To test the NEX-6 I fitted it with a freshly formatted 16GB Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-1 SD card. In continuous shooting mode with the quality set to fine JPEGs, the NEX-6 continued to shoot for over 100 frames and probably would have continued until the card filled, had I not stopped shooting. The first ten frames were shot at a rate of just under 3.5fps and the average for the hundred frames was just over 3fps.

The 16-50mm zoom provides a 3x range equivalent to 24-75mm. That’s a very useful range for a ‘standard’ zoom, including a super wide angle perfect for landscapes and interiors and extending to just about encompass a portrait focal length. However, with the f5.6 maximum aperture at the longer end of the range, shallow depth of field isn’t one of its strengths, for that you’d be better of with the 35mm f1.8. But as a ‘standard’ all-purpose zoom, the 16-50mm’s main advantages are its compactness, light weight and suitability for video. As I walked and shot, I did struggle a bit with both the power zoom and the fly-by-wire manual zoom functions on the SEL 16-50mm, sometimes finding it difficult to precisely control the focal length. I also briefly stumbled a few times when I switched to manual focus and forgot that the ring would no longer zoom the lens. But these were minor issues, and I'd almost certainly learn to avoid them with more time shooting the camera.

Product Images

Last week I sent for a Sony NEX 6 camera with 16 – 50mm kit lens and an e-mount to m39 adaptor. I’ve only had a few days to try the camera out in pretty poor weather but here are my first impressions. Once the light starts to fade though, or you’re working indoors, the AF speed often reduces quite dramatically and I often encountered situations where the NEX-6 failed to achieve accurate focus at all. For the High ISO noise testing in the church I had to use manual focussing and during my session at the races on a dull and drizzly day I missed a number of shots due to the slow response of the AF. Creative filters and modes: Above are just a few of the Sony NEX-6's creative shooting modes. DRO (Dynamic Range Optimization) is set to level 5 and showcases just how useful that feature can be for rendering good exposure across the entire range of an image when desired. Handheld Twilight mode is great for obtaining low noise images in low light without a tripod, and Retro is useful for an aged, faded look. Several fun creative modes and filters, including in-camera HDR, Handheld Twilight, Sweep Panorama and a host of special effects

The EVF was something I really wondered if I was going to get one with because I’ve always thought that it would be poor compared to an optical viewfinder. Well having now used one for a few days I can say that I’m sold. I worried that the image would be dark and grainy in low light and although that is true to a certain extend, it’s nothing like as bad as I imagined it would be. Also the additional information which is overlaid on the image is extremely useful. For example, a lot of the images above are taken with a Jupiter 8 50mm f/2.0 lens which is fitted to an old Zorki 4 camera which my Dad gave me. In the EVF it’s possible to turn on focus peaking which makes this manual focus lens really easy to use. Also the addition of the level indicator is great for keeping the camera level for landscapes etc. Hybrid AF system with 99-point phase-detection autofocus delivers speedy and decisive AF on stationary subjects, even in dim lightAnd the pc method when on the go is practical as well. Nevertheless, total control over the screeen makes sense nowadays. Squeezing into Sony's compact system camera lineup between the acclaimed NEX-7 and the NEX-5R, the NEX-6 stands on its own as a high-performing hybrid -- marrying exceptional speed and image quality with more consumer-friendly features and controls. While it gets a bump down in resolution compared to the NEX-7, the 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor still delivers photos with sharp detail and good color, contrast and exposure. And though the NEX-6's "Fast Hybrid AF" system lags somewhat behind higher-end DSLRs, it's nonetheless pretty fast and decisive, especially on stationary and normal moving (not sports) subjects. Lightweight and compact, sharp and fast, advanced and easy-to-use: What more could you want from a camera at such an affordable price? Pros x 1080(50p, 28M, PS), 1920 x 1080(50i, 24M FX), 1920 x 1080(50i, 17M FH), 1920 x 1080(24p, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080(24p, 17M, FH), 1440 x 1080 (25fps), 640 x 480 (25fps)

E-mount lenses have tended to be on the large side compared with Micro Four Thirds equivalents, but Sony has redressed the balance with the launch of a new collapsing 16-50mm f3.6-5.6 powered zoom which is substantially smaller and lighter than the 18-55mm kit zoom of the earlier NEX models and similar in size and weight to Panasonic’s 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 power zoom. With the new lens attached the NEX-6 has a much more compact profile and the power zoom is better suited to video shooting. I didn't do an exhaustive analysis of the quality of the NEX-6's video footage, but I thought my clips looked great -- very sharp, with no obvious video artifacts. Switching to Speed Priority continuous, with the AF set to single the NEX-6 managed a burst of 12 frames at exactly 10fps, thereafter the frame rate dropped to around 3.5fps. That’s the same speed as the NEX-7, but a shorter burst – the NEX-7 can fire a burst of 17 large Fine JPEGs.Thanks to the NEX's hybrid AF system, the camera will attempt to keep your subject in focus, even when shooting in speed priority mode. However, should your subject wander out of the Phase Detect area, you'll lose that benefit, and the NEX-6 reverts to contrast-detection. Although the Sony NEX-6 is not weather-sealed and offers no dust protection like some of the advanced DSLR cameras, I used it in very cold temperatures below 10°F and it survived fine (winter has been cold in Colorado). The camera battery did not last very long in cold weather, but that’s expected, since any battery drains faster in cold temperatures. Camera Menu System I wish you the best in your photo ventures. I look forward to my “early Christmas present”. Hope to get some tips from you about my forthcoming a6000 as I’m sure I’ll need them. Having entered the compact system market in 2010 with the (long discontinued) NEX-3 and NEX-5, Sony has spent the past couple of years refining its NEX range with a new model appearing roughly every six months. During the same period Sony has also ceased to manufacture traditional DSLRs in favour of its Single-Lens Translucent (SLT) range of fixed mirror interchangeable-lens cameras. More recently Sony has finally entered the advanced compact market with the launch of the RX100 – it’s certainly been an interesting couple of years for the company, with plenty of innovation on show.

Cinematic photo works in any of the PASM modes, as with all apps on the NEX-6, you access it via the Application button on the main menu. You’re then provided with two options, to take a cinematic photo or review ones you’ve already shot. Installed apps save images and video to dedicated subfolders on the card – so you won’t find them in along with all your regular shots. Selecting the shoot option sets the camera to continuous shooting mode and disables the drive mode button on the control wheel, but you can still adjust exposure settings, change the ISO sensitivity, select Picture Effects and so on. Detailed technical specifications for the Sony NEX-6 are available at Sony.com. Sony 16.1 MP Exmor SensorLike the NEX-7, the NEX-6 has a small built-in flash unit and shares the same guide number of 6 in Metres at 100 ISO. That gives it an effective range of under 2 metres at 100 ISO – around five and a half feet, which sounds a bit weedy, but is comparable with other CSC flash units. The PEN flash accessory is a little more powerful with a GN of 7 and the Lumix G5’s built-in flash is slightly more powerful again with a GN of 8 metres at 100 ISO. In practice, it’s fine for close subjects and fill in, but stuggles in even a moderatley sized room. Odd artifacts and false color interpretations become entirely too obtrusive here in the NX20, while the NEX-6 remains fairly consistent in comparison. Switch the camera to MF mode and this same ring automatically controls focus instead, with zoom control operated by the slider. After extended use we much prefer Sony's ring/slider design over the dual lever approach in the Panasonic 14-42 power zoom, where we can never tell by feel whether we're about to zoom or focus the lens. While the Sony lens is of a focus-by-wire design, the action is dampened just enough to approximate a 'feel' of connection to the lens elements with responsive operation. And with MF assist enabled, an initial turn of the control ring brings up a magnified scene view for focus confirmation. Overall operational performance is very good, with extremely fast prefocused shutter lag and fast 10 fps full-resolution burst mode The pictures above are the ones I found most pleasing from the few dozen I’ve managed to take so far. Most of the candid shots were taken with the jupiter 8 lens and I’m particularly pleased with the way that lens works with the camera. The shots are not fantastically sharp or well composed, but they scream out 1960’s to me and I love them. In fact I think I’ve had as much fun with this camera in the first few days I’ve used it as any camera I can remember and I put a lot of that down to using that lens. So much so that I’ve started looking for other m39 mount or M-Mount lens I could buy from e-bay to pair with an e-mount adaptor so I can build a bit of a collection.