After an amazing holiday in Tuscany, we sat down to look at the photos which we had happily snapped with our smart phones. Whilst the pics were ok, they were just that…ok. They didn’t have the pop or quality that we see on other travel sites. They relied heavily on some processing on apps like snapseed to make them just a bit better. The real frustration was when they were blown up big – they just lacked sharpness.
So, we decided to make the investment in a smarter camera. However, this wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be. As anyone who has gone through a similar process would attest to, there are countless options out there. Even if you are clear on whether you want a DSLR, compact, and mirrorless, there are so many choices within that.
Eventually we settled on the Sony ILCE-6ooo, a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. There are newer models now out (the 6300
- Price – the camera with kit lens, bag and a few filters on Amazon set us back about £550, which we thought we a good price for a great piece of kit
- Size – the camera is small and light. You only need to hold up a big DSLR to understand the contrast. This would be key for us travelling and hiking
- Quality – 24MP, super fast autofocus and some quality glass available
Whilst we haven’t regretted the purchase at all, it has been a massive learning curve to understand the full capabilities of the camera. That’s why I found this article extremely helpful in understanding the best settings for the Sony ILCE-6000.
The kit lens that came with the camera is on the camera about 70% of the time. However, some of the fun of having an interchangeable lens system is finding new glass that gives you a different perspective. This article from The Wirecutter helped shine a light on where to start when getting new lenses.
Tip: I’ve found Flickr to be an invaluable resource for helping decide on which lenses to purchase. You can search by lens and review the photos to see if they produce the quality you’re after.
Click the image to purchase this fantastic camera on Amazon
Have you also got this camera? How are you finding it? Do you have any other tips to share?
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