Sony A6400 vs Canon M100

The Sony Alpha A6400 and the Canon EOS M100 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in January 2019 and August 2017. Both the A6400 and the M100 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A6400		Canon M100
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 102,400)		ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		6.1 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
410 shots per battery charge		295 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 50 mm, 403 g		108 x 67 x 35 mm, 302 g

Check A6400 price at
amazon.com
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ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6400 and the Canon EOS M100? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A6400 and the Canon M100 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M100 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A6400 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M100 is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Sony A6400. Moreover, the M100 is markedly lighter (25 percent) than the A6400. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A6400 is splash and dust resistant, while the M100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the A6400 gets 410 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the M100 can take 295 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack. The power pack in the A6400 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T30	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Feb 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
10.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
11.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-5R	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The M100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 44 percent) than the A6400, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the M100 is 10 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (A6400) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the A6400 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A6400 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 3.72μm for the M100), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the A6400 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the M100, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Sony Alpha A6400 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M100 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the A6400 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the M100 (overall score 5 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.5 bits higher color depth, 0.7 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
2.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
3.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
4.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
5.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
6.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
7.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
8.		Fujifilm X-T30	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.5	1895	83
9.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
10.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
11.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
12.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
13.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
14.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
15.		Sony NEX-5R	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	910	78
16.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
17.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A6400 provides a higher video resolution than the M100. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6400 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M100 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A6400 and Canon M100 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X-T30	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
11.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony NEX-5R	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
16.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A6400 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The A6400 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the M100 uses SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A6400 and Canon EOS M100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm X-T30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony NEX-5R	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the A6400 has a hotshoe, while the M100 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The A6400 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the M100 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the M100 was succeeded by the Canon M200. Further information on the features and operation of the A6400 and M100 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M100 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Sony A6400 better than the Canon M100 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A6400:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (5 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 6.1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (410 versus 295) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 4 months after the M100).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M100:

• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 101g or 25 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (44 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2017).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6400 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A6400 and the Canon M100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A6400 or the M100 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T30	5/5	+ +	5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
10.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
11.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-5R	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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