Sony A6300 vs ZV-E10

The Sony Alpha A6300 and the Sony ZV-E10 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and July 2021. Both the A6300 and the ZV-E10 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 A6300		Sony ZV-E10
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Swivel touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
400 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 49 mm, 404 g		115 x 64 x 45 mm, 343 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6300 and the Sony ZV-E10? 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 A6300 and the Sony ZV-E10 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A6300 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the ZV-E10 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony ZV-E10 is notably smaller (8 percent) than the Sony A6300. Moreover, the ZV-E10 is markedly lighter (15 percent) than the A6300. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A6300 is splash and dust resistant, while the ZV-E10 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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. 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 A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
6.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
7.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
11.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
15.		Sony ZV-E10 II	115 mm	68 mm	54 mm	377 g	610	n	Jul 2024	US$ 999	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

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 ZV-E10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 30 percent) than the A6300, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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 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 A6300 and the ZV-E10 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the ZV-E10 is much more recent (by 5 years and 5 months) than the A6300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Sony Alpha A6300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony ZV-E10 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
2.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
3.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
4.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
5.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
6.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
7.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
8.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
9.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
10.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
11.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
12.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
13.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
14.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
15.		Sony ZV-E10 II	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/60p	24.3	14.1	2429	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6300 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the ZV-E10 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A6300 and Sony ZV-E10 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
7.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony ZV-E10 II	none	n	3.0 / 1036	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 difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The A6300 has one, while the ZV-E10 does not. While the built-in flash of the A6300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A6300 and the ZV-E10 write their files to 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 Sony Alpha A6300 and Sony ZV-E10 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 A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony ZV-E10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the ZV-E10 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The A6300 lacks such a headphone port.

The ZV-E10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the A6300 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A6300 was succeeded by the Sony A6500. Further information on the features and operation of the A6300 and ZV-E10 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony ZV-E10 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A6300 and the Sony ZV-E10? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A6300:

• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2016).

Advantages of the Sony ZV-E10:

• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or 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.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 61g or 15 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (30 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 5 months of technical progress since the A6300 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the ZV-E10 is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 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 A6300 and the Sony ZV-E10 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 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 A6300 or the ZV-E10. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

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 A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
6.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
7.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
11.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
12.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
15.		Sony ZV-E10 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 999	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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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