September 22, 2022
Sony A6600 Mirrorless Camera - first impressions
Of course I am comparing it to my a6000.
It is different in countless ways.
Battery
Before the camera even arrived, I ordered a set of two Wasabi batteries and a charger.
Sony expects you to charge the battery in the camera using a USB cable.
I find this an unrealistic expectation.
Also I cannot imagine not having a backup battery that I can just pop into the camera.
So now I have two backup batteries and an independent charger.
I have used Wasabi batteries for years with my a6000 and they are at least as good as
the Sony batteries in terms of how long they hold a charge and how many years they last.
I recently bought Wasabi batteries for my old Canon digital SLR cameras (my 5Dii and my 1D).
Batteries from Canon for those cameras no longer seem to be available, so that choice is
easy. And the Wasabi batteries are just fine.
The A6600 makes no complaint when fed a Wasabi battery, they just work.
Weight
The a6600 is noticeably heavier than the a6000. I measure:
A6000 with 18-55 lens - 19 ounces
A6600 with 16-70 lens - 29 ounces
So an extra 10 ounces (up by 50 percent).
Part of this is the bigger battery and part is the 16-70 lens,
but there is no denying that the camera is heavier.
Other things
The following list is an enumeration of new things compared to my A6000.
You might think that the a6600 is just another camera with a 24 megapixel sensor,
but you would be wrong. The camera seems alien, different in so many ways.
Many of these I am discovering by reading and learning how to use the camera.
- 14 bit raw (rather than 12 bit on the A6000)
- Nicer EVF with more pixels
- totally different autofocus system with 425 focus points.
- Silent shooting (a fully electronic shutter)
- In body image stabilization
- Customizable "My menu"
- Bluetooth
The menu system is familiar in a general way, but is also entirely different.
The silent shooting mode will be useful for macro shooting off of a tripod.
A fully electronic first shutter would entirely avoid the shutter causing any vibration.
Bluetooth allows the camera to get GPS location data from a phone if it is within range.
It also lets you use the RMT-P1BT "remote commander" if you don't mind coughing up the $80.
On the other hand, if you carry a cell phone, it can be used as a remote.
Wifi
I thought this was new with the a6600, but apparently the a6000 had it and I never used it.
You can transfer images to a smartphone, or to a windows desktop running the Sony software.
I am not sure whether I will use this or not.
Feedback? Questions?
Drop me a line!
Tom's Digital Photography Info / tom@mmto.org