Old vs. New Sony Sensors: A Color Science Showdown

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There's been a lot of talk about whether Sony's older camera sensors have better color science than their newer ones. Since I own cameras with both types, I can tell you firsthand – there's definitely a difference! I wanted to see which I preferred, so I put them to the test.

Links to Cameras - 

Older Camera - Sony ZV-E10

Newer Camera - Sony a6700

Today, I'm comparing these two sensor generations in various lighting, using the exact same lenses: the Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6, the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8, and the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2. This way, the only thing changing is the sensor.

Also here you can find the FREE PROJECT FILES for both cameras so you can dive in and explore for yourself. If you're still on the fence after you read this blog, you can take my free "Which Camera Should I Buy?" quiz.

Sony 16-50mm Kit Lens.

 Right away, I noticed the older sensor produced more saturated highlights with a yellowish tint, while the newer sensor stayed cleaner and whiter. This saturation difference continued in wider shots, with the older sensor making greens look more yellow. Personally, I prefer the newer sensor's more natural look; I'd rather add saturation in post if needed.

Moving to better light, the big difference became the **Sky Color.** The older sensor consistently gave me a deeper, darker blue, while the newer one was softer and more neutral – more filmic, in my opinion. I still saw a hint of that older sensor's tendency to oversaturate, though.

Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8.

The saturation and sky color differences persisted in video. In photos, a brick wall looked more saturated with the older sensor. It might mean less post-processing, but the newer sensor gives me more flexibility. I even saw a slight greenish cast in the highlights from the older sensor in bright sun. Interestingly, the low-light oversaturation I saw with the kit lens wasn't as apparent with the Sigma.

The biggest difference with the Sigma was in **Skin Tones** in a vlog setup. My skin looked way more saturated with the older sensor – almost unnatural. This is where the 8-bit limitation of my older camera (compared to the newer 10-bit) likely plays a role. While the newer sensor often looks better, there are still plenty of well-lit shots where the older sensor holds up.

Viltrox 27mm f/1.2

In good light, the color science and skin tones were surprisingly similar, with just a bit more contrast from the newer sensor. But in low light, the older sensor again oversaturated, including skin tones. The newer sensor consistently gave me a better-looking image in these challenging conditions. Interestingly, I didn't see as much low-light saturation with the older sensor using this lens. However, the newer sensor still had better saturation and white balance in low light with the Viltrox. For a neon sign, though, I actually preferred the older sensor's look – less halation.

For travel vlog-style shots with the Viltrox, the newer sensor seemed to have more information, and a blue logo looked truer. But honestly, both were usable. Considering the price difference between older and newer sensor cameras, especially used, the older sensor can be a fantastic value for well-lit scenarios. Even with a chocolate lollipop, the color difference was minimal.

While the newer Sony sensor excels in low light and delivers more neutral, filmic sky colors, the older sensor is still very capable in good lighting with a good lens. It often comes down to preference: do you want more saturated out-of-camera colors, or the flexibility of a more neutral image for post-processing? Personally, I prefer the newer sensor, but I can't ignore the affordability of older sensor cameras. If I were starting out, an older sensor with a quality lens could be an amazing way to begin.