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Sony Alpha NEX-6: Preview by dpreview.com
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Product Description
Style: Body Only
From the Manufacturer
 Raise your photography to the next level with NEX-6, a remarkably compact interchangeable-lens camera loaded with big camera features. From the distinctive dials on top to the large APS-C image sensor inside, you’ll feel that special sense of quality and performance that is a signature of DSLRs, minus the bulk. Add ultra-fast phase-detection AF and Sony’s superb XGA OLED electronic viewfinder in addition to Full HD video recording at 60p and you have a camera well equipped to take you on a unique photographic journey. |  |
| Small Camera + Big Sensor = Amazing Pictures. | Share and Save Instantly. | Full HD Movies. | ||||
| With 13 times the area of the typical point-and-shoot image sensor, APS-C sensor size makes the difference between “snapshots” and “photographs.” This is the same HD sensor format that Sony builds into the full-sized α DSLRs. | Wi-Fi® capability – a first for Alpha digital cameras – lets users transfer photos directly to smartphones and tablets with the PlayMemories Mobile™ app. Wi-Fi allows for sharing, viewing and saving photos for expanded photo-shooting enjoyment.4 | Capture HD Movies in your choice of super-smooth 60p, standard 60i or cinematic 24p, all at Full HD 1920x1080 resolution. AVCHD™ codec delivers stunning picture quality. MP4 codec offers smaller files for easier upload to the web. |
Technology
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Product description and full feature list
The NEX-6 Digital Camera is equipped with the latest technology to bring you
incredible entertainment quality. Explore the full range of features and options below.
incredible entertainment quality. Explore the full range of features and options below.
| 16.1 MP APS-C size HD image sensor The same sensor format that Sony builds into the full-sized α DSLRs. With 13 times the area of the typical point-and-shoot image sensor, APS-C sensor size makes the difference between “snapshots” and “photographs,” delivering an exceptional combination of high resolution, high sensitivity and gorgeous, blurred backgrounds. Fast Hybrid AF Sony’s advanced Fast Hybrid AF combines two technologies for outstanding performance: Phase detection auto focus for quick response that is ideal when tracking fast-moving subjects and contrast-detection auto focus for added precision. A perfect match that delivers optimal Auto Focus for fast, precise focusing in any scene. Full HD Movies at 60p/60i/24p Capture HD Movies in your choice of super-smooth 60p, standard 60i or cinematic 24p, all at Full HD 1920x1080 resolution.1 AVCHD™ codec delivers stunning picture quality. MP4 codec offers smaller files for easier upload to the web. XGA Tru-Finder™ OLED For size, speed and brightness even after sunset, the Tru-Finder™ OLED electronic viewfinder is a gem. This eye-level, through-the-lens, viewfinder begins with 2359K dots for amazing resolution and high contrast ratio for incredible depth. You can also see the results of camera adjustments in real time with superb color and detail. Wi-Fi® Sharing Wi-Fi® capability – a first for Alpha-series – lets users transfer photos directly to smartphones and tablets with the PlayMemories Mobile™ app. Wi-Fi capability allows for sharing, viewing and saving photos for expanded photo-shooting enjoyment. Photos can be easily transferred to smartphones and tablets, viewed on large screen TVs or saved to PC’s.4 PlayMemories Camera Apps™ Supports PlayMemories Camera Apps™ service, the world’s first application download service that lets users install new camera functions as needed.4 Advanced Control Dial Mode control dial and Quick Navi assure quick an intuitive operation comparable to DSLR cameras Control dial, Fn (function) button and touch screen (including touch shutter function) combine to greatly facilitate operation and speed getting the shot. Picture Effect mode There are 7 types (11 variations) of picture effects to choose from: Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color(R), Partial Color(G), Partial Color(B), Partial Color(Y), High-key, High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera. Each is unique and each give you a new and exciting way to make your images and videos pop. 6-image layering The camera leverages the large, APS-C image sensor and captures six images in a fraction of a second. The camera then combines the data from the 6 different images up to ISO 25600 to create a single image. This method is used to control blur in Anti-Motion Blur mode or to get cleaner, sharper nighttime pictures in Hand-held Twilight mode. | Accepts Sony® E-mount lenses Compatible with Sony’s wide selection of E-mount series of smaller, lighter lenses designed specifically for α compact interchangeable lens cameras. Open up a world of endless creative options. Photo Creativity Touch interface The Photo Creativity touch interface enables you to easily enjoy the creative expression of SLR-quality digital imaging without the complicated settings. Changes can be easily made using the control dial with results seen in real time on the LCD. Settings include; Background Defocus, Brightness, Color, Vividness and most Picture Effects. Auto Portrait Framing Simply photograph a person and Auto Portrait Framing will save an additional, optimally framed image in portrait or landscape orientation. Combining Face Detection and By Pixel Super Resolution technologies with rule of thirds, Auto Portrait Framing provides beautifully composed and appealingly balanced full resolution portraits. Clear Image Zoom Utilizing Sony’s exclusive By Pixel Super Resolution Technology, Clear Image Zoom increases the effective focal length of your lens up to 2x by digitally magnifying the center of your image with nearly imperceptible degradation. It virtually doubles the effective focal length of whatever lens you’re using providing greater shooting flexibility. Convenient USB charging Easily recharge the camera via USB charging. Simply connect the bundled USB cable and recharge the battery without removing it from the camera, either via AC outlet or PC connection. New Multi-Interface Shoe Unlike conventional cameras, the NEX-6 features a newly developed Multi-Interface Shoe that dramatically expands compatibility with Handycam® accessories, thus raising the potential for photo/movie shooting. Auto HDR built into camera High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography captures more scene contrast than a single exposure can handle by combining the best highlight detail from one shot and the best shadow detail from another for one incredible shot. Handles severe backlighting and other high-contrast scenes. Captures in a split second. (Recommended for still subjects.) Sweep Panorama™ Technology Capture expansive landscapes automatically. Press the shutter, sweep vertically or horizontally. The camera does the rest, continuously shooting images and stitching them together. Up to 23 MP image size. Up to 202 degrees maximum sweep angle (18mm focal length). Fast Auto Focus Some cameras in this class are slow to focus. That can make you miss the shot on fast-moving subjects like sports and unpredictable subjects like pets and babies. Sony’s fast Contrast Auto Focus system typically takes as little as 0.3 seconds and also offers continuous Auto Focus when shooting movies. | Peaking AF display The Peaking AF display makes precise manual focusing much easier by highlighting the edges that are in focus in your choice of three colors (white, red, or yellow). This is especially helpful during macro or portrait photography where your focal plane can make or break your shot. Manual Focus Assist Greatly magnifies the viewfinder image when you touch the focus ring, making it easy to get razor-sharp images. Works with E-mount lenses only. Enhanced Tracking Focus Tracking Focus continuously tracks a user-designated subject and is now more effective at tracking people. If the subject turns away from the camera, face-detection tracking automatically switches to subject tracking and continues tracking. Face Detection technology The camera can automatically detect up to eight individual faces and adjust focus, exposure, white balance and flash to help deliver crisp, properly lit images of family and friends. Can prioritize children or adults. Smile Shutter™ technology Captures a smile the moment it happens. Simply select the Smile Shutter™ mode and the camera takes the picture automatically. You can prioritize children or adults and adjust the smile sensitivity. Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) Improves results with backlit subjects and recovers details hidden in shadows. Settings include Auto, Level with a choice of five operating levels and Off. Six Creative Style settings Control how the camera processes your images with six finishing styles: Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset and B&W. You can even fine-tune contrast, saturation, and sharpness to your personal taste. PhotoTV HD compatibility Optimizes compatible BRAVIA® televisions for gorgeous display of digital pictures.3 Dual Format Media Card Slot For cost-effective, convenient storage and sharing of your images, the camera accepts Memory Stick PRO Duo™/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ and SD/SDHC media (Class 4 or higher recommended), (Memory card is required, all are sold separately). Anti-Dust Technology Dust on the image sensor leads to blemishes in the picture. To protect the sensor, Sony incorporates an advanced ultrasonic system, which effectively shakes dust off the sensor surface. |
Sony Suggested Accessories
1. Records in up to 29 minutes segments.
2. Attaching Sony A-mount lens requires LA-EA1 (note: Autofocus available with SSM and SAM series lenses when using LA-EA1) or LA-EA2 adaptors (sold separately).
3. Requires compatible BRAVIA® HDTV and HDMI® cable sold separately.
4. Requires an active 802.11 Wi-Fi network (802.11n recommended) or PlayMemories Mobile™ app installed on compatible Android™ or iOS device.
PlayMemories camera apps require download with existing Sony Entertainment Network account. Download available in all countries/areas
where Sony Entertainment Network is available.
© 2012 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony is not responsible for typographical and photographic errors. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Sony, BIONZ, BRAVIA, Exmor, InfoLITHIUM, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, PlayMemories Home, Smile Shutter, Stamina, Theatre Sync, Sweep Panorama, and the Sony make.believe logo are trademarks of Sony. AVCHD is a trademark of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Mac OS and iMovie are trademarks of Apple Computers, Inc. HDMI is a trademark of HDMI Licensing LLC. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.
Product Description
Who says you can't have it all? The NEX-6 features a wish list of features and still fits in your pocket. And it's fast, too. Make quick changes with a handy DSLR-like dial. Focus and track fast-moving subjects with the speed and accuracy of phase and contrast detection. It even shoots 16.1MP photos at a blistering up to 10fps. It's the end of compromise as we know it.
Available Warranties for This Item
Style: Body Only
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
165 of 172 people found the following review helpful
Style Name:Body Only
Bottom line, the NEX 6 is a well designed camera that's easy to use and takes good quality photos. The finish and balance of the camera are excellent and - for the most part - it's a joy to use.
This is Sony's 8th NEX camera in just over two years. You can't say that they aren't serious about the camera line. The NEX 6 is an enthusiast's camera. It's for photographers who are looking for more manual controls than are available in the NEX 3 or 5 models. It has a similar 16 MP sensor to the others and the same very good image quality. You aren't gaining better picture quality in getting the 6 vs one of the NEX 3 or 5 models. So if you are moving up from a phone camera or a point and shoot, you might find one of the other models closer to what you are used to than the NEX 6.
On the other hand, if you are looking at the NEX 6 as second camera, or even as a replacement for a bigger one, the 6 is much more portable than a DSLR the extra dials and buttons on the NEX 6 will speed up camera mode and exposure changes. So, on to the specifics
The first yes is the inclusion of an electronic viewfinder (EVF), similar to the one in the NEX 7. That's a great inclusion and makes the 6 more versatile. It's seems similar to the NEX 7 EVF and the same pixel dimension. The EVF is sharp and clear. It works well on this size camera.
The second yes is the addition of a flash shoe, a real one that accepts all sorts of manual flashes. It's a change from the old reversed Minolta/Sony flash shoe, so if you have old Sony flashes you will need an adaptor. The newest Sony flashes are built the new flash shoe. The camera also has a built in flash, instead of the screw on model on my old NEX 5n. Flash sync is a slow 1/160, which a bit disappointing but at least the camera will now support more flashes and off camera flash.
The third and fourth yeses encompass the inclusion of a mode dial and a camera top control dial. These aren't the same as the NEX 7 dials but will be immediately familiar to experienced camera users. The control dial and the mode dial are stacked on the same spindle. I wasn't sure how that would work, but in practice, just fine. The only thing I would have like to have added is the ability to use the back panel control dial for more functions, like exposure compensation in A or S modes. That's not currently possible and can't be customized. This may change with a firmware update. My fingers are crossed. Sony still includes the some very helpful camera modes like sweep panorama and hand held twilight, along with a bunch of others. The inclusion of a mode dial makes accessing these faster and easiser.
The fifth yes is the new position for the movie button. The button on my NEX 5n is where I often push it accidentally. In fact, I seldom spent more than a half hour shooting without accidentally starting a movie. The button on the NEX 7 is even easier to mistakenly activate. The problem on the 7 is so bad that Sony made a software update to deactivate the movie button entirely. On the 6, Sony has simply moved the button to a location where your right thumb won't rest naturally on it. The movie button is a little awkward to use now, but not too much so.
The meh, is the new lens. Oh, it's an improvement over the old kit lens, mostly. The size is perfect for a NEX camera. The lens looks great and when it's closed nobody will remark that you look like you have a lens with a little bit of camera behind it. Build quality is good. Finish is good, However, this is not the high optical quality kit lens for the NEX 7 that many of us have wanted. It's decently sharp for a kit lens, but it's still a kit lens and it has a kit lens' slow aperture.
Sony still includes the some very helpful modes like sweep panorama and hand held twilight, along with a bunch of others. The inclusion of a mode dial makes accessing these faster and easiser.
On the down side focus is a bit slower than with the old kit lens. Sony has done some sort of magic with the NEX 6 sensor that's supposed to make it focus more quickly. That may be so, but it's not my experience. When I place the NEX 6 and the NEX 5n side by side in tripods and activated the shutter button, the camera with the old kit lens generally reached focus more quickly than the one with the new lens. This isn't a scientific test with instruments, but the new lens didn't wow me with it's focus speed. My other problem with the new lens is that it has a zoom motor instead of direct gearing for zoom. I guess that this is a requirement of the collapsing lens and it's compactness. The lens doesn't have the tactile feedback of a non-motorized lens. It's also a bit slower to zoom. On the plus side, zooming is smoother during movie shooting. Also the new lens seems to provide a bit more shake control than the old kit lens while shooting movies. For stills, they are both good.
The huh is for Sony eliminating the touch screen on the NEX 6. Sony seems to think that more serious photographers won't want a touch screen. I do. Still, I can somewhat see their point. What's brain dead, though, is adding apps to the camera that you can't interact with on the screen. Duh. It's like stepping back from using a new iPhone and having to navigate through an old fashioned dumb phone. Yes, you have to use buttons and the back control wheel to get around in the app interfaces. Talk about user unfriendly. Still, I got a camera, not a micro tablet. I can see some real potential in camera apps, especially with built in Wi-Fi that allows you to control your camera from your phone or tablet. They just won't be as easy to use with the NEX 6.
The NEX 6 is an excellent camera, though it costs more than some DSLRs. My biggest problem with recommending it is the limited line of NEX lenses. Sony hasn't gotten the idea that cameras are no better than their lenses. There are about as many Sony NEX camera models as Sony lenses for them. That's the main reason, other than price, why I'm only giving 4 stars. On the other hand, third party lens makers are now making NEX lenses and Zeiss has promised some autofocus NEX lenses in '13. There's also the fact that Sony's focus peaking makes manual focusing very easy and adaptors allow you to put almost any kind of APS or full frame lens on a NEX camera. So this is a good camera that faces good competition. I like it because it feel right in my hands, takes great photos and is small and light.
This is Sony's 8th NEX camera in just over two years. You can't say that they aren't serious about the camera line. The NEX 6 is an enthusiast's camera. It's for photographers who are looking for more manual controls than are available in the NEX 3 or 5 models. It has a similar 16 MP sensor to the others and the same very good image quality. You aren't gaining better picture quality in getting the 6 vs one of the NEX 3 or 5 models. So if you are moving up from a phone camera or a point and shoot, you might find one of the other models closer to what you are used to than the NEX 6.
On the other hand, if you are looking at the NEX 6 as second camera, or even as a replacement for a bigger one, the 6 is much more portable than a DSLR the extra dials and buttons on the NEX 6 will speed up camera mode and exposure changes. So, on to the specifics
The first yes is the inclusion of an electronic viewfinder (EVF), similar to the one in the NEX 7. That's a great inclusion and makes the 6 more versatile. It's seems similar to the NEX 7 EVF and the same pixel dimension. The EVF is sharp and clear. It works well on this size camera.
The second yes is the addition of a flash shoe, a real one that accepts all sorts of manual flashes. It's a change from the old reversed Minolta/Sony flash shoe, so if you have old Sony flashes you will need an adaptor. The newest Sony flashes are built the new flash shoe. The camera also has a built in flash, instead of the screw on model on my old NEX 5n. Flash sync is a slow 1/160, which a bit disappointing but at least the camera will now support more flashes and off camera flash.
The third and fourth yeses encompass the inclusion of a mode dial and a camera top control dial. These aren't the same as the NEX 7 dials but will be immediately familiar to experienced camera users. The control dial and the mode dial are stacked on the same spindle. I wasn't sure how that would work, but in practice, just fine. The only thing I would have like to have added is the ability to use the back panel control dial for more functions, like exposure compensation in A or S modes. That's not currently possible and can't be customized. This may change with a firmware update. My fingers are crossed. Sony still includes the some very helpful camera modes like sweep panorama and hand held twilight, along with a bunch of others. The inclusion of a mode dial makes accessing these faster and easiser.
The fifth yes is the new position for the movie button. The button on my NEX 5n is where I often push it accidentally. In fact, I seldom spent more than a half hour shooting without accidentally starting a movie. The button on the NEX 7 is even easier to mistakenly activate. The problem on the 7 is so bad that Sony made a software update to deactivate the movie button entirely. On the 6, Sony has simply moved the button to a location where your right thumb won't rest naturally on it. The movie button is a little awkward to use now, but not too much so.
The meh, is the new lens. Oh, it's an improvement over the old kit lens, mostly. The size is perfect for a NEX camera. The lens looks great and when it's closed nobody will remark that you look like you have a lens with a little bit of camera behind it. Build quality is good. Finish is good, However, this is not the high optical quality kit lens for the NEX 7 that many of us have wanted. It's decently sharp for a kit lens, but it's still a kit lens and it has a kit lens' slow aperture.
Sony still includes the some very helpful modes like sweep panorama and hand held twilight, along with a bunch of others. The inclusion of a mode dial makes accessing these faster and easiser.
On the down side focus is a bit slower than with the old kit lens. Sony has done some sort of magic with the NEX 6 sensor that's supposed to make it focus more quickly. That may be so, but it's not my experience. When I place the NEX 6 and the NEX 5n side by side in tripods and activated the shutter button, the camera with the old kit lens generally reached focus more quickly than the one with the new lens. This isn't a scientific test with instruments, but the new lens didn't wow me with it's focus speed. My other problem with the new lens is that it has a zoom motor instead of direct gearing for zoom. I guess that this is a requirement of the collapsing lens and it's compactness. The lens doesn't have the tactile feedback of a non-motorized lens. It's also a bit slower to zoom. On the plus side, zooming is smoother during movie shooting. Also the new lens seems to provide a bit more shake control than the old kit lens while shooting movies. For stills, they are both good.
The huh is for Sony eliminating the touch screen on the NEX 6. Sony seems to think that more serious photographers won't want a touch screen. I do. Still, I can somewhat see their point. What's brain dead, though, is adding apps to the camera that you can't interact with on the screen. Duh. It's like stepping back from using a new iPhone and having to navigate through an old fashioned dumb phone. Yes, you have to use buttons and the back control wheel to get around in the app interfaces. Talk about user unfriendly. Still, I got a camera, not a micro tablet. I can see some real potential in camera apps, especially with built in Wi-Fi that allows you to control your camera from your phone or tablet. They just won't be as easy to use with the NEX 6.
The NEX 6 is an excellent camera, though it costs more than some DSLRs. My biggest problem with recommending it is the limited line of NEX lenses. Sony hasn't gotten the idea that cameras are no better than their lenses. There are about as many Sony NEX camera models as Sony lenses for them. That's the main reason, other than price, why I'm only giving 4 stars. On the other hand, third party lens makers are now making NEX lenses and Zeiss has promised some autofocus NEX lenses in '13. There's also the fact that Sony's focus peaking makes manual focusing very easy and adaptors allow you to put almost any kind of APS or full frame lens on a NEX camera. So this is a good camera that faces good competition. I like it because it feel right in my hands, takes great photos and is small and light.
82 of 85 people found the following review helpful
Style Name:With 16-50mm Lens
In 1973 I bought a Rollei 35 - a 35mm camera with a collapsible 40 mm f/3.5 lens. It cost $200, equal to about $1,000 today. It was fully manual - no auto- anything. There was an optical viewfinder but no rangefinder. It took great pictures and fit in a coat pocket. Now we have the Sony NEX-6, only marginally larger than the Rollei, effectively for the same price when you adjust for inflation.
Even though I have a Canon 5D Mark II, a wonderful DSLR, its size and weight are a big deterrent to taking it with me routinely. So I wanted a camera designed in the spirit of the Rollei 35 - to fit in a coat pocket, have a sensor big enough to make 11 x 14 enlargements, have a zoom lens with a 24mm field of view, and a have a built-in viewfinder, not an add-on, and not just an LCD. Until now (11/2012) the options were the Sony NEX-7, upcoming Fuji X-E1 and the larger Olympus OM-D, all at $1300 or more.
I have now taken about 500 shots and the NEX-6 is close to perfect for my purposes - a digital reincarnation of the Rollei 35. But it won't be right for everyone.
The heart of the NEX-6 is an APS-C size sensor, the size in the vast majority of DSLRs. It's 1.5 times the size of a the "4/3rds" sensor found in similar Olympus and Panasonic cameras and 3 times the size of the sensor in Nikon 1 cameras. As a result, the image quality is excellent up to ISO 1600 and not bad up to ISO 6400. A new Sony kit lens gives a field of view equal to 24-75mm on a 35mm camera. The lens focuses quickly and collapses to a small size, so the camera fits in a coat pocket or the corner of a backpack. There are some complaints on Internet forums about the lens vignetting and about distortion at the wide end. The camera corrects distortion in JPEGs by itself (unless you turn that feature off). Although the raw images are not corrected, they're easily correctable in Photoshop etc. Adobe and Aperture both have offered the usual downloadable updates to interpret NEX-6 raw files, so if you prefer to edit raw files you can make distortion corrections with standard software tools.
All shooting parameters are readily adjustable. There's a standard "PASM" dial for selecting the shooting mode. The initial setup menu is complicated and not entirely logical but you can configure the controls very flexibly. Most notably, you can program the Fn button to call up the six parameters you change most frequently - ISO, drive mode, metering mode... There are 16 parameters to choose from. The LCD can display a full set of shooting parameters and you can adjust each one with the control dial on the back, so you after initial setup don't have to go into the menu to change settings.
The viewfinder is electronic, not optical as with a DSLR. It's like a little LCD with 2.1 million dots. It's sharp and very responsive, but not as good as an optical viewfinder in low light. (To get the full value of the viewfinder, be sure to adjust the diopter wheel to suit your eye.) The LCD screen folds up or down so you can hold the camera at your waist or above your head. The LCD is not touch-sensitive. Oddly, Sony's NEX-5N and the new NEX-5R cameras have that feature, A touch-sensitive LCD would be helpful for entering WiFi passwords and selecting menu options, but if you buy the Sony NEX-5R, you give up the NEX-6's PASM control dial and other control features as well as the excellent built-in viewfinder (though you can buy a clip-on accessory EVF).
You charge the battery via a USB cable, not a charger that plugs into the wall, which means you can charge it from a computer or in many cars, but there's no way to charge a spare battery. (There are inexpensive aftermarket charges on Amazon & elsewhere; it's probably best to buy a "genuine" Sony if you want a spare battery.) Battery life is just fair. The camera tries to autofocus continuously, which eats battery life. Supposedly Sony is going to fix that with a firmware update. The camera also has WiFi, which reduces battery life. WiFi lets you control the camera remotely with a smart phone and upload photos. Using it is non-intuitive and badly integrated with the rest of the menu system. Sony's instructions for WiFi setup are useless. Error messages appear to be literal translations from Japanese, like reading something from a 1960 made-in-Japan radio. The LCD does not have a touch screen, so entering WiFi SSIDs and passwords is done using a QWERTY soft keyboard that is a bit clumsy to navigate. Worse, your Sony password for downloading apps is entered using a soft version of a phone keypad, even though the QWERTY keyboard is available for entering WiFi access point info. Although WiFi setup is very clumsy, once it's done it does open up some interesting options. Example: with the remote control app you can see the image from the camera on you phone or tablet and use it for precise focusing, and trip the shutter, of course. But you can't adjust aperture or shutter speed, at least in the current version of the app. (Edit added 3/15/2013: There are aftermarket products that let you use an iPad/iPhone to do that.)
The positives - especially the excellent image quality and the ease of setting a wide range of shooting parameters -- greatly outweigh the negatives. If you already have a small DSLR like a Canon Rebel or Nikon 3200 or similar, the size advantage from an NEX-6 is marginal. But if you have a "pro-sumer" or full-frame DSLR and you want a highly capable camera you can easily take almost everywhere, the NEX-6 is a worthwhile choice, If you don't have a DSLR and you're think about getting one, the NEX-6 is a good alternative - a DSLR near-equivalent you can put in a coat pocket.
Even though I have a Canon 5D Mark II, a wonderful DSLR, its size and weight are a big deterrent to taking it with me routinely. So I wanted a camera designed in the spirit of the Rollei 35 - to fit in a coat pocket, have a sensor big enough to make 11 x 14 enlargements, have a zoom lens with a 24mm field of view, and a have a built-in viewfinder, not an add-on, and not just an LCD. Until now (11/2012) the options were the Sony NEX-7, upcoming Fuji X-E1 and the larger Olympus OM-D, all at $1300 or more.
I have now taken about 500 shots and the NEX-6 is close to perfect for my purposes - a digital reincarnation of the Rollei 35. But it won't be right for everyone.
The heart of the NEX-6 is an APS-C size sensor, the size in the vast majority of DSLRs. It's 1.5 times the size of a the "4/3rds" sensor found in similar Olympus and Panasonic cameras and 3 times the size of the sensor in Nikon 1 cameras. As a result, the image quality is excellent up to ISO 1600 and not bad up to ISO 6400. A new Sony kit lens gives a field of view equal to 24-75mm on a 35mm camera. The lens focuses quickly and collapses to a small size, so the camera fits in a coat pocket or the corner of a backpack. There are some complaints on Internet forums about the lens vignetting and about distortion at the wide end. The camera corrects distortion in JPEGs by itself (unless you turn that feature off). Although the raw images are not corrected, they're easily correctable in Photoshop etc. Adobe and Aperture both have offered the usual downloadable updates to interpret NEX-6 raw files, so if you prefer to edit raw files you can make distortion corrections with standard software tools.
All shooting parameters are readily adjustable. There's a standard "PASM" dial for selecting the shooting mode. The initial setup menu is complicated and not entirely logical but you can configure the controls very flexibly. Most notably, you can program the Fn button to call up the six parameters you change most frequently - ISO, drive mode, metering mode... There are 16 parameters to choose from. The LCD can display a full set of shooting parameters and you can adjust each one with the control dial on the back, so you after initial setup don't have to go into the menu to change settings.
The viewfinder is electronic, not optical as with a DSLR. It's like a little LCD with 2.1 million dots. It's sharp and very responsive, but not as good as an optical viewfinder in low light. (To get the full value of the viewfinder, be sure to adjust the diopter wheel to suit your eye.) The LCD screen folds up or down so you can hold the camera at your waist or above your head. The LCD is not touch-sensitive. Oddly, Sony's NEX-5N and the new NEX-5R cameras have that feature, A touch-sensitive LCD would be helpful for entering WiFi passwords and selecting menu options, but if you buy the Sony NEX-5R, you give up the NEX-6's PASM control dial and other control features as well as the excellent built-in viewfinder (though you can buy a clip-on accessory EVF).
You charge the battery via a USB cable, not a charger that plugs into the wall, which means you can charge it from a computer or in many cars, but there's no way to charge a spare battery. (There are inexpensive aftermarket charges on Amazon & elsewhere; it's probably best to buy a "genuine" Sony if you want a spare battery.) Battery life is just fair. The camera tries to autofocus continuously, which eats battery life. Supposedly Sony is going to fix that with a firmware update. The camera also has WiFi, which reduces battery life. WiFi lets you control the camera remotely with a smart phone and upload photos. Using it is non-intuitive and badly integrated with the rest of the menu system. Sony's instructions for WiFi setup are useless. Error messages appear to be literal translations from Japanese, like reading something from a 1960 made-in-Japan radio. The LCD does not have a touch screen, so entering WiFi SSIDs and passwords is done using a QWERTY soft keyboard that is a bit clumsy to navigate. Worse, your Sony password for downloading apps is entered using a soft version of a phone keypad, even though the QWERTY keyboard is available for entering WiFi access point info. Although WiFi setup is very clumsy, once it's done it does open up some interesting options. Example: with the remote control app you can see the image from the camera on you phone or tablet and use it for precise focusing, and trip the shutter, of course. But you can't adjust aperture or shutter speed, at least in the current version of the app. (Edit added 3/15/2013: There are aftermarket products that let you use an iPad/iPhone to do that.)
The positives - especially the excellent image quality and the ease of setting a wide range of shooting parameters -- greatly outweigh the negatives. If you already have a small DSLR like a Canon Rebel or Nikon 3200 or similar, the size advantage from an NEX-6 is marginal. But if you have a "pro-sumer" or full-frame DSLR and you want a highly capable camera you can easily take almost everywhere, the NEX-6 is a worthwhile choice, If you don't have a DSLR and you're think about getting one, the NEX-6 is a good alternative - a DSLR near-equivalent you can put in a coat pocket.
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful
By J Park
Style Name:With 16-50mm Lens|Amazon Verified Purchase
First off I want to preface this by saying that I'm an amateur photographer who's looking to get better but understands what a good picture looks like. But at the end of the day I get more satisfaction in capturing a good moment, an image that I can look at later and remember that moment and not worry about having CA or higher levels of noise, or even if the image is slightly under/over exposed. I'm not a pixel peeper and could honestly care less if there's a little noise when there's a 100% crop. I don't go around looking at my images at 100% crop often, do you? So if you're looking for a review that you can relate to on my level, then read on.
I remember reading somewhere where a camera is only as good as the one you have with you. Like most men do it seems, when I got an itch to buy a camera, my journey started. When it's something that we don't really care about like clothes, we just buy the color and size we want. But if something that interests us, the whole doctorate research project starts. I had experience with a dSLR in the past so naturally I looked there. After many weeks of reading countless forums, reviews, rumor sites, etc I had decided on the Nikon D600. Was it overkill for my needs? Of course but I naturally needed the biggest, most shiny new toy and if it was expensive, so be it and I rationalized my purchase. I ended up receiving a camera that was a returned item and not new like I thought it was. I had the chance to go more reasonble this time but I even went a step farther and added another couple of bucks and went for the Canon 5D MarkIII. Don't get me wrong it was a fantastic camera and I really enjoyed it. But I am a professional photographer who makes his living off taking pictures? No, and I started having a hard time justifying having a close to $4,000 camera that I would shoot on the weekends and maybe a handful more times a month. So back to square one.
It was at this time that I received the most exciting news of my life. We were expecting our first child. So even more so I felt the need to act financially responsible. And the thought of having to juggle a heavy dSLR body, a zoom lens, a few prime lenses, etc with a baby and all the gear that a baby comes with made be worry. So it was almost by accident that I re-stumbled upon the whole mirrorless setup. I had remembered seeing them in a magazine once but I put them off as just another gimmick or a larger P&S. I was actually at the store going to hold a few more dSLRs and trying to decide which one to try next. Again like I seem to always do, I walked right over to the most expensive mirrorless camera there (NEX-7) and convinced myself and my wife that this was it, I was going to get the NEX-7. I played with it at the store, asked questions, took some shots, messed around with it for another 30 minutes or so and left convinced that I was set. I thought to myself 'This is my next camera'. I thought that I could shoot huge 24mp files, crop out what I didn't need. That the Tri-Navi setup was essential to my future success of taking good pictures. Funny thing though I got home, read some more posts, reviews, etc, and while all the reviews were generally positive, there were some other things that came up. First came the posts saying that maybe the 24mp sensor was overkill or not as sharp. That the dials shifted too easily. That it had focusing issues and was not good in low light. That it was a hassle to change modes. So for all the complaints that appeared it seemed like Sony listened to all of these 'issues', correct them, and put out the NEX-6.
So onto my thoughts of the NEX-6.
What I like
- Nice solid feel, really good grip. I had looked at the Canon EOS-M and the absence of a quality grip was a huge turnoff. Nevermind the fact that it just looks like a P&S.
- Love the mode dial. Doesn't have a lock but doesn't need one. You have to apply just the right amount of force to turn it.
- Love the dial underneath, makes changing aperture in A mode easy.
- Really love the EVF. Is it grainy at times? Sure, but I really like seeing how my image is going to turn out ahead of time with the changes in exposure prior to hitting the shutter.
- Really love that the Fn button actually only needs one press to bring up the 6 sub-menus that you assign. I noticed with the NEX-7 you have to repeatedly press the Fn button to scroll through your customized sub-menus.
- Very well thought out built-in flash. It allows you to manually bounce the flash. I found it perfectly acceptable for indoor use. Instead of a harsh flash hitting the subject and getting the dreaded P&S type image, you can pull back the flash with your index finger, press the shutter with your middle finger, and get a really nice image.
- Smaller file size works out well. Again going back to my buying overkill I bought a 32GB SD card. I can store over 1,300 RAW+JPEGs on it.
- Pancake zoom performs better than I thought. You read many complaints about shooting at the widest. I haven't noticed it, but if I do start to notice it I'll just shoot at 18 instead of 16 and take two steps back.
- Built-in wifi and apps. I don't think I'll be using too many of the apps (outside of the picture style), but good to know that it's there.
What I don't like
- First I don't like that the pancake zoom lens uses a 40.5mm filter. Why? Because on the 2nd day of shooting I lost the cap while shooting in the park. Silly me I thought I'll just buy a replacement one. But since it appears that Sony isn't releasing this lens by itself until January there are no OEM caps available now. So I had a choice of getting a Nikon cap to put on my Sony lens or get a generic $0.95 one, guess which way I went?
- The inability to apply all settings to all modes. Auto ISO doesn't work in M mode. That's fine. Picture styles will only apply to JPEG's, that's fine. But I don't like having to change from RAW+JPEG to just JPEG mode if I want to apply a picture style. I would've liked being able to stay in RAW+JPEG mode and only have the effect applied to the JPEG file while being able to capture the RAW file.
- Shutter button is grey.
Wow, if the 3rd thing that I don't like is that the shutter is grey, what does that tell you about how little that I have to nitpick about the camera? Could the camera be better with a longer lasting battery? Sure why not, but it's not just Sony that has a shorter life on the battery. Every manufacturer seems to have a 200-400 shot duration on a single battery. Which makes me wonder with all the advancements in technology, why not have a camera/cell phone battery that lasts for more than a day between charges? All the reviews that I've read seem to agree with me. Everything is mostly positive, I read one reviewer that listed the cons as not having a touchscreen and not having a fully 180 degree articulating screen. Yes, but we knew going in that the camera didn't have these features. So the con isn't performance related but spec related. But that's like saying this Honda Accord doesn't have a 400hp engine so it's a con and you're disappointed that it doesn't. But you knew before you bought the car what the specsheet said it had and didn't have. So there wasn't a con about the lack of speed in the autofocus (EOS-M). Another complaint is the lack of lenses in the NEX lineup right now. Even if you don't want to buy adapters and get older MF lenses, the ones that are out right now are pretty solid. You have a 10-18 wide angle zoom, a 16 f/2.8, a standard 50mm, you have a great Zeiss lens, you have a pancake zoom, and you have the upcoming 35 f/1.8, a 55-210 zoom, and a all-in-one 18-200. The only glaring hole is a 85 or so prime. And you have Zeiss committing to at least 3 new lenses next year, and Sony with a solid roadmap of upcoming lenses. I actually like that there aren't 100's of lenses out there, it makes me buying one at a time easier on my wallet.
After shooting with the camera for the better part of a week I'll be honest and I had a little bit of buyer's remorse. I thought to myself 'Why didn't I pay the extra few hundred for the NEX-7?' So I just came back from the store where I held the NEX-7, shot with it, etc, and did all the things that I did a few weeks ago. But for some reason it didn't feel the same. I didn't have the same sense of 'Wow this is my next camera'. I liked having all the submenus come up when I pressed the Fn once and not have to repeatedly press it. I liked having the mode dials that stuck in place instead of having the dials that may move freely on it's own. And I liked having a movie record button that was a little less easy to tap and being able to use it when I wanted to and not having to fully disable it like the new firmware addressed. And I liked having the new kid on the block rather than a camera that's been out a year and seems destined to be replaced in the next 6 months or so. The mirrorless camera segment seems to be moving much quicker than the dSLR market. Whereas it seems like some dSLRs have been out for years with no replacement announced (Canon 7D since 2009, Nikon D7000 since 2010), it seems like the cycle on the mirrorless segment is every year to play catchup with the big brother on the block. So will I look at the NEX-7n or whatever it's called when it's realized? Of course. Will I contemplate getting it or not getting it over and over again and drive my wife crazy asking for her opinion? You bet. But at least now I can sleep easy knowing that for my needs RIGHT NOW that I have the best camera for me. I enjoy not having to think about framing each individual shot like I'm trying to create a masterpiece. Read more ›
I remember reading somewhere where a camera is only as good as the one you have with you. Like most men do it seems, when I got an itch to buy a camera, my journey started. When it's something that we don't really care about like clothes, we just buy the color and size we want. But if something that interests us, the whole doctorate research project starts. I had experience with a dSLR in the past so naturally I looked there. After many weeks of reading countless forums, reviews, rumor sites, etc I had decided on the Nikon D600. Was it overkill for my needs? Of course but I naturally needed the biggest, most shiny new toy and if it was expensive, so be it and I rationalized my purchase. I ended up receiving a camera that was a returned item and not new like I thought it was. I had the chance to go more reasonble this time but I even went a step farther and added another couple of bucks and went for the Canon 5D MarkIII. Don't get me wrong it was a fantastic camera and I really enjoyed it. But I am a professional photographer who makes his living off taking pictures? No, and I started having a hard time justifying having a close to $4,000 camera that I would shoot on the weekends and maybe a handful more times a month. So back to square one.
It was at this time that I received the most exciting news of my life. We were expecting our first child. So even more so I felt the need to act financially responsible. And the thought of having to juggle a heavy dSLR body, a zoom lens, a few prime lenses, etc with a baby and all the gear that a baby comes with made be worry. So it was almost by accident that I re-stumbled upon the whole mirrorless setup. I had remembered seeing them in a magazine once but I put them off as just another gimmick or a larger P&S. I was actually at the store going to hold a few more dSLRs and trying to decide which one to try next. Again like I seem to always do, I walked right over to the most expensive mirrorless camera there (NEX-7) and convinced myself and my wife that this was it, I was going to get the NEX-7. I played with it at the store, asked questions, took some shots, messed around with it for another 30 minutes or so and left convinced that I was set. I thought to myself 'This is my next camera'. I thought that I could shoot huge 24mp files, crop out what I didn't need. That the Tri-Navi setup was essential to my future success of taking good pictures. Funny thing though I got home, read some more posts, reviews, etc, and while all the reviews were generally positive, there were some other things that came up. First came the posts saying that maybe the 24mp sensor was overkill or not as sharp. That the dials shifted too easily. That it had focusing issues and was not good in low light. That it was a hassle to change modes. So for all the complaints that appeared it seemed like Sony listened to all of these 'issues', correct them, and put out the NEX-6.
So onto my thoughts of the NEX-6.
What I like
- Nice solid feel, really good grip. I had looked at the Canon EOS-M and the absence of a quality grip was a huge turnoff. Nevermind the fact that it just looks like a P&S.
- Love the mode dial. Doesn't have a lock but doesn't need one. You have to apply just the right amount of force to turn it.
- Love the dial underneath, makes changing aperture in A mode easy.
- Really love the EVF. Is it grainy at times? Sure, but I really like seeing how my image is going to turn out ahead of time with the changes in exposure prior to hitting the shutter.
- Really love that the Fn button actually only needs one press to bring up the 6 sub-menus that you assign. I noticed with the NEX-7 you have to repeatedly press the Fn button to scroll through your customized sub-menus.
- Very well thought out built-in flash. It allows you to manually bounce the flash. I found it perfectly acceptable for indoor use. Instead of a harsh flash hitting the subject and getting the dreaded P&S type image, you can pull back the flash with your index finger, press the shutter with your middle finger, and get a really nice image.
- Smaller file size works out well. Again going back to my buying overkill I bought a 32GB SD card. I can store over 1,300 RAW+JPEGs on it.
- Pancake zoom performs better than I thought. You read many complaints about shooting at the widest. I haven't noticed it, but if I do start to notice it I'll just shoot at 18 instead of 16 and take two steps back.
- Built-in wifi and apps. I don't think I'll be using too many of the apps (outside of the picture style), but good to know that it's there.
What I don't like
- First I don't like that the pancake zoom lens uses a 40.5mm filter. Why? Because on the 2nd day of shooting I lost the cap while shooting in the park. Silly me I thought I'll just buy a replacement one. But since it appears that Sony isn't releasing this lens by itself until January there are no OEM caps available now. So I had a choice of getting a Nikon cap to put on my Sony lens or get a generic $0.95 one, guess which way I went?
- The inability to apply all settings to all modes. Auto ISO doesn't work in M mode. That's fine. Picture styles will only apply to JPEG's, that's fine. But I don't like having to change from RAW+JPEG to just JPEG mode if I want to apply a picture style. I would've liked being able to stay in RAW+JPEG mode and only have the effect applied to the JPEG file while being able to capture the RAW file.
- Shutter button is grey.
Wow, if the 3rd thing that I don't like is that the shutter is grey, what does that tell you about how little that I have to nitpick about the camera? Could the camera be better with a longer lasting battery? Sure why not, but it's not just Sony that has a shorter life on the battery. Every manufacturer seems to have a 200-400 shot duration on a single battery. Which makes me wonder with all the advancements in technology, why not have a camera/cell phone battery that lasts for more than a day between charges? All the reviews that I've read seem to agree with me. Everything is mostly positive, I read one reviewer that listed the cons as not having a touchscreen and not having a fully 180 degree articulating screen. Yes, but we knew going in that the camera didn't have these features. So the con isn't performance related but spec related. But that's like saying this Honda Accord doesn't have a 400hp engine so it's a con and you're disappointed that it doesn't. But you knew before you bought the car what the specsheet said it had and didn't have. So there wasn't a con about the lack of speed in the autofocus (EOS-M). Another complaint is the lack of lenses in the NEX lineup right now. Even if you don't want to buy adapters and get older MF lenses, the ones that are out right now are pretty solid. You have a 10-18 wide angle zoom, a 16 f/2.8, a standard 50mm, you have a great Zeiss lens, you have a pancake zoom, and you have the upcoming 35 f/1.8, a 55-210 zoom, and a all-in-one 18-200. The only glaring hole is a 85 or so prime. And you have Zeiss committing to at least 3 new lenses next year, and Sony with a solid roadmap of upcoming lenses. I actually like that there aren't 100's of lenses out there, it makes me buying one at a time easier on my wallet.
After shooting with the camera for the better part of a week I'll be honest and I had a little bit of buyer's remorse. I thought to myself 'Why didn't I pay the extra few hundred for the NEX-7?' So I just came back from the store where I held the NEX-7, shot with it, etc, and did all the things that I did a few weeks ago. But for some reason it didn't feel the same. I didn't have the same sense of 'Wow this is my next camera'. I liked having all the submenus come up when I pressed the Fn once and not have to repeatedly press it. I liked having the mode dials that stuck in place instead of having the dials that may move freely on it's own. And I liked having a movie record button that was a little less easy to tap and being able to use it when I wanted to and not having to fully disable it like the new firmware addressed. And I liked having the new kid on the block rather than a camera that's been out a year and seems destined to be replaced in the next 6 months or so. The mirrorless camera segment seems to be moving much quicker than the dSLR market. Whereas it seems like some dSLRs have been out for years with no replacement announced (Canon 7D since 2009, Nikon D7000 since 2010), it seems like the cycle on the mirrorless segment is every year to play catchup with the big brother on the block. So will I look at the NEX-7n or whatever it's called when it's realized? Of course. Will I contemplate getting it or not getting it over and over again and drive my wife crazy asking for her opinion? You bet. But at least now I can sleep easy knowing that for my needs RIGHT NOW that I have the best camera for me. I enjoy not having to think about framing each individual shot like I'm trying to create a masterpiece. Read more ›
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