Sony A6000

[pierces]

Pierces, I can see why you keep the 16-50PZ for travel. That little lens compacts down very thin and looks good with the lens correction applied.

 

Since I purchased used, I spent some effort to verify it works OK soon after delivery. I'm having enough "hand vignetting" issues with the larger 18-55 lens that it would be embarrassing to use the smaller lens for now. It seems entirely too comfortable to hold the camera lens with my left hand. That works fine until the camera lens is at less than 25mm.

 

That little lens is not the best at any focal length when compared to any of the more expensive zooms or primes but if you understand it's limitations and quirks, it can produce amazing results. This Auto-HDR shot of St; John's bridge in Portland was done hand-held with the 16-50 at 16mm - f/8. (After pulling the camera and lens out of my jacket pocket! :) )

 

 

Plenty of things wrong with it if that's what you're looking for but plenty more things right if you learn to use it appropriately...and damn, it's small!

 

One of the best all-around "kit" lenses I have ever used, IMHO.

 

Dave

Edited March 9, 2016 by pierces

[flatlander321]

Nice bridge picture. The 3 kit lenses are certainly good enough for now. I don't plan to sell any of them in the near future.

 

Do you use some kind of protective cover on the lcd screen since you often carry it in a jacket pocket?

[Jameseric]

Sorry...personal shorthand! :)

 

"A 5-stop shot" in my head = -5, 0, +5 EV in the real world.

 

Dave

 

Thanks for explaining; I had guessed that "five" was the number of bracketing shots. Heh, guess that's why they invented questions.

[c230k]

Do you use some kind of protective cover on the lcd screen since you often carry it in a jacket pocket?

 

 

I have this on my A6000 and saving one for the A6300.

Found this to be the best, just clean you screen and attache. Npc bubbles, it's the best I have ever used. Also have it on my new FZ300.

Nice bridge picture. The 3 kit lenses are certainly good enough for now. I don't plan to sell any of them in the near future.

 

Tom :cool:

[pierces]

Nice bridge picture. The 3 kit lenses are certainly good enough for now. I don't plan to sell any of them in the near future.

 

Do you use some kind of protective cover on the lcd screen since you often carry it in a jacket pocket?

 

When I ordered the camera, I ordered a Sony PCK-LM17 semi-hard polycarbonate LCD protector, installed it on the A6000 directly out of the wrapping and have never thought about it again.

 

At $15, it seems expensive, but for the quality, perfect fit without trim and ease of application the price is actually reasonable. (I always do a cost of accessory to cost of camera sniff test with things like this.) It has a slightly matte finish and doesn't pick up any more glare or reflection than the LCD. In the last year and a half, it has picked up a few scratches but still looks pretty good.

 

Dave

[c230k]

Do you use some kind of protective cover on the lcd screen since you often carry it in a jacket pocket?

 

 

I have this on my A6000 and saving one for the A6300.

Found this to be the best, just clean you screen and attache. Npc bubbles, it's the best I have ever used. Also have it on my new FZ300.

 

 

Sorry clip the wrong address, but agree with DAVE

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ3ZEWE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

 

Tom :cool:

[zackiedawg]

When I ordered the camera, I ordered a Sony PCK-LM17 semi-hard polycarbonate LCD protector, installed it on the A6000 directly out of the wrapping and have never thought about it again.

 

I use the same one on my A6000, since it was about a week old. My NEX-5N after about 1 year started to show some peeling of the tru-black coating around the edges, something that was pretty common to Sony LCDs after a year or two - I didn't much care about it - but figured with the A6000 I'd see if a protective cover might prevent the same from happening. In 2 years of heavy use, the screen shows no sign of that same coating peeling - could be the A6000's LCD addressed and fixed the problem, or could be the protective cover did the job...but either way, I'll be putting one on all my future cameras, just in case.

[flatlander321]

That little lens is not the best at any focal length when compared to any of the more expensive zooms or primes but if you understand it's limitations and quirks, it can produce amazing results.

(snip)

Dave

 

Is there a best way to find limitations of lenses, especially the lower cost models? I try to notice what the camera selects when using auto and P modes.

[havoc315]

Is there a best way to find limitations of lenses, especially the lower cost models? I try to notice what the camera selects when using auto and P modes.

 

What do you mean by limitations? there are many sites online where you can find testing and reviews of lenses.

 

The way to test a lens yourself, is to pixel peep at different apertures-- to determine sharpness and vignetting. Try it in different light, to test for flare, chromatic aberration, etc.

[wmjivey]

Has anyone used the LAE4 adapter with their A6000? I can get one for a good deal, but can't find solid information if it a must if you have for your bad if you have other A-lens.

 

John

[pierces]

Firmware 3.10 for the A6000 just released.

 

 

http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=ILCE6000&LOC=3#/downloadTab

 

 

Dave

[pierces]

Has anyone used the LAE4 adapter with their A6000? I can get one for a good deal, but can't find solid information if it a must if you have for your bad if you have other A-lens.

 

John

 

If you have screw drive A-mount lenses or lenses not compatible with the on-sensor PDAF, the LA-EA4 will drive them and adds the reflective phase detect autofocus from the A cameras to the A6000 or A7x cameras.

 

I thought about getting one to allow my Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 to work on the A6000 but I got an LA-EA3 instead to drive my 16-50 f/2.8 SSM on the A6300 instead and will just sell the 70-200.

 

 

Dave

[havoc315]

Firmware 3.10 for the A6000 just released.

 

 

http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=ILCE6000&LOC=3#/downloadTab

 

 

Dave

 

Am I reading correctly.. they added phase detection for adapted lenses to the A6000? lol.. that's one of the reasons I bought the a6300.

 

Edited: According to comments on other forums, it appears that phase detect was simply added for Sony's newest lenses, not for adapted lenses.

Edited March 14, 2016 by havoc315

[c230k]

The firmware update version 3.10 for Sony a6000, A7, A7R, A7S, A7RII and A7II adds support for the new Sony GM lenses and phase detect AF. Now AF can be used in movie recording mode with the SEL85F14GM

 

 

Found this info on the update.

 

Tom :cool:

[shootr]

Update successful, so what am I able to do now?

 

Wow - start up vastly quicker.

 

I'm fuzzy on phase detection vs contrast detection.

Edited March 15, 2016 by shootr

[pierces]

I'm fuzzy on phase detection vs contrast detection.

 

If you're a little fuzzy, it means neither is working for you! :)

 

Contrast detection uses sampling of the feed from a small area of the image sensor (active focus point) to determine if the image has maximum contrast at the sampling point to determine focus. Phase detection takes a split pair of tiny segments of the direct image through the camera lens and compares them to determine if they are the same. When the segments are identical, the image is in focus.

 

Contrast detection is typically very accurate but since it works by moving focus - measuring - move - measure, etc. it is slower. Add to that the fact that contrast detect reaches it's final focus by finding maximum contrast, going past it to confirm that it was maximum, then returning. This also involves making several ever smaller back and forth passes over maximum focus before locking on.

 

Phase detection was designed so the image sample comparison process can determine which which direction the focusing needs to travel to reach focus and can determine where to slow and stop as it approaches, eliminating the need for contrast-detect's multiple passes.

 

Recent increases in processing power have made the hunting process of contrast detect faster, but the direction-sensitive nature of phase-detect is just faster by nature. The problem with putting faster phase-detect on mirrorless cameras was that the image samples had to be split off by a partial mirror and reflected to the AF sensor points and mirrorless cameras notably lacked a mirror. Back in 2011, Sony patented a method of placing phase-detection on the sensor itself and the shift on mirrorless cameras from contrast-detect to the current hybrid autofocus systems started appearing a few years later. Mirrorless on-sensor phase-detect has also shown an interesting advantage over DSLRs. The reflection of the image to the AF sensor module contains a potential disconnect between the measured focus and the actual focus on the focal plane. To combat this, a lens-by-lens micro-focus adjustment database needed to be maintained in the camera to assure optimal focus. With on-senor phase-detect, there can be no adjustment issue since the focus detection occurs on the focal plane itself.

 

Less fuzzy, I hope!

 

Dave

Edited March 15, 2016 by pierces

[shootr]

Excellent, as always Dave. So there is no operator intervention required - like a lot of other wonderful things the camera just handles it "behind the scenes"?

[pierces]

Excellent, as always Dave. So there is no operator intervention required - like a lot of other wonderful things the camera just handles it "behind the scenes"?

 

You've got it. Recognized lenses work with the PDAF on the sensor (some, especially adapted lenses, will only use contrast detect). The firmware registered the new G-Master lenses so they will work on your camera.

 

And some other stuff that was too piddling to mention, I'm sure.

 

Dave

[flatlander321]

I think this qualifies as a low-light photo with the A6000.

It was taken about 45 minutes after sunset.

ISO 6400, f5.6, 18-55mm@55mm, 100% center crop, no external light/flash, multiple 1/4 second exposures combined via night handheld mode

 

[shootr]

^^^This, this is the kind of stuff that makes me so pleased with having this camera!

 

After last week in Hawaii, I was reminded again that the decision to sell off the giant Canon kit and "downsize" to the a6000 and a few choice lenses was the best thing I've done (photography-wise) in decades.

 

I got so many smooth waterfall shots at 1/15th and 1/30th shutter speeds, sunset pics that were handheld, video of a luau performance at night at distance, etc.

 

My enjoyment of photography is daily now (except when I just can't find something stimulating to shoot) but the ease with getting acceptable (to me) results has made it fun and not a chore because of the weight and size of my old system.

 

The bird/wildlife shots are flat out amazing. So by the time I start to retire or at least get more leisure time outdoors - there will probably be some ridiculously great E-mount wide aperture long FL lens that I will work towards getting to try and get some of those shots myself.

 

DAVE - DO NOT START LISTING WHAT IS AVAILABLE NOW! I MAY NOT FORGIVE YOU!!!:D:D:D

[shootr]

oUI8dOzZTiM

 

(Long, this was just for us as a memento, so tap out anytime - don't forget to hit the little gear sign in the lower right and choose "1080" for best effect if you do want to watch it)

 

Mostly shot with the a6000 and the 18-105 f/4 lens (little GoPro for closeups) - but man did it work fantastic, even in the shoulder-to-shoulder close confines of a packed helicopter.

 

But sure enough - passengers wearing white shorts, using cellphones with giant purple cases - rendered more than half the footage unusable. (I could care less actually - the view was ridiculous and worth every penny even if I never got a single shot.)

[wmjivey]

So what were your go to lens there? Did you use any of the kit lens?

[tommui987]

oUI8dOzZTiM

 

Mostly shot with the a6000 and the 18-105 f/4 lens (little GoPro for closeups) - but man did it work fantastic, even in the shoulder-to-shoulder close confines of a packed helicopter.

 

 

IMPRESSIVE!

 

I assume you had batteries galore?

[shootr]

Less than 1 battery for the whole trip, used some shooting earlier in the day. I figure I got 20 minutes of video plus close to 600 pics (was firing blind over my shoulder a lot.) Thanks

[shootr]

oUI8dOzZTiM

 

(Long, this was just for us as a memento, so tap out anytime - don't forget to hit the little gear sign in the lower right and choose "1080" for best effect if you do want to watch it)

 

Mostly shot with the a6000 and the 18-105 f/4 lens (little GoPro for closeups) - but man did it work fantastic, even in the shoulder-to-shoulder close confines of a packed helicopter.

 

But sure enough - passengers wearing white shorts, using cellphones with giant purple cases - rendered more than half the footage unusable. (I could care less actually - the view was ridiculous and worth every penny even if I never got a single shot.)

Used the 18-105 for everything but the luau, used the 50/1.8 for it because most was after dark.