Sony A6400 Review

March 21, 2019 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The new Sony A6400 is the fourth model in Sony's range of APS-C sensor mirrorless cameras, joining the A6000, A6300 and A6500 in the lineup.

It features the same 24.2 megapixel sensor as the A6300 and A6500 cameras, along with the latest BIONZ X image processor, which now enables the Alpha A6400 to record at ISO 102400. The A6400 can capture 4K HDR (HLG) 3840x2160 video at 30fps, along with Full HD 1080p content at 120fps, both without any limits on the recording length.

Autofocus performance has been further improved, with the A6400 featuring 425 phase detection and 425 contrast detection AF points that cover 84% of the entire image frame. This helps ensure accurate subject tracking, and with the aid of Sony’s powerful Bionz X image processor, gives the A6400 a claimed focusing speed of just 0.02 seconds, more than twice as fast as the A6500.

Furthermore, the Sony Alpha A6400 offers real-time Eye AF and real-time AF tracking with AI-based subject recognition, which is instigated by half-pressing the shutter button, rather than via a custom button as on previous models, and the AF now works in low-light down to -2EV. Sony claim that all of these improvements make the A6400 the best camera in both their APS-C and full-frame ranges in terms of AF performance.

Other key new features include a 180-degree tilting monitor with touchscreen operation, an improved menu interface, built-in timelapse mode, 11fps continuous shooting with continuous AF/AE tracking with the mechanical shutter and 8fps with the silent electronic shutter, Bluetooth connectivity, 1:1 aspect ratio for JPEGs, and an improved peaking function.

The Sony A6400 is priced at approximately £950 / $900 / €1050. It's also offered as a kit with the E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens priced at approximately £1,000 or in a kit with the E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens priced at approximately £1,300.

Ease of Use

Key Specifications

  • 24.2 megapixel sensor
  • World's fastest autofocus - 0.02 secs
  • Real-time Eye AF with AI-based subject recognition
  • Real-time AF tracking with AI-based subject recognition
  • 425 PDAF and 425 contrast detection AF points
  • 84% AF area coverage
  • 11fps continuous shooting with continuous AF/AE tracking, bursts up to 116 JPEGs, 8fps in silent mode
  • ISO 102400 (expanded)
  • 4K HDR (HLG) recording, 30fps, 8-bit
  • 6K over sampling, 100Mbps bit rate
  • 180-degree tilting monitor
  • Touchscreen operation
  • XGA OLED viewfinder
  • In-body timelapses
  • Bluetooth connectivity
Sony A6400
Front of the Sony A6400

Externally the new Sony A6400 is extremely similar to the A6300 and A6500 cameras, so much so that you'd be hard-pressed to tell them apart side-by-side. It measures 120.0mm x 66.9mm x 49.9mm and weighs in at 403g with the battery and a memory card fitted, exactly the same as the A6300. As with that model, the Sony A6400 has a tough magnesium alloy body shell that incorporates full weather sealing for extra peace of mind in inclement conditions.

Although not particularly deep (something that was rectified on the A6500), the sculpted hand grip is relatively wide and comfortable to hold on to, which combined with the sizable rear thumb rest makes the A6400 feel secure enough when shooting one-handed.

The A6400 inherits the same 2.36 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder from the A6300, which features a 120fps high frame rate setting to help track moving subjects more smoothly with virtually no lag. The same is true of the 3-inch widescreen LCD monitor, which again retains the 922k resolution of the A6300's screen.

This time around, though, Sony have implemented a 180-degree flippable design, rather than just 90 degrees of upward rotation and 45 degrees downward as on the A6300. This is more versatile for selfies and vlogging, although if you fit an accessory to the camera's flash hotshoe (like an external mic), you won't actually be able to use the screen in this position.

Sony A6400
Rear of the Sony A6400

Sony have also implemented touch sensitivity to the screen, just like on the flagship A6500 camera. This makes functions like focus point selection much easier and more intuitive, especially given the lack of a rear AF joystick, and it even works while looking through the electronic viewfinder. Unfortunately, somewhat bizarrely you can't use the touchscreen to navigate the main menu or quick menu settings.

The Sony A6400’s primary controls are virtually identical to those on the A6300. There's the same dual wheel layout with a primary control dial on the top panel and a secondary rear-panel wheel that doubles as the 4-way navigation buttons. It’s a reasonably ergonomic setup, though we’d still prefer an additional control dial positioned near to the shutter release, enabling simultaneous thumb and forefinger settings adjustment.

The auto exposure lock button is still located directly alongside the thumb rest within a lever switch that gives the button two functions. Set the switch to AEL and you can meter light and lock exposure independently of the shutter release. But with the switch set to AF/MF, the exposure lock button instead activates manual focus during autofocusing, or switches the focus mode to auto when in manual mode.

It’s the further enhanced AF system that really steals the limelight on the new A6400. Where the A6300 featured 425 phase-detection AF points and 169 contrast-detection AF points, the A6400 gets a whopping 425 points of both varieties, phase and contrast, again spread over almost the entirety of the sensor area (84% to be precise). This helps the camera achieve a quoted focusing time of just 0.02 seconds, compared to the 0.05 second time of the A6300 and A6500.

Sony A6400
Top of the Sony A6400

Another focusing feature that has been improved is Eye AF. Already impressive on the rest of the Alpha camera range, Sony have simply taken things to the next level on the A6400.

Firstly, they've implemented an entirely new algorithm that uses AI-based object recognition to detect and track the subject, improving the accuracy, speed, and performance of the continuous AF system. You simply select the the new Tracking AF mode, position the AF point over the subject that you want to track, half-press the shutter, and the camera will doggedly follow that subject wherever it moves in the frame. It doesn't have to be a person - the A6400 will track virtually any subject that you care to point it at.

This also effectively means that you no longer have to activate Eye AF by holding down a custom button (although you still can if you want to). Instead simply half-pressing the shutter button whilst in the Tracking AF mode activates Eye AF automatically if it detects a face/eye, and it seamlessly switches back to non-specific subject tracking if the eye or face can't be detected, then back again when it can.

Conversely, you can use the system for easier composition of still subjects too. Simply focus on your subject, hold down the shutter button, and the camera will accurately lock onto your chosen subject while you recompose the frame, even if it's in one of the furthest corners.

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The Sony A6400 In-hand

It's fair to say that Sony's new real-time AF tracking is something of a game-changer for both portrait and action photography - indeed, for any subject that you need to accurately and doggedly track, moving or otherwise. The ease of operation is a real eye-opener (excuse the pun) after years of holding down the Set button, and the sheer speed and adaptability of the system is surprisingly good considering this is just Sony's first leap forward in this area. We can't wait to see the same system implemented on other Sony Alpha cameras, with the flagship Alpha A9 sports camera due to get it next via a firmware upgrade.

It’s not just continuous focusing that gets a boost though, as continuous shooting is also enhanced. On paper the A6400 seems to be no faster than the A6300, with both cameras capable of shooting at 11fps using the mechanical shutter with continuous AF/AE metering and almost no perceptible lag on the LCD or EVF. What has been improved is the burst rate when using the electronic shutter, up from a rather pedestrian 3fps on the A6300 to a much more impressive 8fps on the A6400.

The A6400's buffer size is a little more disappointing, though, being bigger than the A6300, but smaller than the A6500, despite having the same processor. It can record 99 JPGs and 46 RAW files in a single burst, whereas the A6500 can manage a much more impressive 233 JPGs and 107 RAW files.

The Sony A6400 is a very customisable camera. The rear Fn function button displays a quick-access menu of frequently used shooting settings, and you can choose which items appear on this menu. There are also two Custom buttons which can each be assigned a frequently used function for direct access. Even the AF/MF/AEL button can be customised, along with the left, right, down and centre rear panel navigation buttons, as well as the Fn button’s role in playback mode.

Sony A6400
The Sony A6400's Tilting LCD Screen

By default, the Fn button activates the Sony A6400’s Send to Smartphone Wi-Fi function when in playback mode. This works in conjunction with Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile app and lets you transfer a full resolution JPEG image in a nippy three seconds. Of course, you’ll have to connect your smart device first, but NFC pairing makes this a painless process. Even if you don’t have an NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet, Sony lets you scan a QR code displayed on the A6400’s monitor and this automatically enters the SSID password so you don’t need to type it manually. The camera can also be remotely controlled by your smart device, although you’ll need to first enter the A6400’s Setup4 tab on the main menu to activate the Remote Ctrl feature.

Just like on the Alpha A6500, a low-power, low-bandwidth Bluetooth 4.1 data connection is now also available on the A6400. This lets you connect your camera to a smart device even when the A6400 is turned off for easier transfer of images. The Bluetooth connection can also be used to sync GPS location data from your smartphone.

Strangely Sony have decided to make the top panel of the A6400 slightly less customisable by removing the two Memory modes that were found on the A6300's shooting mode dial and replacing them with a single MR mode. This does have the benefit of providing a lot more memory modes, though - 7 in total. There are also the usual auto, semi auto and manual modes, plus a Scene Selection position, Sweep Panorama mode, and a Movie mode that works in conjunction with the video record button located on the right edge of the thumb grip. New to the A6400 is the Slow and Quick (S&Q) mode, which as the name suggests gives you easier access to the camera's slow- and quick- motion video options (frame rates from 1fps to 120fps), as selected in the Movie1 tab / S&Q Settings option in the main menu system.

Sony A6400
The Sony A6400's Battery Compartment

The A6400’s video abilities are virtually the same as on the A6300. It can record at Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution at 30fps, and slow motion, high frame rate Full HD 1920 x 1080 sequences at 120fps. The movie-making potential is further enhanced by 100Mb/s high-bit-rate XAVC S data encoding, as well as clean video output over HDMI. The A6400 features Sony’s S-Log 2 and 3 gamma curves which enable it to record greater dynamic range, providing you’re prepared to colour grade the recording in post-production. New to the A6400 is the option of recording in HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) so that you can shoot HDR-ready footage for playback on your compatible TV directly in-camera.

The Sony A6400 uses the latest menu design from the Alpha A7 III camera, rather than the one found on the A6500 and A6300. It has a more logical structure, although as is traditionally the way with Sony's menu, still pretty complicated. There's now a My Menu tab that as the name suggests allows you to construct your own custom menu for easier access to your favourite camera settings.

The Sony A6400 will capture an image within two seconds of power-up and keep on shooting for a rated 410 shots per charge, although this drops to 360 shots when using the EVF. The A6400 can also be powered and charged via a USB connection, which is useful if you’re without your charger but can access a computer, although it doesn't use the latest USB-C standard.

Finally there’s the battery compartment which, like the other A6000-series cameras, also incorporates the memory card slot. It’s not a major bugbear, as opening the compartment to access the card won’t cause the battery to drop out, and the tripod mount is far enough away to avoid a mounting plate blocking the door. It’s just a pity the card slot’s location nestles right next to the door’s hinge, making it fiddly to insert and eject a memory card.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 24.2 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 7Mb.

The Sony A6400’s 24.2 megapixel sensor is identical to that of the older A6300 model, so image quality on both cameras is practically the same.

The A6400 generates impressively clean results with minimal grain and detail loss. At ISO 6400 there’s only a slight increase in noise and reduction in detail, making this sensitivity completely usable. Only at ISO 12800 does grain and detail smoothing become more severe, although it’s by no means unsightly. ISO 25600 is really the ceiling for acceptable image quality, such is the high level of grain, loss of detail and reduced dynamic range. ISOs 51200 and 102400 are best avoided due to the intrusive grain and colour speckling.

If you dial things down to more sensible sensitivities, though, the A6400 records excellent dynamic range, especially when assisted by Sony’s Dynamic Range Optimisation. Good colour vibrancy adds extra visual appeal while maintaining accurate colour reproduction, though this of course can be adjusted to your own preference in the camera settings.

It’s worth noting that the A6400 doesn’t incorporate sensor-shift stabilisation and instead relies on conventional lens-based optical stabilisation. But even if you don’t have an optically-stabilised lens fitted, upping the camera’s sensor sensitivity to compensate for camera shake isn’t a big deal thanks to the A6400’s respectable high ISO image quality.

Noise

The Sony A6400 has a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 51200, expandable to ISO 102400. Auto ISO operates within an ISO 100-6400 range and has selectable upper and lower limits. Two levels of high ISO noise reduction can be selected – Normal, or Low – or the processing can be disabled.

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

iso25600.jpg iso25600raw.jpg

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

iso51200.jpg iso51200raw.jpg

ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

iso102400.jpg iso102400raw.jpg

File Quality

Five quality settings are available: RAW, RAW+JPEG (Extra fine, Fine and Standard JPEG compression options), JPEG Extra fine, JPEG Fine and JPEG Standard. RAW files average around 24MB each, Extra Fine JPEGs roughly 15MB, Fine JPEGs are in the region of 7.5MB, and Standard quality JPEGs weigh in at approximately 5MB each.

24M Extra Fine (15.5Mb) (100% Crop) 24M Fine (7.65Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_fine.jpg quality_fine.jpg
24M Standard (5.25Mb) (100% Crop) 24M RAW (23.9Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_standard.jpg quality_raw.jpg

Flash

Five flash settings are available: Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync and Rear Sync, Wireless, and High speed synchronization (although this mode can only be used when an external flashgun is fitted).

With the 18-135mm lens fitted, the pop-up flash produced noticeable vignetting with the lens set to maximum wide angle when shooting a white surface from a distance of 1.5m. The flash is also too short when extended to prevent it casting an obvious lens shadow, making an external flashgun essential when shooting with wide or ultrawide lenses.

Flash Off - Wide Angle

ISO 64

Flash On - Wide Angle

ISO 64

Flash Off - Telephoto

ISO 64

Flash On - Telephoto

ISO 64

And here are a couple of portrait shots. A separate menu option controls whether or not red-eye reduction is active, but even without this enabled, the A6400 successfully avoided red-eye in our testing.

Flash Off

flash_off.jpg

Flash On

flash_on.jpg

Red-eye reduction

flash_redeye.jpg

Night

This night scene was captured at f/8, ISO 100, with a 30-second exposure. The result is perfectly exposed with good detail and little image noise.

Night

night1.jpg

Creative Styles

The Sony A6400 offers 13 Creative Styles, which are sets of colour profiles for JPEG files.

Standard

Vivid

creative_styles_01.jpg creative_styles_02.jpg

Neutral

Clear

creative_styles_03.jpg creative_styles_04.jpg

Deep

Light

creative_styles_05.jpg creative_styles_06.jpg

Portrait

Landscape

creative_styles_07.jpg creative_styles_08.jpg

Sunset

Night

creative_styles_09.jpg creative_styles_10.jpg

Autumn

B&W

creative_styles_11.jpg creative_styles_12.jpg

Sepia

creative_styles_13.jpg

Picture Effects

The Sony A6400 offers 13 Picture Effects, some with additional sub options: Toy camera (normal, cool, warm, green, magenta), Pop color, Posterization (mono, colour), Retro photo, Soft high-key, Partial color (red, green, blue, yellow), High-contrast mono, Soft focus (low, mid, high), HDR painting (low, mid, high), Rich-tone mono, Miniature (top, middle horizontal, bottom, left, middle vertical, right), Watercolor, and Illustration (low, mid, high).

Off

Toy Camera

Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect00-normal.JPG Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect01-Toy_Camera.JPG

Pop Color

Posterization

Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect02-Pop_Color.JPG Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect03a-Posterization_BW.JPG

Retro

Soft High-key

Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect04-Retro_photo.JPG Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect05-Soft_High-key.JPG

Partial Color (Red)

High Contrast Mono

Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect06-Partial_Color.JPG Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect07-High_Contrast_Mono.JPG

Soft Focus

HDR Painting

Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect08-Soft_Focus.JPG Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect09-HDR_Painting.JPG

Rich-tone Mono

Miniature

Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect10-Rich-tone_Mono.JPG Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect11-Miniature.JPG

Watercolor

Illustration

Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect12-Watercolor.JPG Sony_Alpha_a6500-Picture_Effect13-Illustration.JPG

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony A6400 camera, which were all taken using the 24.2 megapixel Extra Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Sony A6400 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 15 second movie is 188Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 32 second movie is 384Mb in size.

Product Images

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Conclusion

The new Sony Alpha A6400 is a camera with something of a split personality. On one hand it has the best AF system that Sony offers on any of their cameras, including the much more expensive full-frame models, but on the other it inherits the now dated design of the original A6000 model with its awkward control layout.

On one hand it has a new 180-degree LCD screen that's perfect for vlogging, but on the other there's no built-in image stabilisation system, resulting in jerky footage if you dare to move with the camera, and fitting any accessory to the camera's hotshoe blocks the screen.

So while we love some of the new features that Sony have implemented on the A6400, we can't help but wonder why they didn't go the whole hog and design a new, more intuitive camera to house them in.

Which is a real shame, as the continuous AF system on the A6400 is simply the best that we've ever used, on any camera, regardless of whether you're a professional user shooting sports or a more casual user trying to get better pictures of your erratically moving kids. Simply focus on the subject, hold down the shutter button and voila, the A6400 will lock on and track them wherever they go.

This applies to eyes, faces, bodies, and any other subject that the powerful AI system can detect, and it proves useful for recomposing on still subject too. In short, Sony's new real-time tracking feature is a real game-changer and one that leaves its main rivals in the dust.

From a vlogging perspective, too the A6400 promises to be a great option, with its flippable screen, 4K/30 p quality and no limit on the actual recording length. Oh, and that fantastic AF system, which works for both stills and video (albeit without eye AF for video).

Unfortunately the lack of IBIS severely curtails how much you can move whilst recording, the screen is blocked if you fit an external mic in the hotshoe, there's no built-in headphone socket, and the USB port isn't the latest USB-C standard. Ultimately, the A6400 is outgunned by its main rival, the Fujifilm X-T30, in the video department - who would have thought that would happen just a few years ago?

Finally, the design of the A6000-series is frankly now starting to show its age. With an over-reliance on its menu system, no front control dial, and a so-so EVF and LCD screen, we really wish Sony had taken the time to improve on this camera's rather dated ergonomics.

Ultimately, the new Sony Alpha A6400 is a frustrating camera - outstanding in some aspects, most notably the AF system, good in others, but mediocre in some key areas by today's high standards. Overall, it's still a good bet, especially if you shoot a lot of moving subjects, but it also could potentially have been so much better...

4 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 4
Image quality 4.5
Value for money 4

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Sony A6400.

Canon EOS M50

The Canon EOS M50 is a surprisingly capable mid-range mirrorless camera, at least on paper, offering a specification list that in many ways out-does the company's flagship M5 model. Does it live up to it's full potential though? Find out by reading our Canon EOS M50 expert review...

Canon EOS M6

The Canon EOS M6 is a new compact system camera that offers 24.2 megapixels, 9fps continuous shooting, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, full HD 60p high-definition video with 5-axis in-body electronic image stabilisation, and a touch-screen interface. Other key features of the EOS M6 include a tilting 3-inch LCD screen, ISO range of 100-25600, and wi-fi, Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. Read our in-depth Canon EOS M6 review now...

Fujifilm X-T3

The Fujifilm X-T3 is the successor to our Compact System Camera of the Year 2016 award winner, the popular X-T2. Can this new model really improve on what was already an outstanding camera? Find out now by diving into our in-depth Fujifilm X-T3 review...

Fujifilm X-T30

Dubbed the Little Giant by Fujifilm, the new X-T30 mirrorless camera takes most of the things that we loved about the flagship X-T3 and packages them into a smaller, lighter body. It even has a few tricks up its sleeve that the X-T3 doesn't currently offer, most notably a more advanced auto-focusing system. Read our Fujifilm X-T30 review to find out how it compares to the X-T3 and the previous X-T20, and why you should definitely consider buying this new mid-range mirrorless camera...

Olympus PEN E-PL9

The Olympus PEN E-PL9 is a stylish new entry-level mirrorless camera aimed at smartphone owners looking to buy an interchangeable lens camera for the first time. The E-PL9 also has a lot to offer more experienced photographers, though, as we find out in our in-depth Olympus PEN E-PL9 review...

Olympus PEN-F

The new Olympus PEN-F is a new premium compact system camera boasting a gorgeous retro design and some pro-level features, including a new 20 megapixel sensor, 5-axis image stabilisation, 10fps burst shooting, vari-angle 3-inch LCD touchscreen, 4K time-lapse movies, an electronic shutter and built-in wi-fi. Priced at £999 / $1199 body-only, is the PEN-F all style and no substance? Read our in-depth Olympus PEN-F review to find out...

Panasonic G9

Panasonic have enjoyed a lot of success with the video-centric GH5 camera, and now they've turned their attention to the enthusiast and professional stills photographer with the release of the exciting new G9. Read our in-depth Panasonic G9 review now to find out more...

Panasonic Lumix GX9

The Panasonic GX9 is billled as a premium mirrorless camera for street photographers, and it's also the newest and most full-featured rangefinder-style camera in the Lumix range. Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix GX9 review complete with full-size sample images and movies to find out more...

Sony A6300

The Sony A6300 is a new high-end compact system camera that features the fastest auto-focusing system in the world and the highest number of AF points. With a 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, 4K movie recording, high-res 3-inch tilting LCD screen, electronic viewfinder and built-in flash, the Sony NEX-6 also offers 11fps burst shooting, wi-fi and NFC connectivity, and downloadable PlayMemories Camera Apps. Read our in-depth Sony A6300 review to find out if it's the best Sony APS-C camera yet...

Sony A6500

The Sony A6500 is the latest high-end compact system camera with an APS-C size sensor. With 24.2 megapixels, 4K movie recording, in-body 5-axis stabilization, a touchscreen 3-inch tilting LCD screen, 11fps burst shooting, electronic viewfinder and built-in flash, is the A6500 the best Sony APS-C camera yet? Read our Sony A6500 review to find out...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony A6400 from around the web.

digitalcameraworld.com »

For bloggers, vloggers and independent content creators, the Sony A6400 is a dream. Its still image quality is very good, its 4K video is even better, and its 180-degree screen and eye-detect AF are perfect for single-handed video capture. But this is a specific market, and for regular stills photographers its high-tech image capture is poor consolation for its five-year-old design and limited external controls.
Read the full review »

engadget.com »

Sony's 24.2-megapixel A6400 APS-C camera was a surprise, filling a gap between the A6300 and A6500 that didn't really need to be filled. Both in how it looks and the technology inside, it didn't seem like a great leap over the A6300. It also lacks important features (like in-body stabilization) found in the A6500. However, with 4K video, a pop-up screen, a microphone jack and reasonable $900 price tag, I thought it might make a great poor-man's vlogging camera.
Read the full review »

techradar.com »

You could be forgiven for thinking that the Alpha A6400 is a minor upgrade over the A6300, and in many ways it is. But it's the upgraded and highly advanced autofocus that really shines here, even more so given that it's on a camera costing under $1,000 / £1,000. If this camera can help you increase your hit rate, regardless of the subject you're shooting, that can only be a good thing.
Read the full review »

cameralabs.com »

The Sony A6400 is a mid-range mirrorless camera with a 24 Megapixel APSC sensor, 4k video, powerful autofocus tracking, a built-in viewfinder and touchscreen that flips-up by 180 degrees to face the subject. Announced in January 2019, it’s the official successor to the A6300 but as you’ll discover, it could be more tempting than the pricier A6500 depending on your needs.
Read the full review »

Specifications

What's In The Box

  • AC Adaptor:AC-UUE12
  • Accessory shoe cap
  • Body cap
  • Eyepiece cup
  • Micro USB cable
  • Power cord
  • Rechargeable Battery NP-FW50
  • Shoulder strap

Lens Compatibility

  • Sony E-mount lenses

Lens Mount

  • E-mount

Aspect Ratio

  • 3:2

Number Of Pixels (Effective)

  • Approx. 24.2 megapixels

Number of Pixels (total)

  • Approx. 25.0 megapixels

Sensor Type

  • APS-C type (23.5 x 15.6mm), Exmor CMOS sensor

Anti-Dust System

  • Charge protection coating on optical filter and ultrasonic, vibration mechanism

Recording Format

  • JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.31, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format)

Image Size (pixels) [3:2]

  • L: 6000 x 4000 (24M), M: 4240 x 2832 (12M), S: 3008 x 2000 (6.0M)

Image Size (pixels) [16:9]

  • L: 6000 x 3376 (20M), M: 4240 x 2400 (10M), S: 3008 x 1688 (5.1M)

IMAGE SIZE (PIXELS) [1:1]

  • L: 4000x4000 (16M), M: 2832x2832 (8.0M), S: 2000x2000 (4.0M)

Image Size (pixels) [Sweep Panorama]

  • Wide: horizontal 12,416 x 1,856 (23M), vertical 5,536 x 2,160 (12M), Standard: horizontal 8,192 x 1,856 (15M), vertical 3,872 x 2,160 (8.4M)

Image Quality Modes

  • RAW, RAW & JPEG (Extra fine, Fine, Standard), JPEG (Extra fine, Fine, Standard)

Picture Effect

  • 13 types: Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), Soft High-key, Soft Focus (High/Mid/Low), HDR Painting (High/Mid/Low), Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature (Auto/Top/Middle (H)/Bottom/Right/Middle (V)/Left), Watercolor, Illustration (High/Mid/ Low)

Creative Style

  • Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box (1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps))

Picture Profile

  • Yes (Off / PP1-PP10) Parameters: Black level, Gamma (Movie, Still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-Log3, HLG, HLG1-3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset

Dynamic Range Functions

  • Off, Dynamic Range Optimizer (Auto/Level (1-5)), Auto High Dynamic Range (Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure Difference Level (1-6 EV, 1.0 EV step))

Colour Space

  • sRGB standard (with sYCC gamut) and Adobe RGB standard compatible with TRILUMINOS Color

14bit RAW

  • Yes

Uncompressed RAW

  • -

Recording Format

  • XAVC S, AVCHD format Ver. 2.0 compliant

Video Compression

  • XAVC S: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, AVCHD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264

Audio Recording Format

  • XAVC S: LPCM 2ch, AVCHD: Dolby Digital (AC-3) 2ch, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator

Colour Space

  • xvYCC standard (x.v.Color when connected via HDMI cable) compatible with TRILUMINOS Color

Picture Effect

  • Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera(Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), Soft High-key

Creative Style

  • Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box (1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps))

Picture Profile

  • Yes (Off / PP1-PP10) Parameters: Black level, Gamma (Movie, Still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-Log3, HLG, HLG1-3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset

Image Size (Pixels), NTSC

  • XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160 (30p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (30p, 60M), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 60M), XAVC S HD: 1920 x 1080 (120p, 100M), 1920 x 1080 (120p, 60M), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (30p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (24p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 25M), 1920 x 1080(30p, 16M), AVCHD: 1920 x 1080 (60i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (60i, 17M, FH)

Image Size (pixels), PAL

  • XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160 (25p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (25p, 60M), XAVC S HD: 1920 x 1080 (100p, 100M), 1920 x 1080 (100p, 60M), 1920 x 1080 (50p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (50p, 25M), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 16M), AVCHD:1920 x 1080 (50i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (50i, 17M, FH)

Image frame rate

  • NTSC mode: 1fps, 2fps, 4fps, 8fps, 15fps, 30fps, 60fps, 120fps, PAL mode: 1fps, 2fps, 3fps, 6fps, 12fps, 25fps, 50fps, 100fps,

Image size (frame rate)

  • NTSC mode: 1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p, 24p), PAL mode: 1920 x 1080 (50p, 25p)

Movie Functions

  • Audio Level Display, Audio Rec Level, PAL/NTSC Selector, Proxy Recording (1280 x 720 (Approx.9Mbps)), TC/UB (TC Preset/UB Preset/TC Format/TC Run/TC Make/UB Time Rec), Auto Slow Shutter, REC Control, Clean HDMI Info. (ON/OFF selectable), Gamma Disp. Assist

HDMI Output

  • 3840 x 2160 (30p), 3840 x 2160 (25p), 3840 x 2160 (24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p), 1920 x 1080 (60i), 1920 x 1080 (50p), 1920 x 1080 (50i), 1920 x 1080 (24p), YCbCr 4:2:2 8bit / RGB 8bit

Location information Link from smartphone

  • Yes

Media

  • Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick Micro (M2), SD memory card, SDHC memory card (UHS-I compliant), SDXC memory card (UHS-I compliant), microSD memory card, microSDHC memory card, microSDXC memory card

Memory Card Slot

  • Multi slot for Memory Stick Duo/SD memory card

Noise Reduction

  • Long exposure NR: On/Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 sec., High ISO NR: Normal/Low/Off

Multi Frame NR

  • Auto/ ISO 100 to 102400

White Balance Modes

  • Auto / Daylight / Shade / Cloudy / Incandescent / Fluorescent (Warm White / Cool White / Day White / Daylight) / Flash /Underwater/ Color Temperature (2500 to 9900K) & color filter (G7 to M7 (57-step), A7 to B7 (29-step)) / Custom

AWB Micro Adjustment

  • Yes (G7 to M7,57-step)(A7 to B7,29-step)

Priority Set in AWB

  • Yes

SHUTTER AWB LOCK

  • Yes (Shut. Halfway Down/ Cont. Shooting/ Off)

Bracketing

  • 3 frames, H/L selectable

Focus Type

  • Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection AF/contrast-detection AF)

Focus Sensor

  • Exmor CMOS sensor

Focus Point

  • 425 points (phase-detection AF) / 425 points (contrast-detection AF)

Focus Sensitivity Range

  • EV-2 to EV20 (ISO100 equivalent with F2.0 lens attached)

Focus Mode

  • AF-A (Automatic AF), AF-S (Single-shot AF), AF-C (Continuous AF), DMF (Direct Manual Focus), Manual Focus

Focus Area

  • Wide (425 points (phase-detection AF), 425 points(contrast-detection AF)) / Zone / Center / Flexible Spot (S/M/L) /Expanded Flexible Spot/ Tracking ( Wide / Zone / Center / Flexible Spot (S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot)

Other Features

  • Eye-start AF (only with LA-EA2 or LA-EA4 attached (Sold separately)), Object Tracking, Eye AF (Right/Left Eye Select), AF micro adjustment with LA-EA2 or LA-EA4 (Sold separately), Predictive control, Focus lock, Swt.V/H AF Area, AF Area Regist., Circ. of Focus Point

AF Illuminator

  • Yes (with Built-in LED type)

AF Illuminator range

  • Approx. 0.3- approx. 3.0m (with E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached)

Focus type with LA-EA3 (Sold separately)

  • phase-detection

Metering Type

  • 1200-zone evaluative metering

Metering Sensor

  • Exmor CMOS sensor

Metering Sensitivity

  • EV-2 to EV20 (at ISO100 equivalent with F2.0 lens attached)

Metering Mode

  • Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot, Spot Standard/Large, Entire Screen Avg., Highlight

Exposure Compensation

  • +/- 5.0EV (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps selectable)

Exposure Bracketing

  • Bracket: Cont., Bracket: Single, 3/5/9 frames selectable. With 3 or 5 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 EV increments, with 9 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1.0 EV increments.

AE Lock

  • Locked when shutter button is pressed halfway. Available with AE lock button. (On/Off/Auto)

Exposure Modes

  • AUTO (iAuto/Superior Auto), Programmed AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter-speed priority (S), Manual (M),Movie (Programmed AE (P) / Aperture priority (A) / Shutter-speed priority (S) / Manual (M)), Slow & Quick Motion (Programmed AE (P) / Aperture priority (A) / Shutter-speed priority (S) / Manual (M)), Sweep Panorama, Scene Selection

ISO Sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)

  • Still images: ISO 100-32000 (ISO numbers up to ISO 102400 can be set as expanded ISO range.), AUTO (ISO 100-6400, selectable lower limit and upper limit), Movies: ISO 100-32000 equivalent, AUTO (ISO 100-6400, selectable lower limit and upper limit)

Scene Selection

  • Portrait, Sports Action, Macro,Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Hand-held Twilight, Night Portrait, Anti Motion Blur

Viewfinder Type

  • 1.0 cm (0.39 type) electronic viewfinder (color)

Number of Dots

  • 2 359 296 dots

Brightness Control (Viewfinder)

  • Auto/Manual (5 steps between -2 and +2)

Color Temperature Control

  • Manual (5 steps)

Field Coverage

  • 100%

Magnification

  • Approx. 1.07x (35mm camera equivalent: Approx. 0.70x) with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1

Dioptre Adjustment

  • -4.0-+3.0 m-1

Eye Point

  • Approx. 23mm from the eyepiece lens, 21.4mm from the eyepiece frame at -1m-1 (CIPA standard)

Finder Frame Rate Selection

  • NTSC mode: STD 60fps / HI 120fps, PAL mode: STD 50fps / HI 100fps

Display Contents

  • Graphic Display, Display All Info., No Disp. Info., Digital Level Gauge, Histogram

Monitor Type

  • 7.5cm (3.0-type) wide type TFT

Number of Dots

  • 921 600 dots

Touch Panel

  • Yes

Brightness Control

  • Manual (5 steps between -2 and +2), Sunny Weather mode

Adjustable Angle

  • Up by approx. 180 degrees, Down by approx. 74 degrees

Real-time Image Adjustment Display (LCD)

  • On/Off

Quick Navi

  • Yes

Focus Magnifier

  • Yes Focus Magnifier (5.9x, 11.7x)

Zebra

  • Yes (selectable level + range or lower limit as custom setting)

Peaking MF

  • Yes (Level setting: High/Mid/Low/Off, Color: White/Red/Yellow/Blue)

Others

  • WhiteMagic, Grid Line (Rule of 3rds Grid/Square Grid/Diag. + Square Grid/Off), Movie Marker (Center/Aspect/Safety Zone/Guideframe)

Display Content

  • Graphic Display, Display All Info, No Disp. Info, Digital Level Gauge, Histogram, For viewfinder, Monitor Off

PlayMemories Camera Apps™

  • -

Clear Image Zoom

  • Still images: Approx. 2x, Movies: Approx. 1.5x (4K), Approx. 2x (HD)

Digital Zoom

  • Smart zoom (Still images): M: Approx. 1.4x, S: Approx. 2x, Digital zoom (Still images): L: Approx. 4x, M: Approx. 5.7x, S: Approx. 8x, Digital zoom (Movie): Approx. 4x

Face Detection

  • Modes: Face Priority in AF (On/Off), Face Priority in Multi Metering (On/Off), Regist. Faces Priority (On/Off), Face registration, Max. number of detectable: 8

Self-Portrait Self-timer

  • Yes

Others

  • Interval Recording, Smile Shutter: Smile shutter (selectable from 3 steps), Touch Shutter, Touch Focus: Yes (Touch Focus/Touch Pad/Touch Tracking), ISO AUTO Min. SS, Bright Monitoring, Set File Name, Help guide, Area Setting, Shop Front Mode, Zoom Ring Rotate

Eye-Fi ready

  • -

Type

  • Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type

Shutter Speed

  • Still images:1/4000 to 30 sec, Bulb, Movies: 1/4000 to 1/4 (1/3 steps), up to 1/50 in AUTO mode (up to 1/25 in Auto slow shutter mode)

Flash Sync. Speed

  • 1/160 sec.

Electronic Front Curtain Shutter

  • Yes (ON/OFF)

Silent Shooting

  • Yes (ON/OFF)

Type

  • Not supported (image stabilization supported on lens)

Type

  • Built-in flash

Guide No.

  • 6 (in meters at ISO 100)

Flash coverage

  • 16mm (focal-length printed on the lens body)

Control

  • Pre-flash TTL

Flash Compensation

  • +/- 3.0 EV (switchable between 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps)

Flash Bracketing

  • 3/5/9 frames selectable. With 3 or 5 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 EV increments, with 9 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0 EV increments.

Flash Modes

  • Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction (on/off selectable), Wireless control,Hi-speed sync

Recycling Time

  • Approx. 4 sec

External Flash Compatibility

  • Sony α System Flash compatible with Multi Interface Shoe, attach the shoe adaptor for flash compatible with Auto-lock accessory shoe

FE Level Lock

  • Yes

Wireless Control

  • Yes (Light signal: Available with Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Hi-speed sync. /Radio signal: Available with Fill-flash, Rear Sync., Slow Sync., Hi-speed sync.)

Drive Modes

  • Single Shooting, Continuous shooting (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo selectable), Self-timer, Self-timer (Cont.), Bracket: Single, Bracket: Cont., White Balance bracket, DRO bracket

Continuous Drive Speed (approx. max.)

  • Continuous shooting: Hi+: 11 fps, Hi: 8 fps, Mid: 6 fps, Lo: 3 fps

No. of recordable frames (approx.)

  • JPEG Extra fine L: 99 frames, JPEG Fine L: 115 frames, JPEG Standard L: 116 frames, RAW: 46 frames, RAW&JPG: 44 frames

Self-Timer

  • 10 sec. delay/5 sec. delay/2 sec. delay/Continuous self-timer (3 frames after 10 sec. delay/5 frames after 10 sec. delay/3 frames after 5 sec. delay/5 frames after 5 sec. delay/3 frames after 2 sec. delay/5 frames after 2 sec. delay)/Bracketing self-timer (Off/2 sec. delay/5 sec. delay/10sec. delay)

Photo Capture

  • Yes

Modes

  • Single (with or without shooting information Y RGB histogram & highlight/shadow warning), 12/30-frame index view, Enlarged display mode (L: 16.7x, M: 11.8x, S: 8.3x, Panorama (Standard): 19.2x, Panorama (Wide): 29.1x), Auto Review (10/5/2 sec,Off), Image orientation (Auto/Manual/Off selectable), Slideshow, Panorama scrolling, Folder selection (Date/ Still/ AVCHD/XAVC S HD/XAVC S 4K), Forward/Rewind (movie), Delete, Protect, Rating, Disp Cont Shoot Grp

PC Interface

  • Mass-storage, MTP, PC remote

Multi / Micro USB Terminal

  • Yes

NFC™

  • Yes (NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible),One-touch remote,One-touch sharing

Wireless LAN (Built-In)

  • Wi-Fi Compatible, IEEE 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz band), View on Smartphone, Remote control via Smartphone, Send to Computer, View on TV

Bluetooth

  • Yes (Bluetooth Standard Ver. 4.1 (2.4GHz band))

HD Output

  • HDMI micro connector (Type-D), BRAVIA Sync(Control for HDMI), PhotoTV HD, 4K movie output/4K still image PB

Multi Interface Shoe

  • Yes

Mic Terminal

  • Yes (3.5 mm Stereo minijack)

DC IN Terminal

  • -

Sync Terminal

  • -

Headphone Terminal

  • -

Vertical Grip Connector

  • -

PC Remote

  • Yes

Microphone

  • Built-in stereo microphone or XLR-K2M/XLR-K1M/ECM-XYST1M(sold separately)

Speaker

  • Built-in, monaural

Compatible Standards

  • Exif Print, Print Image Matching III, DPOF setting

Type

  • Custom key settings, Programmable Setting (Body 3 sets /memory card 4 sets), My Menu, My Dial, Reg Cust Shoot Set

Setting

  • Peripheral Shading, Chromatic Aberration, Distortion

Supplied Battery

  • One rechargeable battery pack NP-FW50

Battery Life (Still Images)

  • Approx. 360 shots (Viewfinder) / Approx. 410 shots (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)

Battery Life (Movie, actual recording)

  • Approx. 70 min (Viewfinder) / Approx. 75 min (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)

Battery Life (Movie, continuous recording)

  • Approx. 125 min (Viewfinder) / Approx. 125 min (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)

Internal Battery Charge

  • Yes

External Power

  • AC Adaptor AC-PW20 (sold separately)

Power consumption with Viewfinder

  • Still images: approx. 2.4W (with E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached), Movies: approx. 3.5W (with E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached)

Power consumption with LCD screen

  • Still images: approx. 2.1W (with E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached), Movies: approx. 3.5W (with E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached)

USB Power supply

  • Yes

Operating Temperature

  • 32 - 104 degrees F / 0 - 40 degrees C

Weight (with battery and memory card included)

  • Approx. 403g / Approx. 14.3 oz.

Dimensions (W x H x D)

  • Approx. 120.0mm x 66.9mm x 59.7mm, Approx. 120.0mm x 66.9mm x 49.9mm (from grip to monitor)/Approx. 4 3/4 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/8 inches, Approx. 4 3/4 x 2 3/4 x 2 inches (from grip to monitor)

News

Sony have just announced the new A6400 APS-C mirrorless camera. Here are the key specifications of the A6400:

  • 24.2 megapixel sensor
  • World's fastest autofocus - 0.02 secs
  • Real-time Eye AF with AI-based subject recognition
  • Real-time AF tracking with AI-based subject recognition
  • 425 PDAF and 425 Contrast detection AF points
  • 84% AF area coverage
  • 11fps continuous shooting with continuous AF/AE tracking, bursts up to 116 JPEGs, 8fps in silent mode
  • ISO 102400 (expanded)
  • 4K HDR (HLG) recording, 30fps, 8-bit
  • 6K over sampling, 100Mbps bit rate
  • 180-degree tilting monitor
  • Touchscreen operation
  • XGA OLED viewfinder
  • In-body timelapses

The Sony Alpha A6400 will ship in Europe in February 2019 priced at approximately £950 / $900 / €1050. It will also be offered as a kit with the SELP1650 lens priced at approximately £1,000 or in a kit with the SEL18135 lens priced at approximately £1,300.

Sony have also announced the new Imaging Edge mobile app for the Alpha system, and upcoming new firmware updates for the Alpha A9 (Version 5.0, March 2019), A7R III and A7 III (Version 3.0, April 2019) and the Alpha A9 again (Version 6.0, Summer 2019).

You can view some official Sony A6400 sample images here.

Sony Europe Press Release

New APS-C mirrorless camera features excellent image quality, compact design and many advanced technologies from Sony’s full-frame line-up

  • World’s Fastest[i] 0.02 seconds[ii] AF acquisition speed plus 425 phase-detection and contrast-detection AF points covering approximately 84% of image area
  • Advanced Real-time Eye AF
  • New Real-time Tracking for object tracking
  • 24.2MP[iii] APS-C Exmor™ CMOS image sensor and latest-generation BIONZ X™ image processor
  • 180-degree fully tiltable LCD touch screen for self-recording
  • High-speed continuous shooting at up to 11 fps[iv] mechanical shutter / 8 fps[v] silent shooting with continuous AF/AE tracking
  • High-resolution 4K[vi] movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning, plus advanced AF speed and stability
  • Interval recording for time-lapse videos

Sony today introduced an exciting new addition to its E-mount mirrorless camera line-up, the α6400 (model ILCE-6400).

The α6400 brings many of Sony’s most advanced technologies from their acclaimed full-frame line-up to a compact, lightweight APS-C camera. The speedy new camera boasts the world’s fastesti AF acquisition of 0.02ii seconds, while also introducing the new advanced ‘Real-time Eye AF’ and ‘Real-time Tracking’ capabilities. Also included is high speed shooting at up to 11 fpsiv with AF/AE tracking, a new-generation BIONZ X image processing engine that produces excellent image quality, 4Kvi video recording, a 180-degree fully tiltable LCD touch screen and much more, making it the ultimate tool for all types of creators ranging from professionals to everyday vloggers.

Speedy Performance that Captures Decisive Moments

The impressive autofocus system on the new α6400 inherits many technologies from Sony’s newest line-up of full-frame cameras including the α9α7R III and α7 III models. The new camera features 425 phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points that are placed densely over the entire image area, covering approximately 84% of the image area. This high-speed, high-performance-tracking AF system is paired with a new-generation BIONZ X image processing engine that together allows the camera to acquire focus in as little as 0.02 secondsii and maintain subject lock extremely effectively, ensuring even the fastest moving subjects can be tracked and captured with ease.

The α6400 introduces an advanced ‘Real-time Eye AF’, the latest version of Sony’s acclaimed Eye AF technology. This exciting new capability employs artificial intelligence-based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real time, resulting in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF. In all autofocus modes, the camera now automatically detects the eyes of the subject and activates Eye AF with a half press of the shutter button, and when in AF-C or AF-A mode, the preferred eye (left or right) of your subject can be selected as the focus point. Choices include Auto / Right Eye / Left Eye, and a Switch Right / Left Eye function can be assigned to a custom function as well. This exciting new technology completely frees the photographer to focus solely on composition with full trust that focus will be tack sharp on the subject’s eye. Eye AF support for animals[vii] will be added in Summer 2019 via a system software update, ideal for wildlife photographers.

Also debuting on the α6400 is Sony’s newly developed ‘Real-time Tracking’. This mode utilises Sony’s latest algorithm including Artificial Intelligence based object recognition and processes colour, subject distance (depth), pattern (brightness) as spatial information to ensure that all subjects can be captured with excellent accuracy. Plus, when photographing or videoing humans or animals, face and eye position information is recognised by AI and the subjects’ eyevii is monitored in real time with extremely high tracking precision. This can be activated by a simple half press of the shutter button[viii], or can be assigned to a custom function as well.

In terms of overall shooting speeds, the new camera can shoot at up to 11 fpsiv with full AF/AE tracking while utilising the mechanical shutter, and up to 8 fpsv with full AF/AE tracking while silent shooting. It can shoot at each of these speeds for up to 116 frames JPEG Standard / 46 frames RAW compressed, greatly increasing the chances of capturing the perfect moment.

All-around Advancements in Image Quality

Sony’s new α6400 is equipped with a 24.2 MPiii APS-C sized image sensor that is paired with an upgraded BIONZ X processor to deliver incredible advancements in image quality and colour reproduction in all types of shooting conditions. Standard ISO ranges up to ISO 32000 for both still and movie and is expandable up to ISO 102400 for still images, with excellent noise reduction at medium and high sensitivities.

The camera also inherits many of the image processing algorithms from Sony’s newest full-frame cameras, greatly suppressing noise while preserving resolution and improving texture depiction.

Advanced High-Resolution 4Kvi Movie Recording with Fast Hybrid Autofocus

The versatile α6400 is an exceptional video camera, offering internal 4K (QFHD: 3840 x 2160) movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, and then oversamples it to produce high quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth. Focusing during movie shooting is fast and stable thanks to upgraded Fast Hybrid AF technology, which keeps the subject in constant smooth focus no matter the scene, and even if an object crosses in front. This advanced AF plus touch focus functionality make it an ideal camera choice for many vloggers and video creators that are regularly creating and uploading content online.

For time-lapse movie creation[ix], the new camera features built-in interval recording that can be set anywhere between 1 and 60 seconds, with a total number of shots from 1 to 9999. AE tracking sensitivity can be adjusted to “High”, “Mid” or “Low” during interval shooting, allowing for reduced changes in exposure over the shooting interval.

Additionally, for the first time in a Sony APS-C mirrorless camera, the new model includes an HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile, which supports an Instant HDR workflow, allowing HDR (HLG) compatible TV’s to playback beautiful, true-to-life 4K HDR[x] imagery. Furthermore, both S-Log2 and S-Log3[xi] are available for increased colour grading flexibility, as well as Zebra functionality, Gamma Display assist and proxy recording. The camera can also record Full HD at 120 fps[xii] at up to 100 Mbps, allowing footage to be reviewed and eventually edited into 4x or 5x slow-motion video files in Full HD resolution with AF tracking.

Upgraded Build to Maximise Versatility

The new camera is designed to offer a high level of functionality and customisation to maximise shooting freedom. New on the α6400 is a 180-degree, fully tiltable, 3.0-type LCD flip screen with 921k-dots of resolution that allows for simple and effective framing of selfie-style shooting for both still and video capture. Utilising this capability, vloggers will be able to check and monitor composition throughout their entire creative process. The LCD screen is also equipped with touch functionality, with options for Touch Pad, Touch Focus, Touch Shutter and new Touch Tracking which quickly activates ‘Real-time Tracking’ through the touch screen.

The camera features a high quality XGA OLED Tru-finder™ viewfinder, extensive customisation with 89 functions that are assignable to 8 custom keys, the new My Dial and My Menu functionality, enhanced overall menu usability, a help screen for menus, star rating for images, and many other features that allow for a seamless shooting experience. It is also built with a tough magnesium alloy design, is dust and moisture resistant[xiii] and has an extremely durable shutter that is rated for approximately 200,000 cycles[xiv]. It is also capable of seamlessly transferring files to a smartphone or tablet when connected to the brand-new ‘Imaging Edge Mobile’ application[xv].

Pricing and Availability

The α6400 will ship in Europe in February 2019 priced at approximately £950. It will also be offered as a kit with the SELP1650 lens priced at approximately £1,000 or in a kit with the SEL18135 lens priced at approximately £1,300.

For full product details, please visit https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-6400

A variety of exclusive stories, videos and exciting new content shot with the newest cameras and other Sony α products can be found at https://www.sony.co.uk/alphauniverse. Sony’s European photography hub is available in 22 languages and details product news, competitions and an up-to-date list of Sony events in each country.

[i] Among interchangeable-lens digital cameras equipped with an APS-C image sensor as of January 2019, based on Sony research

[ii] CIPA-compliant, internal measurement method with an E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens mounted, Pre-AF off and viewfinder in use

[iii] Approximate effective megapixels

[iv] In “Hi+” continuous shooting mode. Maximum fps will depend on camera settings

[v] Maximum fps will depend on camera settings. Some distortion may occur with fast-moving subjects or if the camera is moved sideways rapidly while shooting

[vi] A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC card is required for XAVC S format movie recording. UHS speed Class 3 or higher is required for 100Mbps recording

[vii] Accurate focus may not be achieved with certain subjects in certain situations

[viii] “Tracking” must be enabled via the menu beforehand

[ix] The latest version of Imaging Edge “Viewer” and PlayMemories Home desktop applications is required

[x] Connect this product to an HDR (HLG) compatible Sony TV via USB cable when displaying HDR (HLG) movies

[xi] S-Log2 and S-Log3 are premised on processing pictures

[xii] Pixels to be read are limited to the sensor area that is required for Full HD movies

[xiii] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof

[xiv] Sony internal tests with electronic front curtain shutter

[xv] Availability of transfer / playback depends on the performance of the smartphone and tablet

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

​Ahead of our full review, here are some JPEG and RAW sample images taken with the new Sony A6400 APS-C mirrorless camera. The Sony A6400 is a 24-megapixel APS-C mirrorless camera with 4K video recording and the most sophisticated auto-focusing system of any Sony mirrorless camera.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Sony A6400 mirrorless camera.

Sony A6400 Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Sony A6400 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative)."

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 15 second movie is 188Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 32 second movie is 384Mb in size.

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