Fujifilm X100V vs Sony a6400 — Which Is Better?

The Fujifilm X100V and the Sony a6400 take different routes to a compact APS-C mirrorless camera. The X100V, announced in early 2020, is a fixed-lens camera built for unobtrusive street and everyday photography. The a6400, announced in January 2019, uses the Sony E mount, so you can swap lenses for portraits, wide scenes or telephoto work. The X100V measures 128 x 75 x 53 mm and weighs 478 g; the a6400 is a smaller 120 x 67 x 60 mm and 403 g.

The a6400 is the stronger choice if you want to change focal lengths, since its Sony E mount accepts lenses from wide landscapes to long wildlife shots. The X100V carries one fixed lens. Resolution gives the X100V a small edge at 26 MP against 24.2 MP, with slightly more latitude to crop and still print large.

For action, both shoot at 11 fps with 425 autofocus points, using APS-C CMOS sensors. Neither has in-body stabilisation, so slow-shutter sharpness depends on your technique. The X100V's electronic viewfinder shows 3,690,000 dots against 2,359,296 on the a6400, rendering finer detail when you check focus.

For slowing fast action, both cameras reach a 120 fps maximum frame rate, which supports slow motion when recorded at a lower output resolution. Both record 4K, and both include a built-in interval timer for timelapse sequences.

The recording formats differ: the a6400 records MPEG-4, AVCHD 2.0 and XAVC S, while the X100V records MPEG-4 and MOV. Pick the body whose formats your editing software handles.

The X100V gives you a much sharper rear screen for reviewing images on the spot. Its 3-inch display offers 1,620,000 dots against 921,600 on the a6400, so fine detail such as eyelashes or distant text reads more clearly during playback and live view.

Both cameras offer a 3-inch touch screen that flips out for low or high angles, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for image transfer. They also share weather sealing and support for built-in and external flashes. Neither has GPS, so neither records location data on its own.

Card storage works the same way day to day: each camera has one slot taking SD, SDHC and SDXC cards at UHS-I speed. The a6400 also accepts Memory Stick Duo, which matters if you already carry Sony-format cards.

Battery ratings are close: 420 shots for the X100V against 410 for the a6400. Both charge over USB, which makes topping up from a power bank or laptop straightforward on a day out.