By Matt Golowczynski From the digital camera world mag.
With a fresh AF system and 4K video, the A6300 aims to set the bar high for the enthusiast user.
Sony has done a stellar job to get its Alpha line of compact system cameras and lenses firmly established in the mirrorless camera market, with everyone from complete beginners to demanding professionals now catered for.
Plenty of focus has been placed on Sony’s most recent Alpha 7 full-frame models, although it scored a big hit with the more junior A6000 before this – and now it seeks to repeat its success with the A6300.
Features
The A6300 may look similar to the camera it updates, but a handful of changes on the inside
show it to be a much mightier proposition for the enthusiast. It has been constructed around a new 24.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor, which is said to be more efficient at gathering light and reading out information than the A6000. This also allows it to offer 4K video recording, a feature that Sony is strongly pushing through on cameras of all levels.
The sensor also offers an unprecedented 425 phase-detection AF points, plus 169 contrastdetection points. This combination is said to ensure that focus is swift against static subjects – focusing in as little as 0.05 sec – and capable of keeping up pace with moving ones.
There’s also the familiar sight of a tilting three-inch LCD screen, with 921,000 dots for clarity, but sadly no touch operation. The 2,359,000-dot electronic viewfinder above this has been upgraded from the 1.440,000-dot version on the A6000.
Sony has also thrown in the option of shooting at up to 11fps with focus and auto-exposure maintained throughout, as well as Wi-Fi and NFC for easy image sharing.
- The 16-50mm Power Zoom kit lens adds only a little to the camera’s profile.
- Not only does the A6300 offer a built-in flash, but there’s also a hotshoe.
- The Fn button brings up commonly used options, and these can be customised.
- The camera’s rear screen can be tilted up and down, but it’s not sensitive to touch.
Build & handling
All of this is wrapped up in a magnesium alloy body that’s designed with improved dust and moisture resistance over the A6000, as well as a sturdier lens mount. The grip is large and deep, and well rubbered for comfort, although larger-handed users might prefer this to be even deeper.
Controls are plentiful around the back of the camera, and a good level of customisation is possible. The control wheel at the rear moves freely enough for quick menu scrolling and option selection. The command dial on the top plate has a pleasing stiffness to it, although there can be a slight disconnect between its turning and the camera responding.
The LCD screen pulls away easily from the back plate: this makes viewing it in more awkward shooting positions easier, although when extended it can get in the way of certain controls, such as the commonly used Fn button and the rear control wheel.
Performance
Although the A6000’s viewfinder was a good performer, it’s great to see this being made even better here, with a higher-resolution panel. It’s crisp and high in contrast, and only troubled by a little noise in darker conditions.
The LCD screen’s specifications aren’t quite class-leading, and at default settings it appears somewhat under-powered and in need of a boost in brightness through the menu, although it otherwise performs as you would expect.
The camera’s revamped focusing system is one of its main highlights, and it’s pleasing to discover that it delivers. There’s very little delay when focusing on everyday subjects, while performance against moving subjects is also strong. The spread of focusing points, almost up to the peripheries of the frame, ensures that the system stays with the subject well wherever it moves.
Objects travelling in a variety of directions and speeds relative to the camera are picked up and detailed, adhered to well. Every now and again the system does get a little distracted and venture off elsewhere but, to be fair, this is true of many similar systems.
When set to burst shooting, Sony claims the camera can record 21 consecutive raw frames or the same number of raw+JPEG frames, and 44 JPEG frames at the highest quality setting – and with a fast memory card in place it manages to do just this. 4K videos looks crisp andand even when light levels fall there’s just a slight noise visible in footage rather than anything more disagreeable, with footage pleasingly free from aberrations.
Audio quality is also very good, although using an external microphone is advised as the camera joins many others in being susceptible to picking up wind noises when shooting outside.
Noise is well controlled in images, and usable results are still possible at settings as high as ISO 6,400, although you may wish to adjust noise reduction (or process the raw versions) as the camera’s noise reduction system can leave images lacking in detail. Images straight out of the camera show the A6300’s JPEG processing does a fine job, with pleasing colour, contrast and sharpness. (You may find that you wish to nudge up a little at times, particularly when shooting very detailed subjects).
The camera’s Dynamic Range Optimizer also does a fine job to reveal more detail in shadowy areas, helping images to appear balanced, which is just as well as the metering system can occasionally underexpose the odd frame. Exposure compensation is very easy to apply, though – and usually only around +0.5EV is all that’s required.
Colour The camera’s Vivid Creative Style has given the greens and reds in this image a pleasant boost, without oversaturating them.
Exposure This shows the camera’s slight tendency to under-expose on occasion. This image benefits from +0.5EV over-exposure to make it more balanced.
Specifications
Sensor 24.2MP APS-C Exmor
Focal length conversion 1.5x
Memory SD/SDHC/SDXC(inc UHS-I)/ Memory Stick Pro Duo
Viewfinder 0.39-inch OLED EVF; 2.36 million dots
Max video resolution 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) up to 60p
ISO range expandable to 51,200
Autofocus points 425 points
(phase-detect AF); 169 (contrast-detect AF)
Max burst rate 11fps
Screen 3-inch LCD, 921k dots, tiltable
Shutter speeds 30-1/4,000 sec, Bulb
Weight 404g (including battery and memory card)
Dimensions 120 x 67 x 49mm
Power supply Rechargeable Li-Ion battery (NP-FW50)
A slightly disappointing performance across the camera’s full sensitivity span here, with a signal-to-noise ratio that’s either the same or lower than the others at every setting.
The A6300 doesn’t fare too badly for raw dynamic range at its lowest sensitivities, although as ISO increases, its performance is largely outgun by the other cameras here.
Verdict
Although a comparison with its immediate rivals shows the A6300 to slip a little with dynamic range and noise, when viewed in isolation it performs well. It’s packed with features, focuses promptly and accurately, and records superb video. While it’s not cheap, you get a lot of camera for your money.
