The Sony a6600 can be incredibly easy to use, right out of the box, especially if you already have some experience with digital photography. As ridiculous as it may seem, this advanced camera can be used in point-and-shoot mode simply by rotating the large mode dial on the top-right panel to select the Program (P) label or green Intelligent Auto icon. (See Figure 1.1.) If you’ve charged the battery, mounted a lens, and inserted a formatted memory card into the camera, flip the power switch to On. (It’s concentric with the shutter release button on top of the camera.) I’ll provide tips on performing these tasks later in this chapter, if you need help. Otherwise, you’re ready to start taking your first pictures.
As you peer through the viewfinder or examine the monitor (the rear LCD screen), the scene your camera will capture is shown, with the current shooting mode displayed in the upper-left corner of the frame. Compose your image, and press the shutter release button when you’re ready to take your first shot. That’s all there is to it. The a6600 is smart enough to produce a pretty good shot without much input from you. In this book, I’m going to help you go beyond pretty good to consistently great.
Although you can begin shooting as soon as you unbox your new camera, it’s not a bad idea, once you’ve taken a few orientation pictures with your camera, to go back and review the basic operations of the a6600 from the beginning—if only to see if you’ve missed something. This chapter is my opportunity to introduce new owners to the a6600 and review the setup procedures for those among you who are already veteran users, and to help ease the more timid (even those few who have never before worked with an interchangeable-lens camera) into the basic pre-flight checklist that needs to be completed before you really spread your wings and take off. For the uninitiated, as easy as it is to use initially, your Sony a6600 does have some dials, buttons, and menu items that might not make sense at first but will surely become second nature after you’ve had a chance to review the instructions in this book.
But don’t fret about wading through a manual to find out what you must know to take those first few tentative snaps. I’m going to help you hit the ground running with this chapter (or keep on running if you’ve already jumped right in). If you haven’t had the opportunity to use your a6600 yet, I’ll help you set up your camera and begin shooting in minutes. You won’t find a lot of operational detail in this chapter. Indeed, I’m going to tell you just what you absolutely must understand, accompanied by some interesting tidbits that will help you become acclimated. I’ll go into more depth and even repeat some of what I explain here in later chapters, so you don’t have to memorize everything you see. Just relax, follow a few easy steps, and then go out and begin taking your best shots—ever.
DIFFERENT STROKES . . .
One of the challenges of writing a guidebook like this is satisfying the needs of both veteran E-mount users as well as newcomers to Sony cameras (which now includes the hordes who jumped to the Sony mirrorless world from other camera platforms). Believe it or not, while the a6600 attracts both photo enthusiasts and professional photographers, a surprising number of less experienced shooters have found the a6600 appealing, too.
So, whether you’re an advanced shooter looking to improve your comfort level with the features of this well-designed (yet complex) camera or you are looking forward to starting from a more modest level of photographic expertise, I hope you’ll find the advice I’m about to offer in this chapter—or beyond—useful. If you like, you can zip right through the basics, and then dive into learning a few things you probably didn’t know about your a6600. Sony veterans might want to skim through the material in this chapter and move on. I promise I didn’t charge you extra for it; even in the days of digital publishing it’s not possible to provide only the material a particular reader needs, and nothing else.
Your Sony a6600 comes in an attractive box filled with stuff, including a multi-purpose USB charging cable, basic instructions, some pamphlets, and a few other items. The most important components are the camera and lens, battery, charger, and, if you’re the nervous type, the neck strap. You’ll also need a Secure Digital card, as one is not included.
The first thing to do is to carefully unpack the camera and double-check the contents with the checklist on one side of the box. While this level of setup detail may seem as superfluous as the instructions on a bottle of shampoo, checking the contents first is always a good idea. It’s better to know now that something is missing so you can seek redress immediately, rather than discover a few days later that the box didn’t contain the cable protector—which keeps an accessory cable securely attached to the camera.
LENS NOMENCLATURE
In the discussion of lenses in the section that follows, you’re going to find me describing certain E-mount lenses using their full, formal product names, which can be rather unwieldy. However, for the most part in this book, I’ll use shorter, more compact nomenclature when there is little chance of confusion. For example, Sony offers several prime lenses in the 50-55mm focal length range. So, to be clear, I may need to refer to the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8, Sony Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA, Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA, or Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 macro lens, as appropriate. Most of the time, a shorter version of the lens’ name will do.
So, check the box at your earliest convenience, and make sure you have (at least) the following:
My recommendation: Both kit lenses are excellent choices. The 16-55mm zoom gives you a slightly wider field of view and a useful constant f/2.8 maximum aperture (which doesn’t change as you zoom) for shooting in dimmer light conditions. The 18-135mm lens sacrifices some wide-angle view for much longer telephoto “reach.” It might be your choice if you shoot sports, wildlife, or portraits. Its f/5.6 maximum aperture at the telephoto end means you’ll find it most useful when shooting outdoors under plentiful illumination.
My recommendation: Although the a6600’s 2280 mAh battery is more than twice as powerful than the one furnished with Sony’s previous a6xxx-series cameras, it’s smart, nay, essential to have more than one battery pack. Although relatively small in size, this camera gulps power, and, even with the generous standards Sony cites in its literature, each is likely to last for no more than 720 to 810 still shots or roughly 150 minutes of non-stop video capture. (The figures given vary depending on whether you are using the electronic viewfinder or LCD monitor screen to frame your image, plus other factors.) Buy more, and stick to Sony-brand products—even if third-party batteries eventually become available. Off-brand packs have been known to fail quickly, sometimes in potentially destructive ways.
My recommendation: Charging the battery while it’s in the camera means your a6600 is tied to AC power while you’re recharging. I prefer the option of slipping a new battery into my camera and having the depleted battery recharge while I continue to shoot. You can buy an optional Sony BC-QZ1 external charger. This handy device (see Figure 1.2) allows you to recharge one battery while another is ensconced in your camera as you continue shooting.
I strongly prefer the faster external charger to the alternative cable charging method, accomplished by plugging a USB cable into a computer or USB charger. However, an even better choice than the BC-QZ1 is the $400 NPA-MQZ1K Multi Battery Adapter Kit, described shortly.
My recommendation: I don’t use this cable much. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer an external charger, instead, and like to copy images to my computer with a Sony MRW-S1/T USB 3.x card reader, rather than the slower USB cable connection. Other card readers, including those from third parties, can also be used.
My recommendation: While I am justifiably proud of owning a fine Sony camera, I never attach the factory strap to my camera, and instead opt for a more serviceable strap from UPstrap (www.upstrap-pro.com). If you carry your camera over one shoulder, as many do, I particularly recommend UPstrap (shown in Figure 1.3). It has a patented non-slip pad that offers reassuring traction and eliminates the contortions we sometimes go through to keep the camera from slipping off. I know several photographers who refuse to use anything else. If you do purchase an UPstrap, be sure to tell photographer-inventor Al Stegmeyer that I sent you hence. There are several different strap models, and Al will help you choose which one is best for you.
My recommendation: If you are very careful about how you insert an external flash or microphone into the multi interface shoe, and avoid drenching moisture, you can remove this piece and leave it off for the rest of your life. I have lost shots while fumbling with protective covers and manage to lose the shoe cap with alarming frequency. If you misplace yours, USA shooters can get a replacement from www.laserfairepress.com for a few bucks. (Nobody gets rich selling these items for a few dollars, but these are provided as a service because a key previous source for them has gone out of business.)
My recommendation: Purchase an extra body cap. With mirrorless cameras like the a6600 series, it is especially important not to leave the sensor unprotected. If you lose your body cap, mount a lens as a “body cap” until you purchase spares. A body cap is essential when packing your camera for compact travel. Owners in the USA will find cheap body and rear lens caps at www.laserfairepress.com, too. You’ll find both available in official Sony orange (see Figure 1.4), which I think are easier to find within the dark confines of most camera bags.
The initial setup of your a6600 is fast and easy. You just need to charge the battery, attach a lens (if that hasn’t already been done), and insert a memory card. I’ll address each of these steps separately, but if you already feel you can manage these setup tasks without further instructions, feel free to skip this section entirely. You should probably at least skim its contents, however, because I’m going to list a few options that you might not be aware of.
Your Sony a6600 is a sophisticated hunk of machinery and electronics, but it needs a charged battery to function, so rejuvenating the NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery pack should be your first step. A fully charged power source should theoretically be good for 720 shots when using the power-hungry viewfinder or 810 shots when working with the more juice-frugal LCD monitor screen. Expect 150 minutes (or more) of typical video capture, which includes standby time, zooming, and turning the camera on or off from time to time. When shooting continuously, you may be able to stretch a single battery for as much as 170 minutes of continual video capture. Theoretically. I frequently (always) deplete my batteries more quickly than that. Sony’s estimates are based on standard tests defined by the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA). If you often use the camera’s Wi-Fi feature (discussed later), you can expect to take even fewer shots before it’s time for a recharge. This is an Info-Lithium battery, so the camera can display the approximate power remaining with a graphic indicator.
Remember that all rechargeable batteries undergo some degree of self-discharge just sitting idle in the camera or in the original packaging. Lithium-ion power packs of this type typically lose a small amount of their charge every day, even when the camera isn’t turned on. Li-ion cells lose their power through a chemical reaction that continues when the camera is switched off. So, it’s very likely that the battery purchased with your camera, even if charged at the factory, has begun to poop out after the long sea voyage on a banana boat (or, more likely, a trip by jet plane followed by a sojourn in a warehouse), so you’ll want to revive it before going out for some serious shooting.
My recommendation: If you really go through a lot of batteries (or own multiple Sony cameras that use the NP-FZ100 pack, you might consider the NPA-MQZ1K Multi-Battery Adapter Kit. At $400, it sounds pricey (it is!). However, it comes with two NP-FZ100 batteries (normally about $80 each), which means that, effectively, you’re paying “only” $240 for the charger itself. The charger is extremely versatile: it can charge up to four NP-FZ100 batteries simultaneously but can be converted to a compact two-battery charger for use while traveling. (See Figure 1.5.) Even better, the charger can serve as a power pack when outfitted with fully charged batteries. A dummy battery plugs into the battery compartment of the a6600 (or, with a supplied adapter, into any E-mount camera that uses the puny NP-FW50 batteries). Two USB ports allow rejuvenating other devices that use USB cable charging (including your smartphone!). It has six standard 1/4"-20 mounting sockets so it can be mounted to support systems (like the cages videographers use to attach external viewfinders and other accessories).
I own eight NP-FZ100 batteries (so far). You won’t need that many, but in addition to my a6600, I also own other cameras that use the same battery, including the a7R IV and a9 II. I keep a fresh battery in the camera at all times. Nevertheless, I always check battery status before I go out to shoot, as some juice may have been siphoned off while the camera sat idle. I go to the Network 1 menu and turn Airplane Mode on (as described in Chapter 5) when I don’t need Wi-Fi features.
THIRD-PARTY BATTERIES
I don’t recommend using third-party batteries, even though they may cost one-third the price of Sony’s own batteries. It makes little sense to risk damaging a $1,200 camera body just to save a few dollars on such a crucial component. I purchased several well-known NP-FZ100 clones when they were first introduced; they didn’t work, and within a week the company had stopped selling them. All existing batteries were recalled or replaced.
Your a6600 will display a compatibility warning message when many of these batteries are inserted. While the latest generation knock-offs seem to work better, many have reduced capacity, and there’s no guarantee that the third parties selling them will be able to issue timely recalls if needed. While some owners have had no problems, and swear by their Wasabi, Watson, Neewer, or DTSE batteries, I don’t think it’s worth the risk.
While the optional Sony BC-QZ1 external charger or NPA-MQZ1K multi-battery adapter may be your best choices, you have multiple other options, including charging the battery while it’s still in the camera (best done when the camera is idle and not needed for shooting). Sony packs the required AC adapter in the box with the camera, but you probably already own other suitable AC adapter/chargers, in the form of any charging device you use for your smartphone, tablet, Kindle, or other electronic product. Their typical 5V/2A output will work fine. I also use a 22,000 mAh lithium-ion power “brick,” which also can recharge my phone, my tablet, and, in a pinch (using an included cable) jump start a car. The brick comes with its own 12V DC charger, so I can keep it topped up using my vehicle’s accessory outlet (what we used to call a “cigarette lighter” socket). I also have a more compact 5,000 mAh pack, about the size of a roll of quarters, that I keep in my camera bag.
When you’re ready to charge the battery internally, turn the camera Off. Then, plug one end of the USB 2.0 Micro B cable (with the smaller connector) into the multi/digital terminal on the left end of the a6600. (See Figure 1.6.) Turn the camera On and you’ll see a note that says USB Mode on the LCD screen; this confirms that the connection has been made.
Whether you charge from a computer’s USB port or household power, a Charge light next to the camera’s USB/charging ports glows yellow, without flashing. It continues to glow until the battery completes the charge and the lamp turns off. In truth, the full charge is complete about one hour after the charging lamp turns off, so if your battery was really dead, don’t stop charging until the additional time has elapsed. Be sure to plan for charging time before your shooting sessions, because it takes several hours in a warm environment to fully restore a completely depleted battery.
If the charging lamp flashes after you insert an externally charged battery into the camera, that indicates an error condition. Remove it and re-insert it. To insert/remove it, slide the latch on the bottom of the camera, open the battery door, and press a blue lever in the battery compartment that prevents the pack from slipping out when the door is opened; then, ease the battery out. To insert it, do so with the contact openings facing into the compartment (see Figure 1.7).
Fast flashing that can’t be stopped by re-inserting the battery indicates a problem with the battery. Slow flashing (about 1.5 seconds between flashes) means the ambient temperature is too high or low for charging to take place.
Charging the battery with the supplied BC-QZ1 external charger is even easier; just slide the battery in, connect to AC power, and the charger’s yellow status light will begin to glow, accompanied by three green LEDs that illuminate progressively as charging proceeds, to let you know when the battery is fully charged. The yellow LED will extinguish when the cycle is over.
Your Sony a6600 is almost ready to fire up and shoot. You’ll need to select and mount a lens (if not previously done) and insert a memory card. Each of these steps is easy, and if you’ve used any similar camera in the past, such as a Sony or other model, you already know exactly what to do. I’m going to provide a little extra detail for those of you who are new to the Sony or interchangeable-lens camera worlds.
Most buyers purchase the camera in a kit including a lens, but you may have bought it as a “body-only” configuration; that allows you to select any compatible (Sony E-mount) lens that you already own, as with any interchangeable-lens camera. In any event, sooner or later you’re likely to want to switch to a different lens for other photographic uses, so it’s important to know how to do so.
As you’ll see, my recommended lens-mounting procedure emphasizes protecting your equipment from accidental damage, and minimizing the intrusion of dust. If your camera has no lens attached, select the lens you want to use and loosen (but do not remove) the rear lens cap. I generally place the lens I am planning to mount vertically in a slot in my camera bag, where it’s protected from mishaps but ready to pick up quickly. By loosening the rear lens cap, you’ll be able to lift it off the back of the lens at the last instant, so the rear element of the lens is covered until then.
After that, remove the body cap that protects the camera’s exposed sensor by rotating the cap toward the shutter release button. You should always mount the body cap when there is no lens on the camera, because it helps keep dust out of the interior of the camera, where it potentially can find its way onto the sensor. This is a particular issue with the a6600, because, unlike dSLRs, there are no intermediate items protecting the sensor from exposure, such as the mirror that provides the dSLR with its view through the viewfinder or the shutter.
If you’ve mislaid your body cap, you should try to locate one through Sony or another vendor; if you possibly can; a camera body should never be left with its sensor exposed.
Once the body cap has been removed, remove the rear lens cap from the lens, set the cap aside, and then mount the lens on the camera by matching the raised white alignment indicator on the lens barrel with the white dot on the camera’s lens mount (see Figure 1.8). Rotate the lens away from the shutter release side of the camera until it seats securely and clicks into place. (Don’t press the lens release button during mounting.) Some lenses ship with a hood. If that accessory is included, and if it’s bayoneted on the lens in the reversed position (which makes the lens/hood combination more compact for transport), twist it off and remount with the rim facing outward (see Figure 1.9). A lens hood protects the front of the lens from accidental bumps, and reduces flare caused by extraneous light arriving at the front element of the lens from outside the picture area.
Locate the On/Off switch that is wrapped around the shutter release button and rotate it to the On position. The LCD display will be illuminated. If you bring the viewfinder up to your eye, a sensor will detect that action and switch the display to the built-in electronic viewfinder instead. (You can disable this automatic switching in the FINDER/MONITOR setting within the Camera Settings II-06 (Display/Auto Review 1) menu, as I’ll describe in Chapter 4. After one minute of idling (the default), the a6600 goes into standby mode to save battery power. Just tap the shutter release button to bring it back to life. (You can select a longer time using the Power Save Start Time option in the Setup 2 menu, as I discuss in Chapter 6.)
When the camera first powers up, you may be asked to set the date and time. The procedure is fairly self-explanatory (although I’ll explain it in detail in Chapter 6). You can use the left/right directional buttons to navigate among the date, year, time, date format, and daylight savings time indicator, and use the up/down buttons to enter the correct settings. When finished, press the center button to confirm the settings and return to the menu system. If you need to change the date or time later, you can find the option in the Setup 5 menu.
Once the a6600 is satisfied that it knows what time it is, you will be viewing a live view of the scene in front of the lens—on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder when that is held up to your eye—whenever you turn the camera on. The view is superimposed with many items of data over the display; these provide a quick method for checking many current camera settings, including current shutter speed and aperture (f/stop), shooting mode, ISO sensitivity, and other parameters. You can show/hide the information displays by pressing the DISP (up directional) button.
The a6600 is equipped with a built-in electronic viewfinder or EVF, a small high-resolution (2,359,296 pixels) OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen that can be used instead of the LCD screen for framing your photos or movies. A sensor detects your eye at the viewfinder and shuts off power to the LCD when you are using the EVF. Usually, when you’re learning to use the camera’s many features, you’ll rely on the LCD screen’s display, but when you’re actually taking photos, you’ll sometimes want to use the EVF instead. You can also use it to review your photos or video clips and navigate menu selections.
If you wear glasses and want to use the EVF without them, or if you find the viewfinder needs a bit of correction, rotate the diopter adjustment dial located to the right of the viewfinder window (and shown in Figure 1.10). Adjust the dial while looking through the viewfinder until the image appears sharpest.
You can’t take actual photos without a memory card inserted in your Sony camera, although if you have the Release without Card entry in the Camera Settings II-04 (Shutter/Steadyshot) menu set to Enable, you can pretend to shoot. In that case, if you don’t have a card installed, the camera will sound as if it’s taking a photo (when using the mechanical shutter, of course), and it will display that “photo.” However, the image is only in temporary memory and not actually stored; you’ll get a reminder about that with a flashing orange NO CARD warning at the upper left of the LCD. If you go back later and try to view that image, it will not be there. So, be sure you have inserted a compatible card with adequate capacity before you start shooting stills or videos.
The memory card slot is located beneath the battery/card door on the bottom of the camera. Slide the door open and insert the card end with the contacts first, with the label facing the front of the camera (see Figure 1.11). The slot accepts Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), or Secure Digital Extra Capacity (SDXC). The newest type of SD card, the super-high-capacity (and superfast) SDXC type, at this writing, is available in capacities as high as 512GB. If you have some from a previous purchase, the slot also accepts Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, and Memory Stick Micro (M2) cards. If you have some of these older cards from a previous purchase, you may use them, but if you’re buying new cards I recommend sticking with the current SD card types.
You should remove the memory card only when the camera is switched off. Insert an SD card with the label facing toward the front of the camera (as shown in Figure 1.11). In either case, the metal contacts go into the slot first; the card simply will not fit into the slot if it is incorrectly oriented.
Close the door, and your pre-flight checklist is done! (I’m going to assume you’ll remember to remove the lens cap when you’re ready to take a picture!) When you want to remove the memory card later, just press down on the card edge that protrudes from the slot, and the card will pop right out.
My recommendation: Given the fast continuous shooting speeds available with the a6600, you’ll want to consider a speedy memory card of the UHS-I (Ultra High Speed I) type, with a Speed Class of 3 (the card will have a symbol showing the number 3 within an uppercase U). Such a card will have a minimum sequential write speed (that is, storing your image or video on the card) of 30MB/second, which is fast enough for the camera’s 11 fps still shooting and 4K video capture capabilities. The actual maximum sequential write speed of the card is likely to be somewhat higher. SD cards also have a maximum read speed, too, which is useful when it comes time to transfer your images from the memory card to your computer. Vendors typically tout their cards’ read speed and downplay the write speed, which can be typically half as fast. SanDisk, for example, doesn’t supply the write speed at all in its specification.
However, a card with a 98MB/second to 150MB/second read speed should be fast enough for your a6600. The camera can use even faster UHS-II cards, but does not support their upgraded transfer speeds, so do not waste money purchasing them (unless you also own a camera with UHS-II support, or want/need fast transfer to your computer with a UHS-II-compatible card reader).
In addition, size matters when you’re using a camera with a 24MP sensor. If you’re buying new, rather than re-using old cards, if your budget is limited, purchase at least two fast 32GB cards (so you’ll always have a backup). If your pockets are a little deeper, 64GB and 128GB memory cards can be more attractive, especially when you’re on vacation and shooting a lot each day.
HOW MANY SHOTS?
The Sony a6600 provides a fairly accurate estimate of the number of shots that your memory card will hold. This number is visible near the top-left corner of the display (next to the memory card icon) in standard live view. It is only an estimate, because the actual number will vary, depending on the capacity of your memory card, the content of the image itself, and the aspect ratio (proportions) of the image. (The a6600 can use traditional 3:2 proportions, 1:1 [square format], and 16:9[HDTV] aspect ratios.) Some photos may contain large areas that can be more efficiently squeezed down to a smaller size. If you change the file format (from JPEG to RAW or from a large JPEG to a small JPEG, for example), the number will change. The Display Media Info setting in the Setup 6 menu will show you how many images you can capture at your current settings, and how much movie-shooting time you can squeeze out of your memory card.
Table 1.1 shows the typical number of shots you can expect using a medium-sized 32GB memory card. Take those numbers and double them if using a 64GB card. The numbers shown may differ from what you read in the camera’s manual. I obtained them by formatting my own 32GB card and writing down the number of shots available at each setting. Although the a6600 can shoot more than 10,000 images with a high-capacity card, the maximum number of recordable images displayed on the LCD or viewfinder will never exceed 9,999.
There are three ways to create a blank memory card for your Sony a6600, and two of them are at least partially wrong. Here are your options, both correct and incorrect:
To format a memory card, just follow these steps. I’m going to suggest some basic navigation controls for those who are new to E-mount cameras. However, Sony gives you multiple ways to move around with its screens, and I’ll show you how to do that in Chapter 2, where I’ll also explain how to use the touch screen to specify a focus area.
When it comes time to select the shooting mode and other settings on the a6600 camera, you may start to fully experience the “feel” of the user interface. Thanks to the mode dial shown earlier in Figure 1.1, it’s simple and quick to set a shooting mode. Just rotate the mode dial to the position you want, such as P (Program Auto).
There is a fully automatic shooting mode, Intelligent Auto. In that mode, the camera makes most of the decisions for you (except when to press the shutter). While the a6600 does have a Scene position on the mode dial, it also resorts to these Scene-style settings when you use Intelligent Auto. Although you can’t specify most settings on your own in Intelligent Auto mode, the a6600 will evaluate your scene and switch to Portrait, Infant, Night Portrait, Night Scene, Backlight Portrait, Backlight, Landscape, Macro, Spotlight, Low Light, and Night Scene (Tripod) modes. (If you’ve disabled Face/Eye Detection, as described in Chapter 3, the camera will use it anyway in Intelligent Auto mode, as it is required for Portrait, Infant, Night Portrait, and Backlight Portrait scene modes.) Scene detection may be incorrect if you’re using the a6600’s digital zoom feature, discussed in Chapter 4. I’ll explain user-selected Scene modes in more detail in Chapter 7. The available scene modes the camera may choose on your behalf are as follows:
The mode dial also includes a Movie position, three semi-automatic modes, (Program, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority), which allow you to provide more input over the exposure and settings the camera uses, and a fully Manual mode. I’ll provide tips on using these in Chapter 7. The other positions include S&Q (for slow-motion and quick-motion shooting), and two Memory Recall settings “slots” to register frequently used settings. I’ll explain how to use the Memory settings in Chapter 3. The mode dial options include:
You might want to select a particular exposure metering mode for your first shots, although the default high-tech Multi (short for multi-zone or multi-segment) metering is probably the best choice while getting to know your camera. If you want to select a different metering pattern, you must not be using Intelligent Auto; in that mode, the camera uses Multi metering and that cannot be changed. To change the metering mode, press the MENU button and navigate to the Camera Settings I menu (the tab in the upper-left corner in Figure 1.13), and thence to the Camera Settings I-08 menu to the Metering Mode entry. Press the center button, then scroll up/down with the directional buttons to reach Multi, Center (for center weighted), Spot, Entire Screen Averaging, and Highlight Metering selections. Press the center button to confirm your choice and return the camera to shooting mode. The metering options are as follows:
You’ll soon find that your a6600 gives you multiple ways to make adjustments. In this Quick Start chapter, I may show you just one way of selecting options. For example, you can select a metering mode using the Camera Settings I-08 menu, as described, or you can press the Fn button on the right side of the back of the camera and specify the metering method from the 12-item Function menu that pops up. (See Figure 1.14, left.) Alternatively, when the “Quick Navi” screen is shown on the LCD monitor, you can press the Fn button to change the metering mode as well as most of the other shooting settings. (See Figure 1.14, right.) I’ll show you how to use the other optional methods in Chapter 2.
The focus mode can be selected using the Camera Settings I-05 menu entry, the Fn menu’s Focus Mode (located second from the right in the top row of the Fn menu), or the Quick Navi screen. Focus mode is the easiest to understand; it determines when focus is established. The choices that are available when using P, A, S, or M mode are as follows:
The Sony a6600 is equipped with an advanced hybrid autofocus system using both phase detection and contrast detection. I’ll explain what those are and how they work in detail in Chapter 8. In Intelligent Auto mode, the focus area that will set focus is selected automatically by the camera; in other words, the AF system decides which part of the scene will be in sharpest focus. In the semi-automatic P, A, and S mode, and in the manual M exposure modes, you can allow the camera to select the focus point automatically, or you can specify which focus point should be used with the Focus Area feature.
Set the camera to one of the four modes mentioned above and select Focus Area from the Camera Settings I-05 (AF1) menu. Focus Area can also be selected using the Function and Quick Navi menus. By default, it will be set to Wide (multi-point autofocus). Scroll up/down until you reach the option you want to use (see Figure 1.15) and press the center button to confirm your selection. (The button is located in the middle of the control wheel that resides to the immediate right of the LCD screen.) There are six autofocus area options, described in Chapter 8. Here’s a brief overview of the options.
Adjust the focus frame so it covers the most important subject in the scene; I’ll discuss this topic in more detail in Chapter 8, where I’ll cover many aspects of autofocus (as well as manual focus), including some not covered in this Quick Start chapter.
SWITCHING AF AREAS/POINTS
You can set separate AF points and AF areas for horizontal and two different vertical orientations (horizontal upside-down is not supported) using the Camera Settings I-05 (AF1) menu, and I’ll show you how to use the Switch Vertical/Horizontal AF Area option in Chapter 8.
There are a few other settings you can make if you’re feeling ambitious, but don’t feel bad if you postpone using these features until you’ve racked up a little more experience with your Sony a6600. By default, these camera features will be at Auto, so the camera will make a suitable setting.
If you like, you can custom-tailor your white balance (overall color balance) and the ISO level (sensitivity) as long as you’re not using Intelligent Auto. To start out, it’s best to leave the white balance (WB) at Auto, and to set the ISO to ISO 200 for daylight photos or to ISO 400 for pictures on a dark, overcast day or indoors when you’ll be shooting with an external flash. You can adjust white balance with the White Balance entry in the Camera Settings I-11 (Color/WB/Img. Processing 1) menu; the ISO can be set either from the Camera Settings I-08 (Exposure 1) menu, after pressing the ISO section of the control wheel (the right directional button), or from the Function and Quick Navi menus. (So many options!)
After accessing either feature, navigate (scroll) to make the desired setting with the directional buttons or by rotating the control wheel. The control wheel and several of the most important buttons are shown in Figure 1.16.
If you want to have time to get into the photo before the tripod-mounted camera takes the actual shot, the self-timer is what you need. You can get select the self-timer using the Drive Mode button (the left directional button on the control wheel). Hold the Drive Mode button and rotate the control wheel to highlight either Self-timer choice (described next). The dial also includes Single Shot; High-, Medium-, and Low-speed continuous; and various Bracketing options.
When the Drive Mode screen is visible, scroll up/down through the various options until you reach either the Self-timer (Single) or Self-timer CS (continuous) options. When the former is highlighted, press the directional buttons to choose 2-, 5-, or 10-second durations. With the Self-timer CS choice, you can also specify either 3 or 5 images to be taken after the timer elapses. Press the center button to confirm your choice and a self-timer icon will appear on the LCD monitor. Press the shutter release to lock focus and exposure and to start the timer. The self-timer lamp will blink, and the beeper will sound (unless you’ve silenced it in the menu) until the final two seconds when the lamp blinks at a faster rate.
The multiple image option is handy if you are taking family group pictures with a few known inveterate blinkers to be pictured. Note that the self-timer setting is “sticky” and will still be in effect for multiple shots, even if you turn the camera off and power up again. When you’re done using the self-timer, reset the camera to one of the other Drive Mode options.
I’m going to talk in more detail about your movie-making options with the a6600 in Chapters 10 and 11. For now, though, I’ll give you enough information to get started, in case a cinematic subject wanders into your field of view before you get to that chapter. The overrides you have set for certain aspects while shooting still photos will apply to the video clip that you’ll record; these include exposure compensation, the White Balance, any Creative Style, Metering Mode, Face Detection, D-Range Optimizer, and Lens Compensation. You’ll even retain your aperture setting if the camera is in A mode or the shutter speed if it’s in S mode. You also get access to the settings for the movie file formats (AVCHD, XAVC S HD, and XAVC S 4K modes we’ll explore later in this book) and the resolution in the Record Setting item of the Camera Settings II section of the menu.
After you start recording, you can change the aperture or the shutter speed; either step will make your movie brighter or darker as you’ll notice while viewing on EVF or LCD while making the adjustments. However, you can also set plus or minus exposure compensation for that purpose while filming. The a6600 provides an effective Continuous Autofocus in Movie mode and sound is recorded in stereo with the built-in mics located on the viewfinder housing on top of the camera.
Let’s save the discussion of those aspects for Chapters 10 and 11. For the moment, let’s just make a basic movie. With the camera turned on, aim at your subject and locate the red Movie record button located in the top-right corner of the back of the camera. You don’t have to switch to Movie mode using the mode dial; the Movie mode position simply gives you access to more movie-shooting controls, including the ability to adjust shutter speed and aperture.
Compose as you wish and press that button once to start the recording, and again to stop it; don’t hold the button down. You can record for up to about 29 minutes consecutively if you have sufficient storage space on your memory card and charge in your battery. The camera will adjust the focus and exposure automatically, and you can zoom while recording, if you have a zoom lens attached to the camera.
After you finish recording a video clip, you can view it by pressing the Playback button at the lower right of the LCD screen, then pressing the Center button to start the movie displayed. While a movie is being played back, press the down button to access an operation panel with playback controls. (See Figure 1.17.) Highlight the control you want to use with the directional buttons. I’ll explain the use of these buttons in more detail in Chapter 10. From left to right at the bottom of the figure, they are: Previous Movie File, Fast-Rewind, Pause/Resume, Fast-Forward, Next Movie File, Photo Capture, Sound Volume Adjustment, and Close Operation Panel.
The Sony a6600 has a broad range of playback and image review options. I’ll cover them in more detail in Chapter 2. Initially, you’ll want to learn just the basics for viewing still photos, so I’ll assume you have taken only such images. Note that, as always, you have several options—the left/right edges of the control wheel and rear control dial can all be used to view the previous or next image. I’ll stick to just one method in the list that follows. After shooting some video or JPEG and/or RAW photos, here’s how to view them, using controls shown in Figure 1.18:
VIEWING BURSTS
Capturing bursts of shots in continuous shooting modes produces a lot of separate images—up to 10 frames per second. Sony lets you speed up picture review by optionally “nesting” each burst sequence into a single “stack,” which is represented by a single image overlaid on a “pile” icon. If you decide you do want to look at each image in the burst, press the center button to drill down into the stack, then press the left/right controls to view the images. Press center again to return to normal view. Enable the Display as Group in the Playback 3 menu to activate the stacking feature.
The final step in your picture-taking session will be to transfer the photos and/or movies you’ve taken to your computer for printing, further review, or editing. (You can also take your memory card to a retailer for printing if you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route.) Your a6600 allows you to print directly to PictBridge-compatible printers, without downloading the photos to a computer and to create print orders right in the camera. It also offers an option for selecting which images to transfer to your computer.
For now, you’ll probably want to transfer your images by either using the USB cable from the camera to the computer or by removing the memory card from the a6600 and transferring the images with a card reader. The latter option is ordinarily the best, because it’s usually much faster and doesn’t deplete the camera’s battery. However, you might need to use a cable transfer when you have the cable and a computer but no card reader. (You might be using the computer at a friend’s home or the one at an Internet café, for example.)
Here’s how to transfer images from a memory card to the computer using a card reader:
To transfer images from the camera to a Mac or PC computer using the USB cable:
Your a6600 is also equipped with built-in Wi-Fi which provides many options, including a method for wireless transfer of image files to a Mac or Windows computer when connected to a wireless network. This is a multi-faceted topic, so I won’t begin to discuss it here; instead, you’ll find full coverage in Chapter 5.
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