Is The Sony a6000 Good for Sports Photography in 2024?

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Is the sony a6000 good for sports photography? Basically yes, The Sony a6000 is still great for sports photography.

Here are the main reasons:

  • Fast Autofocus: The Sony a6000 boasts 179 phase-detection points in its Fast Hybrid Autofocus technology, making it ideal for recording fast-paced sports action.
  • High Continuous Shooting Speed: The a6000 can capture quick motions with a continuous shooting speed of up to 11 frames per second, which is essential for sports photography.
  • Strong Low-Light Performance: The ISO range of 100-51200 on the camera and its APS-C sensor contribute to strong low-light performance, enabling for sports photography in a variety of lighting settings.
  • Tiny and lightweight: The a6000’s tiny and lightweight design makes it simple to carry and manage during sporting events, giving photographers with agility and convenience.

Here’s my suggestion though, try to reduce the number of frames per second to around 6, this will allow the camera to focus accurately on a single frame, which will make a huge difference.

By doing this, you will surely have more keepers than trying the spray and pray method.

My other advice is, to try getting the action more sideways past you than going at you. This will make it easier to capture the action and get the results you want.

Which features make the Sony a6000 a great camera for sports photography?

cyclist marathon

This camera is great but not perfect for shooting sports. It has many features that make it easy to shoot high-quality photos of players in motion, including its fast autofocus and auto-exposure capabilities.

Its ability to shoot at up to 11 frames per second in continuous shooting mode allows you to capture all the action in a single burst.

Now about its ISO, it has a high range but I’m actually trying to keep it at around ISO 3200, which means you can use faster shutter speeds.

Using faster shutter speeds will help keep motion blur at a minimum, thus you can freeze the moment.

Next, its relatively compact size allows you to carry it around and not worry about it getting in the way.

This is a huge benefit for photographers who shoot sports games, your arms will not get tired easily and allow you to get good angles and compositions.

Also, the Sony a6000 has useful features like built-in Wi-Fi and NFC that allow you to connect the camera to your smartphone or other devices wirelessly, which makes uploading photos easier than ever before.

Moreover, the A6000 is compatible with a wide range of lenses from Sony and third-party companies like Sigma and Tamron, allowing you to adapt your equipment based on your needs (and your wallet of course!).

Check out our other articles about the Sony a6000

What Lens to Buy for the Sony a6000 for Sports Photography

Since we are on a crop lens, we are going to get a 1.5X crop factor. So the lens’s focal length will be 1.5 times the equivalent in 35mm format.

We should take advantage of this and this will allow us to get affordable lenses suitable for sports.

Now, it really depends on what type of sports you are shooting. If you are shooting fast-moving sports indoors like hockey or basketball, then we suggest that you get a lens with a wide aperture (f/2.8 or better).

If outdoor sports like baseball or soccer, the focal length, and zoom range are most important. So let’s get into it now.

1. Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 Lens

This is a solid choice for beginners and for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money. The lens is very versatile, with a good focal range and decent image quality.

It’s not super sharp at any aperture, but it’s fine for most uses.

This lens will cover most situations you’ll encounter in a sporting event. And because of its slower aperture, the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 is great for outdoor sports like tennis or your kid’s soccer game.

2. Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DGDN OS Contemporary

This is a great lens for those who want to get serious about sports photography. It’s more expensive than the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3, but it has better image quality and longer reach. It is a great option if you’re mostly shooting a soccer, tennis, or baseball game.

In addition, it’s also great for concerts and wildlife photography where you often shoot from a distance. Overall, the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DGDN OS Contemporary is an excellent lens that will serve you well no matter what type of photography you do.

3. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens

If you’re shooting indoor sports, you might consider this lens.

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM is an impressive lens that’s ideal for shooting indoor sports like basketball, volleyball, or badminton. It will allow you to shoot at constant f/2.8 throughout its entire zoom range.

It’s a pro-level lens and has excellent image quality, so expect that this Sony lens will be more expensive than others.

4. Sony PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS E Mount

And lastly, the Sony PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS E Mount is a great all-around lens for shooting sports that covers wide-angle to telephoto.

The lens is sharp throughout its entire focal length range and offers great image quality at an affordable price point. Its reach is kinda limited so it is not suitable for baseball or soccer.

Autofocus and Shutter Speed on the Sony a6000 for Sports Photography

Because of its superior focusing technology and fast shutter speed, the Sony a6000 is ideal for sports photography. The camera incorporates a Fast Hybrid Autofocus system with 179 phase and 25 contrast detection points. This enables faster and more precise subject tracking, making it simpler to record fast-paced sports action.

Continuous Autofocus (AF-C) setting is suggested for sports photography to monitor moving objects continually. This guarantees that the camera’s focus adjusts as the subject travels across the frame. Furthermore, the camera’s Lock-on AF function helps to keep focus on a certain subject even when it moves out of the frame.

The a6000 can photograph continuously at up to 11 frames per second (fps). This ability to shoot quickly is critical for recording pivotal moments in sports, such as a player scoring a goal or making a dramatic move.


ISO and Sensor for Sony a6000 Sports Photography

The Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor of the a6000 is APS-C in size and has an effective resolution of 24.3 megapixels. When paired with the BIONZ X image processor, this sensor produces great picture quality and high sensitivity, making it ideal for sports photography.

Lighting conditions may change in sports photography, and you may need to utilize higher ISO settings in certain cases. The ISO range of the a6000 is 100 to 51200, letting you to shoot in low-light situations while retaining picture quality. However, noise levels at higher ISO settings must be considered, therefore it’s best to strike a balance between ISO, shutter speed, and aperture settings for the best results.

How do I shoot sports on my Sony A6000?

First things first, here are the recommended settings for sports photography:

  1. Set your Sony a6000 to Shutter Priority Mode (S)
  2. Start with a shutter speed of around 1/500
  3. ISO set to Auto or between 1200 – 3200
  4. Focus Mode set to AF-C
  5. Focus Area set to Zone
  6. Set the White Balance to Auto
  7. Drive Mode set to Continuous Shooting: Hi
  8. Choose a burst rate between 6-11 FPS (We recommend 6FPS)
  9. If you have OSS or a lens with stabilization, make sure it is turned ON
  10. Compose your shot and fire away!

Also, make sure that you’re on a stable surface. If you’re using a heavier lens, using a tripod or a monopod can help you to prevent any camera shake.

Conclusion

The Sony A6000 is a great camera for sports photography. It’s lightweight and compact, so it’s easy to carry around with you as you follow your subject or track down the perfect shot.

Sure, it is not perfect and may not suit a lot of pros out there, but it is a capable camera in the right hands.