My cameras video

 

Photography post: a new camera surprises & musings on product reviews & reviewing

Familiarity breeds acceptance. At least with cameras and me. They may not work as well as I’d like but I adapt and learn to put up with their idiosyncrasies. Annoyance fades away. This is just how they are. There may be better alternatives but the hassle of a whole new system is just too much so I don’t change.

Then the system is altered and suddenly improves, and I wonder why I didn’t realise how bad the old one was and why it’s taken this long for it to change. That’s happened with the Sony a6700 camera, which I have just bought, having persuaded myself to do so in this post from the 5^th August. My reasons for doing so was because it uses the same battery as my Sony a6600 (which I only bought in May this year because my a6000 was failing) and like that camera is weather-sealed and has stabilisation so when I carry both on a long walk (I always take two cameras in case of failure – it has happened) they are interchangeable.

I did note in the August 5 post that the a6700 “has a few advantages over the a6600 - the controls look easier to use, the screen flips out to the side, the eye tracking focus sounds astonishing - but nothing like those of the latter over the a6000”. I was completely wrong. The advantages over the a6600 are vastly greater than the latter over the a6000, so great in fact that they’ve opened my eyes to how poor much of the design of the a6000 and a6600 actually is.

The a6000 dates from 2014. I bought mine in 2016 to go with the Sony NEX 7 I bought in 2012 (NEX being the original name of Sony’s APS-C camera line) as both had the same 24mp sensors and I wanted to use them on a long walk with different lenses on each without the image quality being different. I really like the NEX 7 and think its controls are better than the very similar ones on the a6000 and a6600 (though nowhere near as good as the a6700). The menu system is also better than those of the later a6000 series cameras though still clumsy and not very intuitive.

I stuck with the NEX/a6000 cameras because I became familiar with them and found them reliable if somewhat quirky and awkward. I started with them when mirrorless cameras were new and there were only a few models. Of those I thought the NEX 5 the best, as explained in this post, so I bought it. I then started buying lenses and learning how the system worked. I had and have no intention of changing. Once I had the NEX 5 I never considered any other range. I’d found a system that worked for me and that was fine.

Menus: a6700 left, a6600 right

Until the a6700. Now I wonder how I put up with the earlier cameras! The a6700 has much better controls (even better than the NEX 7) and a much easier to use and more intuitive menu system. It’s been easy to set it up so I can access everything I want very quickly. I admit that a touchscreen, which wasn’t around for the NEX and a6000, also makes a difference (the a6600 has one that doesn’t do much), but it’s the overall layout of the menus that’s the real improvement.

Top plates: a6600 top, a6700 bottom

With the controls it’s the addition of a scroll wheel in front of the on/off switch that I really like. I can alter aperture and shutter speed easily with this and the top dial without taking my eye from the viewfinder. A simple positive change is the movement of the video button from the side to the top of the camera, where it can’t be inadvertently switched on, as it can with the NEX and earlier a6000 cameras. Not a big deal but part of the overall improvement in design.

Great spotted woodpecker. Sony a 6700, Sony E 70-350 lens, f8 at 1/400, ISO 500. Cropped

I don’t know yet if the recognition auto-focus is better than on the a6600. It’s certainly easier to use and has many more options – seven instead of two, including insects, which I almost certainly will use, and cars, trains, and planes, which I probably won’t.

Screens: a6700 top, a6600 bottom

The screen is another big improvement. On the NEX 7 and the a6000 it just angles up and down. On the a6600 it can be flipped up so you can see yourself for selfies and videos. On the a6700 it can be opened to the side and angled up and down and front and back facing. It’s bigger and brighter too.

I am delighted with the a6700. It is so easy to use compared with the earlier cameras. But why has it taken Sony so long to do this? And why have I put up with the earlier designs?

The answer to the last is because I didn’t know any better and realising this started me thinking about the difference between being a reviewer and a user. I’ve been testing hiking and backpacking gear for over forty years. When I try a new item I can compare it to alternatives old and new. I know which features work well and I know which features I like (they’re not necessarily the same). I can see how well an item fits into the whole range of similar products. I can’t do that with cameras. I’m a user not a reviewer. I’ve never used a mirrorless camera not in the Sony APS-C line. I don’t know how much better other brands may be, if at all. I’m not in a position to try many different cameras to see which one works best for me (and I mean really try them not just play with them briefly in a store). Maybe if I was I’d have changed from Sony long ago. As it is I’m glad Sony has changed. I haven’t felt as excited about a camera since the NEX 7.

I rely on reviewers who know camera gear like I know backpacking gear. But I only read reviews of Sony APS-C cameras and compatible lenses in detail. The rest I just glance at. I have no idea how other brands compare. It doesn’t mean the camera reviews aren’t important though. They’re the reason I never considered the a6100, a6300, a6400 or a6500 cameras – none seemed to offer any significant advantage over the a6000 – and only considered the a6600 when the a6000 began to fail. Lenses were a different matter and good reports by reviewers I trust has convinced me to buy several of them, and they’ve all been worthwhile purchases.

The reasons I decided on the a6700 – the battery compatibility with the a6600, the weather-sealing, the stabilisation – are still important but they’re overshadowed by the changes to the menus and the controls.

Rainbow at dusk. Sony a6700, Sony E 18-135 at 37mm, F8 at 1/25, ISO 100

You may have noticed I haven’t mentioned image quality once. That’s because I doubt it will be much different to the a6600 or the a6000 or even the NEX 7. The a6700 does have a 26mp sensor rather than the 24mp one of the other three cameras but I don’t expect that to make a significant difference. So far I’ve only taken 30 photos and haven’t yet done a direct comparison using the same lens and settings. Maybe low light high ISO performance will be a little better, but I think the improvements in processing software, especially DxO PhotoLab, are far more significant. And of course lenses matter too when it comes to image quality.

Photography Post: New camera, lens & accessories

New camera and lens

Since 2016 the Sony a6000 has been my main camera and it has been excellent. It’s been on every walk since I bought it and has taken many thousands of photos - 42,244 according to Lightroom and that of course doesn’t include deletions. However it is beginning to show its age and has developed a few quirks, most annoyingly it changes settings and opens menus at random. My half dozen batteries are fading too, only taking half the pictures they used to before needing recharging. They never lasted long anyway and on anything longer than a day walk I always carried four of them. Pondering this I decided I needed a new camera and new batteries. That was some time ago and the camera quirks have got more pronounced and the battery lives shorter. Rather than ponder I decided to actually do something and started looking for a replacement for the a6000.

Now since the a6000 was launched in 2014 there have been five successors in the a6xxx series, though none since 2019. Looking through the specs of these five cameras one stood out, the a6600. It is heavier than the a6000 – 503 grams rather than 344 grams but it has a much bigger battery meant to last over twice as long so I shouldn’t need to carry so many spares. The a6600 also has two other advantages – a flip-up mirror for selfies and vlogging (this might encourage me to do more videos!) and built-in stabilisation, useful for non-stabilised lenses. There are plenty of second-had ones available and I’ve bought one in excellent condition from MPB, a company I’ve used before for both buying and selling and who I’ve found reliable with great service.

Sony a6600 & Sony E 11mm lens

Along with the camera I bought, new but on sale, a Sony E 11mm F1.8 lens. This replaces the Samyang 12mm F2 lens I’ve had since 2015 which I’m selling. Now the Samyang is a good lens and I’ve taken some great night shots with it, which is the reason I bought it. However it’s a fully manual lens with no electronic connections to the camera. This means no autofocus, which the Sony 11mm has, though this isn’t a huge deal in an ultra-wide-angle lens, but also no record of settings. I’ve recently been using DxO Photolab 6 and DxO Deep Prime for processing raw files (more on this in future posts) and have found the results superb. Having lens information is crucial for this. DxO has a huge database of cameras and lens but this can’t cover non-electronic lenses like the Samyang that provide no information. The Sony 11mm is recognised by DxO.

The next two weeks I’ll be out camping in the hills with the Sony a6600 and the Sony 11mm lens. I’ll find out just how long the camera battery lasts and when I’m home just what results I can get from images taken with the 11mm lens in DxO software. I hope I’m not disappointed on either count!

Peak Designs

I’ve also been trying out some products from innovative camera accessories company Peak Design, namely the Capture Camera Clip, the Leash, and the Travel Tripod.

Capture Clip plate attached to camera base

The Capture Clip is a two-part device that lets you carry your camera securely on a rucksack strap or a belt and access it almost instantly. Now I’ve always carried my camera in a padded bag slung across my body which gives reasonably quick access whilst providing protection against rain or knocks. I really wasn’t sure how I would like having the camera hanging free.

Capture Clip in place

The Capture Clip consists of a plate that screws onto the base of the camera and a two-part Clip that fastens round the strap with two screws, total weight 84 grams. The plate slides into the clip and immediately locks into place. I tried it with my biggest and heaviest camera and lens combination – the Sony a6600 with Sony E 70-350mm lens – which weighs 1.2kg and it felt very secure on a walk over rough boggy ground where I was lurching around a great deal. It also felt comfortable and once I was used to finding and pressing the release button I could have the camera to my eye far faster than when removing it from a bag.I also tried it with the a6600 and lighter Sony E 18-135 lens (863 grams total) and this was also fine.

Sony a6600 & Sony E 18-135 lens attached to the Capture Clip

Of course the Capture Clip gives no protection against rain or knocks so I would still carry a waterproof camera bag for use in rain or when scrambling. How useful the Capture Clip will be for multi-day backpacking I’ll find out on my forthcoming trip.

Peak Designs Leash

On first attaching my camera to the Capture Clip I immediately discovered that the dangling camera strap was a nuisance. As I rarely actually use a camera strap I’ve always stuck with those that come with the camera. These however are hard to remove and hard to adjust. The one with the Sony a6600 does have quick release buckles so most of the strap can be easily removed but this still leaves fairly long pieces of webbing with chunky buckles hanging down in the way. To solve this I bought a Peak Design Leash. This is a brilliant strap. It attaches to the camera with tiny anchors that can be released very quickly and which are then barely noticeable, and it is very easy to adjust. I might finally start using a camera strap quite often.

Peak Designs Travel Tripod alongside the Sony a6600 with 70-350mm lens

Along with the Capture Clip Peak Design also loaned me an aluminium Travel Tripod. This is also brilliant, the best tripod I have ever used. But it’s also the heaviest at 1.56kg – there is a carbon-fibre version but that still weighs 1.29kg. The tripod I’ve used for many years, a now battered Velbon V-Pod weighs 281 grams. When I wrote about tripods for backpacking back in 2017 I gave one at 396 grams as the heaviest I’d consider as a replacement for the V-Pod.

Sony a6600 with 70-350mm lens on the Peak Design Travel Tripod

The Peak Design Travel Tripod is superbly designed. It’s very compact for the size, fast to set up, and easy to use. A camera fitted with the Capture Clip plate can be slid onto the ball head very quickly. I took the tripod on the same walk as the Capture Clip and set it up on a breezy summit. It easily supported my camera with 70-350 zoom lens – a combination that’s too heavy for the V-pod but then I’d never take that lens backpacking. If the weight doesn’t matter this is a brilliant tripod. I’d love Peak Design to make an ultralight version.

Just Mobile Shutter Grip 2

Using a smartphone for more serious photography and especially for videos over the last year I quickly came up against the limitations of trying to hold it securely and without my fingers getting in the image so I looked for a clamp with a shutter button to make this easy. The first one I bought was inexpensive and did make using the phone easier. It only had one position though. Then I discovered the Shutter Grip 2. This is another brilliant accessory. It not only provides a solid handle with a wireless shutter button but has a built-in selfie stick and a tripod thread. It can also be used as a phone stand. It weighs just 68 grams and is now something I wouldn’t be without. It really makes a huge difference to smartphone photography.I'll take some pictures of it in use on my next trip.

 

Surprising film discovery and old cameras in use, for a while

A chance comment by @alex_roddie on a Twitter photography thread that he couldn't find any colour negative film anywhere reminded me that I'd recently seen an old roll somewhere. A hunt in some long neglected drawers revealed two rolls of Kodak ColorPlus 200 film plus two film cameras with half-used films in them. The two unused films have expiry dates in 2009 and 2011. I sent the latter to Alex. I'll use the former myself, when I've finished the two films in the cameras, one another Kodak ColorPlus, the other Kodak Elitechrome 100. 

One of the cameras was a surprise, one wasn't - I knew I had it somewhere. That both had half-used films in was more of a shock. How come I'd never finished them? When did they date from? What might be on them? I have no idea of the answers to any of those questions.

I changed completely to digital in 2005 so the films are older than that. I have no memory of when I last used the Ricoh GR1s compact, the camera I knew I still had and which has the Elitechrome film in it. I remember I enjoyed using it. It's compact and lightweight at 218 grams. The 28mm f2.8 lens is very sharp if I remember correctly.

The last time I know I used the Nikon F50 SLR was on my Munros and Tops walk in 1996. I bought it for that walk because I wanted a lighter camera than the Nikon F801 I had used for a number of years.The F50 feels like a brick now! Even though the lens on it is a small Nikkor 24mm. I didn't like the F50 as I found the tiny button controls fiddly and soon after the Munros walk I bought a lighter, better designed Canon SLR. The film in the F50 isn't from that walk though as it's a print film and I only took slides. I mainly used colour print film for product shots for gear reviews. Maybe I kept the camera for that purpose?

I'm interested to see what images are on these films and how they come out. I hope the pictures already taken will be okay. I doubt the ones I'm taking now will be as the cameras haven't been carefully stored, though both work perfectly. When I've finished the films and had them developed I'll post some results.

I might take the GR1s up in the hills. The F50 will only be used locally. The 24mm lens is the only I have for it, which will limit what I can do. But then I'm not expecting much from the results. 

Using film again has brought back many memories. I took hundred and hundreds of rolls, probably thousands, between 1979, when I started taking photography seriously, and 2005. I don't remember film fondly! Of course there was no other option but looking back now it really was a hassle, especially on long walks. I remember sending back batches of film for processing, in many small packets in case any got lost, and then waiting to hear from home that they'd arrived and the pictures looked okay. Unable to see the results I'd take two or more shots at different settings most of the time so a 36-shot roll was more like 18-shots. I carried a lot of film but still had to limit how many photos I took each day.

Sending photos to magazines and for books was another hassle. Parcelling them up carefully, insuring them (what price for irreplaceable photos from long walks?), posting them, waiting to hear they'd arrived okay, waiting for them to come back okay, checking them on return for scratches, glue marks, fingerprints - all of which occurred at times. 

Once these films are finished I doubt I'll shoot anymore. The cameras will go.

Digital is a joy! I love it!

Photographic Thoughts: Replacement Skies, Megapixels, Sensor Size & More

Sometimes skies are grey.....

The last few weeks a Facebook post by photographer Jon Sparks, editing software ads, and Alex Roddie's Wanderlust Europe book have all had me thinking about my photography and the subject in general.

To begin with Jon Sparks post (scroll down to October 29) and the software ads. Before reading Jon's post I'd been seeing an increasing number of ads promising you could create masterpieces using their software. You can change skies, add sunsets and sunrises and huge full moons and far more. Photo manipulation has been around since photography began of course but it is now much, much easier. And suggesting that technology can turn you into a top photographer isn't new either. It used to just be 'buy this camera and you can shoot pictures like a pro'. That's still around but now joined by 'buy this software and you can create pictures like a pro'. What's not mentioned is any idea that there's skill or craft involved. Instant gratification. Buy this and your photos will be superb. No effort required.

Creating good images with software on a computer screen requires some skill and time itself of course and there is a place for computer art, whether based on photographs or not. However I don't think such images should be presented as actual scenes captured in the camera, as they sometimes are. If skies, moons, sunsets are added this should be stated. I'd never do this myself as I want my pictures to approximate the scene as I saw it. I like to think that if someone went there in similar conditions the view would be much the same. To quote Jon Sparks: "For me, being a photographer is about being there. It’s about the whole experience of a place and the effort to capture an image that says this is what it was like. It’s why the time spent walking around, looking, touching, listening, even smelling, are as important as time spent looking through the viewfinder. And ultimately, photography is about those moments when everything comes together: when the light and the weather conspire to make magic." That's it. That's exactly it.

Early in the year when I submitted some photos for Wanderlust Europe I wondered if the ones of Corsica would be acceptable as they were taken on a 6 megapixel (mp) APS-C camera. There are 50mp + full frame cameras around now and 24mp is the norm - my cameras have been 24mp for several years. Would 6mp images hold up? They did. I shouldn't have worried and should have remembered this piece called Photography: How Many Megapixels Do You Need that I wrote three years ago when I had some 6mp photos used in another glossy outdoor book called Great Hiking Trails of The World. My 6mp pictures looked good then and they still do. And no editor has still ever asked what camera I use or how many megapixels it has.

Mentioning APS-C and full frame brings up a bugbear of mine - the unhelpful, intimidating and confusing terms used for digital cameras. What is APS-C? Is full frame, as the name suggests, the biggest image size? 

APS stands for Advanced Photo System, a film format in the 1990s that never really caught on. It came in three sizes, one them dubbed C for Classic. The digital APS-C sensor is the same size as an APS-C film image. But even so why call it by the abbreviation for the long obsolete film format?

A full frame sensor is the same size as 35mm film. It's not the largest digital sensor size though, medium format sensors are bigger. So in sensors 'full' is smaller than 'medium'. The latter must be overflowing. 

And there's micro four-thirds, which is bit smaller than APS-C, and the fact that APS-C sensors aren't the same size in all makes of cameras. Some coherence please!

Then there's the name for cameras with electronic view finders - mirrorless. Why name something for what it hasn't got? And mirrorless is short for mirrorless interchangeable lens camera or MILC. Alternatively your camera could be EVIL (electronic viewfinder, interchangeable lens). Cameras without fixed lenses, which also don't have mirrors, are called compact cameras, though some of them are bigger than mirrorless cameras. And there are bridge cameras, which have fixed lenses but are huge. It's all very disorientating!

My cameras are APS-C MILCs or maybe APS-C EVILs. I think I'll just call them cameras.

One of my APS-C MILCs

My Camera Set-Up

Sony a6000 & Sony E 16-50 f3.5-5.6 zoom lens

Back in August I collected together the various pieces on backpacking and photography that I've posted over the years and said that I'd add a post on my current set-up. Here it is.

Firstly I'd like to point out that I'm not suggesting that this is an ideal or best set-up, just that it's one that works for me. I use mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors because they are small and light, not because I think they produce better pictures than DSLRs with the same size sensors. I use Sony mirrorless cameras because of the only four makes available when I changed from DSLRs I liked the rangefinder style Sony NEX 5 best as I explained in detail here. Back then in 2010 Fujifilm hadn't launched their mirrorless X series, which I would certainly consider if making the change now. As it is I'm happy with my Sony cameras and don't see myself changing systems anytime soon.

Of course whether your photographs are ones you're happy with depends on many factors. A good quality camera and lens should mean your pictures are technically okay once you know how to get the best out of them but that's all. Composition and light are key to a good photo. 

CAMERAS

Sony a6000 & Sony NEX 7   384 & 374 grams (with battery, memory card & strap)

These two cameras go on almost every trip. Both have 24 mp sensors. In theory the a6000 produces slightly better images than the NEX 7. In practice I can't see any significant difference when used with the same lens. I normally use manual exposure settings - guided by the histogram rather than the light meter - and can change aperture, speed and ISO without having to delve into menus.

Sony NEX 7 & Sony E 10-18mm f4 zoom lens

LENSES 

Over the years I've acquired seven lenses and a tele conversion lens. I haven't ever carried all these lenses, even on a day hike. Indeed, mostly I carry just the first two, sometimes the third as well, and less often again, the fourth.


Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 zoom       117 grams

Sony E 10-18mm f4 zoom                 266 grams

These are the two lenses I almost always carry. On long trips like the one from Yosemite Valley to Death Valley that I undertook this time last year they are the only lenses I carry. Two bodies and two lenses means I never have to change lenses and risk getting dust on the sensors. The 16-50 is tiny and I can carry it on the a6000 in a pocket. If I only take one camera and lens - which is rare - it's that combination. The 10-18 is a fair bit bigger but I love the wide angle picture opportunities it gives.

Both are zoom lenses, which I prefer for fine-tuning composition. When I did an analysis earlier in the year I found that I did use the zooms to the full. And when I've been out with just a fixed focal length prime lens I've found it frustrating as there are always pictures I can't take.

Sony E 55-210mm f4.5-6.3 zoom     390 grams

My third zoom lens comes along when weight isn't too important - day walks and one or two night backpacking trips when I'm not planning on high mileage. This is always the lens whose usefulness I weigh up before a trip, often feeling reluctant to leave it behind. For a telephoto zoom it's very light but even so it's more to carry. Sometimes photography wins and I take it, sometimes the weight of my load is uppermost in my mind and I leave it behind. Recently I bought a Sony 1.7X Tele Conversion lens (254 grams) to extend the reach of the 55-210. It works well but won't be coming on any backpacking trips.

Sony NEX 7 & Samyang 12mm f2 NCS CS E

Samyang 12mm f2 NCS CS E        291 grams

This is the most-used of the four prime lenses I've managed to acquire. I bought it for its reputation for night photography and I haven't been disappointed. It's sharp and has a fast aperture. It's fully manual with no autofocus and I use it with focus peaking on the a6000, which makes focusing easy. It's a lens I always think I should use more. It usually comes on overnight trips if  starry skies are likely but rarely on day trips.

Sigma 30mm f2.8 EX DN E            162 grams

This lovely little lens hardly ever gets used. If there's one lens I should dispense with it's this. The 16-50mm zoom covers the same focal length and is far more versatile. As it was inexpensive I'll probably keep it though.

Sigma 60mm f2.8 DN E                  236 grams

Regularly praised for its performance I bought this inexpensive prime lens on the basis of reviews. And it really does produce superb results, especially portraits. Even so, as with the 30mm, I haven't used it much.

Sony E 30mm f3.5 Macro              162 grams

The only lens not intended for outdoor use I bought this for photographing my old transparencies on a lightbox. It does this pretty well though a longer focal length would make it easier. I have taken it on walks occasionally for photographing details of trees and flowers and more but generally it stays indoors.

From left: Sony 1.7x Tele Conversion lens, Sony E 55-210mm zoom, Sony 30mm Macro, Sigma 60mm, Sigma 30mm

CASES

For the last few years I've carried the a6000 & 16-50mm lens and the NEX 7 & 10-18mm lens in ThinkTank Mirrorless Mover 5 and 10 padded bags (192 and 302 grams).  These little bags have rain covers and pockets for memory cards and batteries. What I find most useful though are the magnetic flap closures, which make accessing the cameras quick and easy, and mean the zips under the flap only need to be used when it's rainy or dusty. So far the cases have proved tough.

ThinkTank Mirrorless Mover bags

Spare lenses are carried in Zing! neoprene bags that weigh 80 grams each.

TRIPODS

I always carry a very light tripod for low light, night, camping shots and self-portraits. As I'm usually alone in the hills taking pictures of camp activities means a tripod is essential. Currently this is a now rather battered Velbon V-Pod (281 grams). I wrote about tripods earlier in the year.

FINALLY ... SAMSUNG S7 SMARTPHONE     155 grams

I do always have a third camera with me, my smartphone. I use it often too, for the photos that I post on Instagram and occasionally elsewhere. In good light it takes pretty good pictures. I've never explored its potential fully but overall I'm pleased with it for snapshots and selfies.

AND NEXT .....

I'm happy with this set-up and feel I should try and get more out of the lenses I have before considering any others. However I am thinking about another body, a Sony a6500, for two reasons. Firstly the NEX 7 is quite battered now and may not last too much longer. Secondly the Samyang and Sigma lenses aren't stabilised, something I have to remember when using them as my other lenses have this very useful feature. The a6000 and NEX 7 aren't stabilised either but the a6500 is and so would extend the usefulness of those three lenses. I'm in no hurry though.

Backpacking Photography Posts Collection

Camping in the Lairig Ghru, Cairngorms. 

Over the years I've posted quite a few pieces on backpacking photography and cameras. I've gathered them together here for easy access.

My Photography in 2019: Favourite Pictures

A New Lens for Backpacking: the Sony E 18-135 f3.5-f5.6 

My Photography in 2018: Thoughts and Favourite Pictures

Farewell to Old Cameras

Carrying Cameras

Compact Cameras for Backpacking

Cameras for Backpacking: Decisions, Decisions

A Year With The Sony NEX 5

The Sony NEX 7: A Superb Camera for Backpacking and Hiking

Controversy 3: The Best Camera, The Best Carrying System

Sony NEX on the Scottish Watershed

Night Photography With The Samyang 12mm f2 NCS CS Lens

New Camera: Sony a6000

How many megapixels do you need?

Photography Then & Now on the Yukon & Watershed Walks

Thoughts on Tripods for Backpacking

Wildlife Photography & Backpacking

2016 Favourite Photos & Thoughts on Lenses and Focal Lengths

My Camera Set-Up

Just One Lens 

Favourite Photographs 2017 

Camera Bag Review: Hadley Small Pro

The camera bags I use on the hills and on long-distance walks

New Camera: Sony a6000

Sometimes I'm asked about the cameras and lenses I use and I have posted about them occasionally over the years. Yesterday I bought a new camera for the first time in many years so here, for anyone interested, are my thoughts about it.

For the last four years the Sony NEX 7 has been my main camera with an NEX 6 as backup. I'm still really pleased with the NEX 7 and although it's a little battered now I hope it'll last quite a few more years. The NEX 6 however, whilst okay as a backup, doesn't have as good image quality as the NEX 7 nor as easy to use controls and I've never been really happy with it.

Sony replaced both the NEX 6 and 7 with the a6000 a few years ago, having dropped the NEX name. At the time I didn't think it offered enough to justify upgrading. So why have I bought one now? With a big trip coming up (more on this soon) I want two 24mp cameras (the NEX 6 is 16mp) with a lens on each so I can use them alternatively and know the results will be the same quality. I did consider the a6300, Sony's latest camera in this series, but it's over twice the price of the a6000, which is currently available a real bargain, and its main advantages - 4k video and fast shooting - are not big concerns for me. It is weather resistant but my lenses aren't so that probably wouldn't be much of an advantage. From reading many reviews it seems the image quality is only marginally better than the a6000, if at all, and that's the main factor for me. I also briefly considered the full frame A7 which costs less with a 24-70 lens than the a6300 without a lens but I'm not convinced full frame has enough advantages to justify the extra weight.

I bought the camera from Jessops in Inverness - I always like to handle cameras to be sure I'm happy with them - and must praise the assistant there who gave good advice, listened patiently to my deliberations, and didn't try and push me towards the most expensive option. That's the way to get regular custom.

NEX 7 left, a6000 right

I bought the a6000 with 16-50mm lens even though I already have one of the latter. I think my old one is on the way out though - the focus/zoom ring no longer works - and I wouldn't want to rely on it on a long trip.

So my camera kit for long trips where weight matters will now be the Sony a6000 and NEX 7 bodies plus Sony E 10-18mm and 16-50mm lenses and Velbon V-Pod tripod. On other trips other lenses may come along - Sony E 55-210mm, Sony E 30mm Macro, Samyang 12mm, Sigma 30mm.

Initial tests with the a6000 suggest the image quality is much the same as that of the NEX 7 at low ISOs, as expected. Maybe at high ISOs it'll be a little better. The controls are better than those of the NEX 6 though I think I'll miss the top dual control dials of the NEX 7. The menu system is far more user friendly than that of the NEX cameras, which involves endless scrolling. I think I'm going to like this new camera, though it'll take a while to feel as familiar with it as I am with the NEX 7.