Sony a6600 Underwater: Initial Thoughts

[BluewaterPhoto]

The Sony a6600 is the top-of-the-line a6000 series camera for underwater photography – and Sony’s declared flagship camera at that. A combination of an APS-C sensor, 5 axis in-body image-stabilization, 4K video (no crop), AF tracking, and battery life makes it the ideal mid-range camera for underwater photography.

Sony a6600 Underwater: Initial Thoughts

 

[Interceptor121]

It is really a shame that Sony cropped sensor have such a poor lens selection underwater
By the time you add a metabone and a port extension you are well over the price of an Olympus or Panasonic top range MFT otherwise this would be a great little camera to house with superb dynamic range, autofocus and color depth

 

[VsubT]

Anybody here have a chance to shoot a Sony a6600 rig underwater yet?

I’m interested in pairing the Nauticam housing with this camera, but have not seen any reviews with actual use/results. Seems like this setup might check most of the boxes for my needs, but I’d really like to hear from someone who is already using it first.

Lance

 

[Hoag]

It is really a shame that Sony cropped sensor have such a poor lens selection underwater
By the time you add a metabone and a port extension you are well over the price of an Olympus or Panasonic top range MFT otherwise this would be a great little camera to house with superb dynamic range, autofocus and color depth

I tend to shoot almost totally wide angle so that has influenced my lens selection, but I love the 10-18 f/4 lens underwater. I shoot an A6000 in a Nauticam NA-A6000 housing and I find that between the 10-18 lens and the 7" dome port I can shoot the vast majority of what I need. On those occasions when I do want to get in closer and shoot something smaller, I find that the 16-55mm kit lens with a Close up wet lens works well. Having said that, I am seriously considering buying the Sony/Zeiss 16-70 f/4 lens since it uses the same dome port as the 10-18mm.

Will the 16-70 Zeiss give me true macro capability? No. It will however simplify what I have to carry in the way of ports and it will give outstanding optics. It will also give me the capability to shoot from 10mm to 70mm all with only one port.

I agree, there are some outstanding lenses for MFT. I used to shoot an Olympus and I used the Panasonic 8mm fisheye and the Olympus 60mm Macro. Both were outstanding lenses for underwater.

 

[Nemrod]

Anybody here have a chance to shoot a Sony a6600 rig underwater yet?

I’m interested in pairing the Nauticam housing with this camera, but have not seen any reviews with actual use/results. Seems like this setup might check most of the boxes for my needs, but I’d really like to hear from someone who is already using it first.

Lance

I have the Nauticam NA-6400. I chose this over the NA-6600 because of the built in flash to fall back on. The larger battery of the A6600 is partially offset by the Nauticam auxiliary battery. I have only had my new rig in the pool for testing, no actual shooting yet but very soon I hope. The IBIS is cool on the A6600 but I did without for years and many lens have OSS.

I went with the Macro Port 45 with zoom/focus and the CMC-2 semi-macro lens and the WWL-1 for my wide angle. I have the kit lens for use with both. I also have the Sigma 19mm f2.8 for matching with the WWL-1. I am also working with the old Inon UWL100 plus dome and the Rokinon 24mm f2.8 lens but it looks like this combo will need the Macro Port 35. I plan to also use the UWT TTL trigger but I am having unsolved issues there but at least the camera onboard flash works, lol.

I also have a Tokina Canon mount 10-17mm fisheye lens I bought several years back when I nearly went DSLR but decided it was too big and too much hassle to tote around. I like the Sony APS-C format and the camera is superb. What is missing though, and hopefully will be addressed someday, a little fisheye zoom lens in E mount. But we can use the Metabones and Tokina or even the Sony 16mm and fisheye converter. Some complain about soft edges with this combination but I have the little lens and converter and it seems decently snappy to me, thus far surface use only.

For the A6600, just keep in mind there is no built in flash so you will have to have a trigger system.

I went to several camera places and handled everything I could, none focused faster than the A6400/A6600. There are other considerations but a solid and fast AF was very important to me. I also do surface action and motorsports photography and do not want to have two different camera systems.

James

 

[Interceptor121]

I have the Nauticam NA-6400. I chose this over the NA-6600 because of the built in flash to fall back on. The larger battery of the A6600 is partially offset by the Nauticam auxiliary battery. I have only had my new rig in the pool for testing, no actual shooting yet but very soon I hope. The IBIS is cool on the A6600 but I did without for years and many lens have OSS.

I went with the Macro Port 45 with zoom/focus and the CMC-2 semi-macro lens and the WWL-1 for my wide angle. I have the kit lens for use with both. I also have the Sigma 19mm f2.8 for matching with the WWL-1. I am also working with the old Inon UWL100 plus dome and the Rokinon 24mm f2.8 lens but it looks like this combo will need the Macro Port 35. I plan to also use the UWT TTL trigger but I am having unsolved issues there but at least the camera onboard flash works, lol.

I also have a Tokina Canon mount 10-17mm fisheye lens I bought several years back when I nearly went DSLR but decided it was too big and too much hassle to tote around. I like the Sony APS-C format and the camera is superb. What is missing though, and hopefully will be addressed someday, a little fisheye zoom lens in E mount. But we can use the Metabones and Tokina or even the Sony 16mm and fisheye converter. Some complain about soft edges with this combination but I have the little lens and converter and it seems decently snappy to me, thus far surface use only.

For the A6600, just keep in mind there is no built in flash so you will have to have a trigger system.

I went to several camera places and handled everything I could, none focused faster than the A6400/A6600. There are other considerations but a solid and fast AF was very important to me. I also do surface action and motorsports photography and do not want to have two different camera systems.

James

The tokina with the metabones is a great combination and very flexible probably the only lens you will need for wide angle I recommend you get the N100 N120 adapter and the port you will not regret it. There are no benefits of the WWL-1 on this combo especially on a prime lens

 

[VsubT]

@Hoag and @Nemrod , thanks for sharing your experience with other Sony a6xxx series cameras. I’m leaning towards the a6600 still as the best combination of features for my criteria.

I’m moving from a Canon G7X in Nauticam and already have 2 x YS-D2, FixNeo video & Sola focus lights, CMC-1, and WWL-1. Planning to start with the kit lens in a flat port for versatility. Looking for minimal weight & bulk for air travel.

I may get a dedicated macro lens + port eventually. Seems like there are some good options for this too.

Lance

 

[VsubT]

Anybody here have a chance to shoot a Sony a6600 rig underwater yet?

I’m interested in pairing the Nauticam housing with this camera, but have not seen any reviews with actual use/results. Seems like this setup might check most of the boxes for my needs, but I’d really like to hear from someone who is already using it first.

Back to my prior question: Anybody actually use the a6600 underwater yet?

Lance

 

[Nemrod]

The tokina with the metabones is a great combination and very flexible probably the only lens you will need for wide angle I recommend you get the N100 N120 adapter and the port you will not regret it. There are no benefits of the WWL-1 on this combo especially on a prime lens

I very much value you opinions. I still recommend, as does Nauticam, the Sigma 19mm f2.8 and WWL-1. The Sigma lens is sharper than the kit lens, focuses well and is inexpensive and a fast f2.8. (Having owned a Nikon 50mm f1.2 I find that hard to say!). We can zoom with our fins, the Sigma 19 delivers the full 130 degree FOV the WWL-1 is capable of and the edges and corners are clean. Hopefully by late summer I can swing the Metabones and other bits needed to get the Tokina in the water.

OP, I bring this up partly because Sigma discontinued the 19mm f2.8 Art lens and the replacements are not suited for UW use IMO. So, if you really like the Sony A6XXX and Nauticam WWL you may want to start trying to dig one up, they are still out there. I just bought a spare NIB.

James

 

[Interceptor121]

130 degrees is limiting compared to the tokina it corresponds more or less to 13 mm on the tokina so is a case of being able to get closer not zooming
If you didn’t have the tokina ok maybe go on the zoom and wwl but you already do and metabones plus port costs same as wwl-1
Fisheye zoom is the best combo in underwater photography and has made the success of nikon and canon cropped sensors having that is an asset
I went for a canon 8-15mm full frame on my camera to have the versatility