Sony a6400

The Sony a6400 is a compact mirrorless camera released in 2019. It uses an APS-C sensor and the Sony E mount, so it takes E-mount lenses.

At 403g, it is light enough to carry for long stretches. An electronic viewfinder handles eye-level work, while the flip-out touchscreen covers shooting from awkward angles.

Weather sealing, a built-in flash and 4K video round out the package, making it a practical body for travel and everyday photography. It suits anyone who wants a small interchangeable-lens camera for both stills and movies.

The a6400 earns an Optics score of 68, a good result that sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics. Its 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor is paired with the Bionz X processor, and the resolution leaves room for cropping and large prints.

With 425 autofocus points you have plenty of placement options, and an 11fps maximum burst captures short action sequences. Treat the burst figure as the camera's fastest rate rather than a promise of sustained speed.

Stabilisation is not built into the body, so shake control depends on the lens or on the support you use. With an unstabilised lens you will want faster shutter speeds or a firm hold, especially in dim light or at longer focal lengths.

The electronic viewfinder offers 2.36 million dots, giving a clear, detailed preview of your composition before you press the shutter. ISO runs from 100 to 32000, and the 1/4000-second maximum shutter is quick enough for everyday subjects, though in very bright light it may restrict how widely you can open the aperture.

Video is a major strength, reflected in a section score of 91 that we assess as very good. The camera records up to 4K resolution, and its maximum frame rate of 120fps lets you capture fast movement that can then be slowed down in editing for smooth results.

Timelapse is built in, so you can shoot interval sequences for clouds, crowds or day-to-night projects without buying an external intervalometer.

Recording formats include XAVC S, MPEG-4 and AVCHD 2.0, so you have a choice of file types for your footage.

The flip-out touchscreen helps when you are filming yourself, letting you confirm framing from in front of the camera. Combined with the small body, it makes the a6400 practical for handheld content shooting.

The Features score of 81 is very good, and the camera offers a well-rounded set of handling tools. The 3-inch LCD touchscreen flips out, so you can shoot at low angles or turn the screen toward yourself, and touch input makes setting the focus point quick.

The panel's 921,600 dots give a detailed enough view for checking focus and reviewing shots, and live view shows your framing on the screen before capture.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both built in, giving you wireless connectivity options. There is no GPS, though, so location tagging is not available from the body.

Weather sealing adds confidence in dust and rain, without making the camera waterproof. A built-in flash covers fill light, and an external flash can be fitted when you need more power.

Storage and battery is the a6400's weakest area, with a limited section score of 37. The single card slot is the main constraint: you record to one card at a time, taking SD, SDHC or SDXC media plus Memory Stick Duo, and there is no second slot for duplicate files.

The card slot is UHS-I compatible, so it accepts faster UHS-I SD cards as well as standard media.

The NP-FW50 battery is rated at 410 shots. Treat that as a specification figure rather than a promise of real-world endurance, and consider carrying a spare for heavy shooting.

USB charging is supported, so you can top the battery up through a USB connection between shoots.