Sony Alpha 6100 + Portrait Creator kit Sony - Review 🏆

The Sony Alpha 6100 is an advanced entry-level mirrorless camera that offers impressive performance and image quality in a compact and lightweight body. Part of Sony's popular APS-C sensor mirrorless lineup, the Alpha 6100 succeeds the older Alpha 6000 model with a range of updates and improvements.

Some of the highlights of the 6100 include a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, advanced autofocus with 425 phase and contrast detection points, 11fps continuous shooting, 4K video recording, and a flip-up touchscreen LCD. The camera provides an excellent blend of stills and video capabilities along with Sony's renowned image processing and sensor technology in a portable form factor.

The Alpha 6100 sits above Sony's most basic A6xxx models but below the more advanced A6400 and A6600. As such, it strikes a balance between price and performance, offering many pro-level features without the premium cost. Paired with the kit lens, flash, and other accessories, it makes for a versatile everyday camera for enthusiasts and aspiring professionals.

Overall, the Alpha 6100 represents an outstanding value in the APS-C mirrorless segment. With speedy performance, leading-edge autofocus, and great image quality, it's an ideal option for everything from travel and family photos to casual video projects and vlogging. This review will take an in-depth look at the 6100's capabilities and performance across a range of categories.

Specs and Features

The Sony Alpha 6100 features a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor, which enables fast shooting speeds up to 11 fps with AF/AE tracking, as well as native ISO 100-32000 for working in a wide variety of lighting conditions. The sensor and processor combination also provides apt 4K video recording and UHD 4K video at 30 fps.

Some key specs and features of the 6100 include:

• 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS Sensor
• BIONZ X Image Processor
• UHD 4K30p and Full HD 120p Video
• Up to 11 fps Shooting and ISO 100-32000
• 425 Phase- and Contrast-Detect AF Points
• Real-time Eye AF and Real-time Tracking
• 0.02 sec. AF Speed and 0.02 sec. EVF Lag
• XGA Tru-Finder 2.36m-Dot OLED EVF
• 3.0" 921.6k-Dot 180° Tilting Touchscreen
• Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC

The fast continuous shooting mode of up to 11 fps works with full-time AF/AE tracking for up to 116 frames in JPEG format or 46 frames in RAW, enabling fast-paced shooting. The sensor's native ISO 100-32000 provides low noise and expanded range up to ISO 102400.

Additionally, the Sony Alpha 6600 enhances these features with a 24.2MP sensor and offers in-body image stabilization for sharper images, making it an excellent choice for both photography and videography enthusiasts.

Design and Handling

The Sony Alpha 6100 has a compact and lightweight body, weighing just 403g. Despite its small size, it still feels comfortable and secure to hold thanks to the deep grip. The body is constructed from magnesium alloy which makes it feel sturdy.

The control layout is intuitive, with key controls like the mode dial and customizable function buttons within easy reach. There is a good level of customizability, allowing you to tailor the camera to your shooting style. The buttons are well-sized and have a positive click when pressed.

The handgrip is deep enough to allow a firm hold, even with larger lenses. The textured coating also helps with grip. The rear thumb rest makes holding the camera comfortable during prolonged shooting.

Overall, the ergonomics and handling of the Alpha 6100 are very good for a small mirrorless camera. It finds a good balance between portability and comfortable, secure handling. The body design and control layout allow for an enjoyable and intuitive shooting experience.

In contrast, the Sony Cyber-SHOT DSC-H300 offers a different shooting experience. This camera features a powerful 35x optical zoom lens, making it ideal for capturing distant subjects with clarity. Its design is bulkier compared to the Alpha 6100, but this enables a more substantial grip which some users may prefer. The control layout is also user-friendly, allowing beginners to navigate functions easily. For more details, check out the Sony Cyber-SHOT DSC-H300.

Image Quality

The Sony Alpha 6100 delivers excellent image quality for an APS-C sensor mirrorless camera. It features a 24.2MP APS-C sensor along with the latest BIONZ X image processor, which enables the camera to produce sharp, detailed images with natural color rendering.

The sensor provides good dynamic range, allowing for great highlight and shadow recovery when shooting RAW. Noise is handled very well, with usable images up to ISO 3200 or even ISO 6400 when needed. Images are crisp with good fine detail thanks to the lack of an optical low-pass filter over the sensor.

Overall the image quality is suitable for everything from landscapes to portraits to everyday snapshots. The large APS-C sensor outperforms smaller sensors typically found in entry-level mirrorless cameras. For most users, the image quality from the Alpha 6100 will meet or exceed expectations.

Autofocus Performance

The Sony Alpha 6100 has a very fast and accurate autofocus system thanks to its 425 phase and contrast detection points that cover approximately 84% of the image area. This allows you to reliably track subjects when shooting continuously.

Both people and animal eye AF work very well to maintain sharp focus on eyes in portraits, even when shooting wide open. The camera does an excellent job at subject tracking too, smoothly following the subject around the frame. For static subjects, the autofocus locks on instantly in both bright and dim lighting conditions.

Overall the autofocus performance is excellent for the price point. The hybrid AF system leverages both phase and contrast detection to deliver fast and precise autofocus in a wide variety of shooting scenarios. This makes the 6100 well-suited for shooting fast action like sports or wildlife, while also handling low light and tricky focus situations impressively well.

Video Quality

The Sony Alpha 6100 captures sharp 4K video up to 30 fps with full pixel readout and no binning. This results in highly detailed footage with minimal moire and aliasing artifacts.

The camera offers advanced video capabilities including S-Log2 and S-Log3 profiles for increased dynamic range and post-production flexibility. Slow motion recording up to 120 fps in 1080p resolution is also supported.

Audio controls are quite good with both a microphone input and a headphone jack provided. The mic input allows connecting an external shotgun mic for improved audio quality while monitoring audio via the headphone jack is possible. Overall the 6100 is an excellent choice for vlogging, travel videos, and general video capture thanks to its versatile 4K video features and audio capabilities.

Battery Life

The Sony Alpha 6100 is powered by a rechargeable NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery pack. Sony claims the battery can capture up to 420 shots on a single charge when using the LCD screen, or up to 370 shots when using the electronic viewfinder.

In real-world use, battery life will vary depending on usage habits. Shooting a lot of 4K video will drain the battery faster. The camera does have USB charging capability, which is convenient for topping up between shooting sessions.

Overall, the NP-FW50 battery provides decent battery life for a mirrorless camera. Carrying a spare battery is recommended for photographers who plan on shooting all day or taking hundreds of photos in a session. The battery can be charged either in-camera via USB or using an optional AC charger.

Lenses and Accessories

The Sony Alpha 6100 works with Sony E-mount lenses, giving you a wide selection of high-quality lens options from Sony and third-party manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron. Out of the box, the 6100 comes bundled with a Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS kit lens. This versatile zoom lens covers wide-angle to telephoto, making it a great walkaround lens for everyday shooting. With its built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, you can shoot sharp images even when handholding the camera at slower shutter speeds.

The 6100 is also compatible with Sony's wide range of full-frame FE lenses when used in APS-C crop mode. This allows you to utilize pro-level glass from Sony's full-frame lineup on the 6100, giving you more options for lenses while maintaining a compact overall package. Some especially useful FE lenses to consider are the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM standard zoom and FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS telephoto zoom.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent image quality: The 24.2MP APS-C sensor captures detailed, colorful photos with low noise. The camera can shoot up to ISO 32000 with minimal noise.

• Fast, accurate autofocus: The 425-point hybrid AF system locks focus quickly and accurately for stills and video. Real-time tracking keeps moving subjects in focus.

• Compact, lightweight design: Weighing just 403g, the body is much smaller and lighter than a DSLR. Easy to carry around all day.

Cons

• No in-body image stabilization: There is no sensor stabilization, so lenses must have OSS to enable image stabilization.

• Single SD card slot: Only one SD card slot limits flexibility for storage and backups while shooting. Dual slots are preferable.

Conclusion

The Sony Alpha 6100 is an excellent mid-range mirrorless camera that is a great choice for enthusiasts and travel photographers. It combines impressive image quality, fast autofocus, and useful features in a compact, lightweight body.

The APS-C sensor delivers detailed 24MP images with excellent dynamic range. The high ISO performance is also very good, making the 6100 a versatile option for both daylight and low light shooting. The autofocus system is extremely fast and accurate, with 425 phase and contrast-detection points covering 84% of the image area. Real-time tracking works very well for moving subjects.

For video, 4K recording, mic input, and a flip-up touchscreen make the 6100 a capable hybrid camera. The battery life is also reasonably good at around 400 shots per charge.

In terms of handling, the 6100 has an intuitive control layout and menus similar to other Sony cameras. The compact body is comfortable to hold and features a high-resolution EVF and tilting LCD screen. Connectivity options like WiFi and Bluetooth are also handy for image transfer and remote control.

Overall, the Sony A6100 hits a sweet spot between price, performance and portability. For enthusiasts looking to upgrade to a versatile mirrorless camera, the A6100 is easy to recommend. It's a great do-it-all camera for travel, street, portraits and more.