Sony a6000-Having a difficult learning how to use it.

[Smorton]

Greetings,

 

I recently bought a Sony a6000 and two Sony lenses as part of a package.

 

I am having a difficult learning how to use this camera.  It seems quite complex and seems to have so many options that I would need a large cheat sheet with me at all times.

 

I like to travel and take ho-hum photos.  I like to take "street photos" of people, etc when traveling.

 

Is the learning curve high for this camera or is it just me?  Perhaps I should just use the Intelligent Auto or Superior Auto.

 

Any suggestions for how to learn about using the camera effectively?  Books, courses, etc?

 

I hope this isn't too dumb of a question.

 

Any input appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Smorton

[Bindegal]

Not a dumb question, really.

With all those features also comes complexity.

I would start off simple:

-Aperture mode. Select your desired depth of field.

-Choose a simple autofocus mode. AF-S, focus area "center" should give you something DSLR-like.

-ISO auto.

-Enable SteadyShot if desired and the lens allows it.

 

And then, most importantly, go out there and practice.

 

There are tons of youtube videos with various tutorials.

This one looks promising: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ1-lTg6AoQ

 

/A

[michelb]

There is a help guide (printable pdf) in pdf format that can be downloaded at Sony support

 

http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=ILCE6000&LOC=3#/manualsTab

 

that shows most/all of the features in a more advanced way.

 

My trick is to carry it (and ALL of my photo owner's manuals for that matter)  as an iBook on my iPad Mini so when i travel, i can always ever to it for not too often used features.

 

Another great source would be Gary Freedman's e-book on A6000 which not only explains the so many different camera features and how to use them buy is also a short course in photography. I have some of his books on A7, NEX-7 and Alpha 900 and even though i am a seasoned well informed user, i was always learning something from his books. These are also carried on my iPad.

 

http://friedmanarchivespress.com/ashop/index.php

 

You will learn that Auto and Intelligent Auto limit your image quality and access to some great features.

[Smorton]

Thanks very much.

 

They should make a Dummies Guide to the Sony A6000.

 

Smorton

[Smorton]

Thanks.  The link to the Sony help site is something I have googled but not found until now.

 

Smorton

[TerryNick]

I also found learning all the menus and options of the a6000 difficult after switching from a Nikon. I found this ebook very helpful: "The Complete Guide to Sony's Alpha 6000 Digital Camera", on Amazon for about $15. It walks you through all the menus and even gives suggested settings for different situations. I keep going back to it as the a6000 either a difficult camera to learn or my age...I think it's the latter. 

 

I've used Evernote to save the specific info that is useful, like the Memory recall settings so I can remember them. Wish Sony allowed you to name these instead of just numbered 1,2,3.

 

Gary Fong also has a good video on the a6000 which you can buy..

 

Good luck, have fun.

[Smorton]

It is a nice camera but makes me think the Old Folks Home is closer away then ever.  Maybe I can horse around with it in there.

 

Buying that book looks look.

 

I have not used Evernote before. 

 

Good ideas.

 

Thanks

 

Smorton

[Smorton]

"Looks look"  Yekes!!!!

 

Sorry about that.  I meant looks good.

[baillieswells]

I recently bought from amazon.co.uk David Busch's SONY alpha a6000/ILCE-6000 Guide to Digital Photography. published by Glengage Learning PTR.

It is a very comprehensive guide, easy to read and well illustrated. It is soft-back with 349 pages.

 

So much better to be able to read a book with the camera in front of you, than to try and read from a computer screen , or, 'heavan forbid' a telephone!

[Rob Beard]

Blimy, have you seen the price...........................

 

• Paperback 
  from £5,474.631 Used from £5,474.631 New from £5,474.63

[Aerial harmony]

Best thing about modern digital photography is that once you have the camera it costs nothing but time to learn how to get good at it. In the days of processed film you would spend thousands of $$ practicing and learning the ropes.

 

One thing between then and now remains the same. You'll gain far more knowledge from doing it than reading about it. Read and learn the fundamentals, then apply all the options to them by doing, over and over and over and over.

[markphoto4u]

There are many helpful (and some not so helpful) videos on YouTube. Just google your camera and the words YouTube, and enjoy.

 

 

markphoto4u

[baillieswells]

 

Blimy, have you seen the price...........................

 

• Paperback 

  from £5,474.63

  1 Used from £5,474.631 New from £5,474.63

 

If you are talking about the David Busch book, I paid £13.46 for it, though the back cover states $32.99

[chrisqphoto]

Greetings,

 

I recently bought a Sony a6000 and two Sony lenses as part of a package.

 

I am having a difficult learning how to use this camera.  It seems quite complex and seems to have so many options that I would need a large cheat sheet with me at all times.

 

I like to travel and take ho-hum photos.  I like to take "street photos" of people, etc when traveling.

 

Is the learning curve high for this camera or is it just me?  Perhaps I should just use the Intelligent Auto or Superior Auto.

 

Any suggestions for how to learn about using the camera effectively?  Books, courses, etc?

 

I hope this isn't too dumb of a question.

 

Any input appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Smorton

 

hey Smorton,

 

i guess the main question is, do you know how to shoot in manual mode? do you have experience with other camera brands?

all you need to know to operate this camera outside of auto is the exact same knowledge you need to operate a Nikon or Canon. that means the basics, like ISO, aperture, shutter speed and white balance. it also helps to know what Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Program mode does. these are very similar if not identical to all other camera brands in execution. with the knowledge of basic camera operation you can use this just like any other camera. the spinning dial on top controls aperture, the wheel on the back controls shutter speed, and there is a button labeled on the back which makes the wheel on the back control ISO.

 

if these basics are over your head, then your problem is not the camera, it is a lack of knowledge of how a camera works. i suggest getting a book on camera basics at your local bookstore.

 

here is a great book specificially tailored to the operation of this camera.

 

http://www.amazon.com/David-Buschs-ILCE-6000-Digital-Photography/dp/130526357X/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1452707423&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=a6000+book

 

and when all else fails, if you have not done so yet i suggest you read the manual. most cameras these days use a pdf as a manual or a website manual. here is the one for the a6000. it includes a section labelled "How to Use" and is fairly straight forward

 

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/emanual/ILCE-6000/HG/EN/index.html

[mouse_wdw]

I have used this gentleman's guides for my last couple of cameras. They are really informative and easy to follow. He even talks about his own personal setups and how to set them up. Highly recommended.

 

http://www.friedmanarchives.com/alpha6000/index.htm

[Soeren]

Best thing about modern digital photography is that once you have the camera it costs nothing but time to learn how to get good at it. In the days of processed film you would spend thousands of $$ practicing and learning the ropes.

One thing between then and now remains the same. You'll gain far more knowledge from doing it than reading about it. Read and learn the fundamentals, then apply all the options to them by doing, over and over and over and over.

Oh youre so wrong. GAS will get you eventually.

Somehow i find photography easy but cameras more complet. All the stuff they are supposed to be able to do just make things more confusing. All the AF modes. The auto ISO and WB messing things up when you really want to make a late afternoon low sun mimiking shot with off camera flash etc.

[Akumulatori]

A6000 is the same as any other camera. There is no special knowledges needed, to shoot with A6000.

First, you need to understand what is aperture, shutter and iso, and how those things work together! Second is depth of field and shutter speed understanding.

Third: composition rules.

I wrote good article, how to learn it by yourself, but this article is in latvian language. Maybe try "translate" option in Chrome and read this: http://www.portreti.lv/ka-pareizi-fotografet/

This is article about how to composing picture.

You can use Auto mode for first time, and then add aperture priority mode shooting, when yoiu understand, how works shutter, iso and aperture.

[Smorton]

Thank you for all of the answers. I took a one hour class on the Sony a6000 and it is helping.  I think I was just overwhelmed at first.

 

Thanks again.

 

Smorton

[Soeren]

A6000 is the same as any other camera. There is no special knowledges needed, to shoot with A6000.

First, you need to understand what is aperture, shutter and iso, and how those things work together! Second is depth of field and shutter speed understanding.

Third: composition rules.

I wrote good article, how to learn it by yourself, but this article is in latvian language. Maybe try "translate" option in Chrome and read this: http://www.portreti.lv/ka-pareizi-fotografet/

This is article about how to composing picture.

You can use Auto mode for first time, and then add aperture priority mode shooting, when yoiu understand, how works shutter, iso and aperture.

coming from film shooting various formats from 24x36mm to 13x18cm controlling exposure using M, A and S and focus with both af and mf i think i have an idea about how the basics works. Coming to a camera with multiple af modes and ditto patterns awb and auto ISO etc i find there is basis for a lot of confusion. Yes I can set every thing to manual,set a fixed iso and WB but then when we want to just do some casual photography at a party we want the autosettings. I can get around all of those things but i do find it less easy to operate the camera than i used to. So I understand when people find it Hard to learn.

[Karess]

Im not sure if this was mentioned before, but i found the youtube channel of gary fong super helpful, especialy this videoh ttps://youtu.be/RYXwCGWb7Yg

 

He talks a lot about how to customize your camera and get the most out of it!

[lamontcranston]

Another vote for David Busch's excellent book, and very affordable at $27.  It will answer all your questions and is far better and helpful than the Sony manual. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/David-Buschs-ILCE-6000-Digital-Photography/dp/1681981904/ref=sr_1_1_atc_badge_A2N1U4I2KOS032_twi_pap_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548522771&sr=1-1&keywords=a6000+book+david+busch