shooters of all kinds – will be the a6600’s in-body image stabilization, which can combine with in-lens stabilization to produce smoother footage than either system on its own. We’ll be sure to test the effectiveness of this system when we have a final review sample.

Not-so-updated controls, no built-in flash

The controls on the a6600 are largely the same as the a6500 that preceded it – though there is an additional ‘C3’ customizable button by the Menu button that wasn’t present on the a6500. But you’ll notice there’s no longer a button to pop the flash up, because…there’s no built-in flash. At least Sony left the hotshoe in so an external flash unit can be added if necessary.

Of particular note is the lack of any type of AF joystick, but the touchscreen on the a6600 supports touchpad AF, so you can drag your finger across the screen to move your autofocus point around while your eye is to the viewfinder.

Top-plate controls

Here’s a better view of the top-plate controls, where you can see the ‘C1’ and ‘C2’ customizable buttons. It’s worth mentioning that you can’t see a front command dial in this photograph, because there isn’t one. The a6600 is still technically a ‘twin-dial’ camera, with one dial on the right shoulder and one on the rear plate, but both dials are operated with your thumb. We really wish Sony would’ve added a front dial to the a6600, but alas, it’s just not meant to be.

On to the a6100

Now that we’ve covered the flagship a6600, let’s take a look at its lower-end sibling, the new a6100. This camera will slot in between the existing a6000 and a6400 cameras (at least for now), borrowing bits from each while bringing some valuable updates as well. Let’s take a look.

Side ports

As expected, the a6100 has the same port array of the a6400, missing out on the headphone jack that was added to the a6600 flagship. Those interested in shooting video will also be disappointed by the a6100’s lack of picture profiles, including any sort of Log shooting. You do still get a microphone jack though, as well as micro USB (which can be used to charge the battery) and micro-HDMI connectors.

A smaller battery

To keep cost, size and weight down, the a6100 continues to use Sony’s venerable NP-FW50 ‘W-type’ battery. With a CIPA rating of 420 shots, battery life is actually quite decent, if not exemplary. You can expect to get through at least a day of heavy shooting without running out of juice.

Happily, both the a6100 and a6600 continue to offer NFC, as you can see from the icon on the side of the camera here. That means that pairing your Android smartphone with the camera is as easy as tapping the two together.

Rear controls

The rear of the a6100 brings few surprises, though the camera loses the AF/MF rocker switch, instead making due with a simpler AEL button that will almost certainly be customizable. That glossy screen is the same panel we’ve seen before, but the addition of touch functionality should make this a friendlier camera to use than the older a6000.

Tilting screen

And of course, the a6100 gets the new tilting screen mechanism from the a6400 and a6600, which tilts up 180 degrees for selfies and vlogging. In this view, you can also see the ‘C1’ customizable button next to the shutter on the top plate.

Top plate controls

Here’s a better view of that top-plate, which shows that the a6100 retains the built-in pop-up flash that the a6600 lost. We’re told that the distinctly glossy a6100 body is made of high-strength plastic. The a6600, meanwhile, uses magnesium alloy in much of its construction.

That’s a wrap

And that’s all for now! What do you think of Sony’s new APS-C duo? Let us know in the comments, and please do pepper us with questions – we’ll answer them if we’re able, and if we’re not, we’ll forward them on to Sony courtesy of our staffers at the launch event in New York.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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