The Sony a6000 was the first camera in an exciting new line, one which eventually grew to include the a6100, a6300, a6400, and more… including the Sony a6700 more than nine years later. And a lot changed in those nine years! While the Sony a6000 had some impressive features at the time of its launch in early 2014, it now looks outdated in some important areas. Has the Sony a6700 done enough to justify the upgrade? Read on to find out!
Let’s start with a full comparison of the specifications of these two cameras:
Sony a6000 vs Sony a6700 Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Sony a6000 | Sony a6700 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | February 2014 | July 2023 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Image Processor | BIONZ X | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 24.3 MP | 26.0 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 6000×4000 | 6192 x 4128 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 23.5 x 15.6 mm (APS-C) | 23.3 x 15.5 mm (APS-C) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 3.91µ | 3.76µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | Yes |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | No | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 25,600 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 100-51,200 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | No |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | No | Yes |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/4000 | 1/8000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 11 FPS | 11 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | N/A | 11 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | None | None |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 21 frames (11 FPS) | 59 frames (11 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition |
| Autofocus Points | 179 | 759 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | 0 EV | -3 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/160 | 1/160 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | No |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Raw Video | No | No |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | N/A | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | Extra 1.58x crop at 4K 120p (otherwise no additional crop) |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0 | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 1 | 1 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-I) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.0 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 0.92 million dots | 1.04 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Fully Articulating |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 1.07x (0.70x FF equiv.) | 1.07x (0.70x FF equiv.) |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 1.44 million dots | 2.36 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | No |
| Headphone Jack | No | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | No | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type B 2.0 | Type C 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Battery Type | NP-FW50 | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 310 frames | 550 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 360 frames | 570 frames |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 343 g (0.76 lbs.) | 493 g (1.09 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 119 x 66 x 46 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 1.8″)1 | 122 x 69 x 64 mm (4.8 x 2.7 x 2.5″)1 |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $650 (Discontinued) | $1400 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Sony a6000 Used Prices | Sony a6700 Used Prices |
| 1Note that the depth measurements in this table exclude the optional rubber cap for the viewfinder | ||
Summary and Analysis
As you can see, the a6700 totally blows the a6000 out of the water – as it should. Not only have nine years passed, but the a6700 is also targeted at a higher-end audience in the first place, with a launch price of $1400 (compared to the a6000’s launch price of $650).
There are many areas where the a6700 has improved, but perhaps none is greater than the camera’s autofocus system. Frankly, the Sony a6000’s 179-point hybrid AF system is not holding up well compared to the newest and best mirrorless systems on the market. It’s still quite fast – I give Sony credit there – but compared to modern alternatives, it definitely struggles with tracking a subject across the frame.
By comparison, the Sony a6700 borrows its high-end autofocus system from the $3900 Sony a7R V and includes deep-learning subject tracking algorithms. Yes, those are buzzwords, but they’re not just buzzwords – this autofocus system of Sony’s is a big improvement for identifying and tracking fast-moving subjects.
Another area where the Sony a6700 has a clear advantage is video performance. The Sony a6000 maxes out at 1080p video, while the a6700 can shoot 4K at an impressive 120 FPS! If you’re much of a video user, the comparison isn’t even close – the a6700 is far better in that respect.
Those aren’t the only areas where the Sony a6700 wins, but they’re definitely the biggest. Other advantages include the a6700’s in-body image stabilization system, the significantly larger buffer, the tilt-flip LCD screen, and the more advanced set of controls (especially an extra command dial on the front of the a6700). The Sony a6000’s only advantages are in weight, size, and – of course – price.
Recommendations
If you’re using the Sony a6000, it might be time to upgrade to something newer at this point. That doesn’t necessarily need to be the Sony a6700 – maybe it’s a full-frame Sony camera instead, for example – but the a6000 is definitely looking long in the tooth.
Then again, it really depends on what you shoot. The Sony a6000’s image quality, for example, is just as good as the a6700’s image quality. Both cameras have pretty similar sensors, after all. So, if you’re mainly doing something like landscape photography, I think you can safely stick with the a6000. It’s really sports/wildlife photographers – and anyone who does video work – who will need something more advanced than the Sony a6000.
The Sony a6700 meets those needs pretty well. It’s far better than the a6000 in terms of autofocus and video features, while also adding some other nice improvements like IBIS and an articulating LCD.
Granted, I could say the same thing about a lot of cameras on the market today. If you stumbled upon this article because you’re a Sony a6000 shooter ready to upgrade, I would at least consider a full-frame camera before you settle on the a6700. Sony – as well as Nikon, Canon, and Panasonic – all have much better mirrorless systems than they did back in 2014 when the a6000 first hit the scene. Do a bit of research, and you may still land on the a6700, but there are a lot of alternatives as well!
Here’s how I’d sum up the situation between the Sony a6000 and the a6700:
What does the Sony a6000 offer over the Sony a6700?
- Lighter weight (150g lighter or about 1.4 times lighter) and smaller size
- Lower price, especially considering the cheap used prices of the a6000 these days
What does the Sony a6700 offer over the Sony a6000?
- In-body image stabilization, allowing for easier handheld photography even with non-stabilized lenses
- Significantly better autofocus system with high-end tracking capabilities
- Larger buffer (good for fast-paced action photography bursts) of 59 frames rather than 21 frames
- Much better videography features, such as internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording and 4K 120p support
- A fully articulating LCD screen
- An additional command dial on the front of the camera
Questions? Go to our forum, where you can start a conversation and talk to photographers about these two cameras!
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