Sony A6000 vs Sony A6300

Introduction

Being a professional photographer doesn’t mean that you’re making a living out of photography. Photography is not just a hobby, it is often a lifestyle, a way of living because most people find it easier to express themselves through photography, rather than just talking.

But this hasn’t become a hobby over a day, it’s because often people find joy and satisfaction while photo shooting, or just seeing a picture someone else took, it’s basically what catches your attention the most. For example, every traveling company, a product manufacturer or some other brand uses photography to advertise their products, whether is with video or just a picture, it’s still the most efficient way to gain audience nowadays. So, what I’m trying to say is, if you’re a novice photographer who is just starting out, don’t let that dream fade, keep doing it.

Okay, to get to the topic now, for this article, we have two mirrorless cameras who are specifically made for such people, novice and semi-professional photographers: The Sony A6000 & Sony A6300. People often get fooled by the price of the product and still end up having a camera that doesn’t match their requirements, this is because you’re not really looking at the features that you really need for your photography or job.

The guideline is, even that these products do not have the same price, you might still find the cheaper one to be better than the other, but still, we’re about to see as we explain everything in detail, and point out even their slightest differences during the review. So, let’s not spoil any further and get straight into the topic.

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Head To Head Comparison

Sony A6000

At the time of the release, the A6000 was the top-deal for novice users, but guess what, it still is. In fact, it is more of a midrange mirrorless camera rather than a novice camera, but still, for those who want to take their photography to another level, this is the camera to go with, and we’re going to show you why in just a bit. Before I start, I just want to point out that I’ve used this camera for quite some time, and for my job, it didn’t really have everything I needed, but it was efficient in most situations.

Now, let’s start with the design first, shall we?

As you may know, mirrorless cameras are well-known for their unique design, more precisely, the small, compact, yet powerful construction which makes them the perfect addition for people who travel a lot, or people that really hate having heavy stuff with them when they go places. But that’s not the case with this camera, with a metal solid and sturdy body, this camera still has a lightweight construction, while other areas of the design include the rubber grip, which is decent and it is able to provide exceptional comfort while you hold the camera.

What I like the most about cameras is the LCD screen, but isn’t that also what you like the most? The LCD screen is the thing that is used most of the time when you take shots, change settings, optimize stuff and so on. So, I’m really happy that the Sony A6000 has a flip-out LCD screen design, which is very useful in most situations due to the fact that you can take your shots from different angles and viewing positions. However, for those that were hoping for touchscreen capabilities, you won’t find that in this camera, but don’t get your feelings down because touch-sensitive screens are really rare in cameras at this price range.

Okay, but what about the performance though?

Just as I always like to start, I’ll first point out that the Sony A6000 features a 24-megapixel sensor, which is able to deliver stunning image quality with lots of details and vibrancy. Despite the price, this camera has some of the most premium specs of all the cameras in this price range and some of the above. Starting with the autofocus system, which might be one of the main selling points of the A6000, boasting an amazing 179-point AF system, this camera is able to track even fast-moving subjects with ease. In addition, you can also do burst mode at a continuous shooting rate of 11 frames per second, and guess what, that’s really high-end specs right there since this is something that even premium cameras have, for example, the Nikon Z7, or the Sony A7RIII.

Regarding the ISO range, this camera’s ISO range stretches from 100-25000, also, impressive for the price, and yes, it performs exceptionally good even in low-light situations.

Now, to get to the most important case for those who intend to use this camera for videography. First, the camera doesn’t have 4K capabilities, so if you were hoping for that, get over it. But, just like any other mirrorless and DSLR, you get Full HD recording at 1920×1080 in 24p/60p/60i frame-rates. And to back up the 4K thing, for professional videographers, there is an option for saving uncompressed clean-screen video files and transferring them to external devices that use the HDMI connection method, pretty impressive right?

But what’s really appealing when it comes to this camera’s features? If you guessed it right, it’s the Dynamic Range Optimization, which helps greatly in terms of delivering a well-balanced image to ensure that the camera can be fully used, along with all of its capabilities for better highlights, colors, shadows, whites, blacks, etc.

I don’t think I’ve missed out in any detail when it comes to design and performance, so before we end, let’s also mention that the camera has a built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, so you won’t have to worry if you have to share or transfer your images to smartphone devices or tablets. But this is not the only connection method you get, since there is also an app called Camera Apps, which not only allows for transferring but also for remote camera control. It’s a good camera for taking photos of your products, especially if you don’t have any experience in that field.

Simply put, there’s really nothing bad you can find about this camera, it has a decent price, and it is the perfect mirrorless camera for novice users or semi-professional photographers who just want a second camera to go with. 

Sony A6000 Sample Images:

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Sony A6300

The Sony A6300 is probably the most rated camera in the “A” legacy. At the time of the release, it was purchased by many photography enthusiasts and professionals, simply due to the impressive specs and the image quality that it delivers. Well, it is not quite simple, but that’s a way to put it. Compared to the Sony A6000, this one differs in price by double, however, remember what I said in the beginning, price doesn’t really matter, what matters is the features that you are after more, while you should also know for what purpose you need the camera for, portrait photography, videography, still photography, landscape, sports, weddings, etc.

Okay, let’s get back to the review, first, we’ll start off with the design, and then talk a bit about performance and specs. So, let’s get to it.

In terms of the design, the Sony A6300, as you might expect, it boasts a magnesium alloy body, which is known as a durable material yet a lightweight one, considering that the camera has a very decent size, and it is mostly recommended for travelers because of that. I also like the grip size of the body, it’s not large but it is also not small, it’s in the middle, where you find the camera comfortable to hold, and it is also easy to reach the buttons even if you operate one-handed on it.

Now, don’t get fooled by the fact that this is an older camera, there might be new models available, but still, the Sony A6300 has the most common features and built set even today. For example, the LCD screen is 3-inches, and it has a flip-out design, which I am really a fan of. Basically, you get to tilt it, thus, this helps sometimes to shoot from different angles and viewing positions, while it also helps for better optimization and versatility.

But, don’t get your hopes too high, you won’t have touchscreen capabilities in this LCD screen, so for some people who are used to having that, this might be a problem. Starting from myself, I’m really a fan of touchscreen LCDs, you get tons of advantages by using it, for example, navigating through the menu, scrolling through images, manually autofocusing with only a touch of a finger, and so on.

Enough said about the design, let’s get more into the specifics now, and see how this camera truly performs, and what specs does it have.

To start off the right way, let’s first point out that the Sony A6300 has a 24-megapixel sensor, not so different from the cheaper model, the A6000. Therefore, you will mostly get the same results, stunning image quality, vibrant and sharp details. But, there is an advantage though, it’s the 4K video recording. Aside from Full HD video recording at 1920×1080, you are also given the option of 4K at 3840 x 2160 video resolution, so for those videographers, this is the camera for you.

It has an ISO range that stretches from ISO 100 – 25600( expands to 51200), but that’s not all since you also get to shoot continuously at 11.0 fps, which again, it is pretty impressive and it can definitely rank up with some of the most high-end models out there.

Furthermore, this particular camera is also pretty famous for its autofocus system. Basically, it boasts 425-phase detection AF points, and they are spread across the entire image area. If you couldn’t take the memo already, this camera has incredible tracking abilities, which means that it can track fast-moving subjects with ease, without losing focus or whatsoever.

Now, this might have gotten old by now, since I’ve mentioned this feature in almost any other Sony product, but I can’t help it, I simply like it so much, and I think it is one of the most appealing features of Sony, more precisely, I’m talking about the Eye AF technology.

Eye AF not only shows fast, effective autofocusing performance with eye detection but also keeps steadfast tracking on the eye of a moving subject. Therefore, this camera is also perfect for portrait photographers.

Connection-wise, the Sony A6300 has a built-in Wi-Fi, as well as NFC and QR. With these options available, you get to connect to a smartphone device or tablet and share or transfer your images with ease. Basically, the Sony A6300 has everything you could ever ask for.

Overall, the Sony A6300 delivers great value for money, and with its 4K capabilities, incredible autofocus system, and the Eye AF technology, this camera makes up for a perfect mirrorless camera for videographers, 4K demanding customers, and portrait photographers.

Sony A6300 Sample Images:

 

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Sony A6000 vs Sony A6300 Feature Comparison

	Sony A6000	Sony A6300
Camera Type	Mirrorless	Mirrorless
Megapixels	24.0	24.2
ISO Range	100-25000	100 – 25600( expands to 51200)
Flip-Out Screen	Yes	Yes
AF Points	179 AF points	425 AF Points
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	No	No
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	APS-C	APS-C

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Conclusion

Are you someone who wants to take your photography to a whole new level? Well, these are the cameras that can do exactly that.

Make sure you know exactly what you need the camera for, while by now, I believe you have enough arguments to support your decision, nonetheless, I’m still going to divide them based on what they are most suited for.

The Sony A6000 was okay, similar to the Sony A6300 in some ways, but not that much. It is the perfect all-rounder for novice users, since it is easy-to-use, and it boasts the most common features used in mirrorless cameras. I would more recommend it to people who are looking for a camera for their portrait photography, still photography, and landscapes.

On the other hand, the Sony A6300 is suitable for all of those, plus for people who seek a mirrorless camera with 4K capabilities, and with an incredible autofocus system for tracking fast-moving subjects with ease. It delivers great value for money, and if you were to choose between these two cameras, I would definitely recommend the Sony A6300, you simply can’t go wrong with it.

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