Sony NEX-6
Mirrorless camera with APS-C sensor Sony NEX-6 was introduced 12 September 2012 year and became the first camera in its class. Prior to this, only the Sony NEX-7 model existed from such solutions, but it was positioned a class higher and had some serious differences. Despite the larger serial number (7>6), the Sony NEX-7 was introduced exactly one year before the official announcement of the Sony NEX-6.
Subsequently, the Sony NEX-6 camera was replaced by the Sony 6000. We can assume that the Sony NEX-6 is the basis on which the entire line of Sony a6X00 cameras (a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500 and a6600).
The key difference between Sony NEX-6/Sony NEX-7 and the Sony NEX-XNUMX series Sony a6X00 from more 'simple' cameras of the series Sony NEX-3 / Sony NEX-5 (3, C3, F3, 3N, 5, 5N, 5R, 5T) and Sony a5x00 (5000, 5100) is the presence of an electronic viewfinder.
In turn, the Sony NEX-7 has no direct descendant (not counting the Hasselblad Lunar clone). My guess is that the more advanced line of cameras that the Sony NEX-7 belonged to has evolved into the full-frame Sony a7 family.
Sony NEX-6 with lens Sony E 3.5-5.6 / PZ 16-50 OSS Optical Steady Shot Power Zoom (Sony SELP1650)... This lens was introduced in conjunction with the Sony NEX-6.
Main features of Sony NEX-6:
- The Sony NEX-6 is the only camera in the Sony NEX family with a classic shooting mode dial (MSAP I + I SCN Panorama).
- The Sony NEX-6 is the only Sony NEX camera with a classic hot shoe for external flash.
- At the heart of the camera is a 16MP Sony Exmor APS-C HD CMOS image sensor (maximum image size 4912 X 3264). The same sensor is used in cameras. NEX-5R, NEX-5T and it is slightly different from the one used in 16MP cameras NEX-C3, NEX-F3, NEX-3Women и NEX-5Women... The main difference is the presence of phase focus sensors.
- The ISO range is 100-25.600 in 1-stop increments. There is auto-ISO without setting any parameters. The noise level is close to similar 16MP and the first 24MP sensors from Sony.
- Mechanical shutter, it is possible to use the front electronic shutter, excerpt from 1/4000 second to 30 seconds. Exposure sync 1/160 second. The mechanical first curtain of all cameras in the Sony NEX family can only be used by the Sony NEX-6 and Sony NEX-7... This is sometimes very important the reasons are described here.
- Hybrid focusing, present 99 phase focus points... This is the second such camera, with phase focus sensors (the first was NEX-5R). There is a possibility of automatic focusing on the face. The camera recognizes faces in the frame well, and it is a pleasure to work with such functions.
- FUll HD 60p AVCHD, built-in stereo microphone. There is an HDMI Mini Type C port.
- EVI at 2.359.000 points with a magnification of 0.73 x and 100% frame coverage, there is a diopter adjustment.
- Display of 3 inches and 921.000 points, rotary, non-touch.
- Maximum burst speed - 10 frames per second (without AF tracking). Unfortunately, there is only a choice of continuous high-speed shooting with a frame rate of 3 frames per second (which is not enough) and 10 frames per second (which is sometimes too much).
- With a fast memory card in JPEG Fine 16M format, continuous shooting does not slow down at all. RAW + JPEG is buffered only 6-7 shotsthen the burst speed drops significantly.
- The camera can use Memory Stick PRO Duo / XC-HG Duo or SDHC / SDXC media. There is support for the fast USH-I bus.
- There is Wi-Fi and the ability to install additional programs through the camera menu.
- There are several interesting and useful features: Auto HDR, Auto DR, automatic correction of some imperfections of lenses, release of the shutter by smile, detection of faces in the frame, various creative shooting modes, focus picking, fast panorama function, fast zoom for precise focusing etc.
- The Sony NEX-6 has a built-in frog flash (it jumps out of the case when you press the corresponding button).
- A battery with a small capacity, but the number of shots that can be taken on a single battery charge will very much depend on the manner of shooting. Details on this matter described here... In 1 hour of intensive shooting, I got 1400 RAW + JPEG frames, and the battery charge dropped to only 74%.
- Sony NEX-6 Shown With Super-Compact Lens Sony E 3.5-5.6 / PZ 16-50 OSS Optical Steady Shot Power Zoom (Sony SELP1650).
Sony NEX-6
Sample Photos
All photos in the review are shown without processing. Used Sony NEX-6 camera and lens 7Artisans 50 / 0.95... All photos are JPEG from the camera. Picture Control Mode 'Standard'. Everything is shot at aperture F / 0.95 (only hardcore!).
Original JPEG '.JPG' photos can be download / watch this link (50+ photos). Original '.ARW' RAW photos can be download / watch this link (40+ photos). Each file in its name carries the values of the aperture at which this or that picture was taken.
More examples
More sample photos on the NEX-6 (with source files) can be found in the reviews of the following lenses:
- 7Artisans 35mm 1: 1.4
- TTArtisan DJ-OPTICAL 25 / 2
- Sigma 30mm 1:1.4 DC DN Contemporary
- Sony E 3.5/30 MACRO
- Vivitar 28MM 1:2.5 AUTO WIDE-ANGLE
- CANON LENS FD 50mm 1: 1.2
- SMC PENTAX-M 1:2 50mm ASAHI OPTICAL CO.
- Fujian 35mm F1.6
- CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5
- MINOLTA MC TELE ROKKOR-HF 1:4.5 f=300mm
- CANON LENS FD 85mm 1: 1.8
- Nikon Nikkor-P Auto 1: 2.8 f = 180mm
- Nikon Nikkor-S Auto 1: 1.2 f = 55mm
Sony NEX-6
My experience
The Sony NEX-6 is a wonderful machine. Of course, the modern Sony a6X000 series has improved some of its capabilities: 4K video, eye focusing, built-in image stabilization. But in principle, all these cameras are very similar to each other.
All in all, the Sony NEX-6 is one of the best cameras in the Sony NEX family (if not the best).
Natalya Romanenkofrom which I took this camera to create a review 7Artisans 50 / 0.95, switched from full-frame Nikon D700 (with optics 28-70 / 2.8 + 85 / 1.8) on Sony NEX-6 (with optics 30/1.4 and a set of manual lenses) and I am very pleased with this choice. First of all, the NEX-6 gives good color immediately when shooting in JPEG format (which was sorely lacking in Nikon D700) and is a much more compact camera.
Sony NEX-6
All Sony E-mount cameras with APS-C sensor
- NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-F3, NEX-3Women
- NEX-5, NEX-5N, NEX-5R, NEX-5T [fifth series on AliExpress.com]
- NEX-6, NEX-7
- a3000, a3500
- a5000, a5100
- a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600, a6700 [6000 series on Ali]
- ZV-E10
- FX30
- QX1
- Hasselblad lunar
All Sony E lenses for APS-C
Fix Lenses:
- Sony 11 mm f / 1.8 [2022, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 15 mm f / 1.4 G [2022, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 16 mm f / 2.8 [2010, silver, AliExpress price]
- Sony 20 mm f / 2.8 [2013, silver, AliExpress price]
- Sony 24 mm f / 1.8 ZEISS ZA [2011, black]
- Sony 30 mm f / 3.5 MACRO [2011, silver, AliExpress price]
- Sony 35 mm f / 1.8 U.S.S [2012, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 50 mm f / 1.8 U.S.S [2011, black/silver, AliExpress price]
Zoom Lenses:
- Sony 10-18 mm f / 4 U.S.S [2012, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 10-20 mm f / 4 G PZ [2022, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 16-50 mm f / 3.5-5.6 PZ U.S.S [2012, black/silver, AliExpress price]
- Sony 16-55 mm f / 2.8 G [2019, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 16-70 mm f / 4 U.S.S ZEISS ZA [2013, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 18-50 mm f / 4-5.6 [2014, black]
- Sony 18-55 mm f / 3.5-5.6 U.S.S [2010, black/silver]
- Sony 18-105 mm f / 4 G PZ U.S.S [2013, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 18-110 mm f / 4 G PZ U.S.S [2016, black]
- Sony 18-135 mm f / 3.5-5.6 U.S.S [2018, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 18-200 mm f / 3.5-6.3 U.S.S [2010, silver, AliExpress price]
- Sony 18-200 mm f / 3.5-6.3 U.S.S LE [2012, black, AliExpress price]
- Sony 18-200 mm f / 3.5-6.3 PZ U.S.S [2012, black]
- Sony 55-210 mm f / 4.5-6.3 U.S.S [2011, black/silver, AliExpress price]
- Sony 70-350 mm f/4.5–6.3 G U.S.S [2019, black, AliExpress price]
Third-party autofocus lenses for Sony E APS-C:
- Zeiss Touit Distagon 12/2.8 | Zeiss Touit Planar 32/1.8 | Zeiss Touit Makro Planar 50/2.8M
- Hasselblad E 3.5-5.6/18-55 OSS LF | Hasselblad E 3.5-6.3/18-200 OSS LF | Hasselblad E 2.8 / 16 LF
- Sigma C 16 / 1.4 | Sigma A 19 / 2.8 | Sigma EX 19/2.8 | Sigma C 30 / 1.4 | Sigma EX 30/2.8 | Sigma A 30 / 2.8 | Sigma C 56 / 1.4 | Sigma A 60 / 2.8 | Sigma C 18-50 / 2.8
- Tamron 11-20 / 2.8 | Tamron 17-70 / 2.8 VC | Tamron 18-200 / 3.5-6.3 VC | Tamron 18-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC
- Viltrox 13 / 1.4 | Viltrox 23 / 1.4 | Viltrox 33 / 1.4 | Viltrox 56 / 1.4 | felttrox 75/1.2
- Tokina 23 / 1.4 | Tokina 33 / 1.4 | Tokina 56 / 1.4 | Tokina 11-18 / 2.8
- Samyang 12 / 2
- Yongnuo 16 / 1.8, Yongnuo 50 / 1.8
- TTArtisan 27 / 2.8
Many interesting manual solutions are provided by Chinese manufacturers and brands. 7Artisans, TTartisan, Meike, Neewer, PerGear, Kamlan, Brightin star, Mitakon Zhongyi, Venus laowa other. Autofocus Speed Boosters are also interesting Viltrox Canon EF -> Sony E 0.71X и Metabones Canon EF -> Sony E 0.71X... List of full-frame cameras and lenses Sony FE (Full Frame E) here
Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.com.Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram
Failure to buy a budget device for knowing the current Sony system, or as a spare one.
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There is not enough information on how much this second-hand camera actually costs today in good condition with or without a whale lens.
And how expedient from the point of view of the author is the acquisition of this subject for this money (maybe some models of Sony mirrorless cameras will seem more interesting in terms of price / quality ratio).
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Used prices are very different. And the feasibility depends on the tasks. In general, even for 2022, this is a quite suitable camera, giving about 50-70% of the photo capabilities of the latest Sony A6X00. But for video, because of the now fashionable 4K and well-functioning tracking autofocus, the NEX-6 is not the best option. Full HD 60p is still fine, though.
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Maybe you can tell me. Nowhere can I find a list of ff cameras that would support a fully electronic shutter, I want to find some kind of inexpensive solution, with the ability not to waste the shutter resource. Thanks in advance for your reply
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there is no such list, but you are looking for the ones with the Silent Electronic Shutte. There is a sample for Sony here.
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A couple of years ago I bought one for 11 thousand rubles.
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By the way, the screen is touch-sensitive).
And the camera is in the region of 5-6k. And as a camera for a photo of an amateur, it is a perfectly suitable copy.)
I had sony nex 5n and 5r. I sold the carcasses, bought myself a six and I'm happy, a purely pocket camera for walking and small photo sketches)
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nex6 for 6k? Seriously? there are no such prices on the used market.
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It's about hryvnia, most likely.
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This model does not have a touch screen.
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Sony NEX-6 has a non-touch display
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In China, it costs about $ 270 in the 98-99 state, but according to local average reviews, its reliability is very low.
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I also met a lot of reviews. Of the most suffering components - the shutter mechanism (runs on average 50k frames), the mode dial (it can turn on) and the unreliable way of attaching the corrective lens to the EVF - can peel off from the mechanism and dangle back and forth inside. This is not counting the peeling enlightenment on the display, but as I understand it, this is the problem of all nexes, where the owners at one time did not bother with the sticker of a protective film.
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I have been using it since 2013. That was the Sony DSC-R1.
I bought a NEX-6 complete with a Sony 16-50mm f / 3.5-5.6 PZ OSS, which, after a year of use, once went out and did not come in. It was not possible to fix it. then bought Sony 18-105mm f / 4 G PZ OSS, 50mm f / 1.8 OSS (silver), 55-210mm f / 4.5-6.3 OSS (silver), Sony HVL-F60M, Sony HVL-F20AM flashes. Over time, plastic springs burst on all lens caps. Then, on the flash, the locking lever on the shoe burst. On the hot shoe of the camera, the fastening screws loosened and unscrewed, got inside the camera, I had to disassemble, I found only three. I could not find a replacement for the 4th one. Then the “automatic” mode in the camera stopped turning on, I turn on the “intelligent” instead. Autofocus is slow and brooding, especially with the 50mm f / 1.8 lens. The RAW seemed to stretch better in highlights than the D610. Subjectively, skinton is also more like it. But Sony DSC-R1 is better in color. In the FUll HD 60p AVCHD mode, the camera overheats during shooting, it is better to shoot with the screen open and on the metal plate of the tripod, this way the heat is better dissipated and does not turn off. I’m not going to sell all these "toys", I practically do not use them. Now I'm shooting with 1DX-II
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In general, from the reviews (and, fortunately, a little personal experience), the impression was that the nex6 series as a whole is not very reliable as a technique.
EVI is good, no doubt about it, the picture is also good, but the implementation of all this disappointed me.
However, while everything works, the camera is good :)
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Agree with you completely. All the same, no matter how you play with different mirrorless cameras, you still return to a normal SLR camera. And reliability, and pleasure.
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As for reliability - just an example, new cameras no longer have moving active mechanical parts. I mean that, for example, Nikon Z9 no longer even has a mechanical shutter. In the end, BZK before repair can make more frames than ZK. And in general, the mantra “bzk is not a camera” has already become boring. Perhaps this ten-year-old Nex-6 of 2012 is not the best representative, but still the buns from the UPC are palpable, just not everyone is ready to try them
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Arkady hello!
I got the a6400 for almost nothing, while my first camera was the NEX 5t that came to me six months ago, from which there were YNLENS 50 1.8 and SONY 55-210. What wider lens would you recommend? So far, mostly cats are in my lens, but I will also shoot portraits.
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wider? From autofocus
Zeiss Touit 12 / 2.8
Sigma 16 / 1.4
Tamron 11-20 / 2.8
Viltrox 13 / 1.4
Samyang 12 / 2
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Sorry, I didn't put it exactly)
I did not mean the maximum angle, but wider than the existing ones. Now most of the time on a 50mm camera, which is very limiting and I want a more versatile permanent lens. I searched your blog and ended up seeing a used Viltrox 23mm for $ 230 and a Zeiss 24 1.8 ZA also used for $ 360. What would you advise to choose?
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Zeiss 24 1.8 ZA just right
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Thank you
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At the time of its appearance, this camera was indeed an interesting choice, but since 2018 its relevance has diminished. Why? Fujifilm's entry-level x-t100 is now on sale. The only thing in which Fuji merges Sony is interchangeable optics, Fuji does not have a lot of it (yet), but the one that is quite expensive (although, no kidding, it costs its money). And of course, comparing cameras from 12 and 18 is not fair. Let's take the heir to Nex6 - Alpha 6000. At the end of the 18th, spring of the 19th, a new fuji cost 1,5-2 thousand hryvnias cheaper than a dormouse! It was Keith. At the same time, Fuji, immediately, definitely wins in ergonomics. The viewfinder is in the middle until it collided and thought it might make a difference. Twists, the X-t100 has few of them, but better than the Sony. Normal fully touch screen, and not a stub like the 6000th. And if you also recall the complaints of the owners of the alpha, that when recording a video, it is cut down from overheating ... The whale lens, for my taste, is a plastic rattle 15-45 a head higher than the bayonet plug from Sony, but it would seem that it should be the other way around ... Sony's grip is better , it is more convenient, it is a little smaller in size. Even now, if you look at the updated heir - Alpha 6100, nothing has been screwed up, but the price tag is damn it. And the competitor is again from fuji, the X-T200. And to be honest, I don't understand why pay more. For the difference in price, you can buy an adapter for someone else's optics on Fujdi ... Or wait for Sigma and Tamron to wake up.
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Fujifilm merges sone in a variety of interchangeable optics ?? Are you serious or are you joking?
And the relevance of nex6, if we compare it with fuj, dimmed a year later, in 2013, with the release of x-e2. Which later, by the way, added a completely electronic shutter, with firmware)) This is where the concern for users is, sleep would have to learn)))
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Lenses for Sony FE mount:
https://lesdeuxpiedsdehors.com/en/sony-fe-lenses-list/#sony-fe-Lenses-full-frame
I managed to count 174. Perhaps somewhere slightly lost in the count.
Lenses for Fujifilm X-mount:
https://lesdeuxpiedsdehors.com/en/fujifilm-x-mount-lenses-list/
It seems to be 132. He could also get a little lost in the calculations.
The difference in numbers is quite obvious.
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And now, a respected Siberian resident, let him think what he just gave as an example, and what was originally discussed.
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Dear people of joy, tell me: is it possible to adapt such a lens to mirrorless cameras: https://clck.ru/ai63w
The aperture and focal range are very tasty.
And does it make sense? Perhaps someone has had a similar experience. Share your thoughts, please.
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in the general case, it is impossible, because it is under a sensor the size of a button 1 / 1.7 inches.
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Yeah, so this is for the Pentax Q system ... they just have 12 megapixels
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Thank you very much for the info..
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Hello dear forum users.
But what is the joke from a compact apc-c mirrorless? To get background blur (like from a full-frame DSLR), you need a lens at least like in the photos from this review. To shoot with such a lens, you need to carry a tripod with you (a la compactness). About the evening shooting, I generally keep silent. More than 800 iso noises are terrible. Autofocus only on the first frame in continuous shooting, the rest of the frames without. Modern smartphones shoot plus or minus as well. Plus, they have some kind of moisture protection. As for me, as ordinary DSLRs were excellent and reliable cameras, they will remain so. Which I enjoy using. All the best!
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This is a general question, it is solved here.
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The wretched menu and the lack of important (if they lie only for me) options are somewhat saddening. For example, is autoISO a good thing? - good. When you can set the upper limit of ISO and separately limit shutter speed. But here you can't. Why? Ah, didn’t want to drown sales of nex-7? And there this feature is?
1200-zone metering cool thing? Of course! But ETTR was not delivered.
Exposure bracketing .. sometimes you can't do without it. But even here it's a lie. +/-0,7 Ev. Only. Is that what they were joking about?
Live histogram?
Realtime display of overexposed zebras? How is it “not in time” to render the interface?! There is also a powerful processor.
Do you think that all this nit-picking is undeserved? HM. To broaden your horizons, wander through the menu of a samsung nx thread
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Hello Arkady!
I read your reviews on sony nex mirrorless cameras, where you describe the main technical characteristics of cameras, including iso data.
The questions are as follows - I set tasks for shooting indoors with low light, as well as street shooting in the evening, so advise already inexpensive Sony nex 3,5 series cameras, which really make it possible to take good pictures under the specified conditions.
You already have this experience, what would you really advise? What practical iso of which nex cameras can be used in the conditions I have indicated?
Indeed, these nex cameras will significantly outperform mirrorless cameras such as panasonic gf2, gf3 in the quality of shooting with high iso (I will make a reservation that these are cameras with a 4/3 ”matrix, but they give good photos at iso 800, satisfactory at iso 1600).
Some in the reviews write that the nex 3,5 cameras give excellent results at iso 1600, very good at iso 3200. Is this really true?
Last question - which nex 3.5 cameras give similar results when shooting at high iso compared to Nikon D700?
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In your case, will the result depend more on the presence of good and fast optics?
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cameras of the nex-3, nex-5 series are outdated, on old 14 and 16 megapixel sensors.
14 MP like Nikon D3100
16 MP like Nikon D7000, D5100
and therefore in modern realities they are inferior to new models.
No Nex achieves high ISO performance with the Nikon D700.
If you need high ISOs - the path to full frame, from inexpensive options, I recommend Nikon D600, D610, D3, D3s, Canon 6D, Sony a7, a7m2, a7r, a7r2
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Thanks Arkady.
Correctly say that the sensors are old, like the Nikon D3100, lost sight of this after reading various reviews about old mirrorless cameras, where they praise the results of the photo in low light conditions. And the results are the same as the old Nikon D3100 ....
And the advantage of these mirrorless cameras in small dimensions is doubtful because of the large lenses.
It turns out that in order to get good results at high iso on mirrorless cameras, you need to purchase cameras with modern matrices, and this is more finances ...
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I bought this Sonya in the 13th, I have been using it for 10 years. Chosen for its light weight. I worked in the cold 20-, and in the heat 40+. There has never been a need for repairs. Here they say - "unreliable". Well, maybe I just got lucky. I love her in general.
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I have owned the camera for 10 years, I recently supplemented (in fact replaced it with) the first generation A7S. I used to shoot a lot, now less. In general, the camera really likes both ergonomics and appearance. Yes, and the photos are excellent (for APS-C).
Of the problems:
- the PASM-wheel is buggy: either the mode switches spontaneously, or the desired one does not turn on. Looks like sliding contacts. Maybe lubricate with grease for the guides (on a car it helps with switches).
- autofocus lenses began to turn off (I often change lenses, I mainly use fixes, a lot of manual optics with Chinese adapters). I thought about the lens contacts, but everything works on the A7S, so ... Apparently, the contact springs have weakened or the contacts themselves are moving inside.
The shutter, by the way, passed more than 50k - and without problems (but I have the electronic front curtain constantly on).
The software part lacked autoISO in M-mode, it’s good that the A7S was finalized, it also lacked the ability to limit the range of autoISO. But even the A7S does not allow you to choose the longest shutter speed in aperture priority mode - the same 1/60. Uncomfortable. On the one hand, you can hold more on SHU lenses when shooting static without raising ISO, on the other hand, when shooting with a telephoto lens without a stub or active dynamics, 1/60 can give movement or blur. In general, Sony has a “glorious” tradition of slaughtering old cameras in terms of supporting new functions.
In terms of EVI placement, I like NEX more, because my right eye is “leading”, but my wife with the left one is uncomfortable with this arrangement.
I won’t sell the six: I’ll fix it and leave it for pickup as the second one. Like - and that's it!
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A “glorious” tradition, but there is only one reason – PROFIT.
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