Sony Alpha 6400 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Sony Alpha 6400 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Sony Alpha 6400 was introduced in January 2019 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III was introduced in May 2014. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Sony Alpha 6400 Highlights

      • 24.2 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 32,000 Native ISO
      • 425 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 922k dot Tilting Screen
      • 0.39" 2,359k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 11.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 13 h Video Recording Limit
      • HDR-HLG, Sony S-Log 2, Sony S-Log 3
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Highlights

      • 20.1 MP 1-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
      • 125 - 12,800 Native ISO
      • 25 Focus Points
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 1,229k dot Tilting Screen
      • 1,440k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III.

      PROS

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   High Video Recording Limit
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz)
      •   USB Charging
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Light - 290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   125 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   -2 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 83
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.1 Megapixel
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   DxO Overall Score - 67

      Advantage of Sony Alpha 6400

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha 6400 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III.

      Sony Alpha 6400 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 24.2 Megapixel vs 20.1 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 125
      More Focus Points 425 vs 25
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Touch Screen vs
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.71x vs 0.59x
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/2000 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 10.0 fps
      External Flash Connectivity vs
      Average Metering vs
      Lower Min Metering -2 EV vs 0 EV
      Higher DxO Low Light ISO 1431 vs 495
      Higher DxO Color Depth 24.0 vs 22.4
      Higher DxO Dynamic Range 13.6 vs 12.3
      Higher DxO Overall Score 83 vs 67
      Interval Recording vs
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
      Microphone Input vs
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Environmental Sealing vs
      Longer Battery Life 410 shots vs 320 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha 6400.

      Advantage of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III over Sony Alpha 6400.

      Sony Alpha 6400 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III
      Cheaper $900 (body only), $1000 (w/16-50mm lens), $1300 (w/18-135 lens) vs $799
      Sensor Type CMOS vs BSI-CMOS
      Higher Native ISO 32,000 vs 12,800
      Higher Boosted ISO 102,400 vs 25,600
      Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 vs 5472 x 3648
      Image Stabilization vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 922k dot vs 1,229k dot
      Higher Resolution Viewfinder 2,359k dot vs 1,440k dot
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/160 sec vs 1/2000 sec
      Lighter 403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz) vs 290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Sony Alpha 6400 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III
        Cheap$900 (body only), $1000 (w/16-50mm lens), $1300 (w/18-135 lens)$799
        Video Capture
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
        HDMI Output Micro Micro
        Built-In Wi-Fi
        Light403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz)290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz)
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Sony Alpha 6400 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        Short Battery Life410 shots320 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III have 3.0" Tilting screens with 922k dot and 1,229k dot resolutions respectively. Tilting screen makes cameras very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Sony Alpha 6400 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed Image cannot be displayed

      Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III with Tilting screen


      Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha 6400 has a built-in 0.39" Electronic viewfinder with 2,359k dot resolution and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 1,440k dot resolution. They both have 100% coverage.

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 6400 features a 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 366.6 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 32,000 and expands to 100 - 102,400 in boosted mode. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III features a 20.1 megapixel 1-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 13.2 x 8.8 mm and a total area of 77.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 125 - 12,800 and expands to 80 - 25,600 in boosted mode.

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.

      Photography Features

      Sony Alpha 6400 is equipped with BIONZ X processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III is equipped with Bionz X processor and can take pictures up to 5472 x 3648 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3:2 mode: 3888x2592, 2736x1824; 4:3 mode: 4864x3648, 3648x2736, 2592x1944, 640x480; 16:9 mode: 5472x3080, 2720x1528; 1:1 mode: 3648x3648, 2544x2544, 1920x1920 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.

      Image Stabilization on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi

      Cameras have built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Alpha 6400 has a built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      NFC

      Cameras have Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer and battery charging. Sony Alpha 6400 has a Micro HDMI and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III has a Micro HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Sony Alpha 6400 comes with NP-FW50 battery pack with battery life of 410 shots and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III comes with NP-BX1 battery pack with battery life of 320 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Sony Alpha 6400 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo Hybrid (UHS-I) card slot. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Sony Alpha 6400 has Electronic shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Sony Alpha 6400, and up to 1/2000 sec on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. Sony Alpha 6400 can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 6400 has 425 focusing points and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III has 25 focusing points. Sony Alpha 6400 has detection range from -2 to +20 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III range from -2 to +20 EV and 0 to +20 EV respectively and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Sony Alpha 6400 and ±2 range on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. You can also do exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Alpha 6400 and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 6.00 m at ISO 100 on Sony Alpha 6400. Sony Alpha 6400 also accepts external flash which can be connected via Intelligent Hot Shoe or Wireless connection. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec on Sony Alpha 6400 and 1/2000 sec on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III.

      Physical Parameters

      Sony Alpha 6400 body has dimensions of 120 x 67 x 60 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 2.36") and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III body has dimensions of 102 x 58 x 41 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.61"). Sony Alpha 6400 weighs 403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz) and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III weighs 290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz).

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      120 mm

      67 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      102 mm

      58 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      67 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      58 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      60 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      41 mm

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      Size comparisons of Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      GOOD
      76
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      74
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      GOOD
      76
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      79
      •   Small Sensor
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz)
      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   Small Sensor
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   High Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III and give them scores of 78 and 71 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      OVERALL
      78
      OVERALL
      71

      Sensor

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      GOOD
      70
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 83
      GOOD
      75
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.1 Megapixel
      •   125 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 67

      Photo

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      GOOD
      77
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/2000 sec
      •   No External Flash Connectivity

      Video

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      AVERAGE
      61
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   High Video Recording Limit
      POOR
      46
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080

      Focusing

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   -2 EV Min AF Detection
      •   425 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      GOOD
      73
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      GOOD
      84
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
      GOOD
      78
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot

      Connectivity

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      GOOD
      78
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Sony Alpha 6400

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      POOR
      45
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 320 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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