Nikon Z9vs A6400
Which should you buy?
Professional Sports & Wildlife — Nikon Z9 (2021): The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.
Content Creation & Vlogging — A6400 (2019): The best value APS-C Sony you can buy — especially used. Real-time Eye AF at this price point was transformative when it launched and still makes it one of the most reliable autofocus systems in the lineup.
Who should buy what
Nikon Z9 (2021)
- You shoot professionally and need a camera body that handles everything without compromise
- You're a sports, wildlife, or commercial photographer who demands the absolute best
- You want a camera body that will remain state-of-the-art for the next decade
A6400 (2019)
- Vloggers and content creators who need a flip screen and reliable AF
- Photographers upgrading from a compact or smartphone
- Beginners who want room to grow into a full E-mount lens ecosystem
- Anyone prioritising autofocus performance at an accessible price
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a6400 is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | A6400 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £899 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 403g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
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