Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Detailed Comparison

This article is a comparison between the Sony a6000 vs Nikon D3400, as the title suggests. We expect that after going through this article,you’ll be well informed to make the right choice between cameras.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

We’ve put together the features of each camera and even compared those of one camera with those of the other. This way, you are able to know the performance of one camera, relative to that of the other. It will help you make a more informed decision.

Nonetheless, if you do not have so much time and need to make a quick decision, the comparison overview and comparison table below offer will be of help to you.

However, if you need to, you could check out some other comparisons we did between the Sony A6000 and some other cameras. There’s the Sony a6000 vs Nex 7 comparison and even the Sony a5100 vs a6000.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 — Comparison Overview

Here is the quick overview:

Overall Rating Of The Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400

These two cameras could be described as decent cameras. The Sony a6000 is generally described as a semi-pro camera while the Nikon D3400 could be called an entry-level camera.

That said, they both are good cameras for the level of photography expertise they attend to. The Sony a6000 has a decent continuous shot which could make it a good backup professional camera.

Ratings Of The Features Of The Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400

Both cameras have features that are kinda consistent with the kind of camera they are. The Sony a6000 is lighter (0.76 pounds as against 0.87) and has an electronic viewfinder.

On the other hand, the Nikon D3400 comes with an optical viewfinder and has a significantly longer battery life than the Sony a6000 (1200 vs 360 shots).

Truth be told, the Sony a6000 comes with a bit more interesting features than the Nikon D3400. Two of those features are the in-built wireless connection and the articulating screen which you won’t find on the Nikon D3400.

The two only two features we think really give the Nikon D3400 an edge over the Sony a6000 are the battery life and the cost.

Price/Value Ratio — Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400

The Nikon D3400 is significantly more affordable than the Sony a6000. However, with the additional features that you get with the Sony a6000 and not the Nikon D3400, that’s not exactly surprising. So yea, you get what you pay for with both cameras.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

About The Brands

Sony

Sony is a pretty well-known Japanese brand that has its hands in a lot of different business. You’ve probably heard the name Sony associated with gaming electronics and even entertainment. But did you also know it was into financial management?

The Sony brand is known for having variety with whatever products, ranging from what could be classified as affordable to the luxurious. Sony has come to be known for its quality too and that is something to look forward to in the Sony a6000.

Nikon

Nikon is also a Japanese brand. However, unlike Sony, it is more streamlined in its business ventures. All Nikon products can easily be categorized under imaging and optics.

Nikon is also pretty well-known for the quality products it brings to the table and that is something we see in the Nikon D3400.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Comparison Table

 

Sony a6000

Nikon D3400

Weight 0.76 pounds 0.87 pounds
Dimensions 4.7 by 2.6 by 1.8 inches 4.9 by 3.9 by 3.0 inches
Battery Life 360 shots per charge 1200 shots per charge
Continuous Shooting 11.0 frames per seconds (fps) 5.0 frames per second (fps)
Wireless Connection In-built None
Screen Type Tilting screen Fixed screen
Viewfinder Electronic Optical
ISO 100 – 25600 and can be expanded to 51200 100 – 25600

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 — Comparison Video

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Which Is Better Under What Circumstance?

Sony a6000

Nikon D3400

First off, the Sony a6000 is a semi-pro camera. So, while it might not be the best for your professional photography, it could be a good compromise. The Nikon D3400 could be a good idea if you are starting out with photography or you need a camera for family memories and such.
Furthermore, of the 2 cameras, the Sony a6000 is the faster camera. So, if you’ll be capturing moving images, this one is the better option. In the same vein, the Nikon D3400 is the more affordable camera of the 2. So, if you need to save a couple of bucks, this is something you need to try.
Also, if you must have wireless connection, this is the only camera of the 2 in this review that has an in-built wireless connection. One more thing, the Nikon D3400 offers more lens options and the difference is significant. So, if you feel you’ll need all the works, consider this camera.
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Common Features

In this section, we’ll be looking at all those features that you’ll find on both the Sony a6000and the Nikon D3400. The features that will be included in this section include features that perform exactly the same functions on both cameras or do same with only slight variations.

1. Weight

Remember how we said we will include those features that are mostly similar but with slight variations? Well here is one.

The Sony a6000 weighs a little less than the Nikon D3400. Now, while the Sony a6000 weighs 0.75 pounds, the Nikon D3400 weighs 0.87 pounds.

Both cameras are pretty lightweight so you won’t have any issues carrying either one about. However, in determining the weight of a camera, there is more to consider than the weight of just the body.

Remember you will be attaching a lens or lenses to the camera to actually take a picture. So, you’ll have to factor in the weight of the lens or lenses that the camera is compatible with seeing as you’ll be lugging the lenses alongside the camera.

Now, the Sony a6000 and the Nikon D3400 have the same size sensor which is the APS-C sensor. This means that the lenses both cameras are compatible with are similar in weight and even size. Hence, there isn’t so much of a disparity between these two cameras as regards weight.

2. Flash

Even if you are just taking a random picture with your phone, you have probably already recognized the importance of light to taking the perfect picture. We usually try to take pictures in places where there is proper lighting.

However, what happens when the lighting situation cannot be helped? Well, the impromptu answer to that is usually flash. A good number of smartphones have this feature and thankfully both the cameras in this review come with this feature.

Furthermore, there are cases when even that flash light isn’t enough. For instance, if you are in a place where the lighting is really poor and you can’t move the subject out of there, you’ll need more light than the in-built flash offers.

This is where the external flash hot shoe comes in. If you guessed that this is a mount for an external flash, you guessed right. It is usually on the top of the camera and is just a mount and not the light itself. So, you’ll have to get you an external flash to mount on the hot shoe.

Both the cameras in this review come with this feature. This automatically means that whatever camera you decide to go with will make a decent tool for flash photography.

3. Viewfinder

To take a picture with a camera, you’ll have to look through a small screen like thing just so you see the picture you are taking. That screen like thing is referred to as a viewfinder.

First off, you need to know that not all cameras come with a viewfinder, especially mirrorless cameras. With those cameras, you’ll have to see what you’re doing on the LCD screen.

However, both the cameras in this review come with a viewfinder in addition to the LCD screen. Now, the reason a viewfinder is better than just the LCD screen is that in places that where there is too much light, you won’t be able to clearly see what’s on the LCD screen. But a viewfinder wil always be clear to see.

Having said all these, we need to mention that there is a basic difference between the viewfinder you’ll find on the Sonya6000 and that on the Nikon D3400.

Remember what we said about mirrorless and DSLR cameras? Well, that’s the difference. The Sony a6000 uses an electronic viewfinder while the Nikon D3400 uses an optical viewfinder.

4. Picture Resolution

This is a very important thing to consider in deciding what camera to get. Even smartphone brands are outdoing one another to come up with phones whose cameras score high numbers in megapixels. This is because users know that high megapixel numbers tell, to an extent, how sharp a captured image will be.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, we have to say that we are impressed with the megapixel numbers that both these cameras give. They both offer 24 megapixels. So, whichever camera you go for, expect good quality image resolution.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

5. RAW Support

Since we are on the topic of picture quality, let’s talk about how your pictures are saved. With cameras, pictures taken are usually saved in either of 2 formats; jpeg or RAW.

Jpeg doesn’t take up so much space on your memory card, however, the quality of the picture won’t be amazing. On the other hand, RAW format takes up a bit of space but you will get good quality pictures.

Now, both the Sony a6000 and the Nikon D3400 support the RAW format. Which means, even though the pictures will take a bit of space (which can be easily fixed by getting a large sized memory card), the pictures will look great.

6. Smartphone Control

This one is basically about convenience. So, you can control either the Sony a6000 or the Nikon D3400 using your smartphone, provided the phone is connected to the camera.

The connection, though, is where things differ a bit. Now, the Sony a6000 has an in-built wireless connection. So, you can connect your phone to the camera using a Wi-Fi connection, among other things, of course.

On the other hand, the Nikon D3400 doesn’t have any feature that helps it connect to the internet. And this is understandable, seeing as the camera is just an entry level camera. However, it does have Bluetooth connection. So, you can do your phone-camera connection via Bluetooth.

Now, when your phone is connected to the camera, your phone screen becomes your viewfinder. You can see, from your screen, what your camera is seeing and take the picture(s) you need to take.

7. ISO

The ISO is a really important factor to consider when choosing a camera. The reason is, the ISO tells you how sensitive your camera is to light.

Now, we think it is safer to have a camera with a wide ISO range. The reason is, it gives you more room to be able to use the camera in different settings. A narrow ISO range will limit the range of places and settings you can use your camera.

However, there’s a little catch. The higher the ISO number, the higher the possibility of the grains being pronounced on the picture. So, it is a battle between good quality picture with a possibility of noise and not so good quality picture with no possibility of noise.

That said, both the cameras in this review have an OK ISO range. We won’t say the ranges are terrible but they are definite not the best out there.

Both cameras have the same ISO range between 100 and 25600. However, with the Sony a6000, there is room for expansion for up to 51200.

8. Face Detection

This is basically a feature that allows the camera focus when it notices faces. It usually comes in handy when you want to take portraits.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 — A Sony a6000 Demonstration Video

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Unique Features

In this section, we’ll be looking at those features that are present in one camera but absent in the other. We’ll also include those features that are present in both have very significant differences that they can’t be classified as similar.

1. Battery Life

This is one of those features that ae present in both cameras (obviously) but vary enough to not make it to our common features section. You need to know that with cameras, battery life is measured according to how many shots you can get with 1 charge.

Now, the Sony a6000 offers 360 shots per charge. This might sound impressive until you hear that the Nikon D3400 offers 1200 shots per charge.

Obviously, there is a very significant difference between the battery life of the Sony a6000 vs that of the Nikon D3400. Even without really thinking about it, we can see that 840 shots is a lot of shots.

2. Screen

First off, let’s start with what’s similar. Both the Sony a6000 and the Nikon D3400 have a 3 inch screen which is alright. Also, neither of the cameras has a touch screen. Now to what’s different.

The screen on the Sony a6000 is what can be described as an articulating screen. What is this? Well, an articulating screen is basically a flexible screen that can be tilted upward or downward. This allows you more coverage without having to change the position of the camera.

On the other hand, the Nikon D3400 has a fixed screen. Which means, if you need to change angles, you’ll need to actually change the position of the camera.

3. Continuous Shooting

What we want to look at here is the highest number of frames you can get with the camera in 1 second. Why is this important? Well, the frames per shot (the technical term for what we just said) shows you how fast the camera can get. And this will come in handy when you want to capture fast moving subjects.

Now to the point. The Nikon D3400 goes as far as 5 frames per second. This isn’t really fast and is probably a significant reason it is considered an entry level camera. The Sony a6000, on the other hand, can go as fast as 11 frames per shots which is pretty impressive.

4. Memory Card Support

Both cameras definitely support a memory card seeing as that’s where all the pictures taken get stored. Well, at least, that is how it works with digital cameras.

However, of the 2 cameras in this article, only the Sony a6000 is compatible with a UHS memory card. What is a UHS memory card? It is basically an Ultra High Speed memory card and, as the name implies, it allows for speedy transfer of pictures to storage. This helps reduce the possibility of lag with the camera.

5. Lenses Available

The idea of lenses available with each camera is basically about flexibility and diversity. They both have a decent array of lenses available to them which differ according to size and weight. Also, they both can take on the same size and weight of lenses.

However, when we talk about the number of lenses you can get with each camera (not in together with the camera. You’ll have to get the lenses separately), there is a marked difference.

With the Sony a6000, you can get up to 102 lenses. However, the Nikon D3400 offers as many as 302 lenses. That’s a pretty significant difference.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Unique Pros

Pros Of The Sony a6000

  • The Sony a6000 is the faster camera as it takes 11 frames per second against Nikon D3400’s 5 frames per second. This could come in handy if you have to take quick shots of a moving subject.
  • Furthermore, the Sony a6000 has an in-built wireless connection. This means you can connect it to other devices via Wi-Fi connection and also connect it to the internet.
  • Let’s not forget that the Sony a6000 supports UHS memory card. This way, your camera can send images to storage without lagging.
  • The articulating screen is definitely another pro. You can tilt the screen of the Sony a6000 upward or down vs the Nikon D3400. This way, you have more flexibility to take pictures without having to change the position of the camera.
  • Also, the viewfinder on the Sony a6000 has 100% coverage vs the Nikon D3400 which offers 95% coverage. Now, of course 95% is good. But complete coverage is always better than 95%.

Pros Of The Nikon D3400

  • The Nikon D3400 has a longer lasting battery life vs the Sony a6000. This isn’t really surprising, especially seeing as mirrorless cameras aren’t exactly known for having long lasting batteries.
  • Furthermore, the flash on the Nikon D3400covers a longer distance vs that on the Sony a6000. With the Nikon D3400, the flash covers a distance of about 12 meters while that on the Sony a6000 covers half that distance at 6 meters.
  • A significant upper hand that the Nikon D3400 has over the Sony a6000 is the price. The Nikon D3400 is significantly more affordable vs the Sony a6000. This is understandable seeing as the Nikon D3400 is an entry level camera.
  • Also, the Nikon D3400 has more lenses available vs the Sony a6000 and the difference is really significant as you’ve already seen.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 — A Nikon D3400 Demonstration Video

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Unique Cons

Cons Of The Sony a6000

  • The battery life of the Sony a6000 isn’t as impressive vs that of the Nikon D3400. There is an 840 shots per charge difference that can’t be easily ignored.

Cons Of The Nikon D3400

  • The screen of the Nikon D3400 is fixed. This is more of an inconvenience than anything else. Because if you need to capture something from a different angle, you’ll have to change the position of the entire camera instead of just the screen.
  • Furthermore, the Nikon D3400 isn’t as fast as the Sony a6000. It can only get 5 frames per second while the Sony a6000 can get up to 11 frames per second.
  • There’s also the thing about the Nikon D3400 not having an in-built wireless connection. So, you can’t connect this camera to the internet.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Common Pros

 

Sony a6000

Nikon D3400

Viewfinder We like that the Sony a6000 comes with a viewfinder because depending on just the LCD screen wouldn’t cut it. Same as the Sony a6000. However, while the Sony a6000 has an electronic viewfinder, the Nikon D3400 has an optical viewfinder.
RAW Support The RAW support allows for your pictures to be able to be stored in RAW format. We like the RAW format despite the fact that the pictures will be large files. And the reason we like this format is because of the quality it gives to the pictures. Same as the Sony a6000.
Picture Resolution This is another thing that is concerned with picture quality. The Sony a6000 offers 24 megapixels max resolution which affords you really good picture quality. Same as the Sony a6000.
Smartphone Control Who doesn’t like convenience, yea? With this feature, once your smartphone is connected to the camera, you can control the functions on the camera from your smartphone. With the Sony a6000, connection is made via the in-built wireless connection. Same as the Sony a6000. However, with the Nikon D3400, connection is made via Bluetooth.
Flash This one comes in handy when the lighting situation isn’t the best. And for really poor lighting, there is a flash shoe on the camera on which you can mount an external flash to provide additional light. You need to know, though, that the flash doesn’t cover as much distance as that on the Nikon D3400. Same as the Sony a6000. However, the flash on the Nikon D3400 covers twice as much as the Sony a6000 does in distance.
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Common Cons

 

Sony a6000

Nikon D3400

Image Stabilization This is basically about the camera keeping its focus even when it is accidentally jostled. The Sony a6000 doesn’t have this feature, so mistakes will come out as such in the pictures. However, you can get an optical stabilization lens. The Sony a6000 has 23 optical stabilization lenses available. Same as the Sony a6000. However, the Nikon D3400 has 88 lenses available.
Environmental Protection Additionally, the Sony a6000 doesn’t have any form of protection against environmental elements. So, one has to be careful carrying the camera from place to place. You obviously cannot use this camera when it is raining, snowing or anything like that. That could be limiting. Same as the Sony a6000.

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – What People Think About Both

Sony a6000

Nikon D3400

A good number of people have nothing but praise for the Sony a6000. They seem excited about everything from the speed of the camera (11 frames per second) to even the ISO range. Because the camera is a semi-pro, it looks to be the right compromise for people who want to get something really good but don’t want to break the bank doing it. The Wi-Fi connectivity is also a popular upside with the Sony a6000. Bearing in mind that the Nikon D3400 is an entry level camera, you need to know that it is more popular among amateur photographers. But they seem to like it quite alright. People especially like it because it is quite easy to use. Apparently, it won’t be very difficult to find your way around the camera. Users also seem to be excited about the fact that pictures captured automatically transfer to the phone the camera is connected to.
However, this camera is more popular with photographers and not cinematographers. And that is basically because of the absence of a microphone port. Also, a few people have complained about the absence of feature(s) that protect the camera against environmental and weather conditions. Some have said this could be quite limiting. The fact that the camera isn’t the fastest doesn’t seem to be an issue. A good number of people that use the camera are beginners and so are more about the quality of the final product than the speed. However, the thing with protection against environmental and weather conditions seems to be a bit of an issue. Because, who doesn’t want to capture moments in snow?
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400
Get the Sony a6000 now!Get the Nikon D3400 now!

Sony a6000 Vs Nikon D3400 – Our Take

Sony a6000

Nikon D3400

There are a lot of things we like about the Sony a6000. The picture resolution is pretty decent at 24 megapixels. Also, the camera is pretty fast, capturing 11 frames per second. And don’t even get us started on how convenient the articulating screen is. We also happen to like the Nikon D3400 and one thing that makes a good impression with us is the battery life. You get 1200 shots in one charge which is a lot more than what the Sony a6000. If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times that the Nikon D3400 is an entry level camera. And for an entry level, it sure does hold its own.
Now, we are not blind to the shortcomings and that’s why we’ve spelled them all out for you. However, we think the Sony a6000 makes a good impression for a semi-pro camera and can be that great compromise between a beginner camera and a pro camera. Get the Sony a6000 now! It is not up to per with the Sony a6000 in certain areas especially speed. However, if you are just starting out this photography thing or you are just looking for a camera to capture family moments, this could be it. Besides, it is the more affordable option of the 2 cameras. Get the Nikon D3400 now!

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