Digital Camera World - UK (2020-03)

Sony Alpha 6600 Mirrorless

Fujifilm X-T3

£1,229/$1,499

At launch, the X-T3

was so good in so many

areas that it was hard

to find anything negative

to say about it at all. And

it’s still a compelling

and keenly priced

mirrorless camera.

Reviewed: issue 210

Nikon Z 50

£849/$859

This APS-C mirrorless

model is a fantastic

enthusiast camera (at

an attractive price), and

proves that Nikon has

a clear vision for the

development of its

Z-mount system.

Reviewed: issue 225

Panasonic Lumix GH5

£1,299/$1,399

The GH5 can shoot

quality stills as well

as breathtaking video.

Then there’s the five-

axis IS and super-quick

AF system, as well as the

rapid shooting speed

and great image quality.

Reviewed: issue 190

Rival cameras

The A6600’s stunning AF and image stabilisation

make it suitable for demanding stills work, but its

still image quality is good rather than class-leading.

Resolution (line widths/picture height)

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Sony Alpha 6600 .$#1&'
  Nikon Z 50

Panasonic GH5

Signal to noise ratio (decibels)

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Panasonic GH5

Dynamic range (EV)

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Digital Camera verdict

There may be a lot that’s new in the A6600, but

sadly its sensor isn’t, and it shows when you

compare it with the Nikon Z 50 and the Fujifilm X-T3.

4.0 Excellent

Lab tests

Megapixel count is the primary factor in determining

which camera comes out on top in our resolution test,

so it’s no surprise the A6600 trails the 26.1MP X-T3.

The A6600 performs rather poorly here, although

the difference when it comes to real-world image

quality isn’t as pronounced as this graph implies.

Features Build &

handling

Performance Value

5.0 4.0 4.0 4.0

The A6600 is designed to withstand
a little more than other Sony APS-C
cameras. Boasting a weatherproof
design, it’s fitted with Sony’s step-up
NP-FZ1000 battery, which effectively
doubles battery life to about 720
shots. This, Sony claims, makes
it the longest-lasting APS-C
mirrorless camera around.
The A6600 has a three-inch
touchscreen LCD that tilts up to 180°
degrees to face forward. It’s a useful
feature for vloggers, as are the
microphone and headphone ports.

Performance
During our time with the A6600, it
was the Real-time Tracking autofocus
technology that impressed most of
all. The system is able to track a
subject and focus on them, even
when they turn their backs, and

it’s also possible to swap seamlessly

between face detection, eye tracking

and object tracking.

The advanced AF systems

certainly aren’t compensating for

any shortcomings when it comes to

the basics. Evaluative metering is

excellent, as the A6600 reliably

nails the optimal exposure settings.

Combine this with Sony’s Dynamic

Range Enhancement (HDR) and stills

display a decent amount of shadow

and highlight information.

If you’re expecting the eye-popping

sharpness and vibrancy you often get

from images shot on many flagship

camera phones, the A6600’s images

can seem slightly subdued by

comparison. However, we appreciate

Sony’s subtle, realistic approach, and

its avoidance of excessive in-camera

image processing. Ben Andrews

3

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