Sony A6600 vs A6700

The Sony Alpha A6600 and the Sony Alpha A6700 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2019 and July 2023. Both the A6600 and the A6700 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The A6600 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the A6700 provides 25.6 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A6600		Sony A6700
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		25.6 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/120p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 102,400)		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
810 shots per battery charge		570 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 69 mm, 503 g		122 x 69 x 64 mm, 493 g

Check A6600 price at
amazon.com
Check A6700 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6600 and the Sony Alpha A6700? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony A6600 and the Sony A6700. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A6700 is somewhat larger (5 percent) than the Sony A6600. However, the A6700 is slightly lighter (2 percent) than the A6600. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
2.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
3.		Olympus E-M5 III	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
5.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
6.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
8.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
9.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
10.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
13.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the A6700 uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ XR) than the A6600 (BIONZ X), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the A6700 offers a slightly higher resolution of 25.6 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the A6600. This megapixels advantage translates into a 3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the A6700 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 3.91μm for the A6600). However, it should be noted that the A6700 is much more recent (by 3 years and 10 months) than the A6600, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Sony Alpha A6600 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A6700 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the A6600 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A6700 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

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

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	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
2.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
3.		Olympus E-M5 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
4.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
5.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
6.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
7.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
8.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
9.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
10.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
11.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
12.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
13.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
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 also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A6700 provides a faster frame rate than the A6600. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the A6600 is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A6700 offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the A6600 (2360k vs 2359k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A6600 and Sony A6700 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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 A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
3.		Olympus E-M5 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
4.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
6.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Sony A6600 and the Sony A6700 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A6600 and the A6700 write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A6700 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A6600 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity 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 Sony Alpha A6700 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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 A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y
3.		Olympus E-M5 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
7.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
8.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
9.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the A6600 and the A6700 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The A6600 replaced the earlier Sony A6500, while the A6700 followed on from the Sony A6600. Further information on the features and operation of the A6600 and A6700 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6600 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A6700 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Sony A6600 better than the Sony A6700 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A6600:

• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (810 versus 570) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2019).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A6700:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ XR vs BIONZ X).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/120p versus 4K/30p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.70x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 10 months of technical progress since the A6600 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A6700 is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 2 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A6600 and the Sony A6700 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, 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 shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A6600 or the A6700. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-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]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
2.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
3.		Olympus E-M5 III	5/5	+	5/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
5.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
6.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
8.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
9.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
10.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
13.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check A6600 price at
amazon.com
Check A6700 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check A6600 price at
amazon.com
Check A6700 price at
amazon.com

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