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Tech · Sony · 2019

Sony a6400

Fast tracking autofocus in a body that fits a jacket pocket. Small battery, no stabilization.

Used mirrorless bodies that still earn their keep — #5

Overall

7.7

out of 10

Axis scores

Strongest on Value (8.6), weakest on Ease of use (7.2), a 1.4-point spread. The 7.7 overall is the plain average of all 5 Tech axes, with no weighting.

Sony a6400 — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars run from a shared zero baseline; longer is better. Sony a6400: Performance 7.8, Value 8.6, Durability 7.6, Ease of use 7.2, Design 7.4.PerformanceSony a6400 — Performance 7.8 out of 107.8ValueSony a6400 — Value 8.6 out of 108.6DurabilitySony a6400 — Durability 7.6 out of 107.6Ease of useSony a6400 — Ease of use 7.2 out of 107.2DesignSony a6400 — Design 7.4 out of 107.4Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better
  • Performance — How well it does the core job
  • Value — What the same money buys elsewhere
  • Durability — Failure and fade reports past the one-year mark
  • Ease of use — Setup, daily operation, cleaning, maintenance
  • Design — Build quality and how it sits in a room

Specs

Sensor
24.2MP APS-C CMOS
Stabilization
None in body
Burst
Up to 11 fps
Video
4K up to 30p
Screen
Flips up 180 degrees
Card slots
Single SD
Battery
NP-FW50
Mount
Sony E

As published by the manufacturer. We didn't measure these ourselves.

Is it for you

Buy it if

  • You photograph kids, pets, or sport and want tracking autofocus for the least money
  • You want a small body that still takes full-frame E-mount lenses later
  • You film yourself and need a screen you can see from the front

Skip it if

  • You'll mostly use the kit zoom, which wastes what the sensor can do
  • Handheld low-light shooting matters and your lenses aren't stabilized

Real-time Tracking was the a6400’s headline feature, and by owner and DPReview accounts it still holds the subject better than the older a6000 and a6300 by a clear margin. That is the reason to choose it over a cheaper sibling.

It shares the E mount with the full-frame bodies, so lenses bought now keep their use after an upgrade. The crop factor matters, though. A full-frame lens gets heavy on a small APS-C body.

The NP-FW50 battery is the weakest point in daily use. Owners carry spares or charge over USB between outings. Without in-body stabilization, video handheld walks look shaky unless the lens is stabilized.

The screen flips up and over the top, so a microphone on the hot shoe blocks it. Vloggers usually move the mic to a side bracket.

Many used a6400s come from vloggers, and the cage and bracket marks show it. Cosmetic wear on the base plate is harmless. A loose or wobbly screen hinge isn’t, so ask for a photo with the screen flipped up.

Last updated . The scoring method is on how we rank.