Sony A6400 Gets 83 Points Overall Score at DxoMark

DxoMark posted their Sony A6400 sensor review and test results – Sony A6400’s 24.2MPMp full-frame CMOS sensor achieved an excellent overall DxOMark sensor score of 83 points (just 2 point behind the Sony A6500), with a combination of 24 bits color depth, 13.6 EV dynamic range, and 1431 ISO low-light score.

SonyA6400 Key Features:

  • 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS Sensor
  • BIONZ X Image Processor
  • Real-Time Eye AF & Real-Time Tracking
  • XGA Tru-Finder 2.36m-Dot OLED EVF
  • 3.0″ 921.6k-Dot 180° Tilting Touchscreen
  • Internal UHD 4K Video, S-Log3, and HLG
  • S&Q Motion in Full HD from 1-120 fps
  • Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC
  • 425 Phase- & Contrast-Detect AF Points
  • Up to 11 fps Shooting and ISO 102400

Image quality compared:

With the same 24MP resolution as the earlier A6300, the APS-C sensor in the new A6400 performs very closely to that of its predecessor. However, the recorded results are marginally lower.

With 0.4 bit lower color depth, the (Portrait) score displays the single largest discrepancy; however, both the dynamic range (Landscape) and low-light ISO (Sports) scores also see a decrease—though in practical, “real-life” terms, they’re effectively unchanged.

As the table below shows, the 24MP A6400 sensor scores are also very close to those of the 20.9MP Nikon D500. Even with the latter’s larger photoreceptors, color depth, and low-light ISO measurements are similar; however the Nikon camera leads slightly in dynamic range.

And it’s a similar case for the mid-range 24.2MP Nikon D5600, where it also leads the way in terms of dynamic range, at least at base ISO. If we look more closely, though, we see that Sony A6400 has improved dynamic range at higher ISOs, even if that isn’t directly reflected in the low-light ISO (Sports) score. 

Conclusion from DxOMark:

Anyone comparing the Sony A6300 and A6400 will find the results intriguing. Although the two models share a similar sensor resolution (pixel count) and the overall results are very close, the measurements are not identical.

Despite its slightly higher noise floor over the A6300, the new A6400 sensor performs well, combining a wide dynamic range over a highly useful range of ISO sensitivity settings and excellent low-light ISO capabilities. Although that directly impacts the color depth, the A6400 remains capable of delivering extremely pleasing images. Combine those attributes with the new AF system, 11fps continuous shooting, and a relatively affordable price, and you have a very enticing camera for sports and action photographers on a budget.

Sony a6400 body: $898 at AmazonB&HAdorama.

You can read the full review at DxOMark.