Sony NEX-6 review: it’s the whole package, for just shy of a grand

DNP Sony NEX6 review it's the whole package, for just shy of a grand

Sony had a lot to show off just before we hopped aboard a flight to Photokina. The A99 was a lightweight bargain of a full-frame DSLR, the Cyber-shot RX1 was the most powerful compact we'd ever seen and the 16.1-megapixel NEX-6 was one of the finest mirrorless models of the year -- in other words, this is a camera manufacturer that's doing it right, with a wide range of high-end products that would make any tech giant proud. We won't dwell on the firm's troubling financial misfortunes, but based on the company's recent success in the digital imaging space, Sony absolutely needs to remain afloat -- the interchangeable-lens camera market simply wouldn't be the same without it.

For now, we'll focus on the NEX-6. You can snag this compact body for $850 without the lens, but you're probably gonna want to splurge for the kit. At just under $1,000, the 16-50mm power zoom lens duo is clearly Sony's premium 2012 entrant. It's the first such model to pack a brand-new collapsible optic -- it's not the speediest lens, by a long shot, but it is convenient, and versatile. Sony's standard 18-55mm lens is famously oversized in contrast to the relatively thin profile of nearly every NEX model. It's fairly hefty, suffers from significant barrel distortion and is prone to netting nicks and scratches.

With the NEX-6, that aging version's been retired -- at least temporarily, considering that it may pop up with lower-end models next year. This is also the first Sony mirrorless to feature a dedicated mode dial, and you'll get the NEX-7's OLED EVF, along with a built-in flash and a full-size hot shoe. All this in a body that's marginally larger than the NEX-F3. The 6 is clearly a miniature powerhouse, but is it destined to become yours? Find our take after the break.

Continue reading Sony NEX-6 review: it's the whole package, for just shy of a grand

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Amazon starts selling Sony’s Cyber-shot RX1, NEX-6 and Alpha A99

Amazon starts selling Sony's Cybershot RX1, NEX6 and Alpha A99

If you were interested in any of Sony's most recent camera revelations, it is now time to ready up that wallet of yours because Amazon's set to start taking orders pretty shortly. At this very moment, the trio's listed as "temporarily out of stock," but this is presumably due to the retailer being in the middle of stocking shelves with the latest and greatest shooters from the Japanese electronics outfit. Still, you can take your pick between that flagship Alpha A99, the mirrorless NEX-6 or the full-frame Cyber-shot RX1 and order one now, though they're not due to ship until October, November and December, respectively. As expected, both the A99 and RX1 are priced at around $2,800, while the NEX-6 carries a smaller $848 tag -- this, of course, being for the body-only flavors. All the links you need are down below, so make sure to bookmark 'em if you're interested in making one of these your own.

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Amazon starts selling Sony's Cyber-shot RX1, NEX-6 and Alpha A99 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony’s NEX-6 satisfies the FCC with paperwork, guts

Sony's NEX-6 satisfies the FCC with paperwork, guts

Still hungry for a closer look at Sony's WiFi-packing NEX-6 despite perusing our hands-on? Apparently the FCC feels the same, so it's used its government-granted authority to inspect the camera first-hand, and tear it apart in the process. This isn't the only time the 16.1-megapixel shooter has been given the ruler treatment, but a full copy of its user's manual has notably come along for its US visit. Check out the gallery below to view this NEX's guts, or hit the source link to gloss over a PDF of the instruction manual -- might as well get the boring stuff done before the package arrives in November.

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Sony's NEX-6 satisfies the FCC with paperwork, guts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video)

Sony NEX6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial handson video

Does the NEX lineup need another model? Sony reckons it does. Meet the NEX-6. The company's latest mirrorless camera looks nearly identical to last year's top-of-the-line NEX-7, with the exception of a new dedicated mode dial, that lets you switch between aperture- and shutter-priority, manual, or scene modes with a hardware control rather than a need to jump into the menu. It offers the same pop-up flash (with a bit more power), a 3-inch 921k-dot TruBlack tilting LCD, an identical 2,359k-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and a strikingly familiar design. And that's where the similarities screech to a grinding halt.

The NEX-6 is a hybrid camera of sorts, merging the best of the NEX-7 and the new 5R into a compact ILC that Sony says is its first to offer "full DSLR functionality." You won't be able to snag full-frame captures, as with Sony's brand new Alpha A99, but the 16.1-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor should get you well on your way. There's also low-light shooting through ISO 25,600, 1080/60p video, a 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting mode, the new Fast Hybrid autofocus system first introduced with the NEX-5R and a new Multi Interface Shoe that lets you interface with a bunch of new accessories, including a hot shoe-mounted XLR mic input rig ($800). Join us past the break for our impressions and hands-on video.

Continue reading Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video)

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Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony NEX-6 spotted in the wild, electronic viewfinder and mode dial in tow

Sony NEX6 spotted in the wild, viewfinder and mode dial in tow

We've had furtive glances of Sony's upcoming NEX-6 before, but only in the very clinical space of a government test lab. Apparently, no mere agency can confine it: photography workshop director Vincent Kang has posted a photo of the pre-release mirrorless camera on Weibo for all to see. Posing next to 24mm and 50mm lenses, the NEX-6 looks to be very much the in-between camera we suspected it was, without as much dedicated control as the NEX-7 but still carrying an electronic viewfinder, a pop-up flash and a dedicated function key near the shutter release. The dedicated mode dial is also more conspicuous -- there's no question that Sony wants to free up controls on the back for the future camera's more experienced target audience. Between the new design and the already known inclusion of WiFi, it's looking as though the NEX-6 may hit the sweet spot for shooters who want more control than the NEX-5R without sacrificing all its newer features. We just need to wait for official launch details to make it all real.

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Sony NEX-6 spotted in the wild, electronic viewfinder and mode dial in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 allegedly get pictured, flaunt WiFi logos (updated with leaked press shots)

Sony NEX5R and NEX6 allegedly get pictured, flaunt WiFi logos

In early August, an Indonesian POSTEL listing revealed two new mirrorless NEX shooters in Sony's pipeline, both reportedly rocking wireless LAN chips. Now VR-Zone seems to have come across certification photos of the two cameras, each modeling -- you guessed it -- its very own WiFi logo. As expected, this puts Sony's ILC range inline with the wireless smorgasbord it laid out at CES, eschewing less native, accessory-based solutions. VR-Zone wagers that the NEX-5R will sell for about $700, and pegs the NEX-6 somewhere around $1000. Better start saving -- hit the source link below for a better look at where your pocket money might be going.

Update: Sony Alpha Rumors has thrown in some more images of the NEX-5R, this time of the press shot kind. We've embedded a handful after the break.

Continue reading Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 allegedly get pictured, flaunt WiFi logos (updated with leaked press shots)

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Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 allegedly get pictured, flaunt WiFi logos (updated with leaked press shots) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unannounced Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 cameras could pack wireless connectivity

Sony NEX 5R and NEX 6 appear on Indonesian POSTEL database with WiFiconnectivity

Sony's NEX camera series hasn't made much noise so far this year, aside from its new entry-level F3 model. But that's likely to change soon, with a pair of new mirrorless model numbers appearing in Indonesian POSTEL listings. They've since been nixed, but not before the eagle eyes at Sony Alpha Rumors plucked this screen grab of the NEX-5R and NEX-6. It's the Wireless LAN part (which resulted in this listing) that's piqued our interested, suggesting that Sony's next generation of ILCs will also board the wireless connectivity train. There's no more detail to glean from the listing, although rumors (and hopeful prayers) point to an announcement ahead of premier camera show, Photokina, which kicks off next month.

[Thanks Andrea]

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Unannounced Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 cameras could pack wireless connectivity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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