Why You Can Trust CNET Sony A6000 arrives in April for $800: NEX-6 replacement delivers faster autofocus (hands-on)
A slightly streamlined design and beefed-up autofocus system are some of the Alpha ILCE-6000 camera's highlights.
For the successor to its generally excellent Alpha NEX-6, Sony claims improved performance from an updated autofocus system, better image quality from a new sensor and bump to the latest Bionz X image-processing firmware, and a refined design over its predecessor. The latest ILC to get Sony's ILCE rebranding, the Alpha ILCE-6000 (aka the A6000) seems to have been improved in every way except the way it most needed -- shortening its startup time.
The NEX-6, with its hybrid autofocus system, performs pretty well, but the A6000 finally offers a solid burst frame rate with continuous autofocus. The updated system provides phase-detection sensors covering more of the image area -- 92 percent, according to Sony -- which should help with focusing on off-center subjects and subjects moving across the frame. However, it remains to be seen if Sony has reduced the camera's long startup time, a problem that continues to plague all of its mirrorless models; the boot time on the preproduction model we saw still seemed awfully slow.
Shop for Sony Alpha A6000 (body only, black)
See all pricesThe new sensor incorporates the latest gapless microlens technology that most modern sensors now use and coupled with the Bionz X processor I think we should see some pretty good photo and video quality. Sony also brings the feature set up-to-date by adding NFC for quick wireless pairing, clean HDMI output, and Zebra (tone-clipping indicator).
Sony will also be offering three new A6000-compatible apps in for its proprietary PlayMemories platform in the spring, StarTrail (for long-exposure sky photography), LiveView Grading (which despite using the term "grading" looks more like special effects), and Smooth Reflection (a digital neutral-density filter for long exposures). All will cost you extra bucks. The new Sync to Smartphone app (for simultaneously saving to mobile device and camera) will be gratis, however.
On the one-step-back front, Sony seems to have downgraded the EVF -- it's much lower-resolution and a hair smaller -- though it remains competitive with those of the other cameras in its class.
Here's the current landscape for some similar cameras:
| Nikon 1 V2 | Olympus OM-D E-M10 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 | Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 (A6000) | Sony Alpha NEX-6 | Sony Alpha NEX-7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor (effective resolution) | 14.2MP CMOS 12 bits | 16.1MP Live MOS 12 bits | 16.1MP Live MOS 12 bits | 24.3MP Exmor HD CMOS n/a | 16.1MP Exmor HD CMOS n/a | 24.3MP Exmor HD CMOS 12 bits |
| 13.2mm x 8.8mm | 17.3mm x 13mm | 17.3mm x 13mm | 23.5mm x 15.6mm | 23.5mm x 15.6mm | 23.5mm x 15.6mm | |
| Focal- length multiplier | 2.7x | 2.0x | 2.0x | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 160 - ISO 6400 | ISO 100 (exp)/ | ISO 200 - ISO 25600 | ISO 100 - ISO 25600 | ISO 100 - ISO 25600 | ISO 100 - ISO 16000 |
| Burst shooting | 5fps (single AF, mechanical shutter); 60fps (electronic shutter) n/a | 3.5fps unlimited JPEG/20 raw (8fps with fixed focus and exposure) | 4fps 17 JPEG/11 raw (9fps with fixed focus, exposure and WB) | 11fps n/a | 3fps 11 raw/15 JPEG (10fps with fixed exposure and focus) | 3fps unlimited JPEG/6 raw (10fps with fixed exposure and focus) |
| Viewfinder | 0.47-inch TFT EVF 1.44 million dots 100% coverage n/a | EVF n/a-inch 1.44 million dots 100% coverage 1.01x - 1.15x/ 0.5 - 0.58x | EVF n/a-inch 1.44 million dots 100% coverage 1.15x/ 0.58x | OLED EVF 0.4-inch 1.44 million dots 100% coverage 1.07x/ 0.71x | OLED EVF 0.5-inch 2.4 million dots 100% coverage 1.09x/ 0.73x | EVF 0.5-inch 2.4-million dots 100% coverage 1.09x/ 0.73x |
| Autofocus | 73-point phase detection, 135-area contrast AF | 81-area contrast AF | 35-area contrast AF | 175-point phase detection, 25-area contrast AF | 99-point phase detection, 25-area contrast AF | 25-area contrast AF |
| AF sensitivity range | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 - 20 EV | 0 - 20 EV | 0 - 20 EV |
| Shutter speed | 30 - 1/4,000 sec (1/16,000 sec electronic).; 1/250 sec x-sync | 60 - 1/4,000 sec; bulb to 30 minutes; 1/250 sec x-sync (max) | 60 - 1/4,000 sec; bulb to 8 minutes; 1/250 sec x-sync (max) | 30-1/4,000 sec; bulb; 1/160 sec x-sync | 30-1/4,000 sec; bulb; 1/160 sec x-sync | 30-1/4,000 se.; bulb; 1/160 sec x-sync |
| Metering | n/a | 324 area | 324 area | 1,200 zones | 1,200 zones | 1,200 zones |
| Metering range | n/a | -2 - 20 EV | 0 - 20 EV | 0 - 20 EV | 0 - 20 EV | 0 - 20 EV |
| Flash | Yes | Yes | Included add-on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless flash | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Image stabilization | Optical | Sensor shift | Sensor shift | Optical | Optical | Optical |
| Best video | 1080/30p; 720/60p H.264 MPEG-4 QuickTime MOV | 1080/30p H.264 QuickTime MOV (22 mins) | 1080/60i QuickTime MOV @ 20, 17Mbps | AVCHD 1080/60p @ 28Mbps, 1080/24p @ 24Mbps | AVCHD 1080/60p @ 28Mbps, 1080/24p @ 24Mbps | AVCHD 1080/60p @ 28Mbps, 1080/24p @ 24Mbps |
| Audio | Stereo; mic input | Stereo | Stereo; mic input | Stereo; mic (via accessory shoe) | Stereo; mic input | Stereo; mic input |
| LCD size | 3-inch fixed 920,000 dots | 3-inch tilting touch screen 1.04 million dots | 3-inch tilting touch-screen OLED 614,000 dots | 3-inch tilting touch screen 921,600 dots | 3-inch tilting touch screen 921,600 dots | 3-inch tilting 921,600 dots |
| Wireless | Optional (via WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter) | Wi-Fi | None | Wi-Fi, NFC | Wi-Fi | None |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 310 shots | 320 shots | 330 shots | 420 shots | 270 shots (VF); 360 shots (LCD) | 430 shots |
| Dimensions (inches, WHD) | 4.2 x 3.2 x 1.8 | 4.7 x 3.2 x 1.8 | 4.8 x 3.5 x 1.7 | 4.8 x 2.9 x 1.8 | 4.8 x 2.8 x 1.1 | 4.8 x 2.8 x 1.7 |
| Body operating weight (ounces) | 11 (est) | 14 (est) | 15.1 | 12.1 (est) | 12.3 | 12.4 |
| Mfr. price | $799.95 (body only) | $699 (body only) | $799.99 (body only) | n/a | $649.99 (body only) | $949.99 (body only) |
| $899.95 (with 10-30mm lens) | $799 (with 14-42mm lens) | $899.99 (with 14-42mm lens) | $799.99 (with 15-60mm PZ lens) | $799.99 (with 15-60mm PZ lens) | $1,049 (with 18-55mm lens) | |
| $1,049.95 (with 10-30mm and 30-110mm lenses) | n/a | $1,099.99 (with 12-50mm lens) | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Ship date | November 2012 | March 2014 | April 2012 | April 2014 | October 2012 | November 2011 |
In related news, Sony shared pricing and availability for the full-frame FE-mount 70-200mm f4 lens announced around the time of the A7/A7R: it will ship in April for $1,499. Five more FE lenses are planned for this year and another five should arrive in 2015.