In the era of content creation, camera companies were at war to bring the best camera into the world. When the mirrorless trend started, Sony was the company that started doing better than the other rivals, and they were revamping their cameras with features and functions, which made them most popular among content creators. The revolution of Sony mirrorless cameras came by in 2010 when they released their first interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras, recognized as the NEX 5 and NEX 6. They called the cameras “ultra-Compact DSLRs”, making them unique and different from the other cameras. When the other companies were busy with DSLRs, they gradually improved their mirrorless lineup. And now they are unbeatable and the most popular mirrorless camera company out there, among many others.
In this article, we have discussed Sony’s new mirrorless camera, the A6400 that can beat any DSLR camera on the market in terms of affordability and is practically the best 4k camera out there. At the beginning of this year, Sony released their new member of the Alpha lineup, the Sony A6400. It may look like an ordinary mirrorless camera, but it actually packs a lot of power and features. The Sony A6400 has been shaking up the camera industry, as it borrowed key technologies and features from last year’s Sony full-frame camera flagship Alpha 7 III and delivered in a very compact APSC format at a reasonable price point. The Sony A7 III flagship is considered a heaven for video makers or photographers. And Sony tried to bring everything that made the Alpha 7 III great into the A6400. It has the best focusing system in a mirrorless camera that I’ve ever seen. Its real-time Eye-Auto Focus and real-time tracking are mind-blowing and this is the first device that came with Sony’s new color sense. So now, shooting videos will be more comfortable, and you’ll be able to show off your photography skills with ease.
Now let’s dive into the full features of this camera. The Sony a6400 looks the same as the other a6000 series cameras. Its compact body weighs 403-grams in total and has a simple layout of buttons. Sony is trying to focus on vloggers this time as the LCD screen can be tilted up to 180 degrees while vlogging to see yourself. Another good feature that I love about this camera is that it can record videos in 4k at 30 frames per second, which is super sharp and smooth. But, shooting 4k videos at 60 frames per second would have been much appreciated, even if I had to pay extra few bucks for that. However, there is no limitation of recording like the Sony a6500 so, you can shoot until your battery and memory run out of juice. And practically, you can shoot videos 2 hours straight without any kind of battery issue with the a6400. It compresses 6k image into 4k for a high range of details and sharpness and can record 1080p videos in 120 frames per second, that is a great option for slow-motion lovers. This camera is fast enough to capture your every single movement. It practically has 0.02 seconds of autofocus speed, which is faster than any other camera on the market. The a6400 has AI-based subject recognition technology that processes a vast amount of data in order to detect and track; even the rapidly moving subjects. Its eye autofocus is a blessing for photographers. It keeps humans or animals in focus; it doesn’t matter how fast they move.
Now, about the Videographers, they will simply love real-time tracking when their subjects are moving; it keeps tracking them. You can also tap and focus through the touch screen display. Unfortunately, the touch feature only works while focusing or zooming to preview the image. It would have been great if the touchscreen was universal. A universal touchscreen would make it possible to switch into functions faster, rather than pressing the buttons every time. However, the Sony a6400 is a 24.2 MP APS-C format camera, but I must say that the low light sensitivity and picture quality is pretty good as it has a maximum ISO of 102,400. Sony used their flagship BIONZ X processor in this camera, which makes it super smooth to operate. And they also featured the camera with their new color sense so that you get more natural-looking images. Time lapse feature is also built-in this camera, and this future will allow you to take more time-lapse videos without the help of your PC.
As a traveler, anyone, especially YouTube content creators, would want a compact camera to carry it with ease and take better pictures or shoot cinematic videos. And, the Sony a6400 is so compact that I can have it with me almost everywhere. I love its touch-to-focus ability, which is fast and accurate, and made my job much easier. I would love universal touch; maybe this could be made possible in the next iteration or through a software upgrade. This small beast can be charge while shooting so it’s a plus point for me while I am taking a long nighttime lapse or charge on the go. Even though it’s a Sony APS-C camera, it feels like I am using the Sony’s alpha 7 III full frame camera but the smaller version with similar features. This camera has a shooting option for log picture profiles to make more dynamic range videos.
Not every device is perfect; they always have some lacking and other issues that none can deny. The first drawback that is a bit frustrating is the limited touch-screen capability. The second thing that everyone has talked about is its tilt-able monitor. Perhaps, a fully articulated, side-hinged LCD display could solve the problem. But that’s totally my own personal opinion. The third thing about the camera is, it’s a vlogger camera, but there is no in-body stabilization. But it’s not really a big issue if you think about the budget, and lenses with stabilization could solve the problem.
It’s hard to think of a camera that promises the all-around capability of the a6400 in terms of image quality, autofocus and video quality. We’ll have a look at how the a6400 compares with its immediate peers and the factors you may wish to consider if you’re in the market for a new camera. The Sony a6400 can beat any other midrange mirrorless cameras or DSLR cameras on the market if you can compromise the sensor size. While comparing with other Sony lineup, the a6400’s Autofocus is significantly better in terms of performance and ease-of-use. They are not a flagship, but they sure pack a lot of power. The a6400 shoots at a higher frequency to capture the decisive moment compared to the Canons R series. Otherwise, If I compare this to the Nikon Z series cameras, then the Z series will be a winner for sure. Still, the A6400 is faster and offers more accurate autofocus with a larger selection of lenses and built-in flash. The A6400 also comes with more battery stamina while being lightweight than the Z6, and being compact size is like the cherry on the top. So, with the Sony Alpha 6400, you are getting a full range of flagship features on a small and lightweight body at an affordable price range.
If anybody wants any suggestion for the best 4k camera for vlogging, videography, without a doubt, Sony A6400 would be the best pick, as it offers quality features at an affordable price range. The camera is best on this budget and filled with loads of great features no one could give you while maintaining this level of quality. Focusing on the subject is a big issue for beginners, but this camera’s fastest and accurate autofocus makes anybody a professional. And the 180-degree tilt screen helps vloggers to shoot themselves. And 4k is the standard and popular video resolution nowadays so, its sharp HDR 4k video could be another option to buy this camera.
The Sony A6400 mirrorless camera is perfect for you if you’re looking for a secondary camera or just a beginner who wants to start your career at content making and looking for a feature-packed camera at an affordable price range. Leave a reply below on what your thoughts are on the Sony A6400 mirrorless camera.
