It looks like Sony is preparing to launch its long-awaited Sony A6700 camera for photographers – and new specs rumors suggest it could soon be one of the best cameras for beginners.
According to the reliable Sony Alpha Rumors (opens in new tab), the Sony A6700 will combine the 26MP APS-C sensor seen on the pro-friendly Sony FX30 video camera with the AI-powered autofocus features found on the recent Sony ZV-E1.
While the FX30 and ZV-E1 are both video-focused cameras, Sony's Alpha range has traditionally been designed more for photographers – and the A6000 series has been its more affordable collection for hobbyists.
Other rumored A6700 specs, which Sony Alpha Rumors says it's “90% sure” about, include seven stops of in-body image stabilization (which is useful for handheld shooting) and the ability to shoot 4K/120p slow motion video (albeit with a small 1.19x crop).
While the design apparently won't be a radical change from 2019's Sony A6600, there could be a few changes. These seemingly include a grip that is “redesigned and more ergonomic” and a new scroll wheel beneath the shutter button on the front, which is traditionally used to control aperture.
In less good news, Sony Alpha Rumors also claims that the A6700 will be “about 3mm deeper and 4mm taller” than the A6600. Still, given Sony's Alpha cameras are notoriously compact, this would still make the A6700 pretty small for an interchangeable lens camera. The current A6600, for example, is under 70mm tall and weighs just over 500g with a battery.
So if you're in the market for a new travel or family camera, and aren't sure what to do now that the best DSLRs are no longer being replaced, it could well be worth holding on a couple of months for the rumored A6700. Sony Alpha Rumors claims it'll be announced at the “beginning of July”, ahead of a full release in August.
Analysis: The A6700 has the makings of a big seller
These rumored A6700 specs suggest it won't necessarily be the cheapest mirrorless camera around and will likely be the pricier than rivals like the Canon EOS R10, which costs only $979 / £899 / AU$1,499 (body only).
But the A6700's potential combination of Sony's latest AI-powered autofocus, in-body image stabilization, and the huge range of affordable E-mount lenses could make it worth paying a little extra for.
As we found in our Sony ZV-E1 review, Sony's latest autofocus is incredibly smart, sticky, and useful. While its powers are mostly aimed at video on ZV-E1, those same algorithms could also be very helpful for beginner photographers who are looking to focus on refining their composition skills.
Like the Canon EOS R10, the A6700 should finally fill a gap in Sony's camera lineup for those who simply want to snap their families, vacations, or day-to-day lives with smartphone-beating quality.
And given Sony has a big advantage over Canon when it comes to third-party lenses, this should all make the A6700 a very popular new model for non-professionals – if the price is right.
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