Is the Sony a6000 Still worth it in 2021? In this review we’ll find out!
There isn’t much to be said about this camera that hasn’t been said a thousand times before, and its everlasting popularity is testament to what a great camera it has been, but does it still old up to 2021 standards?
Lets have a quick look at the specs –
· The Sony a6000 is a mirror less camera
· APS-C size and 24.3 megapixel sensor.
· ISO range of 100 to 25600
· 179 Autofocus points
· 11 frame per second burst shooting
· 1080p at 60 fps
So in comparison to a lot of newer cameras these specs are starting to look a bit out of date. Compared to newer Sony cameras which boast best autofocus systems 4k support at frame rates up to 120 fps the reasons to pick the a6000 are getting fewer and fewer each year.
Before we get started, I make lots tips and tricks videos for Sony mirrorless cameras on my YouTube Channel and this blog, so if that sounds like your sort of thing please consider subscribing to the the channel.
The Pros
The Sensor
The 24.3 megapixel sensor which is still very much comparable to newer cameras, despite the a5100 age. This means for photography the a5100 still holds up pretty well. A sensor this size means that you’ll be able to blow up your photography for printing and the detail will sharp.
The E mount lens system
The range of available E mount lenses is a huge plus for this camera and is expanding all the time. Whether you want a prime or a zoom, a telephoto or macro lens there are options out there at all price points. And this is great for when it is time to upgrade your camera, as any lenses you have for the a6000 will work with any other sony emount camera.
It also has a max ISO of 25600 which means you can brighten up your images a fair amount in camera, just be aware this will add extra noise to your shots.
The 11 frames per second burst shooting is definitely a positive of this camera, great for wildlife and sports photography, it means you hold down the shoot button knowing you’ll capture the exact moment you want.
The autofocus is still pretty decent on this camera with 179 auto focus points. This is fast and decent enough for the majority of situations. But compared to newer cameras such as the Sony a6600 which has 425 autofocus points, the a6000 is starting to get a bit dated in this department.
So that’s a pretty decent list of good points, so now let’s look at the downsides.
The Cons
As this is a 7 year old camera its inevitable that its not going to be keeping up with the latest cameras. And the lack of 4k support is a glaring issue. With 4k getting more mainstream with each passing year 1080p just isn’t good enough, especially if you’re a filmmaker or focusing heavily on video. Now for YouTube I still think 1080p is good enough, but as 4k becomes more commonplace the a6000 will get left behind.
Staying on video, 60 frames per second is the maximum frame rate of this camera which means smooth slow motion footage isn’t really possibly on this camera with newer cameras offering 120fps its another area where this camera is showing its age.
Now lets talk about the screen, at 3 inches its a good size, but the articulation doesn’t allow for 180 degrees flip up so if you need to monitor yourself you’ll need an external monitor, so not a great vlogging camera. Also the screen lacks touch controls for navigating the menu or touch focus.
There’s also not audio jack for plugging in a microphone, meaning you’ll either need to use a hot-shoe mic mounted on top, or a separate audio recorder. You can use the built in mics, but the quality isn’t the best.
Conclusion
I think these downsides are fairly understandable for a camera this age, and usually I’d say these drawbacks are worth bearing with because of the low price of this camera. But as of March 2021 when I’m writing this, the price of the camera is higher than it has been for a long time with the new price on Amazon $650 and and second hand for around $400, this camera is a little harder to recommend compared to previous years. Only a year ago the new price of the a6000 was around $200 cheaper.
With more people working from home and wanted a cheap mirrorless camera to replace a webcam, the price of this camera has ballooned and for that reason I’d wait this the camera to come back down to a more reasonable price before purchases. But if you already own one it is still a great camera for video and photography and I’m still using mine and wont be rushing out to upgrade quite yet, despite its downsides.
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Arron Prescott 