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Sony A6600 Comparison Review

The Sony Alpha A6600 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in August 2019 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.

camera

Is the Sony A6600 a good camera? The A6600 has a Camera Elo of 2754. This rating puts the A6600 among the top 30 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the A6600 ranks among the top 10 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 4.5-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Sony A6600
Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor
4K/30p Video
ISO 100 - 32 000 (100 - 102 400)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0 LCD, 922k dots
Tilting touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body
810 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 69 mm, 503 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Sony A6600 vis-à-vis a credit card. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Sony A6600 vs credit card front
A6600 versus credit card top view
A6600 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Sony A6600 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A6600 120 mm 67 mm 69 mm 503 g 810 Y Aug 2019 1,399 amazon.com
2.
 
Fujifilm X-T3 133 mm 93 mm 59 mm 539 g 390 Y Sep 2018 1,499ebay.com
3.
 
Fujifilm X-T4 135 mm 93 mm 64 mm 607 g 500 Y Feb 2020 1,699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 III 125 mm 85 mm 50 mm 414 g 310 Y Oct 2019 1,199ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Sony A7C 124 mm 71 mm 60 mm 509 g 740 Y Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
7.
 
Sony A77 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 732 g 470 Y Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A77 II 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 647 g 480 Y May 2014 1,199ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A6400 120 mm 67 mm 50 mm 403 g 410 Y Jan 2019 899 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A6500 120 mm 67 mm 53 mm 453 g 350 Y Oct 2016 1,399ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A6700 122 mm 69 mm 64 mm 493 g 570 Y Jul 2023 1,399 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Sony A6600 was launched in the US market at a price of $1,399. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Check A6600 price at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Sony A6600 features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Sony A6600 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Sony A6600 sensor measures

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A6600 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p23.813.4149782
2.
 
Fujifilm X-T3 APS-C 26.0 6240 41604K/60p24.013.4185383
3.
 
Fujifilm X-T4 APS-C 26.0 6240 41604K/60p24.113.6199584
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1132476
5.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
6.
 
Sony A7C Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7340795
7.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
8.
 
Sony A77 II APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.413.4101382
9.
 
Sony A6400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.013.6143183
10.
 
Sony A6500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.513.7140585
11.
 
Sony A6700 APS-C 25.6 6192 41284K/120p24.314.0232986
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The A6600 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the A6600 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6600 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2359k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.70x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A6600 and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Sony A66002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
2.
 
Fujifilm X-T33690 n3.0 / 1040 full-flex Y 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
3.
 
Fujifilm X-T43690 n3.0 / 1620 swivel Y 1/8000s 15.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
5.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Sony A7C2360 n3.0 / 922 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n Y
7.
 
Sony A772359 Y3.0 / 921 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Sony A77 II2359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Sony A64002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
10.
 
Sony A65002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Sony A67002360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Sony Alpha A6600 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the A6600

One feature that differentiates the A6600 from many older cameras is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A6600 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while cameras without IBIS have to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A6600 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A6600Ystereo / monoYYYES2.0YYY
2.
 
Fujifilm X-T3Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
3.
 
Fujifilm X-T4Ystereo / monoY-micro3.1Y-Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
6.
 
Sony A7CYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
7.
 
Sony A77Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Sony A77 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
9.
 
Sony A6400Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YYY
10.
 
Sony A6500Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
11.
 
Sony A6700Ystereo / monoYYYES3.2YYY

It is notable that the A6600 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the A6600 can be found in the free online Sony A6600 Manual or on the Sony support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A6600. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A66004/5+4/583/1004.5/54/5 Aug 2019 1,399 amazon.com
2.
 
Fujifilm X-T35/5+ +4.5/588/1005/55/5 Sep 2018 1,499ebay.com
3.
 
Fujifilm X-T45/5+ +5/588/1005/55/5 Feb 2020 1,699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 III5/5+5/582/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2019 1,199ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Sony A7C3.5/5..3.5/586/1004/54/5 Sep 2020 1,799 amazon.com
7.
 
Sony A775/591/100..81/100..5/5 Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A77 II4/5....80/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 1,199ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A64004/5+4/585/1004.5/54/5 Jan 2019 899 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A65005/5+ +3.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2016 1,399ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A67004.5/5+4.5/588/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2023 1,399 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Check A6600 price at
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Sony A6600 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A6600.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Sony A6600?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A6600 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Sony equipped the A6600 with the BIONZ X image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A6600?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000.

Does the Sony A6600 have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the A6600 is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha A6600?

Sony mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the A6600. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the A6600 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A6600?

Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A6600 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Is completely silent shooting possible with the Sony A6600?

The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Sony A6600?

No, the Sony Alpha A6600 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony A6600?

The A6600 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Sony A6600 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A6600 for flash photography?

The A6600's flash sync speed is 1/160 sec.

Does the Sony A6600 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Sony A6600 use?

The camera gets its power from the Sony NP-FZ100 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Where can I find the best deals for the Sony A6600?

Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Sony.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Sony A6600
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2019
    Launch Price USD 1 399
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 367 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 000 x 4 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.91 μm
    Pixel Density 6.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 32 000 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 102 400 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 82
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1497
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 11 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent ShootingElectronic Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port YES HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony NP-FZ100 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)810 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 120 x 67 x 69 mm
    (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.7 in)
    Camera Weight 503 g (17.7 oz)

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