The Sony NEX-6: Is this the Sony you’ve been waiting for?
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The Sony Alpha NEX-6 is the Sony I’ve been waiting for. Not just the camera, but the company. They are back in fighting form, and what’s more they seem to be having fun. Sony wasn’t sure the NEX-7 would be quite the smash hit it clearly was, even at its higher price point, but that smash hit told them there was a market for a small mirrorless camera with an electronic viewfinder and an extra dial for a slightly lower price point. Hence we have the Sony NEX-6: a camera that’s about the size of an NEX-7 complete with pop-up flash and electronic viewfinder, but with a simplified interface and a 16.1-megapixel sensor instead of 24.3. It also has a real Mode dial, doggone it, and that’s a welcome change.
Between the NEX-6 and the NEX-5R, Sony has developed two cameras that hit me just about right. Stick a hot shoe on the NEX-5R and I’m happy; barring that, I’m drawn to the NEX-6 with its physical Mode dial. I might even use the electronic viewfinder.
Of course, there’s a whole lot more to the Sony NEX-6 than those few elements. Find out more about the NEX-6 in our hands-on preview.
Pricing is expected to be US$850 body-only, and US$1,000 with a new E-mount 16-50mm Power Zoom lens, scheduled to ship in November.
(120 x 67 x 43 mm)
APS-C (approx. 1.11 in. diagonal)
16.70 megapixels (total)
16.10 megapixels (effective)
4912 x 2760 (13.6 megapixels)
3568 x 2368 (8.4 megapixels)
3568 x 2000 (7.1 megapixels)
2448 x 1624 (4.0 megapixels)
2448 x 1376 (3.4 megapixels)
12416 x 1856 (23.0 megapixels)
8192 x 1856 (15.2 megapixels)
2160 x 5536 (12.0 megapixels)
2160 x 3872 (8.4 megapixels)
24 – 75mm (35mm equivalent)
Has AF assist lamp
Manual focus possible
Modes: Flash Off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow sync., Rear-Sync.; Red-eye Reduction On/Off
Range: GN=6(m) at ISO 100; Range is lens aperture dependent
