Sony Alpha a6400
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023
What Buyers Say
Sony Alpha a6400
The Sony a6400 is widely praised for its excellent autofocus, compact size, and impressive image quality, making it a strong choice for travel and vlogging. However, several users report reliability issues such as a flip screen malfunction and an incompatible battery error, along with the lack of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and a sometimes confusing menu system. While many find it a great value, especially with the kit lens, others feel the price is high for an older model and note that battery life is mediocre.
Pros
- Excellent autofocus and eye tracking
- Compact and lightweight body
- Great image quality and sharpness
- Good value for the price
- 4K video with no recording limit
Cons
- No in-body image stabilization (IBIS)
- Mediocre battery life
- Flip-up screen blocks hot shoe
- Confusing menu system
- Reliability issues (screen, battery errors)
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023
The Panasonic Lumix S5II is overwhelmingly praised as a fantastic hybrid camera that finally brings phase-detect autofocus to the L-mount lineup. Users highlight its excellent video features, including a fan for unlimited recording, great stabilization, and beautiful color science, all at a very competitive price. A few long-term users report a shutter button issue, and some note the limited lens selection compared to Sony, but the vast majority consider it the best value full-frame camera under $2,000.
Pros
- Excellent phase-detect autofocus
- Great video quality and codecs
- Internal fan prevents overheating
- Outstanding image stabilization
- Beautiful color science
Cons
- Shutter button issue after extended use
- Limited lens selection compared to Sony
- APS-C crop in 4K 60p
- Rolling shutter at fast pans
- External monitor disables internal display info
Scores
Specifications
| Sony Alpha a6400 | Panasonic Lumix S S5 II | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Size | aps-c | full-frame |
| Megapixels | 24.200000762939453 MP | 24.200000762939453 MP |
| ISO Range | 100 | 100 |
| Processor | BIONZ X | L2 |
| Autofocus | ||
| AF Points | ||
| AF Type | Contrast Detection, Phase Detection: 425 | Photo, VideoContrast Detection, Phase Detection: 779 |
| Eye AF | ✓ | ✓ |
| Animal AF | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subject Detection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shooting | ||
| Burst (Mechanical) | 11 fps | 30 fps★ |
| Burst (Electronic) | 8 fps | 30 fps★ |
| Max Shutter | 1/4000 | 1/8000 |
| Electronic Shutter | ✓ | ✓ |
| Video | ||
| Max Resolution | 4K | 6K★ |
| 4K FPS | 30 fps | 60 fps★ |
| 1080p FPS | 120 fps★ | 100 fps |
| 10-bit | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Log Profile | ✓ | ✓ |
| RAW Video | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Codec | H.264, H.265 | H.264/H.265/MOV/MP4/ProRes 4:2:2/4:2:0 8/10-Bit |
| Display & EVF | ||
| Screen Size | 3" | 3" |
| Touchscreen | ✓ | ✓ |
| Articulating | ✓ | ✓ |
| EVF Resolution | 2.4M dots | 3.7M dots★ |
| Build | ||
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 1.76 kg | 0.66 kg★ |
| Battery Life | 360 shots | 370 shots★ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| USB | USB-A | USB-C★ |
| HDMI | Micro HDMI★ | HDMI Output |
| Hot Shoe | ✓ | ✓ |
Pros & Cons
Sony Alpha a6400
- Strong battery (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong sensor (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong evf (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong af (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Below average social proof (5th percentile)5th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
Panasonic Lumix S S5 II Black 2023
- Strong display (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong build (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong connectivity (96th percentile)96th %ile
Pricing
Sony Alpha a6400 offers 1.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 10 of 10 usage categories and 12 of 33 specs.
