Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Camera Review
The newest Sony a6000 review you're likely to read! A pro photographer puts the Sony a6000 to the test - Is it still the most popular mirrorless camera in 2024?!
Camera Reviews | Photography Gear Reviews | Sony Camera Reviews | By Mark Condon | Last Updated: January 24, 2024
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Seeing a Sony a6000 review on a site like Shotkit may come as a surprise to some of you, especially here in 2024.
On its 9th anniversary, why have I decided to write a review of a mirrorless camera which has been superseded twice since the Sony a6000 release date way back in April of 2014?
Thanks to my work with Shotkit, I have access to pretty much any camera – why on earth did I choose to spend a month shooting with an entry-level camera and three outdated Sony lenses?!
Incredible value for money compact mirrorless camera with lightning fast shooting and autofocus performance, and great image quality.
Hopefully, this in-depth review of the world’s best-selling mirrorless camera will make things a little clearer.
It’ll also be a good reminder that getting a great camera needn’t mean spending lots of money on the very latest model.
So, enough of the preamble. Get a cup of tea, as this is a long one ;-) Let’s jump right in!
Sony a6000 Review Summary
This impressive compact camera features a 24.3 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, BIONZ X image processor, 3-inch LED screen and 11fps continuous shooting, packed in to a lightweight body. Shoot up to 47 JPEGS, 22 RAWS, or 21 simultaneous JPEG + RAWS before the buffer slows. The a6000 is affordable, powerful & dependable.
Intro
- Incredible value for money
- Impressive AF and face tracking
- Solid build
- Great image quality
- The Sony a6000 flip screen and EVF could be better
- Cluttered interface
As I mentioned before, it may seem a little odd to be writing a review of the Sony a6000 in 2024, several years after its release.
5 years in technology is a long time, and there are many photographers who wouldn’t even consider a camera that’s 1 year old, let alone 5.
The reason why I put together this a6000 review was to see whether the most popular mirrorless camera is still relevant today.
Despite all the advancements in technology since its release, is it still to wise to invest in the Sony a6000?
You can compare the specs with newer models all you want, but the only real way I was going to give you an honest recommendation was to shoot solidly with this camera for a month… so that’s what I did!
I’ve included sections below that compare the a6000 with its two successors, but what was more important to me was the performance of this camera on its own, i.e. not compared to newer cameras.
Specs
- 24.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
- Bionz X image processor
- Hybrid AF system with 25 contrast-detect and 179 phase-detect points
- Built-in flash + Multi-Interface Shoe
- ISO 100-25600
- 11 fps continuous shooting with subject-tracking
- 3-inch tilting LCD with 921,600 dots
- OLED electronic viewfinder with 1.44M dots
- Diffraction correction, area-specific noise reduction, and detail reproduction technology
- Full HD video recording at 1080/60p and 24p; clean HDMI output
- Sony a6000 video recording limit of 30 minutes
- Wi-Fi with NFC capability and PlayMemories App
- Sony E-Mount Lens compatibility
- 4.72W x 2.63H x 1.78D in.
- 10.05 oz (Body Only) / 12.13 oz (With battery and media)
If you’re like to read more specifics about the camera, click here for the Sony a6000 manual.
Build & Handling
The worry with most entry-level mirrorless cameras at this price point is that build quality suffers, but thankfully this is not the case with this one.
The metal body feels solid, and offers an ideal weight for a camera of this size. I particularly like the rubber grip, which protrudes just enough to allow my big hand to get a firm, comfortable hold, whilst still letting my thumb rest in a natural position to change most settings one-handed.
Good ergonomics are a hugely underestimated feature on compact mirrorless cameras. It’s all well and good having a camera as thin as a deck of cards, but unless you can hold it comfortably and safely whilst still being able to operate it one-handed, you may as well stick to your iphone!
The dials on the a6000 stayed firm and clunky during the one month that I shot with it every day – I initially thought they were a tad too stiff, but after getting used to it, I grew to like their solid feel.
I also liked the way that you couldn’t ‘bump’ your settings by mistake when carrying the camera, since the dials wouldn’t budge unless you twisted them yourself.
The rotating wheel on the back of the a6000 is reminiscent of Canon DSLRs, and provides fast and easy access to a range of options within the camera’s menu.
I set it up to control exposure compensation, so I could leave the camera on Aperture priority with Auto-ISO engaged, and just turn the dial to add or remove light.
a6000 + 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 | 1/320 at f/6.3 ISO 2500
Something I found a little unusual was the LCD screen, which has a 16:9 ratio, more suited for video playback – when viewing standard 3:2 stills, you’re left with black bars on either side of the frame.
The screen can tilt upward 90 degrees and down by 45, allowing for some creative shooting angles.
The resolution is 921,600 dots, which sounds impressive but isn’t so special here in 2024. It’s adequate for viewing images and taking photos, but don’t expect to be blown away by the resolution.
The EVF quality is similarly ‘just OK’ – adequate for shooting and reviewing images, but there are obviously much better quality electronic viewfinders on mirrorless cameras in 2024.
Did I find the EVF restrictive in any way? No. Would I prefer a more detailed EVF with a wider view? Definitely.
From switching on the a6000 to being ready to shoot, the wait is no longer than any DSLR costing 10x the price.
Startup time on cheaper cameras is usually around one second, and can be a huge annoyance over a day’s shoot – not so with the Sony.
I liked the option to swap the Aperture and Shutter Speed controls in manual mode – something that’s often overlooked in cameras at this price point.
Whilst the Sony a6000 has been priced to appeal to beginners, (and is actually in my opinion one of the best cameras for beginners), it’s clear that Sony intended its use to be relevant to more experienced photographers, and dare I say it… to pros too?!
a6000 + 85mm f/1.8 FE | 1/250 at f/1.8 ISO100
The Sony a6000’s buttons are all dedicated to single functions, which makes operation very simple, with little need to start delving into the somewhat convoluted menu.
You can change settings quickly by using what Sony calls the Quick Navi screen, accessible via the DISP button. Here you can choose from all the main shooting options by pressing the Fn button and navigating around the page using the dial.
Spending some time setting up the a6000 reaps dividends later on – I found that after I’d set up the Custom Menu with my ‘fairly often’ used functions, then assigned the 2 dedicated custom buttons to my ‘most used’ functions, I didn’t need to delve into the main menu much at all.
It’s a bit of a shame that Sony decided to cram so many icons around the buttons and dial on the rear of the a6000. I found operation of the camera far simpler than the mess of icons suggested!
There’s a lot to be said for an uncluttered camera interface, much like an uncluttered desk – unfortunately, Sony never seems to get this quite right.
Aesthetics aside, I found the a6000 a pleasure to shoot with. Once muscle memory had kicked in and I was able to find the buttons to change settings without having to glance at the back of the camera, I was able to concentrate fully on my scene.
Sony a6000 vs Fujifilm X100F | As long as you choose your Sony e mount lenses wisely, the a6000 is one of the smallest mirrorless inter-changeable lens (M.I.L.C.) cameras.
The tiny 16-50mm power zoom (available in the most popular Sony a6000 bundle) is great fun to use and makes the a6000 super portable – see the image above.
The electronic ‘power zoom’ feels just as responsive as twisting a manual zoom ring would be.
However, being a relatively cheap ‘kit-lens’, the image quality out of the 16-50mm doesn’t really do justice to the full capabilities of the sensor. The Sony a6000 with 18-135mm kit does offer more focal length flexibility, but there are still better lens options out there.
Check out the lenses I recommend for the a6000 later on in this review for some much better options.
If I had to single it down to one factor that added the most enjoyment of shooting with the a6000, that would have to be its incredible auto focus… so let’s look closer at this now.
Auto focus
When I shot with the Sony a6000 on the first day, I was convinced I wouldn’t like it. My pet peeve with entry-level cameras is not being able to select the AF point ‘directly’, i.e. you can’t press just one button to move the AF point.
This was my biggest dislike of Fuji’s early X100 cameras, until they addressed the issue with more recent models.
Having to first press a button to engage manual focus point selection before being able to move the focus point could have been a deal breaker for me on the a6000… had it not been for this camera’s incredible ability to predict which focus point you want to use, particularly when there’s a face involved.
As soon as a subject enters your scene, the camera uses some kind of voodoo magic to find its face immediately, then lock on to it with incredible precision!
If there’s no face in the scene and you half press the shutter button, the a6000 locks on to the closest object.
If it gets the focus point you had in mind wrong, you just need to release the shutter button, then try again – I found that 9 times out of 10 the camera was able to guess correctly what I was trying to focus on if it got it wrong the first time.
a6000 + 85mm f/1.8 FE | 1/4000 at f/1.8 ISO 100
The hybrid auto focus system means that the camera is intelligent enough to switch from single shot (AF-S) to continuous auto focus (AF-C) and back again, without your intervention.
In practice, this means that with Automatic AF (AF-A) engaged, I could lock focus on to one of my children when he was standing still, then as soon as he turned and ran, the camera would switch to continuous AF mode to capture him in movement (then return to AF-A).
I wouldn’t normally use an AF-A mode on any of my other cameras, since I like to focus and recompose, and this is usually ineffective with AF-A.
However I found that with the a6000, I relied much more heavily on the camera choosing all my focus points for me automatically.
Face recognition on Sony mirrorless cameras has always been nothing short of mind blowing, and the this camera is no different. Not only does it track faces even faster than a human eye, but you can also set it to memorize up to 8 faces so that the camera tracks them in an order you choose.
I found this a little gimmicky at first, but soon realised that it’s actually a really useful function when trying to capture one person in the middle of a group of people (and you want to ignore the other faces).
Examples of this could be at your child’s nativity play when your pride and joy is surrounded by random kids, or during a wedding when you want to focus on the bride among all the guests.
Check out the video below which illustrates how well this function works, and how you can override the camera’s face detection on the fly so you have complete control of the AF point.
As you can see, if you take the time to set up the face registration feature, it’s a hugely effective way of allowing the camera to do all the hard work ‘picking out’ the correct faces from the crowd.
Sony placed great emphasis on the focusing speed of the a6000 when it was released, calling it the fastest autofocus in the world.
Whilst it’s hard to confirm this 4 years down the track, what I will say is that the AF on the a6000 is very impressive.
I usually shoot weddings with a Nikon D750, a DSLR 4-5x the price of this little a6000, and I have to say that the AF on the Sony is actually faster (in good light at least).
0.06 seconds for the a6000 to lock on to a subject is faster than many other mirrorless cameras, even here in 2024!
Burst mode shooting in continuous high mode is great fun. This pocket powerhouse able to fire off 11 frames per second for around 22 frames in RAW format, and 49 frames in JPEG Fine format.
Unlike the Sony a6300 and a6500, the a6000 doesn’t offer silent shooting, meaning that using burst mode is a bit like shooting with a muffled machine gun!
179 phase-detect AF points are spread across almost 100% of the frame, meaning that the a6000 can track your subject running across the scene, and closer/further away from you without missing a shot.
Watching the focus points track a subject like some kind of futuristic missile lock-on is incredible, and you forget that you’re using technology that should be considered ‘old’ in the 4 years since this camera’s release.
Check out how adventure sports photographer Chris Burkard takes full advantage of the a6000’s auto-focus tracking features in the video below:
Despite the its incredible burst mode performance which can outperform more expensive cameras, the speed at which this camera can write those photos to your memory card is a little lackluster – in a continuous 30 shot burst of RAWs, I found I was waiting around 10 seconds before the Play button would allow me to review any of the images.
Whilst the camera is ‘locked up’, you can’t enter any of the menus or playback mode, but you can still continue shooting (albeit slower), so it’s not all bad.
Using different lenses gave me different results from the a6000’s continuous AF tracking, but I found that in general, it did an amazing job of keeping a subject in focus throughout the 11 frames per second.
Using ‘Zone’ or ‘Wide area’ modes, I simply half pressed the shutter button to see that the camera had chosen the correct AF point (9 times out of 10, it had!); then fully pressed it down when the subject started moving.
It’s so entertaining to see the camera’s AF points track the subject throughout the frame, with the burst mode shooting off frame after frame in a flurry of semi-silent clicks!
As someone who usually prefers to select AF points manually, I found the automatic focus point selection of this impressive camera eerily intuitive and accurate.
Coupled with the mind-blowing continuous AF performance and class-leading 11 fps burst speed, photography with the a6000 is a hugely refreshing and altogether highly enjoyable experience.
Image Quality
This is where things start to get really interesting. As soon as I saw the images appear on the rear LCD screen of my a6000, I must admit I wasn’t expecting much in the way of stellar image quality.
As mentioned before, the LCD screen (and EVF), don’t really offer much in the way of high resolution, so it’s easy to assume the photos you’re taking won’t look good when enlarged on your computer monitor, or transferred to a smart device.
(Incidentally, wifi and NFC transfer via Sony’s smartphone app worked well, and is a simple way to get your photos onto a phone or tablet.)
However, when I finally got around to transferring my images from the a6000 to my computer, I couldn’t believe just how good they looked.
If you’re someone who wants to shoot in JPEG to minimise any time spent editing your photos, I think you’ll be very happy with the images out of this camera.
a6000 + 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 | 1/320 at f/6.3 ISO 1600
The 24MP Exmor HD CMOS sensor with Bionz X processor ensures JPEGs are sharp, vivid and contrasty, but not overly so.
Sony’s Dynamic Range Optimization feature helps to get a well-balanced image that makes full use of the camera’s impressive ability to handle highlights and shadows.
I spent most of my time shooting in RAW so I could test the full abilities of the files out of the a6000, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.
You can check out DP Review’s highly technical analysis of dynamic range performance here if you need some bedtime reading, but take it from me, the Sony’s files offer from an APS-C sensor.
24 Mega Pixels is also a great sweet-spot in resolution, where files aren’t so big as to necessitate huge memory cards, but still offer enough wiggle-room for some high quality crops.
ISO performance was pretty good for a high-megapixel APS-C sensor, with similar results to the Nikon D3400 review I wrote recently.
I found the best image quality was under ISO400, with noise being introduced to the image soon after this, but it was only apparent when zooming in to really inspect it.
As you can see in my image below shot at ISO 3200, you can’t see any noise at all.
a6000 + 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 | 1/320 at f/5.6 ISO 3200 | When viewed at normal sizes, ISO 3200 looks great!
The Sony a6000 has a cute pop-up flash which you can use in a pinch when the light becomes really low, but I’d still prefer to crank the ISO up higher for a noisier image over the crappy deer-in-headlights look produced by these small on-camera flashes!
Overall, the Sony a6000 image quality is superb, especially when you consider the bargain price of this camera.
As with all cameras, you’ll need to pair this one with some good glass to really get the best image quality out of the sensor.
Whilst I found the power zoom convenient and fun to use, shooting with a prime lens such as the Sony 85mm f/1.8 FE really brought the image quality up to professional levels. The Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 was also quite impressive, but only really useful during the day time, or in adequate light.
Video
This being a stills photography review, I don’t feel qualified to speak much about the Sony a6000 video performance.
Check out the video review above for a better idea of what this camera is capable of in the right hands:
What I will say is that the a6000 offers complete manual control over exposure settings during video recording, which is sure to please video shooters.
I also liked the ability to shoot videos in manual mode, but still being able to select Auto-ISO. This means you can have creative control over aperture and shutter speed for the look and feel of the video, whilst letting the camera choose the appropriate ISO to maintain the correct brightness.
Much like the auto focus for photos, the AF for video was similarly impressive. I didn’t experiment much with the myriad of AF modes available during video, but I found the tracking fast and accurate, and left me to just concentrate on keeping the subject within the frame.
While you might not be able to use the Sony a6000 for filmmaking, it’s video features still hold up if you’re on a budget.
- How to change shutter speed on a6000
- Set the a6000 to manual mode by turning the mode dial on the top of the camera to “M.”
- Press the “Fn” button on the top of the camera, then use the navigation buttons on the back of the camera to select the “S” (shutter speed) option.
- Use the main control dial on the top of the camera to adjust the shutter speed. Turn the dial to the right to increase the shutter speed or to the left to decrease it.
- You can also use the exposure compensation dial on the top of the camera to fine-tune the exposure if necessary.
- As you adjust the shutter speed, keep an eye on the exposure meter in the viewfinder or on the LCD screen to ensure that the exposure is correct.
Price
Finally, we come to the strongest draw card – the Sony a6000 price!
One of the huge benefits of buying a slightly older camera is being able to take advantage of massively reduced prices.
When the camera was released in 2014, it cost around $800, which I still consider to be a great price for a camera offer this much technology and high image quality in such a compact body.
Here in 2024, the price of the Sony a6000 starter kit has dropped to around half this, making it the best value mirrorless camera!
My preference after testing a few lenses would be to buy it ‘body only’, saving an additional 150-ish bucks over buying it with the 16-50mm power zoom.
Whilst I did find the power zoom fun and loved how compact it made the overall camera, there are much better Sony a6000 lenses, and I’d prefer to put the money saving towards one of these.
Final word – I still can’t believe you can get so much camera for so little money – it’s without a doubt the best mirrorless camera under $500, and a camera I’d happily recommend to my friends who want the biggest bang for their buck here in 2024.
(Budget still too tight? check out the best digital camera under $200)
Sony a6000 vs 6300
It’s only natural for photographers to want the latest camera gear. After all, ‘newer’ normally means ‘better’, but is that really the case with the Sony a6000 vs a6300 mirrorless cameras?
2 years after the release of the a6000, the a6300 hits the scene, touting a ‘newly developed image sensor’, better viewfinder, 4k video recording, more AF points and a more rugged body. You can also use a wider range of the Sony A-mount lenses on the a6300, with tracking and auto-focus working on the newly developed E-mount.
So on paper, all looks pretty good… but remember that the a6300 is around twice the price of the a6000.
For video, sure 4k is great to be able to crop after the fact, and additional focus points are helpful when tracking a subject all the way across the frame.
However, for stills photography, most people agree that the a6300 isn’t significant enough of an upgrade to warrant the price increase over the a6000.
So, in the a6000 vs a6300 battle, I’d recommend you stick with the a6000 and use the money you save to invest in some great lenses instead.
Sony a6000 vs a6500
To confuse matters even more, Sony decided to release the a6500 soon after the a6300. The logical comparison might be the two most recent cameras, but in this case I think it’s more appropriate to pit the Sony a6000 vs a6500.
Both cameras still offer that incredible 24MP sensor and 11 fps continuous shooting in a compact mirrorless body. The a6500 has that improved image sensor of its predecessor, so is cleaner at high ISOs, but not remarkably so.
Then there’s the 5-axis image stabilisation in the a6500, which can help shooting handheld with slower shutter speeds, especially when using lenses on the a6500 which don’t feature image stabilisation. This is also good for video shooters.
The improved image processor in the a6500 also means that you can shoot even more images one after the other, and the camera will process them quicker (meaning the camera won’t be ‘locked up’ writing files to the memory card after shooting a series of images in quick succession).
My favourite feature of the a6500 is the touchscreen and touch-to-focus capability. Unfortunately, the a6000 isn’t a touchscreen camera.
However, is the a6500 worth three times the price of the a6000? I don’t believe so unless perhaps you’re a video shooter.
For stills photography, I think that the price:performance ratio of the a6000 when compared to the a6300 and a6500 still makes it the clear winner.
At this price point, there simply isn’t a better mirrorless camera than the a6000.
[Related: Sony a7ii vs Sony a6500]
Sony a6000 vs Other Popular Cameras
It’s been a few years since the Sony a6000 was released. This means that there is more competition than ever for the spot that this camera takes in your photography kit.
The Sony a6000 has to compete with today’s budget-friendly options, yesterday’s high-end models, and even new smartphones.
Here’s how the Sony a6000 shakes down when compared to a few popular choices.
Sony a6000l vs a6000
The Sony a6000 in the Sony a6000l are actually the same camera. The only real difference here is that the a6000l comes with a kit lens whereas the a6000 is just the camera body itself.
The Sony a6000 has been out for a while now, so it might be a little tricky to find a kit that’s still fully intact, but you can easily pick up any of the kit lenses available for this camera at a considerable discount.
Sony a6000 vs Canon 7d
The Sony a6000 and the Canon 7D are remarkably close cameras. even though it’s a neck-and-neck finish, the Sony a6000 does come out a little bit ahead.
The Canon 7D is a DLSR which means it’s also much bigger and heavier than the Sony a6000. Despite the larger size, the photo and video capability of both of these cameras are almost the same with the Sony a6000 being slightly ahead.
One of the clearest differences between these two cameras is the price tag. Today, you can pick up a Canon 7D for about half the cost of a Sony a6000.
Ultimately, this decision is going to come down to cost, weight, and if you already have lenses for either Canon or Sony cameras.
Sony a6000 vs iPhone 14 Pro Max
The Sony a6000 has always been in competition with the latest pro model iPhone. After all, an entry-level mirrorless camera and a high-end smartphone are both great options for mastering photography 101.
The Sony a6000 wins hands down when it comes to cost. It’s a fraction of the price of the latest iPhone.
The photo quality debate between the Sony a6000 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max is an interesting contest.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is a bit easier to use, and it means you don’t have to haul around another camera if you’re just interested in taking quick pictures or learning the basics.
The Sony a6000 is more ideal if you’re interested in learning the ins and outs of being a photographer. It also produces real bokeh rather than a digital effect bokeh which means overall more professional-looking images than the iPhone can deliver.
Sony a6000 vs Fujifilm x-t200
The Sony a6000 has been out for a long time now, and that means it’s not going to win every head-to-head battle it has.
The Fujifilm X-T200 is a better camera in almost every respect. It can shoot 4K video and the images it produces look a little bit more filmic and natural than the Sony a6000.
The only category where the Fujifilm camera lags behind is weight. It’s noticeably bulkier than the Sony a6000, which might make it a less desirable pick if you’re looking for something you can throw in your everyday bag.
Canon 250d vs Sony a6000
Comparing the Canon 250d versus the Sony a6000 is a true tie.
The Sony a6000 has some features that stand out, including more frames per second, an easier-to-use design, and the lightweight form factor of a mirrorless camera.
The Canon 250d has a built-in microphone port, much more impressive battery life, and a notably higher bit rate when recording video.
I’d say the Canon 250d is the better of the two if you’re more interested in filming video, and the Sony a6000 wins out if photography is going to be your main focus.
Accessories
For such an immensely popular mirrorless camera, it’s no surprise that there are some great Sony a6000 accessories available in 2024.
Since this most recent bargain price makes it such an accessible camera for beginners, most people are left with enough spare change to pick up some useful accessories. Let’s take a look at the most popular:
Lenses
I wrote a whole article discussing what I considered to be the best lenses for the Sony a6000, so I won’t repeat myself here.
If you don’t have time to read the whole article, here are 4 of my favourite lenses:
You’ll notice that the Sony a6000 wide angle lens I recommend there is actually by a brand called Rokinon.
It’s a great, affordable option if you want to shoot really wide angle, but note that it’s manual focus only.
Recommended Camera Bag
Peak Design Sling 5L is a great size for camera bag for a6000 owners with 2 zooms and a small prime lens.
My recommendations of a camera bag for the a6000 would be something compact and lightweight, with room for a spare battery, some cards and a couple of lenses.
The Peak Design Everyday Sling is my top pick for a Sony a6000 camera bag. If you only have a couple of small lenses, the 5L version is perfect.
It looks great in all 3 colour options, and is designed with lots of features you never even knew you needed – I love the small organisation options inside the pockets in particular.
If you prefer a camera messenger bag over a sling, I’d go for either the well-priced LowePro Event Messenger 100, or the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover (5 or 10, depending on the number of lenses you need to carry).
You should also check out my guide to the best camera backpacks here.
Battery
Not such a sexy accessory for this camera by any means, but I’d advise you to stock up on a few spare batteries so you can keep shooting all day without worry.
I wouldn’t normally recommend third party batteries for cameras, but in this case, there is a great alternative to the official Sony a6000 battery, by the well-known brand RAVPower.
The RAVPower FW50 offers two high quality battiers for the a6000 plus a USB compatible charger, all for under $30!!
Since the whole unit plus batteries weighs less than a pack of cards, you can keep it in your bag attached to a portable USB charger, meaning you’ll never run out of power whilst on holiday.
The Sony a6000’s usb charging and lightweight design make it a great travel camera setup for those who won’t have access to a power point for long periods.
Battery Grip
Another option to get more shots out of your camera is a third party Sony a6000 battery grip. My pick of the bunch is this Neewer Battery Grip, which includes a remove control. I have several Neewer products and they’re all decent quality for their bargain prices.
Although it may seem odd to add something to your a6000 which makes the compact form factor much bulkier, a battery grip can make it much more comfortable to hold for long periods, especially if you use longer lenses.
As well as improved battery life and better ergonomics, a battery grip also allows for much easier portrait orientation shooting, thanks to additional buttons and dials which are located in convenient spots when holding the camera vertically.
Isn’t it great to have some many affordable Sony a6000 accessories?! Typically, the more expensive a camera gets, the more expensive become its peripherals, so it’s refreshing to be able to take advantage of bargain prices with the a6000 add-ons.
Screen Protector
They’re cheap and protect your precious camera’s screen – enough said… just get one! Here’s my pick of the bunch.
UPDATE: since writing this review I came across a Sony a6000 bundle which includes the two lenses above, a memory card, mini travel tripod, filters, a bag… basically a whole heap of accessories that you may or may not need!!
However, since it’s the same price as the other lens only bundle, I figured you may as well get it – I wrote a full review on the bundle here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sony a6000 a good camera?
Yes, despite being over 5 years old, it’s still a great camera. It’s also excellent value for money, and loved by many professional photographers as well as beginners and amateurs too.
Is the Sony a6000 discontinued?
Sony rarely discontinues its cameras, despite launching new bodies almost every year. As such, you can still purchase one from all major camera retailers.
Is the Sony a6000 a professional camera?
It features a 24.3MP APS-C-sized Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with BIONZ X image processor, as well as an array of pro-grade features. Many professional photographers use it for their work.
Is the Sony a6000 still worth it in 2024?
Yes, definitely! It’s as much a bargain for the money today as it was in 2014 when it was first released.
What type of camera is the Sony a6000?
The Sony a6000 is an APS-C mirrorless digital camera. The crop sensor camera is a great choice for entry-level digital SLR photography even so many years down the road.
How to take the best pictures with Sony a6000 cameras?
The Sony a6000 is perfectly capable of creating professional photographs. You should try to keep the ISO below 3,200, use a tripod, and upgrade the lens if possible to get the best images out of this camera.
How to take the best pictures with a Sony a6000?
Use Aperture Priority mode and don’t exceed 3200 ISO to minimize noise.
Does the Sony a6000 have image stabilization?
No, the Sony a6000 doesn’t have image stabilization.
Does the Sony a6000 have IBIS?
No, the Sony a6000 doesn’t have In-Body Image Stabilization or IBIS.
Is the Sony a6000 good for filmmaking?
No, the Sony a6000 isn’t the best candidate for filmmaking, especially for professional use.
Does the Sony a6000 have Bluetooth?
No, the Sony a6000 doesn’t have Bluetooth. It isn’t available via updates either.
How to update a6000 firmware?
Updating a6000 firmware requires several steps explained in detail at Sony’s official website.
Where is the movie button on the Sony a6000?
You can find the Sony a6000’s movie button on the right-hand side of the camera. Red is its color.
Is Sony a6000 waterproof?
No, the Sony A6000 isn’t waterproof. It doesn’t claim to have any water sealing either.
What type of camera is the Sony a6000?
The Sony a6000 is a mirrorless digital camera.
Sony a6000 Review | Final Words
Due to time constraints, I haven’t had a chance to go through all the thousands of images I shot during the one month for this Sony a6000 review.
When I find time, I’ll upload some more so you can have a better understanding as to what’s capable with this incredible little camera.
Whilst I don’t usually recommend cameras based solely on their price, it’s hard to ignore just how much functionality you’re getting from the a6000 for such a bargain price.
Any small niggles I had whilst shooting with the a6000 were completely justified when I considered that the whole camera cost less than any of my DSLR lenses!
I thought it would also be very apparent to me that I was using a camera released several years ago when writing this review.
However, I honestly thought I was shooting with a very modern camera. Sure, the rear LCD and EVF have been improved in later models, and additional AF points and faster processing may be nice for some, but I was altogether satisfied with the performance.
I loved leaving the camera to select the AF point (and subject’s face), and track it across the screen automatically. In this way, I was able to keep up with my fast moving kids simply by keeping them inside the camera’s viewfinder frame – a huge time (and sanity!) saver.
Image quality was great, although I must say, not quite on par with the Fujifilm X cameras I’ve used in the past. However, the Fujis are usually much more expensive, so this is completely justified.
Overall, I found the Sony a6000 a fun and rewarding camera to shoot with.
At under $500, it really is unbeatable, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to both beginners and more advanced photographers looking for an affordable compact camera with great performance.
Incredible value for money compact mirrorless camera with lightning fast shooting and autofocus performance, and great image quality.
Mark Condon is a British wedding photographer and editor of Shotkit. When he’s not taking photos or reviewing the latest camera gear and software, Mark can be found cycling around the northern rivers.
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The flash is designed to be tilted back with your finger so the light hits the ceiling and diffuses. I learnt that after 4 years with the camera heh
I used the A6000 for about 4 years and it was great for a first interchangeable lens camera and takes great pictures. You do need to invest in lenses, but there are some great Sony and third party lenses available that are E mount compatible. As I was sticking with APSC I got the Sony 16-55 and the 70-350 which cover pretty much all my needs.
For a few more £££ the A6400 is also attractive – as you gain the improved AF, newer processor and weather sealing. But I agree that the A6000 can more than hold its own all these years later!
Wow, what an exceptionally well put review, thank you !
I just had my hands on this A6000 and my first thoughts were that it’s quite good ! But should I buy it as it is, after all, a 2014 model ? This review and a few of my own testshots convinced me that yes, buy it now. For 500 euros this can’t go that much wrong :-)
Thanks and keep up with the good work!
Hi! I think the a6000 is still an amazing camera today, I using it since 2016.
I take photos in the studio and in nature, and I also do a lot of portraits of dogs. I mostly use old Minolta lenses with LA-EA 4 adapters – like Minolta AF 50 f1.7, Minolta AF 70-210 f4, Minolta AF 28-105mm F3.5-4.5 – but most of the time I travel, I have a Sony SEL 16-50 kit lens.
Of course, you always get a better and more expensive frame. Of course, this is decided by everyone based on their own photography needs and, of course, their budget.
I can recommend this frame.
Would you recommend the A6000 or a Nikon D7100 to get into low end wedding/events photography in 2022 and why ?
Thanks
Out of those two, the Nikon would be my choice, Scott – it’s more robust and has better battery life, which is important for weddings. You’ll need a backup camera too.
I love this bad boy. I just love it.
I got it 5 months ago (end of 2020) brand new for about 600 dollars equivalent in my country and I’m not regretting it one bit. No matter how much various articles categorize this camera as ‘beginner’ or ‘entry level’ (absolutely wrongly implying it’s only good for amateurs and beginners), this camera is awesome at what it does, and that is taking great photos for any standards – 2014 standards, or 2021 standards. Pair some good glass with it, and you’re having an awesome tool in your hands, whether you are only a hobbyist, beginner, or experienced photographer making money out of it. Even if you must have your various ‘top gear’ A7’s this fella is awesome to have in spare as a quick shooter, if you can’t carry your heavy gear every time.
Maybe it doesn’t have some fancy new tricks up its sleeve, compared to bigger and newer brothers, but at the core of it, it’s an great shooter of photos. Also, it simply kills everything else in its price range, and the value for money is unbeatable here.
To people weighing should or should they not get this one – go for it. Don’t be obsessed with the age of it or ‘beginner’ moniker of this body. There are countless of sources over the web to see what professional photographers are making out of this camera.
I’ve been using the A6000 for over 5 years now and I always loved the image quality. But I believe it’s time for me upgrade & I’m still not sure which one I should upgrade too. I mainly shoot portraits, videos, vlogs. just would like to know which one would be worth the upgrade to get. (image quality matters most to me)
Check out our article on mirrorless cameras, Nick – lots of upgrade options there.
Mark your comments about the camera are greatly appreciated as well as the info you’ve shared from other commenters. BUT I’m wondering if the issue mentioned about the memory writing speed is because of the memory card you were using? “The speed at which this camera can write those photos to your memory card is a little lackluster there are a few issues that can impact this:
1-THE POWER IN THE BATTERY; As you know with many other things if the battery power is diminished the functioning speeds are reduced. A comment from Amazon explains this for the a6000- “Battery life and lacking image stabilizer. YOU MUST SWITCH OFF VIEWFINDER PERMANENTLY WHEN NOT SHOOTING because it eats out your battery even if camera is switched off.
2- THE MEMORY CARD CAPACITY, GB is only the most amount of memory space your card has; if your card is partially full then the memory processing is slowed by the potentials of space available OR not available on your card.
3- THE MEMORY CARD SPEED & POTENTIALS. The memory card processing ability c10xU1 =circuits 10 by units 1 and c10xU3= circuits 10 by units 3 I’m not sure if these numbers translate to hundreds OR thousands OR something else, but the speed of the card processing is impacted by the potentials for the processing with the card. Generally with the smaller capacity cards you’re getting U1 OR C10, but sometimes even less, with the higher speed cards generally the larger GB cards you can get better functioning speeds also.
4- THEN THERE IS THE CARD FUNCTIONALITY (write/rewrite) LIFETIME- When you buy a memory card or setup it has thousands upon thousands of uses listed on the package. BUT every time you write to OR take from your card you are using it whether its from your camera OR your computer which means the cards diminish functionally over time because they are made for an amount of uses.
Thanks again, hopes this helps make it more useful for you.
Thanks for the helpful info, Rhapsodie!
Good review, but the sony A6000 is not an entry-level camera and it wasn’t
I guess it depends on your definition, Javier! It was always priced ‘entry-level’ imo.
I have the option of getting the a6000 with kit lens and warranty from a store secondhand for about 200 dollars. They also have the 16mm pancake for 150 dollars. Its so cheap I can hardly resist, but I already have the Coolpix A. I accidentaly dropped the Coolpix a from an extended tripod about a motnh ago, got pretty banged up and Im not sure image quality was impaired.
uses;
Im a painter and use the camera for taking reference photos. Previously Ive owned the Nex5 and a6000 for a brief period, but it was just too cumbersome to take with me everywhere with different lenses etc. I mostly shoot houses, portraits and night time shots. When I use the Coolpix A for night time I use a tripod, I would with the a6000 too.
There are a few annoyances i have with he Coolpix A, I find jpegs are useless and soft OOC, the sd card is obscured by the tripod mount so you have to remove it every time you want to check what youve shot, focus is not good in low light, and the lcd screen is not tilt able. You cant use your phone as remote shutter/ live view), It HAS no live view for that matter, but it meters perfectly and almost always nails white balance and exposure. Its small and fits in my pocket. which is why i got it in the first place .
The most annoying thing about the Coolpix A is the fact that you cant set it to timer and leave it there, it always reverts to single shot. so you have to go back and set it again for every shot.
For wide angle I use the lens hood adapter combined with the Nikon WC-E86, works well at around 5.6.
I remember that all the pics i took with the a6000 had a green tint to them from not great auto white balance. What I miss is the extra megapixels, the Coolpix A only has 16 and it really shows when editing and zooming in.
How is the kit lens shooting portraits at 50mm? Im looking for as little distortion as possible
its a 4 hr round trip to the store, and with the housing plus kit (200) plus 16 mm (pocketability) (150 ), 12 mm samyang (300) and a sharp portrait sigma 56mm (300) or 60mm (200) that equals about 8-900 extra bucks. or maybe just the 12mm so thats 500.
what do you guys tink, is it worth it? there isnt a huge difference in dxo mark. 80 for the Coolpix and 82 for the a6000.
Great Article! I own the a6000. It’s an awesome camera.
Question!
Have you heard word about any rumors about firmware updates beyond the current v3.21?
Thanks!
Thanks Ken! Best to check our the Sony Alpha Rumors site for that kind of stuff ;-)
Hey Mark,
First of all thank you for creating a really well thought out review & really digging into the tech – this is exactly the type of work I’d expect to be put in considering the cost of the item.
I do have a question – I’m torn between the a6000 & the Fujifilm X-T200.
I do not own a nice camera & I’m hoping to get one before my first kid arrives in February and I don’t want to see them with my phone in my hand constantly just because I want to be able to take pics all of the time.
What I’m seeing is that the T200 has some newer features (it’s a newer camera) but is slightly larger & heavier than the a6000 although it is slightly cheaper, but maybe has a cheaper lens according to Mr. Greg Cromie’s review.
As I said before I’m a complete novice to this so I have no frame of reference when deciding on a camera that I could grow into in terms of the lenses that Sony or Fuji has. I want something that will be forgiving when learning & taking photos of a squirming baby (which maybe the a6000’s auto-focus would be better?).
I’m just really stumped because while the T200 is newer, the sensor appears to be the same but you really talk up the super fast auto-focus & I like that it’s smaller & lighter (but honestly not by much).
If you read this I’d love to hear from you, and if not thanks again for the really great review of this camera.
Thanks Ken – they’re both fantastic cameras. I usually advise to go with the latest model, so hopefully that answers your question ;-)
Awesome, thank you so much that’s what I kept coming back to! Thanks for the reply, Mark.
Great review, super informative. I am looking for a good mirrorless that won’t break the bank, this seems perfect for me. I currently use Nikon…..will be able to use my Nikon lenses with this model?
Hey Kurt – no, you’ll have to get Sony or other e-mount compatible lenses. You could ‘adapt’ your Nikon lenses, but I don’t recommend it. Check out our guide to the best lenses for this camera right here on Shotkit. Thanks for the kind words!
Thank you for this review! I was hoping to find an updated review of this model and I’ve found one! Thanks much :>
Hi there,
I have had my sony a6000 for 5 years now. I have loved it! Having previously owned several Canons I was skeptical when my brother in law who worked for Sony at the time, presented me with the a6000 as an alternative. Initially I was drawn to its old school look and feel, like my dad’s old pentax from my youth.
My question is this… do you think 5 years later, I should be considering a new body, even if it is the same “model”? It is well loved, but I keep waiting for it to die. When do I know enough is enough?
Thanks so much for any input!
Hey Stacy! If you were to upgrade, I’d recommend you choose one of the newer a6xxx bodies – there are a few to choose from, each of which offer some more recent technology to take advantage of. However, if you’re happy with the images you’re getting with the a6000 and it’s still going strong, I’d recommend you spend some money on a new lens – it’ll make your camera feel like a new one! We have a guide to the best lenses for the a6000 on Shotkit, so take a look and leave a comment if you have any questions ;-)
Hey Mark, I’ve been really debating between the Sony a6000/a6100 for some time now. I’ve read a ton of articles comparing the 2 & just can’t seem to make up my mind. I’m purchasing to start recreationally but if all goes well maybe go professional. So I guess do you see enough of a upside with the 6100 to justify spending the extra couple hundred?
We’ll be releasing a comparison article soon, but with the Sony a6xxx series, I usually advocate going for the most recent model if you can afford it.
Indeed a great camera! I used it with the Sony SEL 18200 E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS and had excellent results.
The most pleasant surprise for me was the quality at high shutter speeds, just fantastic!
Fantastic in its price range I meant :) For what you pay, you get much more in return, this is my opinion
Hi Mark!
I really enjoyed reading this article! I own the Sony a6000 and purchased the 18 – 105mm Sony Lens to take improve the quality of my images.
I am still a beginner. But, I want to take my own photos for my blog and the only issue I have is the monitor. Do you have a recommendation for what I could do to view the shot before shooting?
I tried using my iPhone as the monitor but it doesn’t really help with a 2-sec timer. Do you know if there is a device that I can use as a remote to control the shooting while still connected to my iPhone for the monitor?
Thanks Jennifer! Sony’s Play Memories app is the only way I know to remotely control the shooting. Why doesn’t the timer work for you?
Honestly, I wish people would stop hyping this camera so much. It has a huge flaw and that’s it’s focussing abilities. The image quality can be great and is great in about 20% of images. The rest is unusable because the focus is slightly off. I’ve shot about 40.000 pictures with it so far, from surf and skate photography to portraits in front of a white wall with a tripod and the focus sucks. It’s usually never terribly out of focus, just enough to be noticeable and bothersome. Which in my opinion is even worse. Because then I’ll flick through them in my camera, think yeah these are great, we’re done, come home and realize that at least 80% are unusable. I’ve shot this with all focus options including manual focus only. Which is just not practical for 99% of images I take anyways. Also, it gets noticeably grainy on ISOs 400 and above. Which is ridiculous on a camera whose ISO goes all the way up to 16000. For me, this was a serious waste of money. I’d not recommend buying this camera and will never buy another Sony camera again. If you’re living anywhere humid, buy a hotshot cover and store your camera in a bowl of rice or a humidity controlled cabinet because that hot shoe will corrode away faster than you can take a decent picture in focus.
Ah that’s a shame, Clara – you seem to be in the vast minority though. First neg comment I’ve received about this camera. Thanks for your feedback, though – good to get a rounded opinion.
Sorry to say but I have the same issue than Clara about the focus being most of the time slightly off…not enough to be noticeable on the camera screen but obvious while editing…to nail focus I have to use DMF or manual focus lens …
I own the sel 35 and the sel 50 and I find the Sony pretty soft wide open after using the sigma 56…
Other than AF I’m pretty happy with the a6000 as I’m mainly shooting legacy manual lenses.
Thank you for your great reviews Mark
Thanks for the feedback and kind words, David!
I have the same problem. The only way I can be sure to get correct focus is to use the flexible spot option. It’s cumbersome but I nail the focus.
i kinda respectfully disagree with Clara. I have a 6k that i use with both of the kit lenses when my Leica DL7 can’t do the job. I find that it is imperative to control camera shake. Never shoot handheld if you can possibly get out of it. A small mount, or even a beanbag, and always use the 2 sec delay. You will find the focus improves 100%. the apc sensor in the a6k is as good as the 4/3 one in in the Leica which is four times the price…cheers and thanks for the review, they really are value for money.
Hi Mark! Loved your review as I was looking for ways to get the most out of my newly acquired Sony a6000. New to photography, so your article went a long way to further my education. Unfortunately, I faced a problem with my camera on my first vacation with it. It almost always threw up “camera error” while shooting. The recommendation was to restart the camera, but it wouldn’t budge untill I had taken out the battery to restart again. I had gone through the initialisation process over and over, but the problem persisted. The temperature was around 15°C, which isn’t freezing. Unfortunately I can’t even take it to the service center due to the lockdown. So was wondering if you have some tricks in your sleeve to overcome this. Thank you.
Sorry to hear that Rahul – I’m assuming you’ve tried to reset the camera to factory default using the camera’s menu? If you’ve done that, taken out the batteries, and given it a few hours to cool down and/or heat up and it still isn’t working, I’m afraid you may need to send it to the service centre. Good luck!
Shutter problem, most likely. Set front curtain shutter to off. It’s a common Sony problem on older models
I don’t know if Sony solved the problem: https://www.sonyalphaforum.com/topic/4070-front-curtain-stuck-in-closed-position/
From the guy in the last post in 2016: “I’m already using my 4th A7R2 body now.”. That’s three bodies wasted in a year because of this problem. Turning off the electronic front curtain shutter has prolonged the life of my older Nex camera. The problem manifested itself at less than 5000 actuations. I’m well over 20 000 now.
Sony is great with their hardware, but something I’ve noticed since buying the camera is that Sony cannot write software to save their lives. I have to download a handful of different apps to get the camera up and running, then when I want to add applications to expand the features, I have to download another application that doesn’t work. So now I have been hamstringed in the capabilities of the camera. So, for basic photography, yes this is an excellent device. But for usability when it comes to getting something as simple as a time lapse app and remote control? Terrible.
I assume you’re refering to the Play Memories app, Jordan? I’ve heard it’s a little clunky…
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your thorough review on the camera that I’m actively pondering on buying.
What camera/lens setup did you use to shoot the top 3 pics on this page, the ones with the camera and/or lenses sitting on a wooden log? Were these shot with an a6000? The reason I’m asking is because I’m chasing a camera which could produce such a quality and sells hopefully in the affordable price range. Regards from Chicago.
Hi Ivan, I used a Nikon D750 with a 35mm f/1.4 lens. I’m confident you can get similar image quality with the a6000, but perhaps not the same shallow depth of field at this focal length, since the a6000 is a crop sensor (APS-C) camera, and such a 35mm equivalent lens does not exist. Hope that helps!
Hi Mark, impressive in depth review of the A6000.
I recently purchased one and am very happy with it. Lightning fast and produces great photos.
I also purchased the Meike 6.mm F/2.0 lens for it to shoot interior virtual tours with the camera.
As of now I am yet to find the sweet spot for the lens in terms of aperture and focus combo since it’s a full manual lens.
If there is any info on the Meike lens I’d very much appreciate it.
Hey Peter – thanks. I haven’t used the Meike 6mm I’m afraid – will see if I can get hold of one this year.
I am interested in getting a Sony A600 after reading many posts on DP Review’s “adapted lens forum” talk about using old manual focus lenses with an adapter and Sony’s focus peaking giving ecellent results. You have not covered this subject, why not?
Regards Paul Stewart (ex Manly 2095 resident)
Hey Paul, adapting lenses and taking advantage of focus peaking is possible on most mirrorless cameras – it’s not specific to the a6000. It’s also rather niche usage case, hence me not talking about it yet on Shotkit. “Manly 2095 resident” – were we neighbours?!
It was many years ago, 70s/80s. A regular at the Steyne Hotel and The New Brighton.
I’m planning to buy a6000. I’m beginner to photography world and my primary usage will be to shoot family and travel photos. Also some DIY craft videos for YouTube. I use my mobile so far.
Could you recommend is it worth to buy sony a6000 or canon 250d for my requirement.
Thank you
You’ll probably guessed it, but I’d go for the a6000!
Don’t do it. I learned my photography on an a6000, and now I’ve dumped 8k into the hobby. In dealing with second-hand equipment buyers and sellers, many have walked the exact path I did, starting with their respective a6000s. The a6000 is a blackhole. It will drain you financially. You will fall in love and become addicted.
More interesting from Sony is the A6000 is not mention!
“” Sony rarely discontinue cameras but when the A6600 and 6100 were announced they discontinued production of the A6300 and A6500.” (Mark Galer specialist in Sony products, mention it on YouTube.)
Not sure I understand your comment, Claude – are you asking if the a6000 is still in production?
I’m going to buy a6000 from my friend, only cost P14, 000. Thanks for the info.
From Philippines
Great to hear it, Mako!
Thank you for this update on the a6000. I’ve had mine since 2015. Added a few more lenses: Sigma 30mm f/2.8, Sigma 16mm f/1.4, and Sony 55-210mm. I’ve really enjoyed this camera. Lately, I’ve considered upgrading to the A6400 or the Nikon Z50, but for the features and capabilities needed for my purposes (family, friends, backyard wildlife, and the occasional dance recital/showcase), the a6000 gets the job done easily with good results. Your review gave me pause to reflect more deeply on the value and performance of my camera, saving me from a $900 upgrade, and inspiring me to increase my capacity as a photographer through better technique with the good gear already at hand. Again, thank you, and best wishes for continued success in 2020.
Thanks Joe, I really appreciate that! Yes, no need to upgrade simply because there are newer cameras. Have a great 2020 :-)
I already own an A6300 and I bought the anthracite A6000 body and which benefited from a complete firmware in 2019, at a price of 380 €. I have a lot of fun using it, more than my A6300. Now the 16-50 EP-Z lens benefits from very good quality despite its price and its limits. I use it for urban photos.
Hi Mark – This review is so helpful! I’m new to photography and just bought the a6000. I’m now trying to figure out lenses. I’m traveling to the Galapagos where I’ll want to shoot landscape + animals + the night sky (all the stars) and then to the Patagonia region where I’ll be backpacking and will want to shoot landscapes (the mountains and glaciers). I’ll want to keep things light, especially for the backpacking part. Are there two lenses you’d recommend? I was debating about bringing the 55-210 mm and then either the Sony 20 mm f/2.8 or the Rokinon 12 mm f/2.0. Would you recommend one over the other? (Or a different third option?) Also, are there any videos or trainings you’d recommend for getting up to speed on the camera? Any suggestions for setting up the custom menu? Thank you in advance!
Hi Linz! I don’t know of any specific training for that camera that I’d recommend, but for cameras and photography in general, our own Photo All Star course is popular, and the instructor mentions the Sony a6xxx bodies in there. For your backpacking trip (jealous!!), it sounds like you’d do well with one med/long zoom and one wide – the 55-210 and the 20 f/2.8 you mentioned are great. The Rokinon is excellent too, but manual focus, so perhaps not as useful for traveling where AF would help with moving subjects too. I’m assuming you already read this? https://shotkit.com/sony-a6000-lenses/
Hi Mark,
Awesome review thank you.
Looking to start photography and your review clearly confirms my choice on the a6000 considering the low entry point. Will do a mix of landcapes, portraits and sports shots. There is currently a great bundle where I live with the 16-50mm lense.
What other lense would you get considering what I am planning to shoot?
Thanks a lot.
Anthony
Thanks Anthony! Did you already read this article? https://shotkit.com/sony-a6000-lenses/
Hello, thanks for quick reply. Clearly interested in the Sigma for portrait. I take it the 16-50 that comes with the camera is a good all rounder? Being a complete ignorant here, I believe I would also need something in the 18-200 or 55-200 for the sports shots? Or am I completely in the wrong here :D?
Thanks a lot for your help. I really liked how you approached the review on the a6000, just ordered it this morning. I could have spent more cash in another model but clearly I feel it will be plenty enough for the money to start with.
Cheers.
Hey Anthony, how are you going with the kit lens? It’s been a few days since you left your comment, so I wanted to hear if you felt limited with the lenses you currently own, and advise from there. Don’t worry about being ‘ignorant’ – we’re all learning in some way ;-)
I am using my a6000 for video and would like to mount a ring light on it. Could you suggest one?
Thanks for sharing – I had been shooting a Canon 70D and we travelled quite a bit last summer and carrying that all over place with 2 lenses was a pain. So started exploring other cameras and came across this site and great prices. Doesn’t break the bank. One thing I do like to do is sports photography and video – how would this fare if you may or may not know? Thanks – gonna be looking at some a6000 this weekend!
Hey Billy, there are definitely better cameras for sports and video, but none that are this great value for money. Keep an eye out for the Black Friday sales too ;-)
Hello Mark,
Your review is awesome! I am considering to buy the a6000. However, could you tell us which lenses have you been using while shooting with Chris Bukard in San Luis Obispo? I know you guys had the 70-200mm f4 while in the pier but what about when you guys went up the hill, or night walking?
Could you also tell us which water housing case and lens Chris used while in the water?
Thank you very much and thanks for all this work behind the lens!!
Thanks for the kind words, I’ve never shot with Chris Bukard before, but if you do a search for his name on Shotkit, you can see his feature and see the gear he uses ;-)
Hi Mark! Love your review, it is good advice for a amateur photographer. My wife and I have been looking for a camera to photograph our daughter’s sports events (volleyball and basketball), that won’t break our wallet. The a6000 looks like a great camera to suit our needs, but we would like your advice on a suitable lense to capture her moves from the stands. Thank you!
Hey Darren, thanks for the kind words. It sounds like you’ll need a zoom lens for your daughter’s sports events. Take a look at my ‘est Sony a6000 lenses’ article – you should be able to google it ;-) All the best!
Hi Mark – Great review, so sensible. I am doing a project photographing the modernist ironwork doors to apartment blocks in a European city and the 6000 sounds ideal – would the 28-70 be the best lens – or would I need a ‘rising front’ lens to keep the verticals parallel? (I would use a tripod and remote for sharpness). Regards
Hey Peter, thanks! The 28-70 would be fine, but strictly speaking you’d need a ’tilt-shift’ lens if you want to keep vertical parallel. Sony doesn’t have any native TS lenses – using an adapter and a Canon or Nikon TS lens is a possibility, but could become expensive quickly. I’d recommend using your current lens and adjusting in Lightroom or similar editing software (this is a good one, currently on sale) – it’s very simple to do. Just make sure you leave enough gap on either side of the building, as when fixing in post, the photo will be cropped. Good luck!
Thank you Mark!
That’s a well written review sir. I’ve been a beginner photographer for so long and always wanted a good camera. Today I bought an A6000 with 2 kit lenses for $560. It’s such a sweet deal.
That’s a great deal, Sachin! Good luck with your new camera :-)
Hi Mark,
How about a6000 vs a6400? Is it worth if I upgrade my a6000 to a6400. By the way, I don’t take video but I think a6400 have an incredible AF. That is why I think it is worth.
Could you give your suggestion? Thank you!
It’s definitely a nice upgrade, Hui! The a6400 is great value, especially when compared to the newer a6100 and a6600 too.
I was reading about the new firmware updates for this camera.
If you buy an a6000 today, does it come with the latest versions of firmware and/or any other “patches’ or improvements over the originally released product?
This should help, Rich!
Thank you for this thorough review, Mark! I came upon your page as I, like quite a few here it seems, am just getting into photography and was doing some research on the best place to get started without breaking the bank. I saw the a7ii for ~$800USD online and thought that was a deal until I came across this post! I’m sold on the a6000 – pun intended.
I travel pretty extensively and like to keep my pack light. Most of my travel involves hikes; the outdoors in both day and night, and all the various settings that come with being in mother nature. I’m open to spending more on a lens than the camera if it’s not like 3x the price of the camera: is there one in particular you’d recommend for a beginner who wants to take photos in these settings (and not carry multiple lenses)?
Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed the review, Brian, and happy it saved you a bit of money… which is now no doubt useful for that lens! Here’s the one I’d recommend as a flexible, all-round zoom, and this one too if you want something lightweight as an ‘everyday carry-around’. Hope that helps!
Hi Mark, brilliant review, super useful, thank you! I am currently switching from Canon 700D to Sony a6000 with 18-105 G lens… I believe it will be a big upgrade, but would appreciate your thoughts as well, especially on the 18-105 lens. Thank you again!
Thanks Peter. That’s a real ‘do-it-all’ lens. You can see my other recommendations here: https://shotkit.com/sony-a6000-lenses/
I recently retired and wanted to buy a DSLR but was advised by a photographer to check mirrorless cameras . He is a Sony guy and uses an A6500 I looked at the specs and decided on the A6000 and use the extra cash for extra lens capability. Limited cash and limited lens selection required thought, I now have a Sony 55-210mm zoom with TCON 1.7x extension, a Sigma 30mm prime lens ,the kit Sony16-50mm, and a 16mm and 10mm Meike lens extender for macro shots all of which work fantastic. I am not a experienced photographer by any means but this camera and lenses suit me perfectly. I have friends with DSLRs and a friend with a A6300 and my pics are just as good as anything of theirs at considerably less cost. My 6 month old A6000 was recently stolen from my car, I checked my options and went and bought a new A6000 (best bang for the buck) Thanks for the great review to reaffirm my initial choice.
Glad you’re enjoying your camera, Steve. I think you made a wise choice to save some money from the cheaper body and using it on lenses ;-)
I agree! High quality lenses are worth!
Hi! Great review. I’m actually leaning more toward the a6500 simply because of the in-body stabilization vs. lens stabilization. What are your thoughts on that? Also, does each mirrorless Sony camera have its own range of lenses or can any E-Mount lens go on any E-Mount camera? Thank you!
As long as the camera has stabilization in one way or another, it’s a good thing! Helps to keep the ISO nice and low, since you can compensate with a slower shutter speed. Any Sony E-mount lens can go on any e-mount camera. Hope that helps!
Thanks for your article!!! I am considering between a5100 and a6000, can you give me some advice?
Usually I’d always recommend the newer model of a camera, but the omission of the viewfinder on the a5100, as well as the slower frame rate (5fps vs 11fps), leads me to recommend the a6000 to you, Siu ;-)
I was about to buy the Sony a6300 when Sony released a6400. I thought the price will drop now. Then Sony did a strange thing. They increased the price of a6300 may be to sell the a6400 more. There is about $15 price difference between these two cameras. Then I compared all a6x00 line cameras and found the a6000 as the best camera suitable for me. I don’t have a 4k video editing setup, neither I do vlogs. So the older a6000 is better for me. I just want to know if the a6000 supports S-log or not. If yes, I will definitely buy the a6000 instead of other newer ones.
Sorry to break this to you Jay, but the a6000 doesn’t have S-Log! Here’s a good discussion on various ways you can grade the footage, though. Hope it helps!
Great review, with some very useful observations. But have to respectfully disagree re the start up time, A6000 usually one to two seconds before it can take a shot, considerably slower than DSLR’s.
Another issue with it is you can’t configure a button to switch between the evf and rear screen, its either automatic ( which can be a pain – e.g. it wont auto power off if over your shoulder as keeps detecting movement near the viewfinder, so have to keep using the power switch, or if you want to hold it near to your body and use the rear screen to compose (like a waist level finder) it keep switching to viewfinder mode. Only workaround is to go into the menu and select either evf or rear screen that way.
Apart from these small points its still a great camera.
Thanks for the feedback! Hopefully the second point will be fixed one day with a firmware update – we live in hope!!
Good info, it’s actually the 5th anniversary! That shows you how groundbreaking it was in 2014, they’re still selling boatloads of them. I sold my Canon T2i whole kit 8 months before it came out, and waited patiently. And sure enough it was a total game changer with the AF and EVF live view, video, etc, compared to the crappy canon AF and mirror system. I took thousands of action shots. For those who want to do long zoom action sports /bird photos, you should know that the 55-210mm is excellent optically given it’s almost free in a bundle. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Is it as good as a canon L zoom? Of course not, it’s also 5X cheaper when you buy it bundled with the cam. I’ve looked at my pics at 100%, and the sharpness at close to full zoom is unbelievable, especially at F8-10, and that’s through the olympus glass on the end.
With the current price, you can get a new body, 16-50mm kit and 55210 zoom and a used 1.7x tcon with adapter rinds for probably 600 USD. Or skip the kit and add a used sigma art 35mm for 100, or sony 50mm 1.8 for 150 and you’re set.
With my setup I can zoom into soccer players at the other end of a field and get close to full body shots with eq. 535mm zoom, by adding a used Olympus tcon 1.7x glass at the end of the zoom lens. This is a much better alternative than getting a back mounted teleconverter. First, it doesn’t alter light input or aperture. It’s a bit more cumbersome, but my sony zoom has held up well despite the extra 1/2 pound hanging off the plastic barrel of the zoom. I have also mounted the Tcon to the sony 1.8 mm 50 and I have a 1600 or even 3200 iso solution for indoor gym fast action shots at F2 at about 140mm eq (basketball).
It would be very interesting to know what updates Sony have done to the 6000, to the internals over the years. Tech parts get cheaper over time, so the parts costs much less to make today than in 2014. Sadly, my shutter just died at 30K pictures, so I’m pretty disappointed. Going to try the disassembly, and shutter motor replacement if i cant solve it. I’ve been thinking about upgrading to the 6400, but the price difference is ridiculous in my view (close to 3x the price to add 4k and marginally better AF, but great video features). I only paid 700 USD in 2014 for my 3 piece kit, not a whole lot more than current, but they’re really gouging on the 63/4/500 , even if the specs are more robust. The 6400 doesn’t have IBIS, and i’m looking at close to 1400 CAD with tax just for the body. I guess they figure semi pro and pros will buy it. If my a6000 hadn’t failed, I wouldn’t even be looking.
If you are buying a new a6000, a 5 year extended warranty might be available for 100 at best buy. Probably worth it, because the shutter is going to fail at some point, could be 20K or 80K. I treated this cam like a baby, so not too happy, and repair at sony is same price as a new body. They have an upgraded shutter in the 6400 to 200K shots.
I might need to turn your comment into a separate bog post, Jazzi!!
Thank you! Amazing and thorough review. I’m also impressed at how many individual recommendations you provided!
Thanks Courtney! I try my best to keep up with all the comments, but they come thick and fast!! :p
THX for your review :)sweet
I was looking for a small good camera to do some products shoots , IG pics .. but i am not so good in using camera too(auto mode is my best friend :p)(..iphone helps me a lots too) ..
but there are different between A6000,A6300 and A6500 ? (price def)
also about the indoor ,night shooting mode on A6000….how was it ?
pls little . help :)thanks millions
…and the a6400 too now, Jan! The low light of the a6000 series is good, as long as you keep it to around ISO1600 or under. Over that things tend to get a little noisy, but some people like to do a black and white edit and embrace the grittiness! `
Yes! I have been shooting with this since it came out in 2014. I have tossed around the idea of “upgrading cameras” but I am so happy with this thing. I recently ordered new batteries after 5 years. I am at shoots constantly and some photographers look at my camera like it is a toy and kind of scoff. Then I laugh when I see their images compared to mine. Bigger isn’t better. In fact, the reason i initially bought this model is because I didn’t want to be hauling heavy equipment. I liked the fact that it was lightweight and not the size of a newborn child!!!
haha definitely not that big! And yes, I agree that there’s no need to upgrade your camera if it’s performing for you, despite the age. Happy shooting :-)
Looking seriously to purchasing a a6000. Have read your recommendation to lenses. You did not mention the Sony Vario-Tessar E 16-70. I wondered about this as a single primary then maybe only a wide angle addition. What do you think.
It’s a good lens, Robb. A bit pricey, but if you have the budget, I recommend it!
I have this lens for my a6000. It is my favorite lens. If I am going somewhere and can only bring one lens with me it is nearly always the lens I use.
What a great review! The A6000 got me back into photography after a 30-year layoff. Even though I now use an A7R3 I still love the A6000. I carry it everywhere and I can use all my full-frame glass on it too!
This is another major advantage – If you buy full-frame glass for it, you don’t need to change if you get a later model.
The incremental changes in the A6300 and A6500 are ‘nice to have’ but by no means necessary.
Thanks Bazz! So glad to hear the a6000 was responsible for getting you back into the game after 30 years!! All the best :-)
Now about the A6000 vs A6400!
I’ll keep my A6000 because It suit my need very well.
I don’t do video so, the A6400 is very nice for video. Why? They have the 4K, fast eyes focus and soon animal eye focus.
With the A6000 My lenses* fit on A6300, A6400, A6500.
Sony 16-50mm, Sigma 19mm, Sigma30mm f1.4, Sigma 60mm and now the great powerful little zoom the Sony 18-135mm. I love them and nobody will see the difference in pictures quality with the A6xxx series.
Mainly lenses are important and the person behind the camera! :)
Couldn’t agree more, Claude! Did you see our review on recommended lenses for the a6400?
Yes Sony A 6000 is the Best Camera with the Basic Lense. I bought New One Last month. I Did few Videos with Low Light. I m Very Satisfied with The camera. This s my first video from that camera . Check this out & Recommended to all.
https://youtu.be/nhheVe4qwWo
Thanks for sharing, Hashan – nice guitar playing ;-)
I’ve had a Sony A6000 as my first camera for 18 months now and this review sums it up perfectly. I’ve learnt so much during that time and whilst it’s not perfect once you practice using the cameras numerous settings you can unravel it capabilities. I use it mainly for sports photography at regional athletics events paired with a Sony 85mm f/1.8 FE (giving me a mid range zoom – approx 130mm) and once you get to understand the focus modes and custom settings you can get great images. I only have the original battery but can take 2500 images over 4 hours without any problem and it’s so easy to hold and carry. I’ve had numerous people ask what camera I use and most are amazed when I show them.
The only cons I’ve found – doesn’t like rain. To be fair it’s not weather sealed (what do you expect for £350) so I just put a plastic bag round it. If I hold the camera in portrait mode with the grip at the top it will freeze after about 10 seconds.
Highly recommended, great camera.
Thanks for the feedback Stuart! I like your plastic bag solution – I’ve been known to do something similar with a zip-lock bag in the past too! I’m also impressed with your battery life, despite using it for 18 months – that’s a great duration you get out of it! Cheers
Would you recommend the Sony A6000 or the Fujifilm XT-100?
Good question! They’re both great cameras. The XT-100 is newer, has slightly better IQ (and those gorgeous Fuji colours), has a great flipscreen/touchscreen, and looks awesome too. However, and this is a big one, the Sony has much better AF. It’s also cheaper too. Let us know which one you end up going with Alex, and your thoughts on it!
Good question, Alex! The XT-100 is the newer, flashier option so it’s definitely tempting. It has that front facing flip screen which is essential if you’re a vlogger, slightly better image quality, nice colours (the Fuji JPG colours are second to none), a great lens selection, and good-looking retro styling. However, the a6000 has it been with its AF, especially for moving subjects. It’s also cheaper! Let us know which one you end up going for ;-)
Thank you for the review, I am new to the photo world and it was very helpful to hear a professional level opinion. I think hi level photography is less of a hobby than it used to be due to the phones we all carry being fairly good at taking photos. Articles like yours will keep the future bright for the industry. I purchased an a6000 from a local dealer shortly after reading your article and the owner of the shop asked me to write this to thank you for your work. I agree with him, a sincere thank you for your effort and time.
Oh wow, thanks Matt! Very kind of the shop owner to say that too :-)
I’m using professionally Sony A6000 and i tryed many lenses: 16-50, 18-55, 16, 55-210, 35, 50… Now i’m working models with Samyang 85mm f1.8, weddings and concerts with Sony 18-105 and landscapes with Canon 10-18 and Commlite adapter. Almost 3 years now and no way that i will change the body (i have NEX-6 and NEX-5T as a backup). FF body is like 500% more expensive and gives about 10% better image quality. So no wonder that this incredible A6000 camera is most popular mirrorless of all times. Greetings from Norway
Thanks for the insight from Norway, Ivan! The 10% you talk of is kinda true, but in very low light, it’s more like 100% better ;-)
Hi Dear, i am planning to buy sony a6000 is this right time to but it. or else suggest me the best.
Now’s as good a time as any, Hajee ;-)
I recently moved to Sony A6000 from Canon 70D, a little hesitantly. Now I am happy shooting with Sony A6000. Your recommendation is just the icing on the cake.Nice to know from you too that I made the right move
Yep, definitely an increase in performance there, Nirmal. Happy shooting!
Thank you so so much for this incredible review. You’ve really helped me alot and I appreciate it more than you know! Keep up the amazing work
Ah that’s great to hear Angela! Thanks for the lovely comment :D
My A6000 goes out with me all day every day,had it about 3 years now and its still on sale in Currys with£50 cashback!
Good old Currys!!
Hi there! Your article is really helpful, thank you :) I’m planning to get this camera as an upgrade from my canon G12. It’s very old now and I don’t have any experience with other cameras. I’m interested in taking pictures of wildlife especially whales (in a distance and maybe close to the boat, possibly under low light conditions), landscapes and northern lights. Are there any affordable lenses you could recommend? Thank you :)
That’s great Tiffany – glad it helps! Re. lenses, here you go ;-)
Does it make sense to rather invest in FE lens so that it will be more easier to upgrade in future?
If that’s your definite upgrade path, then yes it can make sense Seye. You have to consider the increased weight and size (as well as the price of course) or the FE lenses too though.
Now, i am using A6000 with two lend as one of kit and 55-210. I wanna buy 50 mm only for portrait.
Thanks.
Great review thanks. Looking to upgrade my ageing NEX 7…
Glad you liked it Jim! That’d be a fine upgrade…
Thank you so much for this article! I’m currently shopping for a mirrorless camera and was trying to decide among the 3 listed. This was a solid explanation. Thanks again!
Glad you found it useful, CiCi!
Great detailed review! I love my A6000 in terms of quality and its size, I bought it when it was first launched. I am thinking about upgrade to A6500, I take still pictures most of the time. Is it worth to upgrade to A6500? (I mean will there be big different in picture quality.)
Glad you like it, Eva. I don’t think there’d be a big difference in image quality Eva to be honest. Depending on your budget, I’d get this https://amzn.to/2HpWFEfSony a7 with 28-70mm – you’ll notice a huge jump in image quality, especially in low light. Hope that helps!
Thx Mark! Will check it.
I tried the Sony A7 and as I like to take photos of nature, birds, squirrels etc I found it incredibly noisy. Almost like a machine gun going off on the continuous shots, I took it back only because of that after finding there was no way to turn the sound off the shutter.
Yes that’s a shame Brenda. Several of the Sony full frame and crop sensor cameras offer silent shooting, but unfortunately not the a7 or the a6000 for that matter.
Rarely we see a so well done review (on any camera compagny) on a camera of few years old camera model and very positive!
Thanks! It make us proud to still hold the Sony A6000.
Glad to hear it, Claude! Bringing some love back to the a6000 :-)
Loved this review, thank you! Just purchased this camera second hand, even more excited to receive it now!
Nate, you’re going to love it. I also got mine used, with kit lens. My image quality improved tremendously once I invested in Sony 35mm 1.8 (used at Best Buy) & Sigma 60mm 2.8 for portraits; OMG my image quality is off the charts! Glad I chose A6000… (No website, jtxvisuals on Instagram if you want to see some of my portrait shots)
Thanks Mark for another very informative article. This one is on my short list if I decide to change brands. mainly because a friend who bought this camera takes amazing, crystal clear bird photos. And it certainly is very affordable! Cheers
Can you please tell me which lense would take clear bird photos.
Something with a decent focal length for bird photography would be this one, Lars.
Dear Mark, Thank you for this article! I have been searching for a new camera to take on safari and have seen this camera come up in my searches. Your research has sealed the deal. The a600 is for me! I have thoroughly enjoyed my Sony rx100 and this will be a nice upgrade for me. Thanks again!
No problem at all, Audrey – glad I could be of help. The a6000 will be a nice upgrade from your rx100, and open up the door to all those alluring Sony lenses ;-)
Dear Mark, I am looking at lens now and there are so many choices! Would you please recommend one? I read your article on lenses but I am still not sure which would be best for this trip. I am researching specifically which would be best for game shots from the jeep. I have been looking at the 18-200 and the 55-210. (My brother also gave me a Nikon 18-200 but my concern is will they talk to each other so I can take advantage of the Sony’s AF?) My husband who has been on safari before says that game might walk right by us as well as be off in the distance so I don’t know which to choose to get a good combo of focal length and quality. For this purpose price is not a concern since I could rent one if it is out of my budget. Thank you! Best wishes, Audrey
Hey Audrey, if you are renting and money is no object, I’d get a 400mm Sony lens (they’re enormous, but incredible), and a 16-35mm f/2.8 just in case the wildlife come close.
Thank you!!
Cheers, Audrey
You’ll need the excellent sony sel 55210. You can then multiply the focal length by 1.7x (olymous or sony used+ adapter ring that screws on the end of the sony zoom) by adding a teleconverter on the end (not at the base – those are expensive and suck up light), to get 535mm eq zoom with outstanding image quality.
Dear Jazzi, Can you give the name and model for this teleconverter and adapter ring? Thank you!