Sony Alpha a6000 (no lens included)

Recording Features

Overview: The Sony α6000 (ILCE-6000) alpha series camera kit contains the α6000 camera body, along with a rechargeable battery, adjustable neck strap, and USB cable. The α6000 has built-in Wi-Fi, an APS-C-sized image sensor, and is compatible with Sony E-mount lenses.

Note: This "body only" package does not include a lens.

Firmware Update Available: An update to the camera's internal software is available from the Sony website. This update enables the camera to record movies in XAVC S format at 60p, 30p, and 24p. Recording XAVC S movies requires the use of a Class 10 or faster SDXC memory card.

Compatible Lenses: The α6000 has an E-mount, and is compatible with the full line of Sony E-mount lenses. With the LA-EA4 Mount Adapter (or earlier version LA-EA2), the camera can also use Sony A-mount lenses, and select Minolta/Konica lenses.

3" Tiltable LCD Screen: The α6000 uses a 3" LCD screen with 921,600 dots. You can tilt the LCD up approximately 90° for low angle shots or approximately 45° for high angle photography. The brightness of the LCD monitor can be adjusted in 5 steps from -2 to +2.

0.39" OLED Electronic Viewfinder: The 0.5" high contrast OLED electronic color viewfinder has 1,440,000 dots, and provides approximately 100% field of view. You can adjust the brightness in 5 steps. The built-in diopter lets you adjust the viewfinder image to your individual eyesight. You can set the camera to switch between the LCD screen and viewfinder automatically when you look into the EVF, or choose one or the other in the camera's menu.

Display Options: You can choose how much information appears in the viewfinder and LCD monitor. There are five options each for the LCD screen and Viewfinder: Graphic Display, Display All Info, No Display Info, Level, and Histogram.

Live View: The α6000's Live View lets you use the LCD screen and Electronic Viewfinder to frame your photos as you shoot. When the Live View display is set to "Setting Effect On", the LCD or viewfinder will provide an accurate preview of your photo, including the white balance, exposure compensation, creative style or picture effect. With the "Setting Effect Off", you can check the image composition without the effects of the exposure settings.

Image Sensor: The α6000 features an APS-C-sized Exmor CMOS image sensor (23.5 x 15.6mm). It has approximately 24.7-million total pixels and 24.3-million effective pixels.

Still Image Recording Formats: The α6000 can record still images JPEG file format in Standard and Fine compression rates. You can choose to shoot in 3:2 or 16:9 aspect ratio, and in large, medium, and small image sizes. You can also record still images using the RAW format, which is uncompressed with no processing performed in the camera. RAW images must be transferred to a computer for processing, editing, and printing using the downloadable Image Data Converter software. You can set the α6000 to record a RAW and a JPEG image (Large, Medium, or Small) at the same time. You can select the following image sizes:

Panorama Photos: The Panorama mode lets you record panoramic images by holding down the shutter button as you pan across the scene. Panoramic photos can be taken in several different resolution settings:

• Standard:
  • Vertical: 3872 x 2160 (8.4M)
  • Horizontal: 8192 x 1856 (15M)
• Wide:
  • Vertical: 5536 x 2160 (12M)
  • Horizontal: 12416 x 1856 (23M)

Movie Recording Formats: The α6000 can record 16:9 Full High Definition movies with MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video and 2-channel Dolby Digital audio. Movies can also be recorded in MP4 mode with MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video and MPEG-4 AAC-LC 2-channel audio. You can select from the following bit rates/image quality:

Dual Media Options: The α6000 camera accepts two types of media for capturing still images: Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, and Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, plus SD, SDHC, and SDXC Memory Cards. The maximum number of images that can be recorded on a memory card formatted with this camera varies slightly between the two types of media.

Clear Image Zoom: Clear Image Zoom increases the effective focal length of the lens by up to 2.8x (Medium images) or 4x (Small images) by digitally magnifying the center of the image. Combined with the camera's Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom, you can increase magnification up to 8x over the lens' maximum focal length.

Fast Hybrid AF System: The α6000's Fast Hybrid auto focus system combines phase-detection auto focus with highly accurate contrast-detection AF for lightning fast auto focusing. Phase Detection uses 179 densely placed AF points to quickly move the lens to bring the subject nearly into focus. Then Contrast Detection's 25 focus points fine-tunes the focusing, resulting in the sharpest images. You can choose from the following Auto/Manual Focus Modes:

• AF-S (Single-shot Auto focus): The camera focuses and the focus is locked when you press the shutter button halfway down. Recommended for use with motionless subjects.
• AF-C (Continuous Auto focus): The camera continues to focus when you press and hold the shutter button halfway down. Recommended for use when the subject is in motion.
• AF-A (Automatic AF): Single-shot AF and Continuous AF are switched according to the movement of the subject.
• DMF (Direct Manual Focusing): After focusing automatically, you can make fine focusing adjustments manually.
• Manual Focus: When it is difficult to get the proper focus in auto focus mode, you can adjust the focus manually. This mode allows you to set the distance of a subject by rotating the focusing ring to achieve a sharp focus.

AF (Auto focus) Area: You can select between 4 settings:

• Wide: The camera focuses automatically on a subject in all ranges of the image.
• Zone: You can select a zone (consisting of 9 focus areas) on the monitor on which to focus.
• Center-Weighted: The camera uses the AF area located in the center area exclusively.
• Flexible Spot: You can change the size of and move the focusing area in order to focus on a small subject or narrow area.

Focus Lock: If a subject is off-center and outside of the AF area, you can lock the focus of the camera.

AF Illuminator: When you press the shutter button halfway down a red illuminator is emitted until the focus is locked. Under dark lighting conditions or when you shoot a low contrast subject, the AF illuminator allows the camera to focus more easily on the subject. The AF illuminator has a range of 3'-4" to 9'-9".

Drive Modes: The camera offers the following shooting modes:

• Single Shooting: Default setting for standard picture taking.
• Continuous Shooting: At full resolution, the camera can record continuously up to 2.5 frames per second. In Speed Priority Continuous, the frame rate increases to a maximum of 11 fps.
• Self-Timer: You can set the camera to three different self-timers:
  • 10 Second: After you press the shutter button, the shutter will be released about 10 seconds later. This is convenient when the photographer wants to appear in a photo.
  • 2 Second: After you press the shutter button, the shutter will be released about 2 seconds later. This is convenient to reduce camera-shake.
  • 10 Seconds/3 or 5 Images: The camera records 3 or 5 images continuously after a 10 second delay. You can choose the best shot from the shots taken.
• Bracket Shooting: Bracket shooting allows you to shoot 3 or 5 images, each with different degrees of exposure (base exposure, under exposure, and over exposure). You can select the bracket step value from 0.3EV, 0.5EV, 0.7EV, 1.0EV, 2.0EV, or 3.0EV. After shooting, you can select an image that suits your intention.

Shooting Modes: The top-mounted Mode Dial lets you select from the following shooting modes:

• iAuto (Intelligent Auto): This mode allows easy shooting with settings adjusted automatically.
• iAuto+ (Superior Auto): The camera recognizes and evaluates the shooting condition and sets the appropriate settings automatically. The camera saves one appropriate image by combining or separating images as necessary.
• Program Auto: For shooting with the exposure adjusted automatically (both the shutter speed and the aperture value), while allowing you to adjust other settings manually.
• Aperture Priority: This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the aperture value manually, letting the camera set the appropriate shutter speed. This mode gives you greater control over the depth of field.
• Shutter Speed Priority: This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the shutter speed manually, letting the camera set the appropriate aperture. With a high shutter speed, the moving subject appears as if it is frozen on the image. With a slow shutter speed, the moving subject appears as if it were flowing.
• Manual Exposure: This mode allows you to shoot after adjusting the exposure (shutter speed and aperture) manually.
• Scene Selection: You can select an appropriate mode for the subject or the shooting conditions to allow you to shoot the image with a suitable setting for the subject: Portrait, Infant, Night Portrait, Night Scene, Backlight Portrait, Backlight, Landscape, Macro, Spotlight, Low Light, Night Scene (with tripod), and Hand-held Twilight.
• Sweep Panorama: Shoot expansive scenery or high-rise buildings with dynamic composition.
• Memory Recall: You can register often-used camera settings (including Shooting Mode, Aperture, Shutter speed) to the Memory Recall (MR) position on the Mode Dial for easy recall.
• Movies: You can record movies in Full HD or standard definition in 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio. When selected on the Mode Dial, you can select the desired movie settings, including Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Exposure.

Picture Effect: In Intelligent Auto or Superior Auto mode, you can select Picture Effect to get one the following effect filters to achieve more impressive and artistic expression: Toy Camera, Pop Color, Posterization, Retro Photo, Soft High-key, Partial Color (Red, Green, Blue, or Yellow), High Contrast Mono, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Mono, Miniature, Watercolor, and Illustration.

Creative Style: The Creative Style function lets you select the desired image processing. You can adjust exposure (shutter speed and aperture) as you like with Creative Style. You can choose from: Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn Leaves, Black & White, or Sepia. You can also adjust Contrast, Saturation, and Sharpness.

Exposure Compensation: Exposure compensation is used to alter the camera's standard exposure setting. You can make the image look lighter (increased exposure) or darker (decreased exposure) The exposure compensation amount can be set up to +/-5.0 EV in 1/3-step or 1/2-step increments. When shooting movies, the exposure can be adjusted in a range of +/-2.0 EV.

AE Lock: You can fix the exposure before deciding on the composition when taking a picture. This is effective when the metering object and focusing object are different or when you want to shoot continuously while keep the same exposure value.

Metering Mode: A 1200-zone evaluative sensing system provides multi-pattern measuring for superior exposure control accuracy in a wide range of lighting conditions. You can select the method for measuring the brightness of a subject from the following three methods:

• Multi Segment: This method uses the whole screen divided into 1200 zones to measure light.
• Center Weighted: While emphasizing the central area of the screen, this method measure the average brightness of the entire screen.
• Spot: This method measure light only in the spot metering circle in the center of the frame.

White Balance: You can adjust the color tones according to the lighting conditions. You can choose from the following WB options, and adjust the +/- 3 to fine tune the colors: Auto WB, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (Warm White), Fluorescent (Cool White), Fluorescent (Day White), Fluorescent (Daylight), Flash, Color Temperature, Color Filter, Underwater, and Custom.

Color Temperature/Color Filter: You can adjust the white balance further by selecting Color Temperature or Color Filter in the Custom White Balance option. With Color Temperature, the higher the number, the more reddish the image, and the lower the number, the more bluish the image. Color Filter achieves the effect of Color Compensation filters for photography. Based on the set color temperature as the standard, the color can be compensated to Green (G) or Magenta (M).

ISO Settings: ISO is a unit of measurement of sensitivity to light. The larger the number, the higher the sensitivity. The camera's ISO can be set manually or automatically, depending upon the exposure mode. The manual ISO range is 100 to 25600 in 1/3EV increments. For movies, the ISO sensitivity is 100-12800, selectable in 1 EV steps.

Built-in Flash: The α6000 has a pop-up flash. When using the built-in or an optional external flash, the camera offers several Flash Modes: Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync, Rear Sync, and Wireless. Red-eye Reduction can be turned on or off for each Flash Mode. You can adjust the amount of flash light in a range of -3.0 EV to +3.0 EV with the Flash Compensation feature. Flash Bracketing is also available.

Multi-Interface Shoe: The α6000 is equipped with the Multi-Interface Shoe, allowing you to use an external flash, such as the HVL-F20M, HVL-F43M, or HVL-F60M. The ECM-XYST1M stereo microphone is also compatible.

Connections: The camera has the following connections:

• Micro HDMI: The Micro HDMI (Type D) connection outputs video and audio via a Micro HDMI-to-HDMI cable (not supplied). The camera automatically recognizes an HDTV and sets the output resolution to 1080i or 1080p. When connecting to a Sony Bravia Sync-compatible TV via HDMI, you can operate the camera using the TV's remote control.
• Micro USB: The camera's Micro USB port lets you connect the camera to a computer for transferring photos and movies via the supplied USB cable. The camera also connects to the supplied AC adapter via the USB cable.

Built-in Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Overview: The Sony α6000 has built-in Wi-Fi so you can interface the camera with your smartphone or Wi-Fi-enabled laptop computer and wirelessly perform various shooting and playback functions. The camera also supports NFC (near field communication).

PlayMemories Mobile: To interface with the Sony α6000, your smartphone must have the PlayMemories Mobile application. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, and requires iOS 5.0 or later. It is also compatible with Android smartphones and tablets with the Android 2.3 - 4.4 operating environment.

NFC (Near Field Communication): By touching an NFC-enabled Android smartphone or tablet to the "N" mark on the right side of the camera, the smartphone will be connected automatically via Wi-Fi, and the PlayMemories Mobile app will be launched. The two devices must touch for approximately 1-2 seconds to make the connection.

Wi-Fi Functions: The following wireless functions can be performed with the α6000:

• Smart Remote: You can use a smartphone as a remote controller for the camera. Still images shot via remote control are automatically sent to the smartphone's memory. You can also change some of the camera's settings, including EV, Self-Timer, and Review Check.
• Send to Smartphone: You can transfer still images to a smartphone for viewing. Images can be transferred in its original image size, or resized to 2M or VGA. RAW images are converted to JPEG format before being transferred.
• Send to Computer: You can transfer images stored on the camera's memory card to a computer connected to a wireless access point or wireless broadband router in order to easily make backup copies.
• View on TV: Images can be viewed on a network-enabled TV.

Play And Print Functions

Playback Screen: You can view your photos back as a single image on the LCD monitor, as an Index View, or as a Slide Show. During Index View mode, you can view 12 or 30 images at once.

Auto Review: After an image is recorded, you can have the camera automatically display it on the LCD monitor for two, five or 10 seconds. You can also turn off auto review.

Image Rotation: Vertical shots can be rotated automatically so that they are displayed upright during playback. This can be done manually or automatically.

Slide Show: You can automatically play back still images continuously in a slide show. You can set the interval to 1, 3, 5, 10, or 30 seconds.

View Mode: There are four View Modes to choose from for playing back images and movies: Date View, Folder View (Still), Folder View (MP4), and AVCHD View.

D-Range Optimizer/Auto HDR: The camera allows you to correct the brightness and contrast of an image automatically, using the D-Range Optimizer (DRO) and Auto High Dynamic Range functions. The DRO optimizes the gradations of a recorded image in each area of the image; you select the optimal level from Lv1 (weak) and Lv5 (strong). When Auto HDR is selected, the camera shoots three images with different exposures, then overlays them to create one image with the correct exposure and an overlaid image.

4K Still Image Playback: The α6000 can output images in 4K resolution to an HDMI-connected TV that supports 4K. The 4K playback function can be selected in the Playback Menu only when the camera is connected to a 4K-compatible TV via HDMI or Wi-Fi.

Protect Images: You can protect all images on your memory card or select only certain images to be protected from accidental erasure.

Printing Options: The camera offers the following printing options.

• DPOF Compatible: Using the camera, you can specify the images and the number of images to print before you print images at a photo-shop or with your printer.
• Memory Card: You can print images with a Memory Stick or SD card compliant printer.
• Computer: You can copy images to a computer using the available downloadable software and print the images.

Battery Information

InfoLithium Battery: The α6000 is powered by the NP-FW50 InfoLithium battery (supplied). The battery communicates data to the camera, so that the percentage of battery power remaining can be displayed. Approximately 360 still images or 90 minutes of movies can be recorded with the supplied battery using the LCD monitor.

Charging: The NP-FW50 InfoLithium battery requires approximately 5 hours 10 minutes for a full charge, using the supplied AC-UB10C AC adapter and USB cable.

Power Save: You can set different time intervals for the camera to switch to Power Save mode. You can set the interval to 10 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, or 30 minutes. Once the camera goes into Power Save mode, you can return to the shooting mode by pressing the shutter button halfway.

Software

Downloadable Software: The α6000 does not include software in the box. Instead, Sony offers software for Windows- and Mac-compatible computers for importing still images and movies recorded with the camera to your computer. You can download the software to your computer using the appropriate URL provided in the supplied Instruction Manual. The following downloadable software is compatible with the camera:

• PlayMemories Home: With PlayMemories Home, you can view your images, and use various convenient features to enhance the images you have shot. PlayMemories Home is required for importing XAVC S and AVCHD movies to your computer. The software is compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7 (SP1), and Mac OS X v10.10-10.11/macOS 10.12-10.13.
• Imaging Edge: Imaging Edge lets you remotely operate the camera from the computer, and make precise adjustments to the focus and composition using the grid, guide, and overlay functions, while viewing images live on the computer screen. The software also lets you develop RAW images, and perform Pixel Shift Multi Shooting. The software is compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7 (SP1), and Mac OS X 10.11/macOS 10.12-10.13.