Nikon D3400 vs Sony A6100

The Nikon D3400 and the Sony Alpha A6100 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2016 and August 2019. The D3400 is a DSLR, while the A6100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras 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

Nikon D3400		Sony A6100
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
1200 shots per battery charge		420 shots per battery charge
124 x 98 x 76 mm, 445 g		120 x 67 x 59 mm, 396 g

Check D3400 offers at
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Check A6100 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D3400 and the Sony Alpha A6100? 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

The physical size and weight of the Nikon D3400 and the Sony A6100 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D3400 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the A6100 is available in three color-versions (black, silver, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A6100 is considerably smaller (34 percent) than the Nikon D3400. Moreover, the A6100 is markedly lighter (11 percent) than the D3400. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D3400 nor the A6100 are weather-sealed.

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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D3400) and the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A6100). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A6100, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the D3400 gets 1200 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL14a battery, while the A6100 can take 420 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A6100 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
2.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	415 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
16.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The D3400 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the A6100, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the D3400 and the A6100 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the A6100 is much more recent (by 3 years) than the D3400, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D3400 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The A6100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon D3400 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A6100 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
2.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
3.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
4.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
5.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
6.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
7.		Nikon D3500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.4	1851	83
8.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
9.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
10.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
11.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
12.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
13.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
14.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
15.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
16.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
17.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A6100 provides a better video resolution than the D3400. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6100 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the D3400 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A6100 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D3400 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A6100 has a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.57x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D3400, the Sony A6100, and comparable 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.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
5.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D3500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The A6100 has a touchscreen, while the D3400 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 A6100 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 Sony A6100 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The D3400 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A6100 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Nikon D3400 and Sony Alpha A6100 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.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
2.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D3500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
8.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the A6100 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D3400 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the D3400 and the A6100 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D3400 was replaced by the Nikon D3500, while the A6100 was followed by the Sony A6600. Further information on the features and operation of the D3400 and A6100 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D3400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A6100 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D3400 or the Sony A6100 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D3400:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 420) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2016).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A6100:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.57x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 124x98mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 49g or 11 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years of technical progress since the D3400 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6100 is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Nikon D3400 and the Sony A6100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D3400 or the A6100. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
2.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3500	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
16.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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