The Sony a6100 is an APS-C-format mirrorless camera that offers a varied feature set in a very tiny package. It is well-suited for both stills and video photography due to its flexible feature set and compact design.
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Capturing high-resolution stills is possible because of the camera’s 24.2MP CMOS sensor and its BIONZ X engine, which has a very wide sensitivity range and minimal noise. In addition, the sensor and CPU combination allows for UHD 4K video recording as well as fast continuous shooting at up to 11 frames per second for working with moving subjects.
Another feature that helps with fast-paced shooting is the Real-time Eye AF and subject tracking features, which aid to maintain excellent focus on a range of subject types.
In addition to its photography capabilities, the a6100 is equipped with a 1.44 million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder that provides excellent, eye-level viewing. A 3.0 in the rear “A touchscreen LCD with 921.6k dots is also available, and it features a 180° tilting design that allows it to be used from high, low, and front-facing angles.
Additional features such as built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allow for wireless image sharing and camera control from a mobile device that is connected to the camera.
Sensor with 24.2 Megapixels (Exmor CMOS)
In addition to smooth, nuanced image quality with minimum noise, the updated APS-C-format 24.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor achieves high sensitivity from ISO 100-32000, which can be further enhanced to ISO 51200 for working in low-light circumstances.
An innovative design that makes use of thin copper wires, enhanced circuit processing, and an enhanced front-end LSI helps to improve light-gathering abilities, reduce noise, and increase readout speeds, all of which are beneficial to video recording.
The sensor is available in a variety of sizes and can be used in a variety of applications. As an added bonus, the sensor and BIONZ X processor combo offer a maximum continuous shooting rate of 11 frames per second with AF and AE, as well as raw file output at 14 bits for a wide tone and color range.
UHD 4K video recording in the XAVC S format is supported.
Because of the Super35mm recording area and effective 6K resolution, internal recording of UHD 4K movies is possible at multiple frame rates up to 30 frames per second. Oversampling provides greater detail, and full pixel readout, which is devoid of pixel binning, allows for higher quality imagery with reduced moiré and aliasing.
It is also possible to record in full HD 1080p at frame rates of up to 120 frames per second, and both resolutions make use of the 100 Mbps XAVC S codec, which is stored behind an MP4 wrapper with 4:2:0 sampling.
The high-speed, 120-frame-per-second recording also allows for 4x and 5x slow-motion video recording at frame rates of either 30p or 24p, depending on the frame rate setting. An optional external recorder capable of clear 4K recording with 4:2:2 sampling can be used in conjunction with the high-resolution internal recordings made possible by the uncompressed HDMI output, which is also available.
While recording a 4K video, users will have the option of creating 8MP still images during playback by capturing a frame grab from the video and saving it as a separate file.
FOCUS IN 4D
In addition to 425 on-chip phase-detection points and 425 contrast-detection regions for fine focusing in as short as 0.02 seconds, the powerful 4D FOCUS system integrates 425 contrast-detection points and 425 phase-detection points to cover practically the full sensor area.
With the high density of focusing points provided by this hybrid AF technology, High-density Tracking AF Technology is enabled, which is capable of tracking moving subjects in a range of lighting situations. When photographing portraits (whether of people or animals), real-time Eye AF may be used to center the focus on the eyes of the subjects that have been identified.
It is available in both AF-S and AF-C modes. Using phase-detection points also allows the use of A-mount lenses with complete AF compatibility when using the optional LA-EA3 or LA-EA1 lens mount adapters, which are available separately.
For even greater precision, the apt 4D FOCUS system is capable of a variety of focusing functions. These include Lock-on AF, which retains the focus on moving subjects throughout the use of a configurable frame that is placed over the desired moving subject and Expand Flexible Spot, which employs neighboring focus points to maintain the focus on moving subjects even if the originally selected point loses focus.
When focusing on minute subject details, autofocus can be utilized in concert with the Focus Magnifier feature to achieve critical focus on the topic at hand.
Peaking MF is a feature that, in addition to autofocus, is included in the a6100 to aid manual focus adjustment by highlighting strong edges of contrast for a more objective manner of attaining sharp focus.
Design of the body and the presence of built-in Wi-Fi
- An electronic viewfinder with 1.44 million dots, the SVGA Tru-Finder 1.44m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder provides a bright, high-resolution way of monitoring at eye level.
- A 3.0 on the scale “It is possible to tilt the 921.6k-dot LCD touchscreen upward or downward by 180 degrees or 74 degrees, respectively, to accommodate working from high and low angles. White Magic technology with an RGBW pixel structure is also integrated into the screen, allowing it to be used in strong daylight circumstances with improved brightness.
- While looking through the viewfinder, the touchscreen design provides access to Touch Focus control, which allows for immediate focus point selection, as well as a Touchpad feature, which allows you to smoothly and intuitively pick a focus point on the screen while looking through the viewfinder.
- Integrated 3.5mm microphone ports provide more control over audio during video recording than traditional external microphones.
- When used in conjunction with the LCD screen, the supplied NP-FW50 rechargeable lithium-ion battery is rated for around 420 shots per charge.
- In addition to being powered by the battery, the a6100 may also be powered via a USB connection to a computer or a portable battery. It is also possible to charge the battery using this connection.
- Because of the built-in Wi-Fi, the a6100 can instantaneously transmit imagery to mobile devices for direct uploading to social media sites, sending through email, and storing in cloud storage services.. Near Field Communication (NFC) is also enabled, allowing for a one-touch connection between the camera and compatible mobile devices without the need for any complicated setup. If a mobile device is connected to the camera, it may also display a live view image on its screen and control the camera’s shutter remotely.
- The use of a Bluetooth connection enables the capture of location data.
Lenses ranging from 16 to 50mm
The camera body is accompanied by the flexible E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens, which has a focal length range of 24-75mm equivalent. This wide-to-short-tele zoom lens also has a power zoom function, as well as Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, which helps to reduce the appearance of camera shake in photos.
Sony a6100 Specs
| MSRP | $750 (body only), $850 (w/16-50 lens), $1100 (w/16-50 and 55-210 lenses) |
|---|---|
| Body type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless |
| Max resolution | 6000 x 4000 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 24 megapixels |
| Sensor photodetectors | 25 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Bionz X |
| ISO | Auto, 100-32000 (expands to 51200) |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 51200 |
| White balance presets | 10 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Extra fine, fine, standard |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 425 |
| Lens mount | Sony E |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.5× |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 921,600 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 1.07× (0.71× 35mm Equiv.) |
| Viewfinder resolution | 1,440,000 |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Aperture priority | Yes |
| Shutter priority | Yes |
| Manual exposure mode | Yes |
| Subject/scene modes | Yes |
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 6.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes |
| Flash modes | Flash off, auto, fill-flash, slow sync, rear sync, wireless, hi-speed |
| Continuous drive | 11.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes |
| Metering modes | MultiCenter-weightedSpot |
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | Yes |
| Format | MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264 |
| Modes | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 50i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC + Memory Stick Pro Duo |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| USB charging | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes (micro HDMI) |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth |
| Remote control | Yes (wireless or smartphone) |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 420 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 396 g (0.87 lb / 13.97 oz) |
| Dimensions | 120 x 67 x 59 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 2.32″) |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
