Press "Enter" to skip to content

Sony boosts APS-C offering

Sony has announced October availability of two new APS-C format mirrorless cameras, the Alpha 6100 (body only RRP $1349) and the Alpha 6600 (body only RRP $2399), and flagged two new APS-C-compatible zoom lenses (price and availability not supplied).

Sony Alpha 6600
Sony Alpha 6600

Lenses are the E 16-55mm F2.8 G standard zoom lens and the E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS super-telephoto zoom, which bring the E-mount range – both APS-C and full-frame/APS-C – to a total of 54 lenses.

‘Our announcements today highlight our “One Mount” strategy to continually expand the E-mount system with cameras and lenses that deliver complete inter-compatibility between full-frame and APS-C. This allows Sony to offer the widest range of innovative products that photographers can utilise for their individual content creation needs,’ said Jun Yoon, head of Digital Imaging, Sony ANZ.

‘The APS-C segment is extremely important to our customers and our industry, and the Alpha 6600 and Alpha 6100 cameras both pack in the very latest full-frame technology breakthroughs. Whether you shoot stills, video, or a combination of the two, we are confident all types of shooters will love these cameras.’

The new cameras use 24-megapixel CMOS image sensor, the latest Bionz X image processor and a front-end LSI also used in Sony’s full-frame cameras.

Sony Alpha 6100
Sony Alpha 6100

The Alpha 6600 and Alpha 6100 offer an autofocus acquisition time of 0.02 seconds. With 425 focal-plane phase-detection AF points covering approximately 84 percent of the image area and 425 contrast-detection AF points, the high density and wide coverage of the AF system ensure reliable AF.

Both new models feature Sony’s ‘Real-time Tracking’ which utilises Sony’s latest algorithm including AI-based object recognition to ensure that subjects can be captured with accuracy, even via the touch panel on the rear screen. In addition, the new models offer ‘Real-time Eye AF’, which employs AI-based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real time, resulting in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF for both humans and animals.

4K Recording
Both the Alpha 6100 and Alpha 6600 boast internal 4K movie recording in Super 35mm format with full pixel readout without pixel binning, to capture approximately 2.4x the amount of information required for 4K movies. Footage is in the XAVC S format. The Alpha 6600 delivers an HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile that supports an instant HDR workflow. Recorded movies can be played back directly on an HDR (HLG) compatible TV with no blocked shadows or blown highlights, and without the need for colour grading. For users who want to colour grade their footage in post-production, S-Log3 and S-Log2 Gamma profiles are provided.

Other shared features include:
– Improved colour reproduction; algorithms inherited from full-frame models deliver natural colour reproduction, particularly in skin tones;
– Internal 4K movie recording with full-pixel readout without pixel binning in Super 35mm format, with smartphone transfers via a mobile app;
– Interval shooting for time-lapse videos;
– 180-degree tiltable, 3-inch/921k-dot LCD touch screen;
– – Integrated microphone input for clear and crisp audio on video recordings.

In addition the Alpha 6600 features:
– ISO range of 100-32000 (expandable to ISO 50 – 102400);
– Area-specific noise reduction and detail reproduction technology reduce noise while preserving high resolution;
– Sony’s 5-axis in-body image stabilisation system for a 5 step shutter speed advantage;
– Longer battery life via the Sony Z battery for the first time on an APS-C camera: approx 720 still images using viewfinder, approx 810 images using LCD monitor;
– Dust and moisture resistant magnesium alloy body;
– Real-time Eye AF for movie shooting. When activated, the eye of a subject is automatically tracked. Touch tracking functionality will also automatically initiate Eye AF when a human subject is selected;
– Integrated headphone jack which allows the user to connect high-quality headphones.

New lenses
Sony believes it is really on to something with its differentiating ‘One Mount’ strategy: ‘The launch of these two new lenses demonstrates Sony’s commitment to building our E-mount line-up, both in full-frame as well as APS-C,’ said Sony Australia’s Jun Yoon. ‘With these APS-C lens and body announcements, Sony has added to its ever-growing range of cameras and lenses to suit all photography levels and empower content creators to capture incredible imagery and express their perspectives.’

The E 16-55mm F2.8 G (24-82.5mm in 35mm equivalent focal length) APS-C standard zoom has a constant f2.8 aperture. Key features are:
– High corner-to-corner resolution throughout the zoom range, even at f2.8;
– Two AA (advanced aspherical) and two aspherical elements suppress aberration for outstanding corner-to-corner resolution, while three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements reduce chromatic aberration and colour bleeding;
– Suppression of flare and ghosting via Nano AR coating;
– 9-blade circular aperture mechanism and precisely controlled spherical aberration;
– Light weight of just 494 grams;
– XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motor – as used in G Master series lenses – for fast, precise, quiet AF and tracking;
– Customisable focus hold button for instantaneous operation;
– Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus control;
– Dust and moisture resistant design;
– Fluorine coated front element to resist dirt and fingerprints.

While there are no local details, the new lens is likely to be available in November. US recommended price is US$1400 – so maybe around $2300 incl GST in Australia.

The E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS features include:
– One aspherical lens suppresses optical aberration and provide outstanding resolution from corner-to-corner, plus three ED glass elements to suppress chromatic aberration and control colour blur even at corners;
– Circular aperture contributes to soft bokeh;
– Weight of just 625 grams;
– Sony’s advanced XD Linear Motor technology in an APS-C format lens, for fast, precise AF and tracking
– Built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation;
– Conveniently placed focus hold button can be assigned to a variety of functions via camera body;
– An AF/MF focus mode switch;
– Zoom lock switch to prevent the lens from extending under its own weight during transportation;
– Dust and moisture resistant design.

While there are no local details supplied, the new lens is likely to be available in November. US recommended price is US$1o00 – so maybe around $1650 – 1700 incl GST in Australia.

 

 

 

 

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Our Business Partners

Top