hitting (WiTh) A SiX Sony NEX-6

Transcription

1 62 Sony NEX-6 hitting (WiTh) A SiX Mixing ingredients from both the nex-7 and the nex-5r, Sony has come up with a pretty juicy recipe for an enthusiast-level compact system camera. report by paul Burrows. A mid all the excitement surrounding both the SLT-A99 and the Cyber-Shot RX1 with their 35mm-sized sensors, the NEX-6 ended up being a bit overshadowed, but fortunately it s now emerging into the limelight to show off its many capabilities. Appropriately, given its model number, the NEX-6 is made up of elements of the top-of-the-line NEX-7 and the mid-range NEX-5R. It s priced accordingly too, which means anybody who finds the NEX-7 a bit rich is going to find the NEX-6 a much more appealing proposition. Inherited from the NEX- 7 is Sony s fabulous XGA OLED eyelevel viewfinder, the 7.62 cm LCD tilt-adjustable monitor screen, a built-in flash and a good selection of manual controls (albeit differently arranged). From the NEX-5R comes a 16.7 megapixels CMOS sensor, a new hybrid autofocusing system, Wi-Fi connectivity and a selection of proprietary in-camera apps. Unique to the NEX-6 is its polycarbonate bodyshell and, most interestingly, Sony s adoption of a conventional ISO-standard hotshoe which may signal the beginning of the end for the twin-rail Dynax fitting it inherited from Konica Minolta. However, it s not quite a common-and-garden hotshoe because Sony has very cleverly integrated a 21-pin set of connections into the front edge to create what it s calling the Multi Interface Shoe. This means the camera will accept standard hotshoe-mount accessories as well as Sony s own dedicated accessories such as an external stereo microphone. The NEX-6 is similar in size and styling to the NEX-7 with a good-sized grip that promotes well-balanced handling. The kit lens is Sony s new 15-60mm f power zoom which is designed to give a more compact package overall with the extra wide-angle capabilities of a mm (35mm equivalent) focal range. As with Panasonic s X-series 14-42mm power zoom, this lens doesn t have a manual control for zooming so, if you don t like the idea, configure the camera body with a different lens, but the big advantage of the feature is with shooting video. It s almost impossible to manually zoom smoothly and continuously enough without creating small stop-start movements which are immediately noticeable in video footage. Indeed, power zooms are standard on professional video equipment for a very good reason.

2 dialling Up The NEX-6 s control layout differs from that of the NEX-7 by virtue of replacing the latter s twin dials on the top panel with a single, larger command wheel and a conventional main mode dial. This is actually a first for the NEX-series of cameras and clearly indicates that Sony is specifically pitching the NEX-6 at users who appreciate such things. As clear as day, then, is how you select the PASM exposure control modes, access the camera s subject/scene modes or set the NEX-6 s operation to fully automatic no need to worry about searching menus or control screens to find what you want. The rear panel layout pretty well replicates that of the NEX-7 with the exception that the video recording start/stop button has been moved (no doubt in response to NEX-7 users who complained it was all too easy to accidentally start recording video) and there is no longer an external AF/MF selector. Remaining is the combined sub-command wheel and four-way navigator which includes a set of function keys (with ISO setting added). With the loss of one external command wheel, there s been a slight revision to how the NEX-6 s external controls work, but the overall ease and efficiency hasn t been compromised. So the top wheel sets manual apertures or shutter speeds, depending on the selected exposure mode and the real wheel is used to dial in the ISO setting. In the manual exposure control mode, the rear wheel takes over the speed setting duties and is simply pressed on its right quadrant to switch it to setting the ISO. It may not seemn quite as logical as the NEX-7 s Tri-Navi set-up, but in practice it all works pretty well. Interestingly, like the NEX-7, the NEX-6 doesn t have touch-screen control even though it s provided on the NEX-5R and makes a bit of sense as far as, for example, the apps menu is concerned. However, it s the same impressive TFT-LCD Xtra Fine monitor screen which has a resolution of 921,600 pixels and Sony s TruBlack anti-reflection measures. The tilt adjustment allows it to be set at an angle of up to 90 degrees facing up or 45 degrees down. The alternative viewfinding method is, of course, the EVF which is Sony s 1.3 cm, 2.36 million dots OLED-type display which is equally as impressive in terms of its brightness, colour fidelity, resolution and dynamic range. In this application at least, OLEDs are superior to LCDs and it s interesting to note that Panasonic has switched to the former on its new Lumix GH3 model. As on the NEX-7, the EVF s eyepiece is located at the extreme left of the body (as viewed from behind) which makes it very comfortable for right-eyed viewers, but a bit problematic for those who use the left eye. Switching between the EVF and the monitor screen happens automatically when the camera is held up to the eye as a proximity sensor is located in the eyepiece. Eyepiece strength adjustment is also provided using a knurled wheel located alongside and which has a range of -4.0 to +1.0 diopters. SWEET SiXTEEN The NEX-6 s sensor has an effective pixel count of 16.1 million so it s not quite as glamorous as the -7 s 24.3 MP, but it s a reasonably high resolution and delivers a maximum image size of 4912x3264 pixels. Two smaller sizes are available at the 3:2 aspect ratio and a further three image sizes at 16:9, each with two levels of JPEG compression (Fine and Standard). RAW capture is in Sony s ARW 2.3 format with the option of RAW+JPEG capture which appends a large/fine compressed file. There s also a Sweep Panorama mode which creates a proper panorama rather than just cropping a normal frame. The function can be set up for left, right, up or down The provision of a main mode dial is actually a first for the NEX-series of cameras and clearly indicates that Sony is specifically pitching the NEX-6 at users who appreciate such things. Look! A main mode dial it s a first for a Sony NEX-series camera. Also worth celebrating is Sony s return to the fold in terms of giving the NEX-6 an ISO-standard hotshoe except this is Sony s new Smart Shoe (note the 21-pin connector along the front edge). 63 Sony NEX-6 Like the NEX-7, the NEX-6 is fitted with a built-in flash which neatly folds away to be fully concealed in the top panel.

3 64 panning or sweeping (i.e. the latter two for when the camera is held vertically) and then it s just a case of keeping the shutter pressed until shooting stops. The stitching is then performed in-camera and, as was the case with the NEX-7, looks to be virtually flawless. The imager s sensitivity range is equivalent to ISO 100 to 25,600; the higher settings made possible by further improvements to the noise reduction processing algorithms performed by Sony s latest generation Bionz processor. Sensor cleaning is via ultrasonic vibration of the low-pass filter (LPF) which also has an antistatic coating. Sensor cleaning is performed automatically every time the camera is switched off. Image stabilisation is via a lens-based optical system which Sony calls Optical Steady Shot rather than using sensor shifting as happens in Sony s D-SLR. Continuous shooting is possible at up to 3.0 fps with continuous adjustment of the autofocusing and the exposure control. However, switch to Speed Priority Continuous and the maximum shooting speed snaps up to an zippy 10 fps which, thanks to the new Fast Hybrid AF system, is achieved with full focus tracking. Like the NEX-7, the NEX-6 has a dual-format memory card slot which accepts either SD/SDHC/SDXC or Memory Stick PRO/PRO-HG Duo devices. The Wi-Fi module is fully built-in and not memory cardbased and it enables image files to be transmitted wirelessly to a computer, smartphone or tablet, or directly to social media Websites. Loaded into the camera is a bunch of apps to facilitate this application for both ios and Android devices as well as allowing for in-camera editing of images Photo Retouch and atcapture processing functions such as Picture Effect+, Multi-Frame NR and Bracket Pro (more about these shortly). All these are included in a menu section titled Application. New apps can be downloaded from Sony s newly-established PlayMemories Camera Apps site ( Apparently, up to 100 apps can be loaded into the camera and this is likely to be the way in which Sony will issue firmware updates. TAkiNg EffECT The basic image processing options start with a set of 11 Picture Effects which are accessed via the NEX-6 s Brightness/Colour menu. This is a very sensible idea which puts everything to do with adjusting colour and contrast in the same place. Sony also separates out Image Size and Camera into distinct menu sections. The Picture Effects are, special effects and the choice is Miniature, Rich-Tone Mono, HDR Painting, Soft Focus, High Contrast Mono, Partial Colour (red, yellow or green), Soft High- Key, Retro Photo, Posterisation (colour or B&W), Pop Colour and Toy Camera. Most are adjustable so, for example, Toy Camera has settings for Normal, Magenta, Green, Warm and Cool while Soft Focus has low, mid and high settings. Sony s picture presets are called Creative Styles and the NEX-6 has a set of six namely, Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset and B&W. Each of the colour presets has adjustable parameters for contrast, sharpness and colour saturation while the B&W preset has just the first two. There is no provision for creating any userdefined Creative Styles from these adjustments. The NEX-6 has the same Dynamic Range Optimiser (DRO) processing as is found on Sony s D-SLRs, and there s a choice of automatic correction based on the brightness range present in the scene or the manual selection of one of five preset levels. Alternatively, the camera has a selection of HDR multi-shot modes. With Auto HDR the camera captures a sequence of three frames with the correction applied automatically, again based on the brightness range in the scene. There s also a selection of preset exposure adjustments from +/-1.0 EV to +/-6.0 EV. These frames are subsequently processed to combine the underexposed highlights with the overexposed shadows and the correctly exposed mid-tones. fast focus Sony continues to work on the performance of its CSC s autofocusing so the NEX-6 has a new hybrid system which combines both the phase-difference-detection and contrast-detection methods. As is becoming increasingly common (Canon and Nikon have similar systems), the phase-detection sensors are embedded into the imaging sensor The former has 99 focusing points, arranged in a 9x11 pattern, while the contrast-detection uses 25 focusing points. The The 16.7 megapixels CMOS delivers excellent sharpness and definition. Colour fidelity is accurate across the spectrum and increased saturation is available in the Vivid Creative Style preset. Noise levels are exceptionally low up to ISO 1600 and still acceptable at both ISO 3200 and 6400.

4 camera uses phase-detection AF exclusively in the continuous mode to enable tracking, but otherwise it employs a combination of both measurements coarse focusing with phase-detection and finetuning with contrast detection. The idea here is to speed up the whole process compared to when using contrast detection only. There s the option of a moveable single point called a Flexible Spot or a fixed centre point plus multi-point with auto selection according to the subject s location within the frame. Switching between the single-shot and continuous operations is done manually plus there s a Direct Manual Focus (DMF) which allows for manual fine-tuning along with autofocusing. The face detection function has a recognition capability (after individuals are registered in the camera) and there s a new, related function called Auto Portrait Framing which, after a face is detected in the scene, does exactly what it says on the tin. Additionally, Soft Skin Effect does a spot of in-camera retouching which your subjects may or may not appreciate. Low light/contrast assist is provided by a built-in LED illuminator with a range of three metres. To assist with manual focusing there s a magnified view (at either 4.8x or 9.6x) with an inset graphic for guiding your movement around the frame. MF assist can be set to two or five seconds or to operate continuously. Alternatively, there s a focus peaking display now pretty much a Sony standard which indicates the plane of sharpest focus by highlighting the areas of maximum contrast in a preselected colour (red, yellow or white) and with three levels of sensitivity (high, mid or low). Additionally, both the enlarged view and focus peaking display can be combined with makes fine focusing adjustments pretty easy to achieve. Working The Light The NEX-6 s metering is also, of course, sensor-based and employs 1200 points to give multi-zone, centre-weighted average and spot measurements. The standard set of PASM exposure control settings is supplemented by nine subject/ scene modes which now include Anti Motion Blur. This captures six frames in rapid succession at a high shutter speed and, if necessary, a higher ISO in order to eliminate blurring caused by subject movement. The six frames Sony NEX-6 are processed together which helps eliminate the noise associated with the higher sensitivity setting. Something similar happens with the Hand-Held Twilight mode except here the emphasis is on increasing the ISO before the shutter speed. The other scene modes are Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset, Night Portrait and Night View. In the NEX-6 s Intelligent Auto mode, automatic scene mode selection is performed based on the analysis of subject data from the AF and AE systems. There s also a Superior Auto mode the multi-shot capture regimes are applied, if required, to reduce noise and correct for extremes of contrast (i.e. strong backlighting). The exposure overrides for the PAS auto modes comprise program shift, up to +/-3.0 EV of compensation, an AE lock and auto bracketing over three frames with either a +/-0.3 or +/-0.7 EV adjustment. However, the camera s autobracketing functionality is significantly increased with the Bracket Pro app which allows for the adjustment of apertures and shutter speeds separately (i.e. for depth-of-field or blurring/freezing), focus or flash. Nifty diagrams show the varying effects. The NEX-6 s shutter has a speed range of 30-1/4000 second (plus B ) with flash sync up to 1/160 second. Like with the NEX-7, there s the option of selecting an electronic first curtain to reduce shutter lag, vibration and noise. The built-in flash has a metric guide number of six (ISO 100) and the on-board modes include slow sync and first/second curtain sync plus up to +/-2.0 EV flash compensation. The auto white balance control is supplemented by nine presets three for different types of fluoro lighting a custom measurement and manual control temperature setting over a range of 2500 to 9900 degrees Kelvin. Additionally, there s a set of a CC filters; seven steps each for blue, amber, magenta and green (and they can be combined). Particularly handy is the colour square for fine-tuning the white balance settings and which has arrows extending from the cursor to blue-to-amber and green-tomagenta scales. The NEX-6 records Full HD video running at 50 frames per second progressive-scan (rather than interlaced fields) to give an image quality level of 28 Mbps using the AVCHD Version 2.0 compression format. There are also 50 fps and 25 fps interlaced modes at two quality levels (giving 24 Mbps and 17 Mbps) and the option of recording with lower MP4 compression at 1440x1080 pixels and 25 fps. Stereo microphones are built in, but an external mic can be fitted via the smart shoe. The built-in pick-ups have a switchable wind-cut filter, but aren t adjustable for levels. Video functionality extends to all the PASM exposure control modes, autofocus tracking, the Creative Style presets, some of the Picture Effect settings, and the Dynamic Range Optimiser (DRO) processing. Keeping Informed The image playback modes include four or nine thumbnail displays, a zoom function and a slide show with adjustable display times, but no transitional effects. The replay screens include a thumbnail with highlight and shadow warnings, a full set of RGB and luminance histograms, and the key capture info, including the Creative Style and DRO/HDR settings. Alternatively, the image can be displayed completely unadorned. The EVF and monitor screen can be separately configured for their live view displays, but both can show a real-time histogram, an electronic level display and a grid pattern (selected from a choice of three). The external monitor can also be set to display superimposed icons for the status of the various capture functions, but these are omitted from the EVF because they would simply make it too cluttered. The monitor screen also has a Graphic Display option which includes a set of scales to show the aperture and shutter speed settings, their relationship to each other and the visual effects. As with the NEX-7, there s a series of Help Guide displays which, fortunately, can be switched off in the set-up menu because, frankly, they do get in the way when you re using the menus. It s also worth noting that the read-outs are quite fine so occasionally legibility can be a problem. Operationally, the NEX-6 is largely menu-based with a handful of direct action controls. There isn t a conventional control screen, but many submenus appear in the monitor as rolling displays and are navigated by one or both of the command wheels. It s not all immediately intuitive, but it doesn t take long to learn the ropes and then the camera works efficiently. Sony has organised the NEX-6 menus into six sections (note the new one for camera apps) which includes putting everything to do with colour and contrast control into one called Brightness/Color. Control mode selection is accompanied by a brief description of the application plus there s an extensive set of Help Guide displays. One of the live view info screens showing the 99 focusing points and also a set of function icons. The Brightness/Color menu includes the metering modes, dynamic range expansion functions, white balance adjustments and sensitivity settings. The NEX-6 arrives with a number of camera apps preloaded including Photo Retouch and Picture Effect+ but many more will be available for downloading. 65

5 66 SpEEd ANd performance Loaded with a 16 GB Panasonic SDHC UHS-1 memory card and switched to Speed Priority Continuous mode, the NEX-6 rattled off 18 JPEG/large/fine frames in seconds which represents a shooting speed of 9.99 fps. This was also with the DRO set to auto so the camera was doing an impressive amount of number crunching along the way. The buffer also emptied exceptionally quickly so it is possible to go on shooting continuously, but at a lower speed. Notably, the 18-frame burst far exceeds Sony s quoted spec (which was also the case with the NEX-7). The hybrid AF system is impressively quick, rivalling the best from Panasonic and Olympus, and the metering is very reliable, but the dynamic range especially at the highlight end undoubtedly benefits from having DRO activated. We found that leaving it to make the corrections it saw fit produced excellent results every time. While the NEX-6 obviously doesn t deliver quite the knock-out resolution of the NEX-7, it s still a very fine performer in terms of image quality. The maximum quality JPEGs are beautifully crisp with super-smooth tonal gradations and excellent colour fidelity across the spectrum. The reproduction of fine detailing is extremely good. Noise levels are very low up to ISO 1600 so neither saturation nor definition are unduly compromised and still fairly low at ISO 3200 and ThE VErdiCT The NEX-7 is a hard act to follow, but the NEX-6 doesn t appear to be particularly daunted by the challenge. Not surprisingly, it s not quite in the same league in terms of image quality, but the differences actually aren t all that dramatic and it s superior in a couple of areas, most notably its autofocusing speed, the convenience of its smart shoe and the availability of wireless connectivity. It feels just as nice in the hand and, while we really liked the NEX-7 s Tri-Navi controls, the NEX- 6 s simpler arrangement is arguably easier and more efficient to use. Then there s the fabulous EVF and the tiltadjustable monitor screen. In all, then, it s a hugely appealing combination of features, functionality and ergonomics, topped off with a price tag that makes the NEX-6 certainly the best value option in Sony s CSC line-up and, in fact, the best value in CSCs full stop. SONY NEX-6 $1299* *with Sony E 16-50mm f OSS power zoom Type: Fully automatic digital camera with Sony E-bayonet lens mount. Focusing: Automatic via hybrid phase-difference and contrast detection system. 99-point widearea using phase-detection measurements, 25-point wide-area system using contrast-detection measurements. Spot and flexible spot modes plus face detection function. One-shot and continuous modes with manual switching. Auto tracking. Sensitivity range is EV 0-20 (ISO 100/f2.8). AF assist provided by built-in LED illuminator. AF micro-adjust available. Metering: 1200-zone multi-pattern evaluative, centre-weighted average, spot and TTL flash. Metering range is EV 0 to 20 (ISO 100/f2.8). Exposure Modes: Continuously variable program, shutter-priority auto, aperture-priority auto and metered manual. Subject programs for portrait, sports action, landscapes, close-ups, sunsets, night portraits, night views, Hand-Held Twilight and Anti Motion Blur. Shutter: Electronic, vertical travel, metal blades, 30-1/4000 second plus B. Flash sync to 1/160 second. Exposure compensation up to +/-3.0 EV in 1/3-stop increments. Electronic first curtain, metal blades second curtain. Viewfinder: Electronic eyelevel type, 1.3 cm XGA OLED display with 2.34 million dots resolution. Coverage = 100% vertical/horizontal. Magnification = 1.09x (50mm lens at infinity). Eyepiece strength adjustment provided. Adjustable brightness (Auto, Manual). Auto/ manual switching between EVF and LCD. Flash: No built-in flash. External flash units sync via ISO standard hotshoe (which incorporates a Multi Interface Shoe connector). Additional Features: Polycarbonate bodyshell, auto exposure bracketing (over three frames with +/-0.3 or 0.7 stops adjustment), AE lock, multi-mode self-timer (2 or 10 second delays; one, three or five frames), audible signals, remote control terminal, auto power-off, IR wireless remote control. The monitor screen fits flush with the camera s back panel which still manages to be pretty thin. The rear control layout centres around a combined navigator pad and subcommand wheel. Unmarked buttons are labelled in the monitor screen. DIGITAL SECTION Sensor: 16.7 million pixels CMOS with 15.6x23.5 mm imaging area. Sensitivity range equivalent to ISO ,600. Focal Length Increase: 1.5x. Formats/Resolution: Two JPEG compression settings and RAW output (lossless compression), plus RAW+JPEG capture (large/ fine JPEG only). Three resolution settings at 3:2; 4912x3264, 3568x2368 and 2448x1624 pixels. Three resolution settings at 16:9; 4912x2760, 3568x2000 and 2448x1376 pixels. 24-bit RGB colour for JPEGs, 36-bit RGB colour for RAW files. Video Recording: Full HD = 1920x1080 pixels at 50 fps progressive and 16:9 aspect ratio in the AVCHD Version 2.0 format (28 Mbps). 1920x1080 pixels at 50 fps interlaced and 16:9 aspect ratio in the AVCHD Version 2.0 format (24 and 17 Mbps). 1920x1080 pixels at 25 fps progressive and 16:9 aspect ratio in the AVCHD Version 2.0 format (24 and 17 Mbps). Stereo sound in Dolby Digital (AC- 3) format. HD = 1440x1080 pixels at 25 fps and 16:9 aspect ratio in the MP-4 format (12 Mbps). SD = 640x480 pixels at 25 fps and 4:3 in the MP4 format. Stereo sound in MPEG-4 AAC-LC format. Built-in stereo microphones. External mic connects via Smart Accessory Terminal. Recording Media: SD/SDHC/SDXC and Memory Stick PRO/PRO-HG Duo memory cards (single dual format slot). Continuous Shooting: Up to 3.0 fps for up to 11 JPEG/large/fine frames and 10 RAW files. Up to 10 fps in Speed Priority Continuous mode. White Balance: TTL measurement with auto/manual control, nine presets each with fine-tuning (amber-to-blue and magentato-green), one custom setting, manual colour temperature setting, CC filters (amber-to-blue or magenta-to-green) and manual colour temperature setting (2500 to 9900 degrees Kelvin). Interfaces: USB 2.0, HDMI output, Smart Accessory Terminal. Additional Digital Features: Smile Shutter auto release, active sensor cleaning, electronic level display, Auto Portrait Framing, real-time histogram, grid patterns (choice of three), 7.62 cm LCD monitor (921,600 pixels) adjustable for tilt, Sweep Panorama in-camera stitching, six Creative Style presets (Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset and B&W), adjustable Creative Style parameters (contrast, sharpness and colour saturation), 11 Picture Effect settings (Posterisation, Pop Colour, Retro Photo, Partial Colour, High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, Soft High-Key, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-Tone Mono, Miniature), Dynamic Range Optimiser (Auto and five manual levels from weak to strong), HDR mode (three exposures with either auto correction or manual adjustment from +/-1.0 to 6.0 EV), srgb and Adobe RGB colour space, lens corrections (Shading, Chromatic Aberrations, Distortion), exposure histogram with highlight/shadow warnings, luminance/rgb histograms, long exposure noise reduction (On, Off), high ISO noise reduction (Low, Normal, High), adjustable image display time, 6/12 thumbnail displays, auto playback with variable display time, playback zoom (up to 13x), DPOF and PictBridge support, built-in Wi-Fi module, Apps menu. Accessory flash supplied. Power: Rechargeable 7.2 volt, 1020 mah InfoLithium lithium-ion battery pack (NP-FW50 type). Dimensions (WxHxD): 119.9x66.9x42.6mm (body only). Weight: 287 grams (body only without battery pack). Price: $1099 body only. $1299 with Sony E 16-50mm f PZ OSS power zoom. $1599 for twin lens kit with Sony E mm f OSS telezoom. Distributor: Sony Australia, telephone or visit

6 DIGITAL MAGAZINES for ipad, Android & PC/Mac TOUCH US PINCH US SOUND+IMAGE AUSTRALIAN HI-FI PRO PHOTO CAMERA AUSTRALIAN INCAR ENTERTAINMENT CLICK any button to get new or back issues!