The Sony Alpha NEX-6 is the latest in Sony’s NEX interchangeable-lens lineup, aimed at DSLR and DSLT shooters who want something lighter without giving up image quality.
Set it beside its predecessor, the NEX-5R, and the biggest change is obvious immediately: a built-in OLED electronic viewfinder at 2,359,000 dots, something the 5R simply didn’t have — on that camera you were stuck composing on the rear screen. The pop-up flash carries over (6m range), but the NEX-6 adds a hot shoe, so you can mount a separate flash, including third-party units.
Wi-Fi comes built in, paired with an app for pushing photos straight from the camera to your phone, tablet, or computer. Shooting modes cover Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and full Manual, plus Sony’s two automatic modes — Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto — for when you just want to point and shoot.
I tested the body with Sony’s kit lens: same E-mount, 18-55mm, f/3.5-5.6, with built-in optical stabilization. Together they come to 541g (the body alone is around 349g). It still handles comfortably despite that — the grip is deep and wrapped in soft rubber, and the body stays compact at 120 x 67 x 43mm.
Boot time to first shot came in under 2 seconds in testing. Autofocus deals with moving subjects and low-contrast scenes reasonably well — better than a lot of cameras in this price range. If you’d rather focus manually, the ring on the lens handles that, though on the kit lens specifically it’s not as smooth as I’d like. It’s stiff enough that quick manual adjustments can cost you a shot if the moment’s moving fast.
With a resolution of 16 megapixel (3: 2 aspect ratio), good image quality (Fine), the NEX-6 image size is 4,912 x 3,264 pixels, medium Approximately 5 MB per image. Try shooting in Superior Auto mode and using the image settings above, the results of the test are generally positive. Under Studio light conditions as well as outdoor shooting, the NEX-6 delivers high detail detail, natural-looking color and depth.
The Sony 3x optical zoom lens comes with purple control in high contrast areas. With scenes shot under bright light conditions and high contrast (backlit), the DRO and HDR sensitivity modes work correctly and fairly well. Users can set the machine to automatically select the optimal DRO level, or customize the different levels. In most contexts, color photographs still look natural even when setting DRO to the maximum (Level 5).
Noise stays well controlled up to ISO 1600 when shooting JPEG. If your prints top out at A3, you’ve got room to push ISO anywhere from 400 to 1600 in low light — at that print size, the noise mostly disappears anyway. With the TIFF image format (converted from RAW capture mode), the noise level of the image is better controlled, users can set the ISO up to 3200 and still be assured of image quality.
Sony NEX-6L/B Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm Power Zoom Lens and 3-Inch LED (Black) (OLD MODEL): Buy it now
Sony NEX-6/B Mirrorless Digital Camera with 3-Inch LED – Body Only (Black): Buy it now
In terms of recording capabilities, the NEX-6 also supports Full HD recording in two popular formats, MP4 and AVCHD ver.2.0. Full HD footage of 25 frames per second is generally good-looking, with high definition and natural-looking colors. The sound quality obtained from the micro (stereo) system is also classified as quite good. If the user activates the “Wind noise reduction” feature, noise in scenes in windy environments will be significantly removed. Users can use the “hand zoom” function while recording, but the zoom ring of the lens attached is quite “heavy hand” when working, so it is difficult to avoid the phenomenon of flicker.
The NEX-6’s physical node system is generally more responsive, more responsive and easy to operate than the NEX-5R. Specifically, the wheel cluster function is designed more prominent, button recording is also rearranged, convenient when the need for fast operation. In addition, the NEX-6 is also equipped with an extra multifunction wheel just below the main function wheel, allowing users to customize the rpm / speed or different scene mode options very intuitive. And easy to use even when you are new to the device.
The 3-inch LCD, measuring 921,600 pixels, generally has a wide viewing angle, with less sunlight when tilting, but the colors are still brighter than they really are. Particularly with the electronic viewfinder, Feng Shui is particularly impressive by the ability to reproduce the color as well as the detail of the image displayed. This is really an improvement point that deserves a plus.
The NEX-6’s menu control system, though initially clustered, is not as intuitive at sub-menu levels, and takes quite a bit of time when users search for a category inside out.
In general, we values the image quality, noise reduction and flexible connectivity and sharing capabilities of the Sony Alpha NEX-6. However, screen design does not support the touch of the machine is really a significant restriction for the user input data (login information or photo annotations when downloading images online). Besides, the price of the body is $850, the kit (including Sony 16 – 50, f1 / 3.5-5.6 OSS lens) price $1000 is still making users hesitate.
Points of interest of Sony Alpha NEX-6:
– 16.1 megapixel APS-C sensor (size 23.5 x 15.6mm).
– Compatible with conical lenses E.
– 3 inch LCD with 921,600 pixel resolution.
– EVF 2,359,000 viewfinder.
– Support for flash output.
– Support Wi-Fi, share pictures online.
– Frequency sensitivity ISO 100 – 25,600.
– 1080 60i / 60p video resolution.
– Micro USB, micro HDMI.
– Battery life is about 360 images.
– Dimensions 120 x 67 x 43mm.
– Body weight 349g.
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.