What is it with the Sony A6000?

posted Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 11:53 AM EDT

We've been reviewing digital cameras for you for more than 15 years now, and in that time we've seen many deserving models rise to the top for their turn in the spotlight. We've also kept our eye on models that have sea legs several years after their debut, like the amazingly long-lived Canon T3i. We've even seen a few that made us scratch our heads or raise an eyebrow or two.

But even with the perspective of 15 years in the business, the Sony A6000 stands out as something of a phenomenon.

To give a little numerical context, the A6000 currently sees almost three times more clicks than the next three most popular cameras on our site over the past few months, the Olympus E-M10, Sony RX100 II and the Pentax K3. And it draws almost four times as many views as the highly regarded Fujifilm X-T1, Olympus Stylus 1, Sony A7, Panasonic GM1 and the Canon G16.

Are we surprised? Well, yes and no. Sony cameras won the top position in both our 2012 and 2013 Camera of the Year Awards, and also won or placed in several individual categories -- so the company is clearly doing something right. The A6000 also replaces a huge fan favorite, the ever-popular and trend-setting NEX-6.

But the NEX-6 wasn't even the flagship of the line, nor was it an overall winner in our 2012 Camera Of The Year awards (though it did win a Camera Of Distinction that year). So, while we certainly would have anticipated a great deal of reader interest in the Sony A6000, the sheer numbers have us baffled and we're a little amazed. (It's without a doubt an excellent camera, but that alone doesn't fully explain its huge popularity with our readers.)

Is it the price point? The advertised world-record AF speed? Genius marketing? All of the above? Frankly, we don't know, hence this article. So, what do you think? Please weigh in below in the comments section, and let us know why you're taking such a close look. Your opinion matters to us, and may help shape how we test and explore the camera from here.

Our sample unit of the A6000 is now in the hands of one of our best reviewers, so check back often, as you'll see any updates very shortly after we do: With a camera this hot, you can consider that a promise.