Sony has announced the launch of a new APS-C sensor mirrorless camera. The new Alpha α6700 has great features for shooting video and incorporates the same color science as Sony’s CineAlta and Cinema Line cameras.
Sensor
The α6700 has a 26-megapixel APS-C format Exmor R back-illuminated CMOS sensor. Sony says the sensor delivers extraordinary sensitivity, resolution, and dynamic range. It also has a standard sensitivity range from ISO 100 to 32000. In addition, the a6700 is powered by the latest BIONZ XR image processing engine. This processor has up to eight times more processing power than the BIONZ X image processing engine in the α6600.
4K video
The α6700 can shoot 4K video (3840 x 2160 pixels) at up to 60p (50p). The camera uses Sony’s proprietary 6K oversampling technology, which means that your footage looks even better. In S&Q (Slow & Quick) mode you can also record at up to 120p in 4K. You can choose to shoot in high-quality XAVC S-I (All-Intra) and XAVC HS formats with 10-bit 4:2:2 color sampling.
S-Cinetone
The α6700 includes Sony’s S-Cinetone picture profile as a preset. This delivers images with more faithful color reproduction and natural skin tones. Alternatively, you can choose S-Log3 to get more than 14 stops of dynamic range for more flexibility when color grading. You can also upload LUTs to the camera.
Autofocus
The α6700 uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its autofocus capabilities. The system uses human form data to recognize body and head positions, so it will track your subjects better. As well as humans, the α6700 also recognizes animals, birds, insects, cars, trains, and airplanes. In addition, the α6700’s AI-based Real-time Tracking automatically recognizes, tracks, and focuses on the eyes of a specified subject.
Image stabilization
The α6700 has 5-axis in-body optical image stabilization, which gives up to five stops of stabilization. You can also choose an Active Mode which gives you more powerful image stabilization for handheld video shooting. In addition, the camera has automatic focus breathing compensation with compatible lenses. This feature uses Clear Image Zoom technology to reduce the changes in image size that can occur when pulling focus.
Other features
The α6700 has a 2.36 million-dot high-performance electronic viewfinder. The camera also has a 3.0-type 1.03 million-dot touch-panel vari-angle LCD monitor. There is a 3.5mm socket for an external microphone and one for headphones so you can monitor your audio. In addition, there are also Focus Map and Peaking display options for shooting video. The α6700 even has an Auto Framing function which uses AI to automatically crop and reframe your image to track a subject.
What we think
Sony’s new α6700 camera has lots of great features for video shooters. For some users, it could even be a cheaper alternative to Sony’s own APS-C FX30 Cinema Line camera. Compared to the FX30, the α6700 only has one SD card slot. It also only has a micro HDMI port, not the full-size HDMI port of the FX30. However, if you prefer a hybrid stills/video camera, the α6700 should be top of your list for a test drive. It would also be a good choice for video shooters looking for a cheaper B camera to go with their main camera.
Pricing and availability
The Sony α6700 APS-C mirrorless camera is scheduled to be available from the end of July 2023. The body only will cost $1,399. The α6700 will also be available with the 16-50mm f3.5-f5.6 OSS power zoom lens $1499. Alternatively, you can pick it up with the 18-135mm f3.5-f5.6 OSS lens for $1,799.
