GEAR TESTS: SONY a6000

Chris Parsons Nauticam Team Member

I have a soft spot for Sony mirrorless cameras. I still clearly remember when launched the first housing for the Sony NEX-5 camera 4 years ago, kicking off would become a major part of our business. Mirrorless was very new then, and we were really the first to embrace it for underwater. Over four years later, Nauticam is now unquestionably the leader in the mirrorless segment. Now in 2014, Sony changed their naming convention, so we don't really call them "NEX" any more, but the idea is the same - pack a large and excellent sensor into a small mirrorless camera.

The A6000 is the top of the line of this new AX000 series of cameras. The camera feels great in the hand, with easy access to manual controls. Auto focus is fast and seems accurate; my understanding is that this camera uses a combination of contrast and phase detection to make this happen.

Sony, along with partner Zeiss, has added a number of new lenses to this camera series, including the Sony 10-18mm (great for rectilinear wide angle) and the Zeiss 50mm macro (finally, a superb macro lens with an idea focal length for underwater). 

Sony has also really done a great job with making their menu system easier to use, yet not as child-like as on previous models. I find that I can easily locate pretty much any menu option I want very quickly. The two command dials make shooting manual very easy, and the housing puts those two dials in just the right place. The ergonomics of the housing are terrific, and it is a breeze to shoot underwater. I teamed it up with a Nauticam Flexitray and a single Inon strobe. This combo produces spot-on automatic flash exposure (TTL).

As I mentioned in the A5000 review, this housing also has the latest Nauticam enhancements, including the updated port lock system (super easy to change ports), and the optional LCD magnifier. By adding an optional valve, the housing is ready for a vacuum check, adding significant peace of mind about watertight integrity. Just flip on the vacuum switch, give it a few pumps, and the green light will indicate the rig is ready to dive.