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Sony A6000 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Sony A6000

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    Main Features

    • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
    • ISO 100 - 25600( expands to 51200)
    • 3" Tilting Screen
    • 1440k dot Electronic viewfinder
    • 11 fps continuous shooting
    • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video
    • Built-in Wireless
    • 344g. 120 x 67 x 45 mm
    • Replaced Sony NEX-6
    • Replaced by Sony A6300
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Sony A6000 Overview

    First introduced in April 2014 , Sony Alpha a6000 is a 24.0MP Advanced Mirrorless camera with a APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor, Tilting screen and Sony E lens mount. Sony replaced the older Sony NEX-6 with this model and later A6000 was replaced with Sony A6300. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
    Compare Sony Alpha a6000 vs Sony NEX-6
    Compare Sony Alpha a6000 vs Sony A6300

    Sony A6000 Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Lens Mount and Lenses
    4. Sensor and Photography Features
    5. Physical Specs
    6. LCD and Viewfinder
    7. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    8. Video
    9. Other Features
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Sony A6000 is a member of Sony's A6xxx series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

    Sony A6xxx Series History
    Model Release Date Sensor Max FPS Dimensions Weight
    Sony A6600
    Compare
    2019 24.0MP - APS-C 11.0 fps 120 x 67 x 69mm 503g
    Sony A6100
    Compare
    2019 24.0MP - APS-C 11.0 fps 120 x 67 x 59mm 396g
    Sony A6400
    Compare
    2019 24.0MP - APS-C 11.0 fps 120 x 67 x 50mm 403g
    Sony A6500
    Compare
    2016 24.0MP - APS-C 11.0 fps 120 x 67 x 53mm 453g
    Sony A6300
    Compare
    2016 24.0MP - APS-C 11.0 fps 120 x 67 x 49mm 404g

    Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
    Sony A6600 vs A6100 vs A6400 vs A6500 vs A6300

    Sony A6000 has an Overall Score of 67/100 and ranked #97 out of 211 in Mirrorless cameras (Top 10 Mirrorless), and ranked #187 out of 1220 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Sony A6000 Physical Specs
    Sony A6000 weighs 344 g (0.76 lb / 12.13 oz) and has external dimensions of 120 x 67 x 45 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 1.77″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 442g, Sony A6000 is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 45mm, it has an average thickness for its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony A6000
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    Thickness Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony A6000
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    Here is the front and top view image of Sony A6000 with the dimensions:

    Sony A6000 Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Sony A6000 Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony A6000, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Sony A6000 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Sony A6000 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Sony A6000 with its main competitors:

    Sony A6000 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs A6000 Thickness vs A6000
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Canon M50
    Compare
    390g 46g heavier 59mm 14mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A6300
    Compare
    404g 60g heavier 49mm 4mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony a5100
    Compare
    283g 61g lighter 36mm 9mm thinner
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A6100
    Compare
    396g 52g heavier 59mm 14mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A7 II
    Compare
    599g 255g heavier 60mm 15mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A7
    Compare
    474g 130g heavier 48mm 3mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    403g 59g heavier 50mm 5mm thicker
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Nikon D5600
    Compare
    465g 121g heavier 70mm 25mm thicker

    Weather Sealing

    Sony A6000 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Sony A6000 Sensor and Photography Features

    Sony A6000 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. A6000 has a native ISO range of 100 - 25600 which can be boosted to 51200 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

    Sony A6000 is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Canon M6 MII with its 33.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony A6000 vs Canon M6 MII or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

    Sony A6000 DxOMark Sensor Scores

    DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Sony A6000 sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 82 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Sony A6000 here.

    Let's look at how the size of the Sony A6000's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Sony A6000 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Sony A6000 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Sony A6000 Lens Mount and Lenses

    Sony A6000 has a Sony E lens mount and currently there are 128 native lenses available for this mount. Sony keeps on adding new lenses to its E and FE mount selection and third party lens manufacturers also offer lot of good options. Thanks to its very short flange focal distance, choices of adapting lenses from other mounts are almost limitless. Sony also sells an adapter (Sony LA-EA4) which lets A mount lenses to be used with functionality including AF with E mount cameras. Metabones and Fotodiox also offers adapters which makes use of full range of Canon EF lenses with Auto Focus on E mount cameras.

    Sony A6000 doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 31 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 60 lenses with weather sealing for A6000 but bear in mind that A6000 body doesn't have weather sealings.

    Here are some of the most popular Sony A6000 Lenses on Camera Decision:

    Popular Sony E Mount Lenses for Sony A6000
    Model Focal Length on A6000 Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
    Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Lens Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
    36-360mm 35mm FF 780gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T
    36-105mm 35mm FF 426gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS Lens Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS
    82.5-315mm APS-C / DX 345gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS
    105-300mm 35mm FF 840gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Lens Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T
    52.5mm 35mm FF 120gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS
    105-450mm 35mm FF 854gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 50mm F1.8 Lens Sony FE 50mm F1.8
    75mm 35mm FF 186gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS Lens Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS
    24-75mm APS-C / DX 116gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

    Check our Sony A6000 Lenses page for more detailed lens search.



    Sony A6000 LCD and Viewfinder

    Sony A6000 has a Tilting 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.



    Sony A6000 back view and LCD

    A6000 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a resolution of 1,440kdots and coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later. The magnification ratio of the viewfinder is 0.7x (35mm equivalent).

    Sony A6000 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Sony A6000 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11b/g/n with NFC) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. With its NFC feature, A6000 can communicate with devices such as smartphones which are also equipped with this technology by simply touching each other.One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our A6000. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

    You can connect A6000 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

    Battery

    Sony A6000 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 360 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 369 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

    Battery Life Comparison in Advanced Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony A6000
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Sony A6600 with its 810shots is the model with longest battery life among Advanced Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of Sony A6000 vs Sony A6600 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

    Sony A6000 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Canon M50
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 235shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A6300
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 400shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony a5100
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 400shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A6100
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 420shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A7 II
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 350shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A7
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 340shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 410shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha a6000 Camera Nikon D5600
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 820shots Yes Yes Yes

    Sony A6000 Video Features

    With Sony A6000, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60p,60i,24p fps and save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S formats. Full HD resolution of Sony A6000 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.
    You can also consider its successor, the Sony A6300 which features 4K video recording.

    A6000 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
    Sony A6000 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Mirrorless camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 or Olympus OM-D E-M1 in a similar price range.

    Sony A6000 Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Sony A6000 can shoot continuously at max speed of 11 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

    Flash

    A6000 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

    One neat feature that we like about A6000's built-in flash has is that the flash head can be tilted upwards manually using your finger, which can be used to bounce the flash light and create a more pleasing lighting on your subject. It is not a very strong flash so the ceiling/wall or the surface you use for bouncing must be relatively close to the camera.

    Focusing

    Sony A6000 features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 179 points to choose from.

    Sony A6000 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

    Sony A6000 PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Sony A6000 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)
    NFC Connectivity
    Articulating Screen
    Full HD Video
    Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
    Face Detection Focusing
    24.0MP - High Resolution Sensor
    25.600 Max ISO
    179 Focus Points
    922k dots LCD Resolution
    11.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter
    344g Light Body
    Timelapse with optional downloadable app
    1440kdot Viewfinder Resolution
    0.7x magnification - Large Viewfinder
    Good Low Light ISO - 1347
    Panorama Shooting
    Wide AE Bracketing Range: ±5 EV
    Flash Sync Port
    Remote control with a smartphone
    Compatible with fast UHS-I cards
    Report a correction

    Buy Sony A6000 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Image Stabilization
    No Touch Screen
    Low Battery Life: 360 shots
    No Environmental Sealing
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Sony A6000 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Sony A6000 in 5 different photography areas.

    Sony A6000 for Portrait Photography

    Sony A6000 has a score of 57 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Portrait Photography list.
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
    Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
    Average Ergonomics&Handling
    No Image Stabilization

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A6000 for Portrait Photography

    Sony A6000 for Street Photography

    Sony A6000 has a score of 66 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Street Photography list.
    Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
    Live-view
    Face-Detection Focusing
    Tilting LCD Screen
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Medium sized Body
    No Image Stabilization

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A6000 for Street Photography

    Sony A6000 for Sports Photography

    Sony A6000 has a score of 68 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography list.
    Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
    Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
    179 Focus Points
    Good Low Light ISO
    Wireless Connection
    Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
    Average Ergonomics&Handling
    Environmental Sealings
    No Image Stabilization

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A6000 for Sports Photography

    Sony A6000 for Daily Photography

    Sony A6000 has a score of 69 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Medium size Body
    344g
    Body Thickness 45mm

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A6000 for Daily Photography

    Sony A6000 for Landscape Photography

    Sony A6000 has a score of 47 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography list.
    Live-view
    Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
    Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A6000 for Landscape Photography
    Sony A6000 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Sony A6000 compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Sony A6000 alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Sony A6000

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony A6000 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Canon M50
    Canon M50
    Compare
    Sony A6300
    Sony A6300
    Compare
    Sony a5100
    Sony a5100
    Compare
    Sony A6100
    Sony A6100
    Compare
    Sony A7 II
    Sony A7 II
    Compare
    Sony A7
    Sony A7
    Compare
    Sony A6400
    Sony A6400
    Compare
    Nikon D5600
    Nikon D5600
    Compare

    Sony A6000 Alternatives in DSLR Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Sony A6000 with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in Sony A6000's price range.

    Pentax K-3
    Pentax K-3
    Compare
    Pentax K-S2
    Pentax K-S2
    Compare
    Pentax K-70
    Pentax K-70
    Compare
    Nikon D7200
    Nikon D7200
    Compare
    Nikon D5500
    Nikon D5500
    Compare
    Nikon D5600
    Nikon D5600
    Compare
    Canon 77D
    Canon 77D
    Compare
    Nikon D7100
    Nikon D7100
    Compare
    Frequently Asked Questions about Sony A6000
    Does the Sony A6000 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Sony A6000 have RAW support?
    Does the Sony A6000 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Sony A6000 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Sony A6000?
    What is the Sensor Size of Sony A6000?
    is the Sony A6000 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Sony A6000 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Sony A6000 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony A6000?
    What is the Weight of Sony A6000?
    What are the Dimensions of Sony A6000?
    Sony Alpha a6000 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Sony
    Model Sony Alpha a6000
    Announced 2014-04-23
    Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount Sony E
    Number of Lenses 128
    Focal Length Multiplier 1.5x
    Macro Focus Range n/a
    Screen
    Screen Type Tilting
    Screen Technology TFT LCD
    Screen Size 3"
    Screen Resolution 922k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder Electronic
    Viewfinder Resolution 1,440k dots
    Viewfinder Coverage 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.7x
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 30s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation Yes
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range 6.00 m (at ISO 100)
    Max Flash Sync 1/160s
    Flash Modes Flash off, auto, fill-flaw, slow sync, redeye reduction, hi-speed sync, wireless control
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score 82
    DxO Color Depth 24.1
    DxO Dynamic Range 13.1
    DxO Low Light ISO 1347
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CMOS
    Sensor Size APS-C
    Sensor Dimensions 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 366.60mm2
    Sensor Resolution 24 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000
    Max Native ISO 25,600
    Max Boosted ISO 51200
    Min Native ISO 100
    RAW Support
    Autofocus
    AF Touch
    AF Continuous
    AF Single
    AF Tracking
    AF Selective
    AF Center
    AF Multi Area
    AF Live View
    AF Face Detection
    AF Contrast Detection
    AF Phase Detection
    Number of Focus Points 179
    Number of Cross Focus Points Unknown
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p)
    Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
    Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity Built-In
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 344g
    Physical Dimensions 120 x 67 x 45mm
    Battery Life 360 shots
    Battery Type Battery Pack
    Battery Model NP-FW50
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous (3-5 shot))
    Timelapse Recording With downloadable app
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
    Storage Slots 1


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