As of today, Sony has a strong line of APS-C interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras, from budget-friendly options to high-end cameras with rich feature sets. From the original and highly successful Sony A6000 to the latest A6600 and everything in-between, Sony has done a great job with this line-up, providing options for both beginner and enthusiast photographers. With the growth of the Ax00 line, it is now getting more and more difficult to identify differences between all these cameras. For this reason, we decided to put together a comparison of all Sony A6x00-series cameras starting from the A6000 all the way to A6600.
It is interesting to see how the Sony A6x00 series evolved overtime. Sony initially released the A6000, which instantly became a popular camera, because it had the right set of camera features at the right price. The Sony A6300 and A6500 were strange releases, considering that Sony skipped models in-between. Then came the oddball A6400, which in some ways was better than the higher model A6500. Now Sony has the A6600 to crown them all, with the stripped down version of the A6400 in the form of the A6100. Confused? You bet!
Due to the number of cameras in this comparison, it was impossible to put all the data into a single table, so we split it into two tables. The first one contains the Sony A6000, A6100, A6300 and A6400, while the second table contains the Sony A6500 and the A6600.
| Specification | Sony A6000 | Sony A6100 | Sony A6300 | Sony A6400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Announcement Date | 02/12/2014 | 08/28/2019 | 02/03/2016 | 01/15/2019 |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Resolution | 24.3 MP | 24.2 MP | 24.2 MP | 24.2 MP |
| Sensor Size | 23.5 x 15.6mm | 23.5 x 15.6mm | 23.5 x 15.6mm | 23.5 x 15.6mm |
| Native ISO Range | 100-25600 | 100-32000 | 100-25600 | 100-32000 |
| Image Processor | BIONZ X | BIONZ X | BIONZ X | BIONZ X |
| Phase Detect AF Points | 179 | 425 | 425 | 425 |
| Contrast Detect AF Points | 25 | 425 | 169 | 425 |
| Autofocus Sensitivity | 0 to +20 EV | -2 to +20 EV | -1 to +20 EV | -2 to +20 EV |
| Real-Time Eye AF | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Real-Time Tracking | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| In-Body Image Stabilization | No | No | No | No |
| EVF Resolution | 1,440,000 Dots | 1,440,000 Dots | 2,359,296 Dots | 2,359,296 Dots |
| EVF Coverage | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| EVF Magnification | 1.07x | 1.07x | 1.07x | 1.07x |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Continuous Shooting Speed | 11 FPS | 11 FPS | 11 FPS | 11 FPS |
| Buffer Size | 49 JPEG / 21 RAW | 77 JPEG / 33 RAW | 44 JPEG / 21 RAW | 116 JPEG / 46 RAW |
| Memory Card Slot | SD UHS-I | SD UHS-I | SD UHS-I | SD UHS-I |
| LCD Screen | 3.0″ Tilting, +90°/-45° | 3.0″ Tilting, +180°/-90° | 3.0″ Tilting, +90°/-45° | 3.0″ Tilting, +180°/-90° |
| LCD Resolution | 921,600 Dots | 921,600 Dots | 921,600 Dots | 921,600 Dots |
| LCD Touchscreen | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Video Recording | Full HD (up to 60 fps) | UHD 4K (up to 30 fps), Full HD (up to 120 fps) | UHD 4K (up to 30 fps), Full HD (up to 120 fps) | UHD 4K (up to 30 fps), Full HD (up to 120 fps) |
| 4K HDR Video Recording | No | No | No | No |
| S-Gamut3/S-Log3 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Slow Motion Video | No | Yes, 4x and 5x | Yes, 4x and 5x | Yes, 4x and 5x |
| Built-in Intervalometer | No, via App | Yes | No, via App | Yes |
| Built-in WiFi / Bluetooth | Yes / No | Yes / Yes | Yes / No | Yes / No |
| Microphone Port | N/A | 3.5mm | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Headphone Port | No | No | No | No |
| USB | 2.0, Charging | 2.0, Charging | 2.0, Charging | 2.0, Charging |
| Battery | NP-FW50 | NP-FW50 | NP-FW50 | NP-FW50 |
| Battery Life (EVF/LCD, CIPA) | 310/360 shots | 380/420 shots | 350/400 shots | 360/410 shots |
| Weight (Battery + Card) | 343g | 396g | 404g | 403g |
| Size | 119x66x46mm | 120x67x59mm | 120x70x49mm | 120x67x60mm |
| Price (as of 08/29/2019) | $449 | $749 | Discontinued | $899 |
And here is the comparison of the Sony A6500 and the A6600:
| Specification | Sony A6500 | Sony A6600 |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement Date | 10/06/2016 | 08/28/2019 |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Resolution | 24.2 MP | 24.2 MP |
| Sensor Size | 23.5 x 15.6mm | 23.5 x 15.6mm |
| Native ISO Range | 100-25600 | 100-32000 |
| Image Processor | BIONZ X | BIONZ X |
| Phase Detect AF Points | 425 | 425 |
| Contrast Detect AF Points | 169 | 425 |
| Autofocus Sensitivity | -1 to +20 EV | -2 to +20 EV |
| Real-Time Eye AF | No | Yes |
| Real-Time Tracking | No | Yes |
| In-Body Image Stabilization | Yes, 5-Axis | Yes, 5-Axis |
| EVF Resolution | 2,359,296 Dots | 2,359,296 Dots |
| EVF Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| EVF Magnification | 1.07x | 1.07x |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| Continuous Shooting Speed | 11 FPS | 11 FPS |
| Buffer Size | 233 JPEG / 107 RAW | 116 JPEG / 46 RAW |
| Memory Card Slot | SD UHS-I | SD UHS-I |
| LCD Screen | 3.0″ Tilting, +90°/-45° | 3.0″ Tilting, +180°/-90° |
| LCD Resolution | 921,600 Dots | 921,600 Dots |
| LCD Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Video Recording | UHD 4K (up to 30 fps), Full HD (up to 120 fps) | UHD 4K (up to 30 fps), Full HD (up to 120 fps) |
| 4K HDR Video Recording | No | Yes |
| S-Gamut3/S-Log3 | Yes | Yes |
| Slow Motion Video | Yes, 4x and 5x | Yes, 4x and 5x |
| Built-in Intervalometer | No, via App | Yes |
| Built-in WiFi / Bluetooth | Yes / No | Yes / Yes |
| Microphone Port | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Headphone Port | No | Yes |
| USB | 2.0, Charging | 2.0, Charging |
| Battery | NP-FW50 | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (EVF/LCD, CIPA) | 310/350 shots | 720/810 shots |
| Weight (Battery + Card) | 453g | 503g |
| Size | 120x67x53mm | 120x67x69mm |
| Price (as of 08/29/2019) | $1,199 | $1,399 |
The Sony A6600 is surely the most well-rounded of the bunch, especially when it comes to video features. However, Sony decided to change its battery, which is great for those who want better battery life, but not all that great for those who already have a Sony A6x00 series camera and want to reuse their batteries and chargers. In addition, the A6600 is the first of the series that does not have a built-in flash, which is a problem for those who like using it (great for fill flash).
Interestingly, Sony has kept the resolution of every Sony A6x00 camera the same at 24 MP, while its competitors like Fuji and Canon are pushing for more advanced sensors that sport higher resolution and better dynamic range. At $1,400, the Sony A6600 is an expensive camera, making it a tough buy for those who want to move up from an older generation Sony APS-C camera…
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!