A Look At Sony's Amazing NEX-6 Camera
Jeffrey McCaskill — June 12, 2013
I'm an avid photographer who cut his teeth on 126 cartridge and 35mm film cameras before making the leap to digital in 1999. After owning and shooting everything from a Kodak Instamatic to a Nikon F3, I can say, without question, that this is my favourite camera to date. Sony’s NEX-6 can accommodate everyone from first-time shooters to avid enthusiasts with ease. Having the best electronic viewfinder in the business certainly helps. It is nothing short of stunning! And while the menus are deep, due to its extensive feature set, most of these settings are set-and-forget. Furthermore, you can customize 6 external buttons to your liking, further reducing the need to visit the menus very often.
Now, let's discuss the nuts and bolts of this thing. Although its ISO settings range from 100 to 25,600, it is, like every other camera I've used, unable to deliver on that promise with usable results. But up to ISO 3200, this camera is magnificent, and that should enable you to shoot even in dim light with ease. Another area where this camera shines is in its controls. Unlike most other cameras in its class, it has a mode dial that is at once simple and convenient. While beginners can choose Intelligent Auto or Superior Auto mode for consistently good automated shots, this camera really shines once you're comfortable enough to experiment with the P (Program), A (Aperture-Priority), S (Shutter-Priority), and M (Manual) modes.
In fact, I suggest you learn them in precisely that order. Along the way, take time to discover how ISO and exposure compensation changes can alter and improve your exposures.As you grow in abilities, the NEX-6 will be there, delivering with even more creative controls like shot bracketing, interval exposures, remote shutter triggering (via Android or Apple phones/tablets), and numerous in-camera effects.
All this, and I haven't even touched on the video, which you can shoot in stunning 1080p HD or in a number of lesser resolutions to suit your needs. In fact, while the new 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens isn’t the fastest lens available, it does have a power zoom and image stabilization to help you take jitter-free stills or video with ease.
In short order, after you capture photos or video good enough to share, simply send them directly to your computer, tablet or phone via wifi. Moreover, you can even post them to your Facebook or Flickr accounts via downloadable apps. That’s right, this camera has apps, which can only mean one thing: new and ever-expanding features. What better way to prevent the onset of buyer's remorse? In fact, Sony has big plans for its online store, as they’ve already provided their SDK (software development kit) to third-party vendors so they can create new apps, as well.
Now, much has been made about the small number of NEX lenses currently available, especially when compared to rival m4/3 system cameras. Rest assured, this “lens gap” is rapidly shrinking, as Sony just released two new lenses, bringing their current E-mount lens count to thirteen. Moreover, Sony has provided E-mount specifications to third-party lens makers, who are eager to design new lenses for the system. Sigma currently offers two very-capable prime lenses, and Zeiss, long a Sony design partner, has several expensive but phenomenal lenses available, as well.
However, I actually saved the most exciting part of the lens story for last. Because Sony’s E-mount has such a short flange, it is ideal for mounting a huge variety of adapted vintage lenses. How is that possible? Via simple (and inexpensive) adapters that enable a huge variety of vintage lenses to mount right onto your Sony camera.
So, if you currently have a few vintage Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax or Leica lenses laying around, they can now be reinstated for use with your Sony digital camera. The only thing you sacrifice by using adapted lenses is autofocus, since they do not communicate with the camera whatsoever.
As you can see, the future of Sony’s E-mount cameras has never been brighter, and the NEX-6 offers the best value in the entire NEX camera lineup. Can the NEX-6 camera do it all? Of course not. But, neither does any other camera out there, despite anything the media might suggest.
I believe you'd be hard-pressed to find a more capable, enjoyable, and future-proof camera at anywhere near this price. If you’re still on the fence, perhaps reading another review might help you decide. Here’s a link to DPReview’s recent review of the NEX-6:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-alpha-nex-6 / http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Sony_Alpha_NEX_6/
Now, let's discuss the nuts and bolts of this thing. Although its ISO settings range from 100 to 25,600, it is, like every other camera I've used, unable to deliver on that promise with usable results. But up to ISO 3200, this camera is magnificent, and that should enable you to shoot even in dim light with ease. Another area where this camera shines is in its controls. Unlike most other cameras in its class, it has a mode dial that is at once simple and convenient. While beginners can choose Intelligent Auto or Superior Auto mode for consistently good automated shots, this camera really shines once you're comfortable enough to experiment with the P (Program), A (Aperture-Priority), S (Shutter-Priority), and M (Manual) modes.
In fact, I suggest you learn them in precisely that order. Along the way, take time to discover how ISO and exposure compensation changes can alter and improve your exposures.As you grow in abilities, the NEX-6 will be there, delivering with even more creative controls like shot bracketing, interval exposures, remote shutter triggering (via Android or Apple phones/tablets), and numerous in-camera effects.
All this, and I haven't even touched on the video, which you can shoot in stunning 1080p HD or in a number of lesser resolutions to suit your needs. In fact, while the new 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens isn’t the fastest lens available, it does have a power zoom and image stabilization to help you take jitter-free stills or video with ease.
In short order, after you capture photos or video good enough to share, simply send them directly to your computer, tablet or phone via wifi. Moreover, you can even post them to your Facebook or Flickr accounts via downloadable apps. That’s right, this camera has apps, which can only mean one thing: new and ever-expanding features. What better way to prevent the onset of buyer's remorse? In fact, Sony has big plans for its online store, as they’ve already provided their SDK (software development kit) to third-party vendors so they can create new apps, as well.
Now, much has been made about the small number of NEX lenses currently available, especially when compared to rival m4/3 system cameras. Rest assured, this “lens gap” is rapidly shrinking, as Sony just released two new lenses, bringing their current E-mount lens count to thirteen. Moreover, Sony has provided E-mount specifications to third-party lens makers, who are eager to design new lenses for the system. Sigma currently offers two very-capable prime lenses, and Zeiss, long a Sony design partner, has several expensive but phenomenal lenses available, as well.
However, I actually saved the most exciting part of the lens story for last. Because Sony’s E-mount has such a short flange, it is ideal for mounting a huge variety of adapted vintage lenses. How is that possible? Via simple (and inexpensive) adapters that enable a huge variety of vintage lenses to mount right onto your Sony camera.
So, if you currently have a few vintage Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax or Leica lenses laying around, they can now be reinstated for use with your Sony digital camera. The only thing you sacrifice by using adapted lenses is autofocus, since they do not communicate with the camera whatsoever.
As you can see, the future of Sony’s E-mount cameras has never been brighter, and the NEX-6 offers the best value in the entire NEX camera lineup. Can the NEX-6 camera do it all? Of course not. But, neither does any other camera out there, despite anything the media might suggest.
I believe you'd be hard-pressed to find a more capable, enjoyable, and future-proof camera at anywhere near this price. If you’re still on the fence, perhaps reading another review might help you decide. Here’s a link to DPReview’s recent review of the NEX-6:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-alpha-nex-6 / http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Sony_Alpha_NEX_6/
