Sony has announced two new APS-C mirrorless cameras: the flagship A6600 and the lower-tier A6100. The A6600 has several high-end features that position it as the successor to the A6500, which was introduced in October 2016, reports from the verge.
Like the A6500, the new A6600 features 5-axis in-body image stabilization, a 24.2-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS image sensor, and super fast autofocus (AF), which can find the subject in 0.02 seconds. It also has Real-Time AF tracking and the new Real-Time Eye AF tracking that originally debuted in the A6400, which we reviewed earlier this year. Sony has added a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a first for the company’s alpha series of cameras.
The A6600 claims to have the longest battery life of any APS-C mirrorless camera, which Sony says is thanks to its Z battery pack, and it should last twice as long as the A6500. All in all, that should amount to about 720 shots before needing to be swapped out.
Sony also says that its new BIONZ X image processing system, borrowed from its A9 and A7-series cameras, gives a 1.8x gain in data processing speeds over the A6500.
Sony’s other new model, the A6100 — like most of its other APS-C cameras — relies on in-lens stabilization and doesn’t offer the BIONZ X image processing, but it does offer the same fast AF and Real-Time Eye AF tracking tech with still shots that the A6600 offers (although not for movie recording) along with the 24.2MP sensor.
Both of these cameras will be released later this year. The A6100 will release in October, and it will cost $750 for the body in the US. Sony is releasing a bundle that includes its 16-50mm E-mount lens for $1,100.
The A6600 will release in November, and the body will cost $1,400 in the US. Sony is releasing a bundle that includes an 18-135mm E-mount lens for $1,800.
Sony is also releasing two lightweight E-mount lenses later this year that are compatible with these cameras and its other APS-C cameras: the E 16-55mm (F/2.8) will cost $1,400 when it launches in October. The E 70-355mm with a variable f/4.5-6.3 will follow in November for $1,000.
