The Sony A6000 mirrorless was the first camera I ever purchased. After reading reviews for two cameras, I couldn’t wait any longer and took a leap of faith. In March 2021 my photography journey began and all I wanted was something affordable that worked with different lenses.
At the time I didn’t know what different lenses could do, apart from make things look closer or further away. I’d never heard of an “F-Stop” and definitely had no clue as to what Aperture meant. And it wasn’t until 2022 that I learned about APS-C crop sensors and Full-Frame camera bodies.
As a result, I had absolutely no idea how good the Sony A6000 mirrorless camera actual is and what it is capable of. In this article I’ll tell you more about my experience with it and how it played a key role in building my photography career.
Sony A6000 Camera & Kit Lens
I purchased my Sony A6000 and kit lens in the Spring of 2021 for £500. When it arrived I was impressed to see how compact it was. One of my first thoughts was whether or not I’d made the right decision. The camera is small, it’s light and when compared to structure of my friends cameras it seemed lacking.
Don’t let the size fool you. To restore my confidence in the purchase I headed over to YouTube and Google to find examples of works made with this camera. I couldn’t believe my eyes. As somebody taking their first steps into the world of photography and videography, I was inspired.
Sony A6000 Body
As a Sony E-Mount camera, the A6000 packs a sharp 24.3 megapixel APS-C sensor and is super lightweight and compact. The shutter speed ranges from Bulb and 30 seconds to a rapid 1/4000. It has a 3 inch tilting screen which I personally love, but can see why others may not be too keen.
I found that it allows me to position the camera lower with ease when shooting. Thus revealing more floor and foreground in order to ad depth. Unfortunately due to the nature of the screen you cannot flip it for selfies. Making vlogging quite difficult with this camera if you want to see what you’re recording when on the lens side of it.
Sony A6000 ISO
The ISO on this camera goes up to 25,600 but I would avoid going this high as the image tens to be fairly grainy. Personally I have avoided increasing the ISO above 400 on all of my shoots with this camera since moving away from the kit lens. The only reason being is I prefer to use external light to the best of my ability in order to maintain image quality.
I’m not saying the camera will produce poor images beyond this. I simply picked a number and stuck with it. At 400 I couldn’t notice any difference in the quality of images until I zoomed right in. Even then it was barely noticeable.
Sony 16mm – 50mm f3.5-5.6 Kit Lens
Unfortunately became quite bored of the kit lens very quickly. After just two to three months of shooting I knew it was time to step things up a little. Within those early months however I learned to work with the kit I had.
My focus was producing the best quality images using what I had prior to upgrading. I learned plenty about lighting, composition, setting up the camera to get the best results and more.
My favourite and not so favourite lenses for the Sony A6000
As an E-Mount camera you can pick and choose from a huge selection of lenses. Each and every lens serves a purpose and a price point. Meaning you don’t have to spend a fortune to completely up your photography game.
Sigma 56mm f1.4 lens
Straight to the point. The Sigma 56mm f1.4 lens is the best lens I’ve ever used, seen and have the pleasure of owning. It is super sharp and offers an incredible bokeh. Not only is it fantastic for photography but also shooting video too.
I’ve used the Sigma 56mm f1.4 for shooting absolutely everything. From street photography sessions in Norwich and London, to product photography for clients. With this lens I’ve been able to build a solid portfolio of a variety of photography types.
This cost me less than £400 but transformed my pictures to that you would expect from a much more expensive set up. Without it I don’t think I’d have accelerated my photography and videography career at the rate I have.
Sigma 16mm f1.4 lens
I’ll be completely honest. The Sigma 16mm f1.4 isn’t my favourite lens, nor do I think it will ever come close. I rushed into buying it when I realised that a wider angle lens is needed for certain shoots.
Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to test it with my new camera since upgrading to the Sony A7iv. However I’ll definitely put it to some use over the coming weeks and share the results on my Instagram and Facebook pages.
Compared to the 56mm f1.4 the Sigma 16mm isn’t as sharp and takes a little more work to capture incredible pictures. Despite being a struggle to get my head around, I’m very happy with some of the pictures I’ve been able to capture using this and the Sony A6000.
Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art lens
The Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art is designed to be a super sharp lens ideal for portraits with incredible autofocus features. Purchased mainly for shooting video, I have to say I’m impressed. Not only with its video capabilities with the Sony A6000 camera but also photos.
The Art versions of Sigma lenses are priced higher than the others and will require a bigger budget to invest in. However they are worth every penny. The 35mm as with the 56mm I use for everything. From portraits and product photography to landscape and filming.
Would I buy the Sony A6000 mirrorless camera in 2024?
In a heartbeat. There have been ample opportunities for me to sell this camera since purchasing the A7iv but I’ve kept it. I’ll be using it to capture behind the scenes shots when working on set. It will also act as an incredibly powerful backup camera should my main body decide it doesn’t want to play ball.
For anybody who is starting out on your photography journey or considering buying a camera that won’t break the bank, the Sony A6000 is for you. Don’t let anybody tell you that you have to spend more and have something bigger to become a professional photographer and videographer.
Although it doesn’t shoot in 4K, the HD quality of the Sony Alpha 6000 is worth every penny and a highly recommended starting point.
Buy your Sony A6000 Mirrorless Camera online at Amazon by clicking here.
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