Sony NEX-6 vs. Sony WX1: A Deep Dive Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

Choosing the right camera can feel like navigating a labyrinth, especially with Sony’s sprawling lineup that spans from nimble ultracompacts to advanced mirrorless systems. Today, we're dissecting two very different beasts: the Sony Alpha NEX-6, a 2013-era APS-C advanced mirrorless camera, and the older but intriguing Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1, a 2009 ultracompact. Though they couldn't be more different in ambition, price, and target user, both cameras have earned their place in Sony’s imaging history.

After countless hours put into hands-on testing and side-by-side comparisons, I’m here to guide you through the technical minutiae and real-world experience of these cameras, from sensor performance and autofocus to ergonomics and specialized photography applications. Whether you’re a travel photographer on a budget or a portrait artist craving image quality, let’s unpack what each offers - and crucially, when each makes sense in your gear arsenal.

Size and Handling: Mirrorless Versus Pocketable Convenience

Handling and ergonomics can make or break your shooting experience, no matter how powerful the specs on paper. The Sony NEX-6 is a compact advanced mirrorless system - not a DSLR, but certainly not a tiny point-and-shoot either. The WX1, by contrast, epitomizes ultracompact, pocket-friendly cameras for casual shooting.

Sony NEX-6: At 120 x 67 x 43 mm and weighing 345 grams, the NEX-6 strikes an excellent balance - it’s noticeably smaller and lighter than typical DSLRs but substantial enough to offer a confident grip. The body features a tactile, well-laid-out exterior suited for prolonged shooting, with customizable buttons and a deep EVF hump that houses a quality electronic viewfinder.

Sony WX1: Weighing just 149 grams and measuring a mere 91 x 52 x 20 mm, the WX1 epitomizes pocketability - effortlessly slipping into a jacket pocket or purse. Handling-wise, its petite size means compromises in physical controls and grip comfort, especially for serious handheld shooting over longer sessions.

For photographers prioritizing ergonomics and manual control, the NEX-6 feels like a proper camera in hand. If portability is paramount, the WX1 cannot be beaten for its convenience, despite lacking physical dials and buttons.

Design and Control Layout: Intuitive Usage Under Pressure

Beyond size, how each camera’s controls respond in the moment, especially under complex conditions, is vital.

The NEX-6 sports a thoughtfully arranged top plate featuring a control dial, exposure compensation, customizable function buttons, and an accessible shutter release. Its rangefinder-style design coupled with the electronic viewfinder means you can shoot with eye to viewfinder even in bright conditions - a huge advantage outdoors.

By comparison, the WX1 uses a simplified, ultracompact design with minimal physical controls. It relies heavily on the rear LCD and a few function buttons. There’s no EVF, and menus are more simplified, catering to casual shooters. The lack of dedicated manual exposure controls means less immediate creative flexibility.

In practical terms, if you often find yourself adjusting exposure or focus modes on the fly, the NEX-6’s layout will save time and frustration. The WX1’s simplified interface can be limiting but remains straightforward for grab-and-go snapshots.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

The clear divergence in hardware lies in the sensors. This is where I spent plenty of time comparing both cameras under controlled lighting, real-world shooting, and high ISO conditions to understand the practical benefits and compromises.

Sony NEX-6:

• Large APS-C CMOS sensor (23.5 x 15.6 mm), offering 16 MP resolution
• Bionz processor tailored for high dynamic range and noise control
• Native ISO 100–25600 with usable high ISO performance up to around 3200–6400 in real shooting scenarios
• Anti-alias filter included (as was common in its class)

Sony WX1:

• Much smaller 1/2.4" BSI-CMOS sensor, measuring only 6.1 x 4.6 mm
• 10 MP resolution, which is modest but adequate for small prints and web sharing
• Native ISO up to 3200 but with inherent noise at higher sensitivities
• Physical limitations in dynamic range and low-light capability due to sensor size

Real-World Impact:

The NEX-6’s much larger sensor drastically improves image quality in both resolution and tonal richness. Highlight recovery and shadow detail are markedly superior, as confirmed by DXOmark scores (NEX-6 overall score: 78; WX1 not tested but expected significantly lower).

The smaller WX1 sensor fares well in bright daylight and casual shooting but struggles beyond ISO 800 due to noise and loss of detail. Dynamic range is limited, leading to blown highlights in tricky lighting.

In short: The NEX-6 is the choice for photographers who demand image quality and want to crop or print large with confidence, whereas the WX1 is designed for snapshots and casual everyday use.

LCD Screens and Viewfinders: Framing and Reviewing Your Shots

An essential part of your shooting experience, especially with mirrorless cameras, is how well you compose and review images in various circumstances.

The NEX-6 offers a generous 3-inch Xtra Fine tilting LCD with 921k dots resolution, excellent for composing at awkward angles and verifying focus critically. Crucially, its tiltable design (up 90° and down 45°) adds versatility for overhead or low-to-the-ground shots.

It also features an OLED electronic viewfinder with 2359k dots, 100% coverage, and 0.73x magnification - providing a bright, crisp rendering of your scene even in direct sunlight.

The WX1 has a fixed 2.7-inch LCD with just 230k dots resolution, which appears dimmer and less detailed. No viewfinder is present, meaning you’re restricted to using the screen for all shooting, which can hamper stability and viewing clarity in bright daylight.

My testing showed that for outdoor shooting, the NEX-6’s EVF and tilting screen significantly enhance possibility and speed. The WX1 remains challenging in bright scenes and may push you to frequent image reviews for missed shots.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Focusing performance remains a critical differentiator in real-world shooting, especially for wildlife, sports, and street photography.

Sony NEX-6:

• Hybrid phase and contrast detection AF system with 99 focus points
• Face detection enabled; continuous AF available
• No animal eye AF but decent tracking capability for its era
• Supports manual focus via lens ring for precision when needed

Sony WX1:

• Contrast-detection only AF with 9 focus points
• No face or other subject detection features
• No continuous AF or tracking
• Autofocus adequate for static subjects but slower lock speed and hunting in low light

For action photography, the NEX-6’s AF system outclasses the WX1 by a significant margin. It achieves fast, relatively reliable focus lock and tracking that can handle moving subjects, though modern standards would expect better.

The WX1 suffices for casual snapshots but will frustrate when attempting sports or wildlife where responsiveness and accuracy are vital.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Mechanics

Continuous shooting capability is an oft-overlooked feature impacting your ability to capture decisive moments.

Both cameras advertise a 10 fps continuous shooting rate - impressive on paper, but the NEX-6’s larger buffer and more sophisticated processor allow burst sequences of up to 15 RAW or more JPEG frames with consistent autofocus tracking.

The WX1’s burst mode exists primarily for quick JPEG JPEG snapshots of a few frames and lacks real AF tracking or buffer depth, limiting usefulness for fast action.

Lens Ecosystem and Versatility: The Power of a System

The NEX-6 supports the Sony E-mount, opening up access to over 120 native lenses ranging from ultra-wide to super telephoto and dedicated macro lenses. This unlocks enormous creative options unmatched by any compact camera.

The WX1 comes with a fixed 24-120mm equivalent lens, making it simple but limiting. Its 5x zoom range is respectable for its class, and a bright F2.4 aperture at wide angle is helpful for indoor scenes, but optical quality and flexibility cannot match interchangeable lenses.

For photographers considering long-term investment and lens upgrades, NEX-6 is an obvious choice. Its compatibility with Sony and third-party E-mount lenses means you can tailor your setup to nearly any photographic discipline.

Build Quality and Environmental Resistance

Neither camera is weather-sealed or particularly rugged; however, the NEX-6's body is constructed with a magnesium alloy top plate and fits more comfortably into professional workflows where durability counts. The lighter WX1 feels more delicate, suitable for casual day-to-day carry.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery-life-wise, the NEX-6 achieves about 360 shots per charge per CIPA standards, respectable for a mirrorless but not outstanding. I liked that it uses the widely supported NP-FW50 battery, allowing easy spares.

The WX1 lacks formal battery life specs but uses a proprietary rechargeable battery with modest longevity - expect needing frequent recharging during heavy use.

Both cameras incorporate a single memory card slot: NEX-6 supports SD/SDHC/SDXC and Sony Memory Stick formats, while WX1 uses Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo and some internal memory.

Wireless and Connectivity Features

The NEX-6 includes built-in Wi-Fi for image transfer and remote control via apps, a strong plus for modern workflows. HDMI and USB 2.0 ports provide external connectivity, though note the USB speed is limited by 2.0 standards.

The WX1 does not offer any wireless connectivity, relying solely on USB and HDMI outputs, reflecting its era and category.

Video Capabilities: Moving Images

The ability to shoot decent video has become essential for versatile content creators.

• NEX-6 supports full HD 1080p at 60 and 24 fps in AVCHD and MPEG4 formats - offering good video quality with manual exposure controls, although no microphone or headphone ports limit audio input options.
• WX1 captures HD at 720p resolution max (1280×720 at 30 fps), limited to simpler video needs and no manual control over exposure during recording.

If video is a consideration beyond casual, the NEX-6’s superior specs and codec options deliver a far more professional package.

Specialized Photography Use Cases

Let’s break down the cameras’ strengths and weaknesses in key photography categories.

Portrait Photography

• NEX-6: The APS-C sensor, coupled with interchangeable lenses enabling wide apertures, delivers rich skin tones and beautiful bokeh. Face detection autofocus aids capturing sharp eyes.
• WX1: Limited lens and sensor size restrict bokeh quality and low-light portraits; autofocus lacks face detection.

Landscape Photography

• NEX-6: Excellent dynamic range and 16 MP resolution capture fine detail and tonal gradations; tilt-screen aids composition; lack of weather sealing is a minor caveat.
• WX1: Smaller sensor limits dynamic range, and resolution caps printing size; compact size helps portability.

Wildlife & Sports

• NEX-6: Faster and more accurate AF, higher burst buffer make it usable for moderate action and wildlife with the right lenses.
• WX1: Slow AF and limited burst make it ill-suited for action or wildlife.

Street Photography

• WX1: Thanks to pocket size and virtually silent operation, it excels in discreet street shooting.
• NEX-6: Larger size and EVF hump make it less subtle, but manual control and image quality shine.

Macro Photography

• NEX-6: Ability to attach dedicated macro lenses and manual focus ring surpasses the WX1, which has fixed lens and limited close-focus capability (~5 cm).

Night & Astro Photography

• NEX-6: Larger sensor and higher usable ISO provide better performance.
• WX1: High noise levels hamper usefulness.

Travel Photography

• WX1’s ultracompact size makes it unbeatable for travel convenience; NEX-6 demands larger bag but provides versatility and better image quality.

Professional Workflows

• NEX-6 with raw support, superior ergonomics, and lens options fits serious workflows better.
• WX1 geared to casual shooters.

Sample Image Comparison

To put theory into practice, I shot identical scenes and conditions.

Sony NEX 6 front Sony NEX 6 screen back Sony WX1 front Sony WX1 screen back

Notables include superior sharpness, dynamic range, and cleaner high ISO performance in NEX-6’s images. The WX1 images are softer, quieter scenes lose detail, and dynamic range is compressed.

Summarized Performance Ratings

Our expert evaluation places the NEX-6 solidly in the upper-mid advanced mirrorless category for 2013, while WX1 marks a competent ultracompact of its time - reflecting their design goals and eras.

Genre-Specific Scores

The NEX-6 leads across almost all disciplines except pocket portability and ultralight travel. The WX1 shines mostly for casual street and travel snapshots.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

If you are a photography enthusiast or professional who values image quality, manual control, lens flexibility, and a solid balance of features, the Sony NEX-6 remains a capable, affordable mirrorless camera, even a decade after release. Its 16 MP APS-C sensor, EVF, fast hybrid autofocus, and robust build quality deliver real creative freedom.

On the flip side, if your primary goal is undeniable portability, simplicity, and casual snapshot capability without the need for manual controls or interchangeable lenses, the Sony WX1 still holds charm as an ultracompact travel companion.

Choose the Sony NEX-6 if:

• You want full creative control over exposure and focus
• Image quality is a priority for large prints or professional use
• You desire access to a broad, high-quality lens ecosystem
• Video quality and advanced features matter to you

Choose the Sony WX1 if:

• Pocket-friendly size and extremely lightweight are paramount
• Ease of use for snapshots is your main goal
• Manual controls and RAW capture are non-essential
• Your budget is limited, and you need a simple daily shooter

In closing:

Despite their generational and category gap, both cameras tell the story of Sony’s imaging evolution and cater to distinct types of photographers. My hands-on testing confirms that the NEX-6 offers superior optics, control, and image fidelity at a reasonable size and cost, while the WX1 remains a neat ultracompact with a modest pricetag and straightforward operation.

Selecting between them comes down to your photography ambitions and budget - both have earned their place but appeal to very different needs.

I hope this detailed comparison aids your research and confidence as you shop for your next camera. Feel free to reach out with questions or experiences - sharing observations from multiple real-world shoots helps all of us better understand these tools.

Happy shooting!