Sony's NEX mirrorless cameras are no more, but that's just the result of a name change. The company's popular interchangeable-lens cameras will live on – same E-mount lenses, same compact size, same kind of design. They'll just be called the "Alpha a[string of numbers]" until further notice.

Case in point: The newly announced Alpha a6000, which is a direct successor to the excellent Alpha NEX-6 from 2012. If you're looking to step up from a point-and-shoot camera (or let's face it, a smartphone) but aren't quite sold on carrying around a bigger, bulkier DSLR, this camera is generally built with you in mind. For its spec roster, it looks like a phenomenal deal.

That starts with the combination of sensor and image processor. The a6000 is built around a new 24-megapixel APS-C sensor with a gapless microlens array similar to the sensor design found in the full-frame Sony Alpha A7R. According to Sony, the on-chip microlens design aids with low-light performance and image uniformity. The Alpha a6000 also offers the same latest-generation Bionz X image processor as the Alpha A7 and Alpha A7R.

The new camera also offers what Sony is calling the world's fastest autofocus system, as the a6000's combination phase- and contrast-detection AF system is purportedly able to lock in on a subject in just 0.06 of a second. As far as manufacturers' claims go, that's a wee bit faster than the 0.08-second AF speed of Fujifilm's X-E2 and X100s cameras.

It sounds like that AF speed will shine brightly in burst mode. The new Sony camera can capture 11 shots per second with autofocus adjusting from shot to shot; the sensor has 179 phase-detection and 25 contrast-detection AF points. That speedy autofocus should also come in handy when using the a6000's video mode, which captures 1080p footage at 60fps and 24fps.

Along with full manual exposure controls, RAW/RAW+JPG modes, and the option of using either a 1.4-million-dot eye-level OLED viewfinder or a 3-inch tilting touchscreen, the a6000 also offers Wi-Fi and NFC features. Along with the ability to offload images and video wirelessly to a mobile device and pair the camera to a compatible phone by touching the two together, Sony also offers camera-specific apps and add-ons via its PlayMemories store.

The price for this fully loaded interchangeable-lens camera is one of its most attractive features. It'll go for $650 for the body only – around the same price as the Cyber-shot RX100 II these days – or $800 as a kit with a 16-50mm E-mount lens with motorized zoom controls. The camera has a focal length multiplier of 1.5X.