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Sony A6000 and SELP18105g First Look Video Plus RX100 III Breakdown

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In this quick article I will introduce an HD Video where I show you Hands-on first look of the Sony A6000 and selp18105g lens. Then I will go directly into breaking down the most amazing point and shoot pocket sized camera ever made, the Sony RX100 III 😉 The video is only a few minutes long, but I think you will like what I have to say and getting a much closer look at the camera and lens combo I’m using for a few days. I will be using my Metabones lens adapter and Canon L glass on the A6000 as well to see just how good the new 24mp sensor is with top quality optics. I don’t have any Zeiss glass on hand currently, so the killer glass will have to do 😉

I posted this a few days ago on my youtube channel so be sure to check that out when you get a few minutes.

So, here is the video and please feel free to comment or ask questions as always..

Sony Alpha A6000

Key Features:

  • 24.3MP APS-C Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor
  • BIONZ X Image Processor
  • Tru-Finder 0.39″ 1,440k-Dot OLED EVF
  • 3.0″ 921k-Dot Xtra Fine Tilting LCD
  • Full HD 1080p XAVC S Video at 24/60 fps
  • Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
  • Fast Hybrid AF & 179 Phase-Detect Points
  • Up to 11 fps Shooting and ISO 25600
  • Multi-Interface Shoe and Built-In Flash
  • Price = $548 US @ BHPhoto | Amazon

More Sony A6000 Review and other Articles:

Sony A6000 from ~$598 @  BHPhoto | Amazon

Closing Remarks:

That is about it for now, but stay tuned for more A6000 sample photos with 100% crops and a head to head test with my Nex-6 and A7r? Oh yeah, why not!

I also wrote a more detailed breakdown article on the RX100 III (Click Here) if you want to see all the specs, features, and camera body photos all layed out nicely for your convenience 😉

Please consider making this a conversation by adding some thoughts in the comment area below just below…

Catch up with you later and have a great day,
Jay

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26 Comments

  1. I wish they would use the tilt screen from the new RX100. With the present set-up you can’t tilt the screen down when the camera is on a tripod. Or better yet they should start using a full tilt and swivel screen like on the new Alpa 7000, along with the mic in and headphone out, flash sync to 250, jpeg panorama without having to turn ARW (dyslexic?) off, real wireless remote shutter (where you don’t have to have the remote in front of the camera), auto/manual and IS off/on switches on the lens, back focus button that allows you to use focus assist without holding the shutter half way down (how often have you snapped the picture too soon?) and finally touch screen.

    Reply

    1. Hi William and thanks for the comments and sharing your input on the A6000. You raised some excellent points and I hope Sony is reading these comments 😉
      I totally agree the extra hinge allows for much better tilting and the next generation A6000, or A7000 if that ever happens, will have the RX100 III screen I would bet money. The 180 degree flip is also a really nice feature I wish the A6000 had, but Sony made the A5000 for that I guess, so…
      Thanks again and what about the ergonomics of the thumb button? I’m sort of getting used to it I must admit.
      Jay

      Reply

  2. Hi Jay
    Thanks for the 6000 update I am up for an upgrade.
    I am getting the 6000 for my trip to Africa in September and will use my NEX 6 as backup.
    I have the E18/200 as my general purpose lens (300mm with crop factor) but I am considering getting a lower f stop telephoto lens – constant F4 or better, not sure whetehr to rent or not , what would you recommend go for a sony lens or use an adaptor and go Nikon?

    Reply

    1. Hi Guy and thanks for the comments and questions 😉
      Honestly I would consider a tele converter screw on adapter for your 18-200mm lens, but it’s 58mm and the 18200le is 62mm – Here is the Sony VCL-HD1758 Adapter on Amazon >> So, you would have to crop in a bit, but gain significant zoom for really cheap.
      Renting something is an option, but you will need to use and adapter for sure. I’m not sure if it’s worth the extra weight on vacation honestly? I’m speaking from my perspective mind you, and you are going to Africa after all 😉 A huge lens would get some killer wildlife, but the LA-EA2 lens adapter would be needed for full AF. Are you good at manual focus? Do you need AF? How much weight do you want to carry maximum?
      Looking forward to your reply so I can try and help more,
      Jay

      Reply

      1. Hi Jay , excuse my ignorance but how do you attach a teleconverter 58mm to a 62MM 18/200?
        Also is there any light fall off that is lightly to occur? This may not be a major with the 6000 sensor but the 18/200 is not particularly fast at 3.5 to6.3

        Reply

        1. Hi Guy,
          It’s not the best idea admittedly Guy, but you would need a 62mm to 58mm step down ring, and yes you would lose a little light and crop. It’s really better for the smaller 49mm 55-210mm lens honestly and I probably should not have suggested it in hindsight. It seemed like a decent option for a cheap zoom amplifier though 😉
          Sorry Guy for any confusion I may have caused you,
          Jay

          Reply

      2. No worries Jay , I am really looking for a belts and braces approach as I am pretty sure the 200 mm or 300 on apsc with 24 meg capture will be good enough for 90% of shots so am really trying to hedge my bets.
        cheers
        Guy

        Reply

  3. I currently have the NEX-6 and would like to upgrade but I am concerned about the EVF “downgrade” in the A6000. Can you comment or go into some detail about the comparison of the two EVFs?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. I honestly can’t notice a difference Tim from my Nex-6 to the A6000. I just did an A and B on the EVF for you in my living room and I can’t tell the difference. It looks the same to my eye Tim. Perhaps if it was tested with some kind of device we could see a noticeable difference, but from what I can tell it looks the same on my end.
      I hope that helps,
      Jay

      Reply

    2. I just got my a6000 yesterday and still have my NEX-6 and I have to second Jay’s opinion on the EVF. If Sony had actually said the EVF on the a6000 was the same as the NEX-6 I wouldn’t question it at all. I can’t tell any difference.
      Just started playing around with the a6000 and it feels very familiar. What is taking a bit of time to get used to is the additional front loaded weight of the 16-70mm F4 lens. I never had anything but the kit lens for the NEX-6 so that change is taking some getting used to. Though I just opened the stuff like an hour ago and have been playing with it since.

      Reply

      1. Thanks for comparing the EVF’s as well Jose. I really looked hard and was surprised how identical they looked. Perhaps the glass in the viewfinder is better in the A6000 to make up for it? Software? I really don’t know.
        The Zeiss is much heavier than the kit lens for sure and will take some getting used to.
        You will notice a huge difference in image quality over the kit lens Jose and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts 😉
        Thanks again,
        Jay

        Reply

  4. Hi Jay,
    I just bought the E18-200mm OSS for my NEX 6, but was really waffling on getting the 18105G. I do both video and stills and thought the 18-200 was a better all round “one stop shop” lens for taking on trips. I guess the power zoom on the 18105 is the main feature for video, but I’ve never been successful with zooming while video-ing and usually take care of that in post. My other “problem” is that I’ve got an A7 and want to build a lens library for that, but still waiting. I’d really like to see an FE 70-400. I guess I could buy an a-mount adapter and use the a-mount 70-400, but that’s not ideal. I was playing with the A6000 at the sony store the other day and was impressed, but it’s a bit larger than the NEX 6 so loses some of that benefit of being really small. I like the combo of NEX6 and A7.
    PS, congrats on the future addition to your family. 4 is better than 3 IMHO (plus a dog).

    Reply

    1. Hi Doug and thanks for the comments kind words on the family 😉
      The 18-105 is really great, but you have so much more reach with the 18-200mm. If you don’t use the 100-200mm area then I would say the 18-105mm might be a better choice for you. The variable powerzoom is really awesome though, and with practice can produce some excellent results. I’m working on a sample video compilation now with all sorts of zooming tests and a behind the scenes lab view in really low light. Random clips…. A FE 70-400mm would be nice, but I think more likely a 70-300mm at some point. It is hard to say what Sony will do keeping in mind the LA-EA4 lens adapter can be used as you said. It’s not ideal, I agree.
      The slightly larger A6000 size I really didn’t notice, but the grip I did, and it feels better in my hands ergonomically. The camera has more metal so it weighs more than the Nex-6 also.
      Thanks again,
      Jay

      Reply

      1. Thanks, Jay. I look forward to seeing your video zooming tests. Something to consider in the test might be the difference in zooming versus moving the camera closer to the subject, like on a dolly or flycam. Unless we’re talking about a long zoom in where moving the camera would be impractical. I think the perspective of the shot would change in the two scenarios, so the look and feel of the shot would be different.
        I’m still keeping my eye on the 18-105, but I do use the longer range of the 200mm. I tried the 18-200 lens with the power zoom on a trip to Hawaii (rented it from Hawaii Photo Rental who were great BTW. Sent the kit via courier to my hotel the day before we arrived and had all the packaging to send it back, courier charges included in the cost. Fantastic service) and I found it to be super heavy and I couldn’t master the power zoom in the short time I had it. But the range was great and that led me to getting the 18-200. I took some great shots with the lens.
        I’m heading to China in a couple of weeks (Hainan) and am leaving my A7 behind, just taking my NEX6 with the 18-200 and maybe a couple of other lenses. I haven’t decided yet. I will take some video, but I think on this trip it will be mostly stills.
        Hey, I wonder if you will be using a microphone on your zoom tests and if the sound pickup will change as you zoom in?
        Take care, thanks for the great info. I like your HDR tutorial and have been playing around with that.
        Doug

        Reply

        1. Hi Doug,
          Anytime and I did do a bunch of dolly style zooms on my slider. I also did panning slides with zooms which came out pretty good considering I have very little experience with it. It really is hard to get smooth consistent zooms while moving in any way. Not the lenses fault, just physically challenging as a user I mean. Something else to learn 😉
          That lens service sounds amazing for sure and that lens although awesome, is way to big for everyday use in my opinion. It does take great shots and video though.
          I did use the on camera mic for all the zoom tests so far. So, you should hear exactly what is going on with the zoom and focus nosies. I can barley hear it honestly, but am still going through the video as I got tied up with projects around the house yesterday.
          Glad you found the HDR tutorial helpful! It’s a lot of fun and can really produce amazing results with practice. Especially with water and slower shutter speeds, night scenes, and so on..
          Have a good day and thanks again for the reply,
          Jay
          Jay

          Reply

  5. Hi mr. jay, nice website and thanks for being a host. I have a Canon 5D Mark iii, 24-105L lens, 70-200F4L lens and a sony rx100. I been watching with amazement the small cameras coming out of sony, like the A7 and the A6000 and considering buying both as I no longer find carrying bulky dslrs any joy or worthwhile. I can’t see anything that the A6000 and the A7 can’t do. What lenses would you recommend for me ? The 16-70 or the 24-70? And why? Also what are your thoughts on the A6000 and A7S combination?
    One small thing, your website doesn’t work well on my iPad at all. I don’t know if others face the sands issues, but I can’t get any navigation going on your website with my iPad. My website http://www.anandkmoorthy.com initially had some issues like this, but in sorted it out.

    Reply

    1. Hello Anand and welcome the Sony world 😉 Nice canon gear you have their and I don’t blame you at all for wanted to go smaller with the same IQ! Sony is amazing for that and is why I did what you are considering years ago. I still have the Canon gear, but rarely use it anymore, and never out of the house as it weighs a ton.
      If you want to go with the best bang for the buck, the A6000, the RX10, or the RX100 III is probably the best option. If you want the best IQ possible, the A7s is the low light master and full frame. Not the highest resolution though for large prints if that is what you need. The A6000 has a much higher density sensor, so the IQ should be significantly different. The Dynamic range on the A7s, should destroy the A6000.
      The E-Mount 16-70mm lens is designed for the smaller APS-C sized sensor like the one in the A6000. The 24-70mm E-Mount lens is for the full frame A7, A7r, A7s cameras. Both E-mount which is very confusing I know.
      Some features like the favorites menu on your Canon you might miss, and the self timer with HDR bracketing does not work on the Sony like it does on the Canon. A few other things like formating the card are in different spot in the menu, but yes the cameras are totally capable of the same IQ as the 5d Mark III in the real world. The Pro cameras are designed for hardcore rugged day to day use. If your not a Pro, that is not required 99% of the time and more and more people are realizing that. It just doesn’t make sense to carry the heavy DSLR when it’s not need to get killer images anymore is the bottom line.
      I really appreciate the info about the iPad. It works on mine last time I checked, but I will look into it for sure!
      I hope that helps, and what style photography do you prefer? It’s hard to say which lenses to go for without knowing for sure. Your website photos look great and lead me to believe the versatility of the zoom lens would be preferred by you. The 16-70mm is a great lens for the A6000, and the 24-70mm is a really good lens for the A7s. The primes are really the way to go with the full frame camera though honestly. If your going full frame, miles well go prime if possible for the best results imaginable. You canon L glass for example although heavy, will produce stunning results on that A7s if you decided to get it. It’s awesome on my A7r and has way more pixels to worry about 😉 Are you into video? the A7S is mostly made for that in particular?
      Catch up with you later and I hope that helps,
      Jay

      Reply

      1. Hi jay – thanks for this. I do have my prime lenses, a Canon 50mm f1.8 and a Canon 85mm f1.8. Those guys produce amazing photos, yes. But for travel and for all practical purposes, a 24-105 F4 zoom is ideal, I say. After buying a small camera and emptying space in my bag, I don’t want to fill it up with five different lenses. I rather go on a small tour with an A7 and an A6000, so you get two different types of pictures and all purposes.So a 24-70 is the way to go, I think, for if and when I buy a Sony.
        One question – between the A7 and the A7S, which one would you recommend for me? Yes, I do shoot video and I don’t want to go somewhere with a camera for photo, and a camera for video. That’s what I used to do earlier. Now if I can shoot good video then I rather shoot that on my still-photo camera itself. I was under the impression that if I have a 12MP A7S, then I will have great ability to crop pictures and good low-light capabilities. Having to stuff 24MP in the same sensor means greater chance of noise. While all the A7S advertisement has been about its video capabilities, I trust those low-light sensitivity is good for photos as well, no? Thoughts? So if I want a good still-photo camera that can also do good video, would you suggest I go with the A7 or A7S? What’s your advice?

        Reply

        1. Hi Anand,
          I’ve been thinking about your questions for a few days and I really think the A6000 and A7s might be the best bet for low light photography and killer video. The only issue with photography is the 12mp is not going to allow for that much cropping in post, but if you get the image correct on camera, 12mp is totally fine for prints up to 11×14 and even larger. The only issue I’m having is the 24-105mm lens is an f/4 which cancels out so much light, but you have the fast primes if you need them.
          We really need to see more of the A7s details to be sure it will meet all your photography needs. Sony might have left something out in the software, but I did hear it has the electronic shutter like the A7 which is really nice.
          I hope that helps a little 😉
          Jay

          Reply

  6. Hey Jay,
    I’d love to hear more about the 18-105mm f/4 lens. The A6000 and RX100 III will be reviewed to death all over the place, but there’s almost no reviews out there for that lens. I’ve got the A6000, which I love, and am looking to step up from the kit lens. The big question is the 18-105mm f/4 vs the 16-70mm. Is the Zeiss glass really worth the big bump in price? How’s the corner sharpness on the 18-105mm? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dan and great questions and points about the reviews. I am testing the 18-105mm f/4 OSS lens to death and I’m honestly loving it so far. The powerzoom takes some getting used to, but I’m starting to get the hang of it after about 2-4 hours practice I would say. I personally would rather have the SELP18105G lens in my arsenal for what I do these days and want to capture.. The optics are not as good as the zeiss by a pretty significant margin, but in the real world I don’t need perfect corners and the distortion is corrected very well in post (lightroom) and in camera. The video quality is a million times better than trying to zoom manually. The extended range, and full enclosure design, is also a nice advantage over the Zeiss sel1670z. Oh yeah, it’s also cheaper which makes the decision a no brainier for somebody like myself looking for the real world results and best bang for the buck. The lab photos I’m seeing show a clear advantage to the zeiss, but the SELP18105G is not bad. Especially once you stop down to f/5.6 and edit the raw file with sharpening and contrast, and so on. The Zeiss is better if you are doing portrait work, or landscape and printing a lot with little to no editing. If you don’t want to do any post processing, the eyes will be sharper and more detailed with the Zeiss. Your getting a boost in optical quality for sure, but I would go with a prime instead for that and save some money get the powerzoom.
      Again, looking at it from a real world perspective myself these days…
      I still have work to do, but that is what I’m thinking at this moment Dan, I hope that helps.
      Jay

      Reply

  7. Thanks so much for your website/blog; I always look forward to it–especially since I migrated from Canon to Sony. Just a plug for the a6000 with the Sony FE 70-200mm: Wow! What an incredible sports/wildlife combination! With the 11 fps burst rate, it can’t be beat. You might want to promote this setup. I’m hoping you might provide some more reviews on the a6000 with the 24-105 lens too. Thanks again!

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the comments Ken, and the full lens review for the 18-105mm g lens is in production now 😉 Did you check out the full A6000 review yet? It does have several sample photos using the 70-200mm 😉 Sony A6000 Review >>
      Jay

      Reply

  9. Hi Jay,
    Thanks for all of the great insight. Due largely to your top-notch advice and extremely informative videos I have ruled out purchasing the FZ1000 and other contenders and decided on purchasing the body-only A6000. Most of my reasons for buying it spring from things I have admittedly only recently learned, largely through your videos.
    Until recently I had been completely without anything but a point and shoot still camera until i bought an NEX-5, the original one, as my go-to still camera. (I am mostly a video guy and i have an entire arsenal of great video cameras, mostly Sony, but nothing worthwhile for still at all.) Before you gasp, I knew i had a big hole in my toolbox and I bought the NEX-5 in order to prepare for making the most of my entry into the world of the A6000. I was 99% for the NEX-6, but decided to hold out for the greater capability of the A6000…plus I like the menus and a list if other stuff better.
    I recently lucked out and picked up the NEX-5 on Craigslist, with the SEL1855 kit lens, Nikon adapter, 2 batteries, 2 chargers, hot shoe adapter and cheap shutter remote for $220. I have since added the SELP1650 lens, a nifty little F1.6 C-Mount cheapo 35mm manual lens w/ E-Mount adapter ($30 and so much fun), an EZ Share 16gb WiFi SDHC card, AC ‘Battery Eliminator’, a handful of filters and some other stuff. I am now committed to the very flexible and robust assortment of cameras that take E-Mount lenses. Previously the only one I had worked with is the NEX-FS700.
    I plan on eventually using the NEX-5 for aerial stuff with my quadcopter drone or as a B camera for documentary and interview stuff, but in the mean time it is my constant companion. I have been pretty impressed with the photos and videos I’m getting, the NEX-5 is incredible for the price I paid, even with the cheap glass I have on it.
    Here are my questions:
    1) Where are the greatest strengths of the NEX-5? Besides price and flexibility of lens options, where does it really shine? How best to put it to work so it doesn’t gather dust when the A6000 gets here?
    2) What are the inherent weaknesses of the NEX-5 that should be steeared clear of to avoid frustration and heartache during still shooting or video production?
    3) What basic pieces of kit are essential for all-around use of the NEX-5 if I wanted to pass it off to a budding photographer to get them started and “hook them up” with everything they will need? (Hopefully at relatively low cost since it would be a gift.)
    4) What manual/vintage or other low-cost lenses should I buy to round out the small collection of E-Mount glass I have now for documentary/indie cinema use? Nikon telephotos? A-Mount adapters? Cinema Primes?
    5) What learning resources do you recommend for people such as myself that know a good amount about video shooting and want to round out their knowledge of still photography and mirrorless/DSLR use?
    6) Is there a “killer feature” that warrants keeping it forever?
    7) How did you get to be such a total badass at what you do?…and where do you get all of your amazing toys? (I hope Sony or B&H or someone is sending you demos, etc. because you’re helping them sell cameras.)
    Sorry for the huge diatribe….Thanks in advance for what I’m sure will be an informative and concise set of answers to my laundry list of questions and thanks again for the great work you do in teaching your audience great things and giving us access to the information and insight you have gained and now offer to others. You have an incredible gift.
    I have bookmarked your Amazon links and use them each time I shop for something at Amazon. I know it’s not huge, but hopefully it contributes a bit to the work you do.
    Take care and keep up the good work!
    Regards,
    Erich H.

    Reply

    1. Hi Erich,
      Thank you so much for the comments, kind words, and questions! I also really appreciate you bookmarking the links, because every penny helps the cause 😉

      1) Where are the greatest strengths of the NEX-5? Besides price and flexibility of lens options, where does it really shine? How best to put it to work so it doesn’t gather dust when the A6000 gets here?

      Which Nex-5 is it exactly? The original?

      2) What are the inherent weaknesses of the NEX-5 that should be steeared clear of to avoid frustration and heartache during still shooting or video production?

      Not sure which model you have yet, but overheating was an issue on early models in some conditions.

      3) What basic pieces of kit are essential for all-around use of the NEX-5 if I wanted to pass it off to a budding photographer to get them started and “hook them up” with everything they will need? (Hopefully at relatively low cost since it would be a gift.)

      Essential for a very eager beginner with some skills in my opinion would be the 18-55mm or 16-50mm kit zoom, 55-210mm telephoto zoom, and possible a fast prime like the 50mm f/1.8 OSS lens if they appear interested in portraits.

      4) What manual/vintage or other low-cost lenses should I buy to round out the small collection of E-Mount glass I have now for documentary/indie cinema use? Nikon telephotos? A-Mount adapters? Cinema Primes?

      No manual vintage lenses are available for the E-Mount unless you use a lens adapter. In that case I love the old school Minotla glass! Check out the 50mm Rokkor-x posts and Ultimate Lens Adapters Guide >>
      Rokinon and Samyang make some geared cine lenses for reasonable prices if that is what you are looking for? Check out the E-Mount lens guide >>

      5) What learning resources do you recommend for people such as myself that know a good amount about video shooting and want to round out their knowledge of still photography and mirrorless/DSLR use?

      Honestly, practice is your best bet. High end video shooting requires a lot of photography knowledge really, so it should carry over well. If you need a better understanding of manual mode for example? Then books and tutorials are all over the place. I have a bunch for all of that good stuff this way >> Just click thru the pages at the bottom and you will see a ton!
      Book wise, Understanding Exposure was my favorite and most useful for learning slightly more involved basics.

      6) Is there a “killer feature” that warrants keeping it forever?

      No

      7) How did you get to be such a total badass at what you do?…and where do you get all of your amazing toys? (I hope Sony or B&H or someone is sending you demos, etc. because you’re helping them sell cameras.)

      That is really funny and thanks! I work for one of the phone companies. I do all this in my spare time and that is why I can’t always reply immediately and so on 😉 I used to do Pro photography on the side and gave it up for a family and now do this for fun and satisfying my creative and teacher side I suppose…
      I do get the toys as a loaner from BHPhoto, or sometimes I buy them like in the case of the Phantom Quadcopter >>
      If you ever have any questions or would just like to say hi, please feel free and consider joining the Sony Alpha Forum (Click Here) where I post more on the daily, because it’s much easier than writing a full article or review as you can imagine..
      Take care and have a great weekend,
      Jay

      Reply

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