What are the distinguishing features of various Sony mirrorless camera models?

Question

I am not a professional photographer and it is basically my hobby.

I would like to buy a mirrorless camera and I have thought to get Sony a6000.

Most of the time I take pictures of landscape and night sky/moon and I had like the camera that im buying to have good pictures of it as well.

So far I have used Canon sx60hs camera and the images were satisfying however I had like to have something better (this camera has crazy zoom as well).

My doubts are mostly on the differences between:

Sony a6000 ~ 650$
Sony a6400 ~ 1190$
Sony a6500 ~ 1220$

I read that there are not so huge differences between them (yes, the a6000 is from 2014) and I wonder if the difference worth almost double price.

Any other recommend for camera from the same level will be appreciated and also recommendation for Sony a6000 lens for landscape/night sky can help also.

Thank you!

Answer 1

From a still photographers perspective, you can roughly describe, in the APS-C series:

• a6100 as an a6000 Mk. II, a6000 as a NEX-6 Mk. II Common: Slightly less sturdy construction, no IBIS, no good support for adapted AF lenses (PDAF)

• a6400 as an a6300 Mk. II, a6300 as a NEX-7 Mk. II Common: Sturdier chassis, good support for adapted AF lenses (PDAF. Does not apply to NEX-7.), better EVF resolution

• a6600 as an a6500 Mk. II Common: IBIS and PDAF

All above except the NEX-6 are 24MP cameras.

There also are/have been lower end models (various NEX-3 and a3xxx, NEX-5 and a5xxx models, some without EVF); this lineage appears to be phased out.

Disclaimer: have a few, handled others but not all.

The A7 series (full frame) knows three model lines (plain, -s and -r), marketed as multiple generations (Mk. I, Mk. II etc...).

All plain models up till now (2019) have been 24MP. The -r models various higher resolutions (of note: the -r Mk. I model has an identical sensor to Nikon D810) and no OLPF-based antialiasing. The -s models have lower resolution (12MP for both generations available now. Sensor specs read similar to a Nikon D3s, but it isn't the same sensor here.) sensors optimized for low-light capability and dynamic range (subjective opinion: also for awesome color).

IBIS and adapter-usable PDAF are absent from all first generation models, it seems -s Mk. II also lacks adapter-usable PDAF.

There is also the A9 full frame series, very expensive and optimized for sports-action professional usage (burst speed and buffers).

The A7 third and newer generations also offer dual redundant card slots, as do all A9 models.

The pellicle based, A-mount Alpha Axx series is also arguably a type of mirrorless camera (or less-mirror camera :) ).

Answer 2

By looking at the specs the more expensive models are weather sealed at the expense of almost double the weight. They also have more AF points and higher video resolution. In addition to that the a6500 have IBIS which in my oppinion could justify the extra price.