Sony Alpha a6000 is one of the best cameras out there for beginner and amateur shooters!
Though a little old, it works perfectly with its great features – one of which is its electronic viewfinder.
The viewfinder lets you look at objects easily.
However, if it stops working, you can find it hard to focus on objects with your eye!
So if your Sony a6000 viewfinder is not working, don’t panic!
I’ve found a few solutions that can help you resolve this problem!
That said, let’s first look at the reasons why it happens.
Reasons why the Sony a6000 viewfinder stops working
When some feature of your camera stops working, you start to worry.
After all, you’ve spent a good amount of money and time on this gadget.
Sometimes, when the viewfinder stops working, the reasons are obvious.
For instance, if you accidentally drop your camera, it can stop functioning like before.
However, if you haven’t dropped it, there could be other reasons why your Sony a6000 viewfinder isn’t working.
Here, we will look at the reasons and ways you can fix them.
The battery is not fully charged
If you’ve been using cameras for a while now, you’d know that a camera works well when it’s fully charged. Its features need the power of the battery to function smoothly.
So the first thing you need to do is to check the battery status of your Sony a6000.
Make sure it isn’t running on low battery as that could prevent the viewfinder from not working efficiently.
As a general rule of thumb: Always use the genuine battery pack and adaptors that come with it.
Viewfinder isn’t turned on
When you get the new camera, you might skip the display settings part. But it’s usually the most important part that you should consider checking.
The live display settings on your Sony a6000 are a great feature. And you should take advantage of it.
That said, you should navigate to the display settings menu to enable the viewfinder.
But first, move your finger or eye near the proximity sensor to see if the electronic viewfinder turns on. If it doesn’t turn on, you should go to the menu to turn it on.
Press the Menu button > Gear icon > Page 3 > Finder/Monitor > Auto.
The sensor area of the Sony a6000 isn’t cleaned
Dust, dirt, and fingerprint smudges on the eye sensor can prevent the viewfinder to work correctly.
So grab that soft cloth and start cleaning it gently.
Now, try to check to see if the viewfinder is working.
I recommend keeping a pack of cotton buds (Q-tip) to clean it whenever you’re doing outdoor shooting!
The Firmware of the Sony a6000 isn’t upgraded
It’s common for a camera to have bugs and other issues when it’s running on old firmware.
These issues can impact the features and functionalities of your camera.
So it’s recommended that you always upgrade the firmware of your cameras to the latest.
You can easily check the firmware of your Sony alpha a6000 on its menu settings.
The menu should have the option “Version,” which contains the details of your firmware.
Physical damage to the viewfinder
If it turns to a black screen, there’s a possibility of your viewfinder being bricked or damaged.
Look for cracks or scratches around the proximity sensor or the viewfinder.
To check if that’s the case, try connecting your Sony camera to your computer via an HDMI cable.
You should be able to see the display settings (Menu) on your computer screen.
Once you navigate to the menu, look for Finder/Monitor option and select the Viewfinder or Auto.
Eyepiece around the viewfinder isn’t removed
Almost every Sony cameras come with an eyepiece around its viewfinder. You need to remove the eyepiece around the Sony a6000 viewfinder. So that it can function smoothly.
Is it hard to remove it? Well, no.
You just need to use your fingers to pop this eyepiece around with a gentle pull. And you’re all set!
Contact the Sony Support
Sometimes, the issue persists despite your attempts to troubleshoot the camera. If that’s the case with you, you should try to contact Sony Support.
One thing that you should keep in mind is that you may be charged for the service of your camera.
Wrap up
Hopefully, the solutions that I’ve provided will make this Sony a6000 viewfinder issue go away. After all, it’s the crucial part of your camera. So just make sure that your battery is fully charged, as a low battery can affect the viewfinder functionality. Plus, always keep your proximity or eye sensor clean. Lastly, check if there is a firmware update available for your camera model and install the latest version, as it can get rid of the bugs and improve the performance of your camera. By following these steps, I hope these solutions will help you resolve the viewfinder problem and get your Sony a6000 back to working condition.