Sony - Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Camera with 16-50mm Retractable Lens - Black

Overall there is a ton of helpful info out there on this camera, and many reviews here do it justice. For an entry-level camera, the quality cannot be beat. There is great customization options for the wheels in manual mode to take shots exactly how you want, and the auto-modes work well too. While I highly rate the camera, there are a few things that really annoy me. Most of the pros are already out there so I'll just get to what I dislike; almost all of the dislikes have to do with video. 1. Microphone. The onboard mic is OK, but not great. This wouldn't be a big deal, except Sony did not include a microphone input on this camera. The only way to get external audio in is to purchase the Sony multi-interface shoe microphone, which doesn't even sound that good. So you cannot use any other microphones from your other rigs. What I've opted to do is use a Zoom H1N, and mount it on top of the camera with a blank cold-shoe plate-to-screw adapter. This works, but of course I have to manually add and sync audio, adding unnecessary workload, but not a ton. 2. Autofocus is quick on the lens but zooming and focusing is very audible through any camera-mounted microphone, which is annoying. Louder than it is outside the camera. 3. The LCD screen swivel is only partial-vertical swivel, which is practically useless. The mechanism used is fantastically strong for how light it is, but it is totally useless for framing shots if no one is behind the camera. Would really love to see a flip screen so you can frame from the front, especially with how portable this camera is, it's not likely there will always be someone else around to shoot. 4. Sony remote control app is obnoxious. It's cool that I can control it from my phone, but it's not cool that you can only control it in a few modes, and cannot use it in video mode. I thought with the remote camera app that I'd finally be able to self-frame video shots! Nope. Also annoying with the app is that you have to scan the camera basically every time you want to use it, which takes some time. Why can't I save the camera so I can connect to it every time without scanning the displayed QR code? 5. Battery life is pretty terrible, and the batteries take forever to charge too. 6. The camera straps hook onto little metal rings on the side of the camera. It's extremely difficult to remove the clips that hold onto the camera straps, and the rings are actually affixed to the camera and cannot be removed, even though they protrude right out of the chassis and are really annoying when you're holding the camera in certain ways. Like I said, these seem like a lot of negatives but there are tons of positives too. I just wanted to voice my frustrations. I will be keeping this camera around though, if not purely for the super convenient size factor when going on trips. Love the camera though in every other way!

I bought the camera because I needed something smaller and lighter than my old DSLR. I needed more megapixels, video, and a killer-fast autofocus to use at rock concerts. It's small enough to easily fit in my purse and get into the concerts, and was unobtrusive while shooting tourist snaps on London streets. The learning curve is steep - and occasionally I got bogged down with too many features, but I'll keep learning. The megapixels allowed me to zoom in close, even without a long lens, and I could see the details on Brian May's guitar, Roger Taylor's sticks flying on the drums, and sweat on Adam Lambert's face. The button for shooting video is a bit hard to find and press, but with that effort, i also got great videos. The burst mode is fabulous - I used that during the concerts and got great shots to choose from. I am still learning, but I'm thrilled with the camera so far. Without the bulk of my Nikon DSLR, I was able to engage and interact with people, dance at the concerts, and not worry about announcing myself as a tourist. And I got better shots!

I decided to buy a smaller camera for my trip to see the Northern Lights. There is a lot to learn but It turned out to be a good decision and a great buy! I got the pictures I wanted for this once in a lifetime opportunity.

For a long time, I have wanted to get a camera to deliver the results I obtained with the Sony-Alpha. I tried a different brand (more expensive), and I had returned because I felt that the pictures from my camera phone were the same quality. After reading the reviews, I decided to use my Christmas money and go for it! Best thing I've done! I did a photoshoot of my dogs on the first day, and it was so much fun! (See pictures below)

Bought it to attach to a telescope for astrophotography pictures. Has done better then I hoped. Being mirror less has eliminated vibration from the camera.

The best camera I have ever owned! When my little boy was born; I bought it to start taking professional/quality photos of him. I had this camera for 3 years, and it was fantastic. A couple months ago I dropped it, and the lens would make a strange retracting noise. I took it in to Best Buy to have them send it off for repair (the extended 3 year warranty I purchased was going to expire in a couple of months). When I received the camera back it still made a slight clicking noise when the camera lens retracted. I was given a gift card for the value of the camera at the time of purchase. For the next couple of months, I did a lot of research to see how far mirrorless cameras have come, and if I wanted to splurge on the Sony A7000 or even another brand. My final result was still the Sony A6000. It is a quality, timeless, amazing camera. Protect your investment by getting the extended warranty. Yes, it's expensive, but it will give you peace of mind. Also register your camera with Sony, so they can be of assistance if you have repair questions later on too. One of my favorite features is that you can send the photos from the camera straight to your phone instantly.

I am a beginner. This camera with the two kit lenses that I got makes me feel like a pro. I know my photos are not great. I'm not ashamed to admit that, but it sure does make me feel like an amateur already. I'm still messing with the settings to see what I like and don't like. Don't hesitate if you're looking to start out.

I'm an amateur photographer having toyed around with film cameras of old, point and shot cameras as well as other digital models. I bought the A6000 as an upgrade of my old DSC-H50. The H50 was my work horse which I use for producing portrait graphics, product shots for my business and occasional social events. It did what it supposed to do but, not everything. I evaluated different models and based on the following criteria: 1. Price and Quality 2. Usability 3. Size and Ergonomics 4. Features 5. Lenses 6. APS-C 7. Speed (Shooting and Over-all responsiveness 8. Point and Shoot Feature I narrowed my options to pro-sumer brands from Nikon, Canon, and Sony (A7) and either a full frame or an APS-C system. 1. Price: The price of the APS-C with its pro features was really hard to ignore compared to full frame professional systems. Check out the prices online and you'll see what i mean. Quality a. The body is plastic but as long as it is hard resin plastic which is strong and light, I'm happy with the weight. b. I believe the plastic door for the HDMI and Multi-USB ports may break if not handle properly, so handle with care. c. The reticulated flash is kinda fragile, so handle with care. Be sure to store it when moving around and deploy it only when needed. d. The buttons and rotating rings and knobs are firm and not too soft. It prevents accidental changing of settings. e. The flash died after 1.5 weeks of extensive use. Since I was a Best Buy rewards member (now an Elite Plus member) my unit was replaced with a brand new one without too much brohaha. That's what I call customer service. I bought the unit in store and I may have gotten a lemon, because they told me that this is the 1st time they had a defective flash unit problem. The rest of the camera features still worked in spite of the flash being broken. My advise is, when you buy any electronic unit, test it extensively in the 1st few days so that you'll be able to find out if it has defects. 2. Usability a. The EVF, though lower in resolution quality than its predecessors and other competing brands, is just perfect. It's an EVF, period. There is no noticeable lag when panning and the area coverage is perfect for me. The sensor that activates it is too sensitive. The EVF sensor (when turned ON) should detect objects within 10 cm, NOT 30cm which can be annoying especially if you're using the reticulated display. Not a deal breaker, but a room for improvement which can be fixed (hopefully) by firmware upgrades. The controls are easy to understand. b. The Flash It's a good fill flash that's also effective within around 6 feet. Increasing the compensation to +3 would likely extend it to around 15'. But the good quality even on high ISO settings makes the size and power of the flash just enough. It's not there to replace professional flash capabilities, it's there if you need a flash. The reticulation allows you to bounce the flash if you need to bounce it. This simple capability can greatly improve the quality of your shots if you know how to use it. It takes getting used to propping one finger to push the reticulating flash to point upward. Adjust the flash compensation for longer reach. It's more than enough for my needs. Night shots are a challenge to shoot, but the pro-features of the A6000 (exposure compensation, ISO setting, HDR setting, HDO settings) makes it easier to adjust the quality of the night shots. Learn the features of the camera and you would have a host of solutions to address lighting problems. Forget post processing, learn how to use the features I mentioned and you'll get good quality nights shots. c. The 16-50mm PZ F3.5 kit lens. Adequate for my use. at 16mm, I can take selfies with a good coverage of the background or landscape. Quality is good under average lighting conditions. It's a good carry around lens and for tackling close quarter situations. The 16mm is good for landscape. I cant complain really. The 50mm is good for portrait and bokeh shots . Not as great as the dedicated SEL 50mm F1.8 but acceptable. d. Using a SEL 50mm F1.8 I bought a dedicated 50mm lens (in FF specs) it gives me an equivalent 75mm characteristic. Very good quality for regular portraits with soft bokeh shots. Low light shots are well rendered. 3. Size and Ergonomics The size is not pocketable on regular jeans, denims or shirts, but the 16-50mm combo will allow you to pocket it on a regular size coat pocket. It's comfortable to hold for my hand size. My hands are slender and small (not short and stubby!) The right hand grip is enough for a steady and secure grip. Not to big and not to small for me. Maybe too small for those with large gigantic hands. I suggest you try it "for comfort" 4. Features Everything I need is in there: Bokeh, great night shots, Fast moving shots, SLow Sync, Rear Sync, Interchangeable lens, buttons that I can program, video, fast focus using Phase Detection. Every professional feature that I may need is in there i think. 5. The love it or hate it e-mount lenses Either you'll love it or hate it. The availability is becoming better compared to 2 years ago. But how many do you really need? It depends on how you wanna use your camera. In my case, high quality product shots and occasional landscapes for use in websites requires some average quality prime lens in 16mm and 50mm. A good set of studio equipment either DIY or commercially available equipment are needed for product shots. 6. APS-C or Full Frame formats It used to be an issue for me. For the same distance away from your subject and using the same lens with the same focal length, the full frame system will capture more area of the picture versus the APS-C system. I learned to live with the limitations which I believe can be solved by buying the right lenses and positioning yourself at the right distance. The Sony A7 or A7R was being considered but the price of the A6000 APS-C system is worth considering, at least in my case it was a primary consideration. I'm no pro, but it does what I need to do and it does it pretty well in my opinion. if you have the cash, get the FF system, but consider this, Whatever you can do in the FF, you can do in the APS-C albeit using a different solution. 7. Speed Capturing moving objects requires some fiddling and common sense. With the A6000 the PDAF feature and high Frames Per Second, Shooting moving objects with less distortion and blurriness is so much easier. Over-all responsiveness of the system is okay. Minimal lag, cycling time of the flash is quite flash. 8. Point and Shoot feature I also bought the camera with my wife in mind. She may need the camera for hobby purposes, hence the capability to operate the camera with user friendly settings comparable to a point and shoot camera should be supported. The smart controls makes the configuration much easier. Dial the config to Intelligent Auto or super intelligent Auto and you're good to go. Bokeh is also easy to set-up with some fiddling, almost anybody can take great shots! My conclusion For an amateur like me who likes to produce my own materials for my websites, the A6000 + my skills can do the job. For a price that is a fraction of high end cameras, it's a no brainer. My next investment is on some accessories , but I'm still trying to observe what lenses I need and the accessories I need to buy. The investment on lenses has to wait though. I will have to comb through my shots to see which focal lengths I use extensively before buying a new lens system. Do i need a new flash systems, I'm not yet sure. DIY lighting systems maybe the way to go for me as commercial lighting systems are just bulky for me. We'll see. I'll be buying more accessories as I deem it fit. It's easy to fall prey to blogs and reviews where you need to buy this and that because they say you need it. Reality dictates, based on what I have observed with other enthusiasts, pros and amateurs alike, it all boils down on how you want to use your camera. Observe what you need using the 16-50mm lens. Use it extensively. Move around. A picture is not just about the clarity or the color correctness of the image. In general, majority of the viewers of your photos will observe the composition of the photo. Practice proper composition before you invest on high quality expensive units. It takes time, research and a lot of shooting. It's not the camera, it's the person behind the camera that takes beautiful and impressive photos. invest in tutorials and shoot a lot. Practice composition. The A6000 has everything you'll probably need to make professional looking photos. Photography can become a lifestyle and you can be drawn to spend a serious amount of money and I suggest you avail on reward systems that help you earn points which you can use to earn and purchase points or get discounts. For me Best Buy Rewards has helped me a lot. pick one that's best for you. Being a Best Buy rewards member helped me earn points and get perks that I can used to buy more accessories at discounted prices, and I get 45 days return policy instead of the usual 15 days. I can test accessories and I can return it if it doesn't suit my requirements.