I started out on Nikon D40, and have kind of stuck with Nikon over the years, partly because of some of the lenses I acquired over the years, and partly because of familiarity with Nikon UI, but I have seriously considered Sony a6xxx on multiple occasions because Nikon’s autofocus can be finicky. There are still some shots that I occasionally miss on my Nikon due to mis-focus, where I’m pretty sure the Sony would have done better.
Camera aside, good lighting is key for good photography. Practice, practice, practice…
When I got my A6000 I just started charging it immediately, I didn’t want any chance of the battery dying during the first boot up or something that could possibly screw up the camera.
Thanks Pete! I agree, the D40 isn’t a focusing king to say the least. It’s one of the reasons I was looking for a new camera. The Sony got high marks when it comes to focusing, etc. I’m sure I’m going to love it.
I powered mine up and I got a message on the LCD screen “Battery Depleted”. It’s charging with a solid amber LED. I’m pretty sure I didn’t damage anything. (At least I hope I didn’t) The OEM battery is $50, a bit expensive. But if I have to, I’ll buy one
Yeah, those Sony camera batteries have chips in them to monitor the pack and report info to the camera. As a result, they self-discharge pretty fast. I have to charge mine every couple of months, whether or not I use my camera at all. That bugs me. Other than that, I like the Sony alpha cameras.
When I was buying a new camera, I really wanted one that took 4xAA Eneloops. Unfortunately, there was really only one dSLR that used AA cells. Almost everyone uses proprietary battery packs nowadays. They’re lighter, and they get to charge ridiculous prices for replacement batteries.
Congratulations on your new camera. Superb choice and great value.
Btw, I have Sony, Nikon and Canon Mirrorless and DSLR cameras. They all have pros & cons.
IMHO Canon & Nikon have the best ergonomics and UIs.
I strongly recommend you get genuine Sony batteries, because you get more pics per charge, they last longer, and they are more reliable.
As far as I am concerned the battery is the most important piece of equipment apart from the camera. And the Sony a6000's battery life is quite short as it is, particularly compared to DSLRs
My personal recommendation would be to stick to OEM batteries as well. I paid $60 for a spare OEM one for my Nikon.
However, I’ve read a lot of positive feedback about durability and life of Watson’s batteries, which seems to put them a cut above all the other no-name alternatives out there. So, if you are really in a pinch, that might be a viable alternative.
I second that. Been using one for about 6 months and it’s fine. Arrived about 50% charged. Both sony batteries arrived depleted. Wasabi brand of batteries is also good.