Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Interchangeable-lens Camera w/ 16-50mm lens - Gray

I upgraded from a point and shoot compact as I have been wanting extra control and speed mainly to take photos of kids/pets. Little did I know when I bought this, that I was getting so much more. Have learnt so much more about photography since I got it. You can check out the specs sheets and good reviews, but I thought I'd just list a few cool things I love that I wasn't expecting: - The autofocus: OK perhaps I was expecting this considering the hype, but I had to mention here that it does live up to the hype. It is amazingly quick! Perfect when taking photos of moving kids/pets. - The controls: Can access every button/function using the right hand. Small and light enough to hold in one hand. Buttons can be customised to match your perfect set up. - The tilt-able flash: Bounce the light off the ceiling to reduce harsh results of direct flash light. - NFC/Wifi: Can control the camera remotely across wifi using the PlayMemories app. I found I can easily compose the shot on my phone and shoot! NFC - Photos can be transferred easily be tapping my NFC phone to the camera. - Apps: Yes this camera can download 'apps' from a Sony app store. There are around 20ish apps, and new ones in beta pop up occasionally. My faves are the app that auto upload to flickr, and one that can auto sync to smart phone when the camera is switched off. This is the happiest I've been with a purchase for a long time. Even in such a small package, I don't feel like I've traded off on picture quality/features. One thing I would suggest to anyone who takes lots of photos in one go, is that the battery life could be better so throw a spare battery in your camera bag so you don't have to worry about running out, and just have fun using all the features. Other than that, it's really hard to fault.

Around four months ago I decided to seek out a camera to take high quality photos for work and leisure and after having considering a lot of options, I found what I was looking for in the a6000. It has been a fantastic introduction to the world of interchangeable lens cameras, holding it for the first time it felt solid and ergonomic and the software was solid and easy to navigate. My only real issue at this initial stage was being a complete amateur and there not being much supporting documentation for building up a base understanding of what exactly all the numbers meant (ISO 400, F/2.8, etc. sounded incomprehensible at first) and how manipulating them would affect my shots. So I ashamedly admit there was a lot of Auto mode use to begin with, which still provided some exceptionally nice photos. Four months down the track and I am much more adept with it; I pair it directly with my Xperia Z1 as a remote and for image sharing and I have downloaded a number of apps, including the always impressive Motion Shot. Changing lenses is simple and hassle-free and the photos I am achieving get some great comments. I would like to see a little more initial support with usage instructions, but all-round this camera feels, looks and shoots fantastically. Happy snapping!