A6400vs FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
Sony
FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS (2017)
Starting from £2499 new
Best for Wildlife, sports & birds in flight
View FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
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.
Wildlife, Sports & Birds In Flight — FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS (2017): The benchmark wildlife and sports telephoto for Sony mirrorless — G Master quality with Dual XD tracking that locks onto subjects and holds them.
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
Quick take: The a6400 is the most affordable; only the fe 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 gm oss is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6400 (2019) | FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £2,499 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI | f/4.5-5.6 (variable max aperture) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | — |
| Video | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 112cm minimum focus distance |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF | Dual XD linear motors — ultra-fast tracking for moving subjects |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 4.5-stop OSS (up to 5.5 stops combined with body IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking | N/A |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA) | N/A |
| Weight | 403g (body, battery, card) | 1395g |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm | 93.9mm diameter × 218mm length |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | N/A |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots | N/A |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | N/A |
| Connectivity | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6400 | FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS |
|---|---|---|
| Video | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | — |
More comparisons with A6400
Camera family history