A6400vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
Who should buy what
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
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The a6400 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6400 (2019) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 403g (body, battery, card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6400 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Video | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history