Sony a6600 in India: Lenses, Memory Cards and Accessories That Fit (Buyer's Guide)

The Sony a6600 is a 24.2 megapixel APS-C E-mount camera with in-body stabilisation and a large battery. It suits travel, family, wildlife and video work if you want a compact body, and the 18-135mm kit is the simplest starting point. Pair it with a UHS-I SD card and add the 70-350mm for distance or the 50mm macro for close-ups. It is an older body, so read the section on newer options before you buy.

What the a6600 is, in plain terms

The a6600 uses Sony's Exmor APS-C CMOS sensor with 24.2 effective megapixels. Sony lists the sensor at about 23.5 x 15.6 mm. The lens mount is Sony E, so every E-mount lens fits natively, including full-frame FE lenses.

The features that matter in daily use:

• 5-axis in-body stabilisation. Sony says it gives stabilisation equivalent to a 5-step faster shutter setting. It works with any compatible lens, so even lenses with no stabilisation of their own benefit.
• Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF. Eye detection covers humans and animals. Useful for kids, pets and birds that will not hold still.
• Battery life. The body takes the NP-FZ100 battery. Sony rates it at about 810 shots with the monitor and about 720 with the viewfinder (CIPA conditions, with the 18-135mm lens). Real shooting varies.
• 4K HDR (HLG) video with full pixel readout and no pixel binning, plus S-Log3 and S-Log2, a headphone jack and a mic jack.
• Dust and moisture resistant magnesium alloy body. Resistant, not waterproof. Keep it out of heavy rain.
• 180 degree tilting screen for vlogging and low or high angles.
• Up to 11 fps continuous shooting with AF and AE, and silent shooting at up to 8 fps.

Body only or 18-135mm kit?

This is the first decision. The table below sums it up, then we cover each lens.

Choose the kit if you have no lenses. One zoom covers most situations, and you can add a second lens once you know what you miss. Choose body only if you already have E-mount glass or know exactly which lens you want.

Stock is limited on these listings, so check availability on each product page before you plan around a particular combination.

Lenses that fit the a6600

18-135mm: the all-round lens

Sony describes the kit lens as an OSS zoom with Optical SteadyShot. With the in-body stabilisation as well, handheld video and low-light stills are easier. It is the lens most people should start with, especially for travel and family shooting.

Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS: for distance

Made for APS-C, this lens gives an equivalent range of 105-525mm. It weighs about 625 g, has built-in optical stabilisation, and uses a dust and moisture resistant design. Sony lists the minimum focus distance as 1.1 to 1.5 m.

That reach suits birds, wildlife, cricket from the stands and aircraft. The aperture is slow at the long end, so you need daylight or a higher ISO. It also adds size and weight, so plan your bag around it.

Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro: close-ups and portraits

This is a full-frame FE lens, and it works on the a6600. On APS-C it behaves like a 75mm equivalent. It focuses as close as 16 cm and offers 1:1 magnification, so small objects fill the frame. It weighs 236 g.

It has no stabilisation of its own, which is where the a6600's in-body system helps. For flowers, food and product photos it is a good second lens. For general portraits it is useful too, though f/2.8 will not blur backgrounds as strongly as a faster lens.

Full-frame FE lenses on an APS-C body

Any FE lens mounts on the a6600, and the sensor crops the view. Lenses built for full frame are usually larger and heavier than APS-C lenses. That is fine if you plan to move to a full-frame body later. If you will stay on APS-C, dedicated E lenses keep the kit smaller.

Memory cards for the a6600

The a6600 has a single card slot. A Sony listing shows it accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards that are UHS-I compliant, as well as Memory Stick formats. So you want a UHS-I SD card, and you do not need to pay for a faster standard. Sony's own battery figures assume a U3 SDXC card.

For 4K video and burst shooting, choose a card with a V30 or U3 rating. For stills only, a standard UHS-I card is enough. Our options:

• SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-I V30: up to 200 MB/s read and up to 90 MB/s write, in 64GB and 128GB.
• SanDisk 256GB Extreme Pro UHS-I SDXC: V30 rated, up to 200 MB/s read and 140 MB/s write. Suits long 4K shoots and trips.
• SanDisk Ultra GO SDHC and SDXC UHS-I: a lower-cost card for photos and Full HD. Check the speed class before using it for 4K.

With one slot there is no backup copy. For weddings or one-time events, swap cards between sessions rather than filling one large card. Our memory card guide explains speed classes in more detail.

Accessories worth buying

• A spare NP-FZ100 battery. Even with the strong battery rating, a full day of travel video drains it. We did not find a spare NP-FZ100 in stock at the time of writing, so ask us before you order.
• A second card. Cheaper than losing a day's shoot to a full card.
• A hard case. The body is dust and moisture resistant, but that does not cover knocks. If you travel, a hard case is cheap protection. Read the hard case buying guide, and use the case finder to size one for your body and lenses.
• Silica gel or a dry bag in monsoon. Humidity is hard on lenses. Store gear with desiccant between shoots.

Is the a6600 still worth buying?

It is an older body, and honesty matters here. Sony has since released the a6700. Sony's spec sheet lists a 26.0 megapixel maximum still resolution, the BIONZ XR processor and 4K recording modes up to 119.88p. If you want higher frame rate 4K video or the newest processor, look at the a6700.

The a6600 still makes sense when you want a proven body with in-body stabilisation, long battery life, a headphone jack and a mic jack, and you do not need those newer features. It also leaves more budget for lenses and cards, which often change your results more than a body upgrade. Compare both before deciding, and only pay for features you will use.

Which setup should you pick?

1. New to interchangeable lenses or travelling light: the 18-135mm kit, one UHS-I V30 card, and a case.
2. Shooting wildlife or sports: the kit plus the 70-350mm.
3. Shooting products, food or flowers: body plus the 50mm macro, or the kit plus the macro.
4. Already own E-mount lenses: body only and spend the difference on cards and a case.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Sony a6600 have in-body image stabilisation?
Yes. It has 5-axis in-body stabilisation, which Sony says is equivalent to a 5-step faster shutter setting. It works with any compatible lens.

Which memory card does the a6600 use?
It has a single slot that accepts UHS-I SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, along with Memory Stick formats. For 4K video, pick a V30 or U3 card.

Can I use full-frame FE lenses on the a6600?
Yes. The a6600 has an E-mount, so FE lenses fit. Their view is cropped by the APS-C sensor, so a 50mm lens behaves like a 75mm equivalent.

Is the a6600 weather-sealed for the monsoon?
Sony describes the body as dust and moisture resistant. That is not waterproof, so shelter it in heavy rain and dry it after damp shoots.

Should I buy the body only or the 18-135mm kit?
Buy the kit if you have no E-mount lenses. Buy the body only if you already own lenses or want a specific lens such as the 50mm macro or 70-350mm.