Decision tools · Compare
Z9 vs A6400
Quick take: The Z9 has the highest resolution at 46MP; the A6400 is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
Z9 — Professional Sports & Wildlife: The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.
A6400 — Content Creation & Vlogging: 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
Z9 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional sports, wildlife and photojournalism photographers
- Nikon D6 or D850 users making the final switch to mirrorless
- Those who need the fastest, most reliable AF Nikon has ever made
- Professionals who need a flagship body with no mechanical shutter
A6400 (2019)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Z9Nikon · 2021 | A6400Sony · 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,639 | £749Best |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | 45.7MPBest | 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 | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEGBest | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA)Best | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g (body only) | 403g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| 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 |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Z9
A6400
Portrait
8.2/10
6.7/10
Street
5.0/10
7.3/10
Travel
5.0/10
6.9/10
Wedding & Events
8.4/10
5.6/10
Filmmaking
7.9/10
5.1/10
Documentary
7.6/10
6.1/10
Sports & Action
9.2/10
6.9/10
Landscape
6.7/10
5.6/10
Wildlife
8.9/10
7.4/10
Casual
4.0/10
5.8/10
Food
6.9/10
6.1/10
Macro
6.6/10
5.2/10
Architecture
6.8/10
5.5/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
6.0/10
Vlogging & Video
—
6.0/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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