• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Alpha Shooters Logo

AlphaShooters.com

News & Community for Sony Alpha Shooters

  • Blog
  • Forums
  • Deals
  • Cameras
  • Lenses
  • Memory Cards
  • Accessories
  • Reviews
  • Compare

Sony a6100 vs a6400 vs a6600 – Key Differences Compared

You are here: Home / Compare / Sony a6100 vs a6400 vs a6600 – Key Differences Compared

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this site. I may also earn from links to other online retailers at no extra cost to you.

Last updated: January 12, 2021 by Timothy Mayo - 9 Comments

The Sony a6100, a6400 and a6600 are Sony’s newest APS-C cameras, effectively replacing the a6000, a6300 and a6500.

However, Sony typically likes to keep on selling their older models to provide a camera that suits everyones pocket, so I’d expect to see some price reductions on the older models.

Sony a6100 vs a6400 vs a6600

If you are new to Sony or don’t follow their APS-C line-up very closely, then the naming of the models along with the differences between them can be very confusing.

In this article we will be looking at the most recent cameras, all of which have been announced in 2019.

The a6100 is the entry model, the a6400 the mid-range model and the a6600 is their current flagship APS-C camera.

Hopefully by the time you have finished reading this article you’ll have a much better idea as to which camera you would like to buy, if any at all.

 

Contents

  1. Image Quality
  2. EVF and LCD Screen
  3. In-body Stabilization (IBIS)
  4. Autofocus
  5. Video Functions
  6. Audio
  7. Battery
  8. Shutter, Continuous Shooting and Buffer
  9. Body Design
  10. Price
  11. Specification Comparison
  12. Which One to Buy?

1. Image Quality

All three cameras feature a Sony APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor with approximately 24 megapixels, the BIONZ X image processor and a front-end LSI along with Sony’s new color science.

sony a6400 sample little owl 70-200 f4

Sony a6400 + Sony FE 70-200mm F4 @ 200mm | 1/200 | f/4 | ISO 320 | Cropped | Full Resolution SOOC Download: JPEG

In normally shooing conditions it’s very unlikely that you are going to spot any differences in image quality between these three cameras.

However, if you shoot in low light conditions then you’ll find that the a6100’s extended ISO range stops at 51200 ISO, whereas the a6400 and a6600 go up to 102,400 ISO.

They still all share the same normal ISO range of 100 to 32,000.

2. Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) and LCD Screen

All three cameras feature a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) with a 0.39-inch OLED panel with 0.70x magnification.

Sony a6600 EVF

Both the Sony a6400 and a6600 have an EVF resolution of 2,359,296 dots, whereas the a6100 only gets 1,440,000 dots.

When shooting in NTSC mode with both the a6400 and a6600 you can choose a frame rate between 60fps or 120fps, in PAL mode you can choose between 50fps or 100fps. The a6100 does not have this higher frame rate option and you are limited to 60fps (NTSC) or 50fps (PAL).

All three cameras feature the same 2.4 million dot touch LCD screen that can be rotated up 180° for selfies and video logging.

3. In-body Stabilization (IBIS)

The Sony a6600 is the only camera of the three that includes In-body Stabilization (IBIS).

The 5-axis (X, Y, Roll, Pitch and Yaw) image stabilization system compensates for five types of camera shake during handheld shooting of still images and movies.

sony a6600 ibis

When you mount a lens that features OSS (Optical SteadyShot) to an IBIS camera body like the a6600, then the camera body only handles the X, Y, Roll and disables its own Pitch and Yaw axis.

To test if it’s beneficial to use a camera with IBIS together with a lens with OSS I mounted my Sony FE 100-400 OSS to both my a6300 without IBIS and my a6500 with IBIS to see if it made any difference. I failed to notice any significant improvement in stabilization with the a6500 even at 400mm.

So IBIS only really becomes useful if you are shooting with lenses that do not include OSS built in. In this scenario it will help to stabilize your images, especially when using a longer focal length.

4. Autofocus

Sony claims that all three cameras require just 0.02 seconds to acquire focus, so we are unlikely see any differences between the cameras here.

All three cameras also support Sony’s Real-time Tracking and Eye AF for both humans and animals.

There is one difference however, the a6600 is the only camera that supports Eye AF when shooting videos; this technology was recently introduced for the first time in the new Sony a7R IV.

Don’t worry too much though, since both the a6100 and a6400 still have the excellent tracking and face detection in video mode.

5. Video

Sony has come a long way with their video offerings since the a5100 was first launched in August 2014 and limited to 1080p (Full HD) at 60/30fps and 24p (50/25/24 in PAL markets).

The a6100, a6400 and a6600 can all record 4k video at a maximum of 30fps / 100mbps with full pixel readout and no pixel binning, as well as Full HD at 120fps / 100mbps.

However, only the a6400 and a6600 get HLG (HDR), S-Log2 and S-Log3 Picture Profiles, as Sony has decided to strip the Picture Profiles from the a6100. This may be a deciding factor if you shoot a lot of video.

6. Audio

All three cameras include a 3.5mm socket for connecting an external microphone such as the Rode VideoMicro or Rode Wireless Go (my personal favorites).

sony a6600 headphones

The a6600 also has a 3.5mm output for connecting headphones to enable you to monitor audio recording.

7. Battery

Out of the three cameras only the Sony a6600 takes the larger NP-FZ100 battery that can be found in the a7III, a7R III, a7R IV and a9 full-frame cameras.

The a6600 is the first APS-C camera to feature the larger capacity battery and this provides the camera with a rating of 810 shots or 150 minutes of video recording.

sony np-fz100 vs np-fw50 battery

Both the a6100 and a6400 use the smaller NP-FW50 battery which has around half of the capacity of the NP-FZ100.

All three cameras can be charged via USB but none include an external battery charger in the box.

8. Shutter, Continuous Shooting and Buffer

All three cameras can shoot up to a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000s with both the mechanical and electronic shutter.

The mechanical shutter offers the fastest continuous shooting mode on all three cameras with a maximum of 11fps (Hi+), but at this setting you lose live-view (you see the last picture taken instead of a live view of your scene) and will notice more blackouts on the EVF or LCD screen. With silent shooting you are limited to 8fps.

When you select 8fps (Hi) you get live-view and very short blackouts making it easier to track subjects such as birds in flight.

The main difference between the cameras is the image buffer. The a6100 can buffer up to 77 extra fine JPGs or 33 RAW files, the a6400 and a6600 can buffer 99 extra fine JPGs or 46 RAW files.

9. Body Design

From afar you will have a very difficult time in telling these cameras apart, as the body designs are almost identical.

But if you take a look at the dimensions and weight you’ll spot that the a6600 is both larger and heavier than the other two cameras.

  • a6100: 120 x 66.9 x 59.4 mm – 396g
  • a6400: 120 x 66.9 x 59.7 mm – 403g
  • a6600: 120 x 66.9 x 69.3 mm – 503g

The a6600 has had to grow in size to accommodate the larger NP-FZ100 battery. It also has an extra custom button on the top and the rear, along with two additional custom buttons on the mode dial.

sony a6100 body rear

Sony a6100

sony a6100 body top
sony a6400 body rear

Sony a6400

sony a6400 body top
sony a6600 body rear

Sony a6600

sony a6600 body top

One other very important difference to mention is that the a6100 does not have the magnesium alloy body and weather sealing that can be found in the a6400 and a6600.

Also a very odd omission from the a6600 is the built-in flash, which can still be found in the a6100 and a6400.

10. Price

The body-only price of the a6100 is $748.00 US / £829.00, the a6400 costs $898.00 US / £929.00 and the a6600 $1,398 US / £1,449.00.

Specifications Comparison

a6100a6400a6600
24.2MP APS-C Sensor24.2MP APS-C Sensor24.2MP APS-C Sensor
Expanded ISO 51200Expanded ISO 102400Expanded ISO 102400
0.02sec 425pt Fast Hybrid AF0.02sec 425pt Fast Hybrid AF0.02sec 425pt Fast Hybrid AF
11fps continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking11fps continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking11fps continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking
Real-time Eye AF for humans and animalsReal-time Eye AF for humans and animalsReal-time Eye AF for humans and animals
Real-time TrackingReal-time TrackingReal-time Tracking
Silent shooting up to 8fpsSilent shooting up to 8fpsSilent shooting up to 8fps
Interval shooting for time-lapse moviesInterval shooting for time-lapse moviesInterval shooting for time-lapse movies
No in-body stabilizationNo in-body stabilizationIn-body 5-axis stabilization
4k 30p internal recording4k 30p internal recording4k 30p internal recording
–Picture Profile (HLG/S-Log3/S-Log2)Picture Profile (HLG/S-Log3/S-Log2)
Real-time Tracking for moviesReal-time Tracking for moviesReal-time Tracking for movies
––Real-time Eye AF for movies
Built in flashBuilt in flash–
180° tiltable touch LCD monitor180° tiltable touch LCD monitor180° tiltable touch LCD monitor
OLED EVF 1,440k-dot (SVGA)OLED EVF 2,359k-dot (XGA)OLED EVF 2,359k-dot (XGA)
Microphone jackMicrophone jackMicrophone / headphone jack
NP-FW50 BatteryNP-FW50 BatteryNP-FZ100 Battery
396g403g503g

Which One to Buy?

All three cameras share many things in common including image quality, autofocus performance and continuous shooting. If I took a photo from each camera I’m very confident that each photo would look so similar that you wouldn’t be able to identify which camera took which photo.

The a6100 is the most cost friendly model but to achieve this you sacrifice the EVF resolution, picture profiles in video and the dust and moisture resistant body.

The a6400 which I own myself gives you a higher resolution EVF, picture profiles and a dust and moisture resistant body.

The a6600 adds 5-axis in-body stabilization, the larger battery and a headphone socket, but then it takes away the built-in flash, it also costs a whopping $500 extra. With many lenses including optical stabilization built-in you may never need the in-body stabilization and if you are serious about video then you’ll be wanting to use a gimbal anyway. The larger capacity battery and grip is very nice but I don’t think it’s worth paying $500 more for.

I’ll admit to suffering from GAS and like to purchase the latest gear, however I’m not tempted to upgrade my own a6400 for the a6600 anytime soon. I love using it for travel so prefer the smaller and lighter body and I also find the built-in flash useful for when I’m travelling light.

Please do let me know your own thoughts in the comments below.

My Sony a6400 Resources

  1. Sony a6400 Sample Images
  2. Sony a6400 Accessories Guide
  3. Sony a6400 Lenses Guide
  4. Sony a6400 Facebook Group

Check Price & Buyer Reviews for Sony a6100

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

Check Price & Buyer Reviews for Sony a6000

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

Check Price & Buyer Reviews for Sony a6400

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

Sony Alpha Forum

About Timothy Mayo

I love shooting wildlife the most but will happily point my camera at pretty much anything. I started Alpha Shooters in 2017 to share my own photographic journey and experiences shooting with Sony Alpha. The site has since evolved into a popular community and resource. You can find out more about my story here or follow me on Instagram if you wish. I also have a YouTube Channel but haven’t published much content over the past year due to spending more time changing smelly nappies and also launching our community forums. However, I do hope to get back to creating content again there soon!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kevin Douty

    July 15, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    I currently have the a6000 and I’m considering upgrading to the a6400 with the 18-135 kit. I don’t take any video at all- primarily landscapes and travel photography only. Do you think it’s worth upgrading or stick with the a6000?

    Reply
    • Timothy Mayo

      July 17, 2020 at 5:20 am

      Hi Kevin. You are not going to see a great deal of difference in image quality between the a6000 and a6400. If you don’t shoot video the only real benefit will be the autofocus improvements but for landscapes I guess you often shoot manual focus anyway and for travel photography the autofocus of the a6000 will be sufficient. If you like shooting timelapses then the a6400 does have the built-in interval shooting function (although there’s an app for the a6000), it also has the electronic shutter that can help to eliminate some shutter shock. Unless you really want a new camera you’d probably be better of sticking with the a6000 and investing the money in lenses or travelling instead.

      Reply
  2. Charles jr

    February 9, 2020 at 11:37 pm

    I was a bit scared when the 6600 launched, I had just bought the 6400, thanks to you I now feel better, it’s just not worth the upgrade.

    Reply
    • Timothy Mayo

      February 15, 2020 at 10:02 am

      Glad to hear that you are feeling better Charles! 🙂 If the price drops on the a6600 then it might be worth picking up at some point, the new battery appeals to me the most especially since I use the same battery in my full-frame cameras so that would make life simpler. But no way is it worth $500 more.

      Reply
  3. Mark Dunsford

    September 2, 2019 at 4:55 am

    Must admit I’m stuck between the A6400 and the A6600. I was hoping that the new ‘A7000’ was going to be better spec’d. More like a mini A9. £500 is a lot to pay for a IS and a bigger battery over the A6400.
    Also not pleased they removed the flash. However the bigger battery is a big plus as I’m forever changing my A9 battery half way through a day and also the thought of having to take yet another charger for the A6400 W battery is annoying. .. .
    So will probably go for the A6600…probably….

    Reply
    • Mark Dunsford

      September 6, 2019 at 2:44 pm

      The other useful improvement is the handgrip. As I have large hands the larger grip will be essential-I had to buy the battery grip for the A9 as the body started cutting into my hand (after extended sessions) with the 100-400mm on it!

      Reply
      • Timothy Mayo

        September 7, 2019 at 3:45 am

        Hey Mark. Personally I think £500 more for the larger grip/battery and IBIS is really pushing it even for Sony. If they had made some further improvements like a new sensor and faster buffer along with UHS II card support then maybe it would be worth it. I upgraded my a6000 to the a6300, then the a6500, then the a6400, but the benefits to upgrade to the a6600 this time just aren’t there for me. The W battery isn’t great but I have a ton of them so I don’t worry about it too much. You could also use a charger like the Hahnel ProCube 2 that charges both W and Z batteries. All the best, Tim

      • Mark Dunsford

        September 9, 2019 at 10:50 am

        Didn’t realise there was a charger that would do both, useful info thanks.
        Might just save up for the new A9 as a ‘second’ body. If it turns out to be 36mp that will give the opportunity to crop and get more detail….
        Cheers Mark

      • Luan

        March 11, 2022 at 8:26 am

        Hello Mark,
        I have a7iii and now I want a backup camera for photos much more, it’s ok to go with a6100 how good is this a6100?
        In some articles I read about this camera 12 bit and 16 bit colors science can you say something about this its the same like a6600?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sidebar

Latest Deals

These affilaite links will display all of the current Sony Alpha camera, lens and accessory deals at Amazon & B&H Photo.

  • View all Sony Deals at Amazon
  • View all Sony Deals at B&H Photo

The Amazon link will probably only work correctly for US viewers I'm afraid.

Or view our deals page here.

Pro Membership

If you’d like to support this site you can easily do so by becoming a Pro Member in our Community Forums and unlocking the following benefits:

✓ No Adverts in the Forums
✓ Pro Member Competitions
✓ Sell Items in the Marketplace
✓ Unlimited Gallery Uploads
✓ Higher Resolution Gallery Uploads
✓ Forum Profile Signature
✓ Custom Profile Cover Photo
✓ Advertise Your Photography Workshops

VISIT FORUMS

Latest Articles

960GB & 1920GB Sony M Series CFexpress Type A Memory Cards

960GB & 1920GB Sony M Series CFexpress Type A Memory Cards Announced

Sony ZV-E1 Battery & Charger Guide

Sony ZV-E1 Battery & Charger Guide

Sony ZV-E1 Firmware Update

Sony ZV-E1 Firmware Update

Sony ZV-E1 User Manual

Sony ZV-E1 User Manual & Online Help

Featured Articles

Best Sony A7 IV Memory Cards With Speed & Buffer Tests

Sony A1 Memory Card Guide

Best Sony A1 Memory Cards With Speed & Buffer Tests

Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G vs FE 100-400 F4.5-5.6 GM Comparison

Sony 200-600 G vs 100-400 GM Review & Comparison

Sony 100-400 VS 70-200 F2.8 GM II With 2x Teleconverter at 400mm

Sony 100-400 VS 70-200 F2.8 GM II With 2x Teleconverter at 400mm

Pro Membership Upgrade

If you’d like to support this site you can easily do so by becoming a Pro Member in our Community Forums and unlocking the following benefits:

✓ No Adverts in the Forums
✓ Pro Member Competitions
✓ Sell Items in the Marketplace
✓ Unlimited Gallery Uploads
✓ Higher Resolution Gallery Uploads
✓ Forum Profile Signature
✓ Custom Profile Cover Photo
✓ Advertise Your Photography Workshops

Join today!

Memory Card Guides

  • Sony A1 Memory Cards
  • Sony A7 IV Memory Cards
  • Sony A7 III Memory Cards
  • Sony A7R IV Memory Cards
  • Sony A7S III Memory Cards
  • Sony A7C Memory Cards
  • Sony A6400 Memory Cards
  • Sony A6000 Memory Cards

Accessory Guides

  • Sony a1 Accessories
  • Sony a7IV Accessories
  • Sony a7C Accessories
  • Sony a7R IV Accessories
  • Sony a7III Accessories
  • Sony a7R III Accessories
  • Sony a9II Accessories
  • Sony a9 Accessories
  • Sony a6600 Accessories
  • Sony a6400 Accessories
  • Sony a6100 Accessories
  • Sony a6000 Accessories

Lens Guides

  • Sony FE Lenses
  • Sony APS-C Lenses
  • Sony Macro Lenses
  • Sony Telephoto Lenses
  • Sony a1 Lenses
  • Sony a7IV Lenses
  • Sony a7III Lenses
  • Sony a7R IV Lenses
  • Sony a7R III Lenses
  • Sony a6600 Lenses
  • Sony a6400 Lenses
  • Sony a6000 Lenses
Visit Our Facebook Groups
Alpha Shooters Text Logo
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Return To Top

Copyright © 2023 Alpha Shooters. All Rights Reserved. Content and images may not be used without permission.
Disclaimer: Alpha Shooters is an independently run website and is not affiliated with Sony.com
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Terms · Privacy · Cookies · Contact · About · Affiliate Links