Hands-On Review: Sony a6300

With the popularity of full-frame cameras, it’s easy to overlook APS-C cameras like the Sony a6300. But that would be a mistake. This compact mirrorless—the successor to the Sony a6000—is speedy, delivers excellent image quality and is the first cropped sensor Sony mirrorless camera to record 4K video. Built around a new 24- megapixel sensor, one of the highlights of the a6300 is its blazingly fast autofocus, along with the camera’s 425 phase detection AF points spread across a large part of the sensor.

At $1,000 (body only), it’s pricier than the a6000—even when the older camera was introduced in 2014 for $649. But two years is an eternity in the tech world, and the a6300’s higher price tag brings a host of improvements such as 4K video, slow-motion video, an improved electronic viewfinder and an external microphone jack, to name just a few. I tested the a6300 under a variety of conditions—from portraits to fast action—with several different lenses, including the Sony 70-200mm f/4 OSS, the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM and the 85mm f/1.4 GM lenses, among others.

Image Quality
Overall image quality is excellent, with accurate and rich, but not overly saturated, colors. Although lens dependent, the a6300 captures sharp images with finely defined details. While not everyone will pair the a6300 with one of the new Sony G Master lenses, I got the best results with those high-end lenses (no surprise there), but the 70-200mm f/4 OSS lens also delivered when it comes to sharpness and details. The a6300 handles image noise quite well, retaining good detail up to about ISO 3200 and slightly beyond, gaining a little extra edge when processing RAW files vs. JPEGs.

Full HD video capture is solid, but the a6300 really excels when it comes to 4K. As expected, the a6300’s 4K video delivers exceptionally detailed footage. Out of the camera, colors are well rendered, but videographers will appreciate the addition of Picture Profiles—including S-Log 2 and 3—with options for more advanced color grading and an expanded dynamic range.

Design
Physically, the a6300 isn’t much different than its predecessor. It’s nicely compact at 2.63 x 4.72 x 1.92 inches and weighs about 14.25 ounces with the battery and media card installed. Numerous external controls and custom options enhance the camera’s usability. Dust and weather sealing have been improved, but more notable is the updated OLED EVF with higher resolution (2.36 million dots vs. 1.44 million dots) and faster refresh rates (120fps vs. 60fps), which complement the 3-inch tiltable LCD.

What We Liked
Beyond the camera’s excellent image quality and ability to blaze away at up to 11fps (8fps with Live View) in continuous shooting, perhaps the most impressive aspect of the a6300 is its fast and accurate autofocus—especially when combined with the minimal blackout in the viewfinder. Tracking is excellent as well, and the eye AF is an additional bonus that locks focus on a subject’s eye. The camera’s filled with features, with lots of custom options for streamlining operation. Of course, the addition of 4K video and a microphone jack certainly add to the camera’s appeal.

Photo © Theano Nikitas
I tested the a6300 under a variety of conditions—from portraits to fast action—with several different lenses.

What We Didn’t Like
Like its siblings, the a6300 is complex with a deep—and sometimes confusing—menu system and, for the uninitiated, it comes with a learning curve. External controls could be improved, most notably the small control dial. It’s positioned far enough in back of the shutter button that you need to use your thumb rather than forefinger to change exposure (I’d much prefer a control wheel like those found on DSLRs, in front of the shutter button).

While I’d much rather have a tiltable LCD like that of the a6300 than a static one, my preference would be a fully-articulated LCD—with touchscreen capabilities. Being able to select focus points via a touchscreen would be a great addition to the camera, especially given its terrific hybrid AF system. It’s also disappointing that the a6300’s top shutter speed maxes out at 1/4000th of a second and, even more importantly, that there’s no internal image stabilization as there is on the a7 series of cameras.

How it Compares
Is there good reason for a6000 users to upgrade to the a6300? Perhaps, but only if they’re dissatisfied with its already-solid AF system, since the a6300’s new autofocus system is far superior. And, of course, if you’re looking for 4K video with an APS-C sensor, then the a6300 is the ticket.

In many ways, the a6300 offers the responsiveness of a DSLR in a more compact body. Because of its fast continuous shooting and excellent autofocus and tracking, the a6300 is a solid option for sports and for other action shots, such as the recessional at the end of a wedding ceremony. Add good low-light performance, and the a6300 offers solid all around capabilities for the remainder of the wedding as well.

Aside from my complaints, I really enjoyed shooting with the a6300, whether it was capturing fast action with the FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS lens or portraiture with one of the new G Master lenses. Although shifting from full frame to a cropped sensor took a bit of an adjustment, the a6300 quickly won me over with its AF accuracy and full feature set.

Theono Nikitas has been covering photography for over 20 years. She pens Rf‘s PhotoForward Tech Tuesday blog posts and, although she loves digital, she still has a darkroom and a fridge filled with film.

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CreativeLive Video Tutorial: A Quick-Start Guide to the Sony a6300