Canon R50 vs Sony A6400 – Before we begin I must clarify with you guys one thing Canon R50 is much more affordable than Sony A6400. The perfect competitor based on the price range of the Sony A6400 is the Canon R1 camera. But since I am getting a lot of user requests to compare the two (Canon R50 versus Sony A6400) So I am doing this comparison. But again price wise we do have a good difference between the two for entry-level users.
Body design – Sony A6400
Sony A6400 camera features a compact weather-sealed Mirrorless body and a bit smaller handgrip than what you might see in the Carbon R50 camera. The EVF placement of the Sony A6400 camera is also on the extreme left side rather than in the center as we see on Canon and even in Sony’s professional range of cameras.
The other main issue a photographer or vlogger may face with the Sony A6400 camera is the older menu system and a display screen with limited movements. None of these issues can be found in the Canon R50 camera. We have a full touchable menu design and very easy to use it also, other than that we have a vari-angle display screen.
| Lens Mount | Canon R50 |
Sony A6400 |
| Sensor Resolution | Effective: 24.2 Megapixel | Actual: 25 Megapixel Effective: 24.2 Megapixel (6000 x 4000) |
| Sensor Type | 22.3 x 14.9 mm (APS-C) CMOS | 23.5 x 15.6 mm (APS-C) CMOS |
| Crop Factor | 1.6x | 1.5x |
| Image Stabilization | None | None |
| Built-In ND Filter | None | None |
| Capture Type | Stills & Video | Stills & Video |
Both cameras use FSI Sensors (Front side illuminated sensors), so the tech both cameras using not that new BSI or Stacked etc., and to be noted that the resolution of both the camera is exactly the same.
As you can see we do have a slight difference in the image quality, with Sony A6400 preserving slightly more details. So, you can manage it with bright lenses or with the help of external light. (Reason we have used Canon R10 here is Canon R10 and Canon R50 share the same sensor and the Canon R50 same not available yet)
Exposure Control
| Canon R50 | Sony A6400 | |
| Shutter Type | Electronic Shutter | Electronic Shutter |
| Shutter Speed | Electronic Shutter 1/8000 Up to 30 Seconds Electronic Front Curtain Shutter 1/4000 Up to 30 Seconds |
Electronic Front Curtain Shutter 1/4000 to 30 Seconds |
| Bulb/Time Mode | Bulb Mode, Time Mode | Bulb Mode |
| ISO Sensitivity | Photo/Video 100 to 32,000 (Extended: 51,200) |
Photo 100 to 32,000 (Extended: 100 to 102,400) Video 100 to 32,000 |
| Metering Method | Center-Weighted Average, Evaluative, Partial, Spot | Average, Center-Weighted Average, Highlight Weighted, Multi-Zone, Spot |
| Exposure Modes | Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority |
| Exposure Compensation | -3 to +3 EV (1/3 EV Steps) | -5 to +5 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps) |
| Metering Range | -2 to 20 EV | -2 to 20 EV |
| White Balance | Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (White), Shade, Tungsten | Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Color Temperature Filter, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (Cool White), Fluorescent (Day White), Fluorescent (Daylight), Fluorescent (Warm White), Incandescent, Shade, Underwater |
| Continuous Shooting | Electronic Shutter Up to 15 fps for up to 28 Frames (JPEG) / 7 Frames (Raw) Electronic Shutter Up to 12 fps for up to 42 Frames (JPEG) / 7 Frames (Raw) |
Up to 11 fps at 24.2 MP for up to 46 Frames (Raw) / 116 Frames (JPEG) |
| Interval Recording | Yes | Yes |
| Self-Timer | 2/10-Second Delay | 2/5/10-Second Delay |
EFCS vs Electronic vs Mechanical Shutter
Since both of the cameras use FSI APS-C CMOS sensors, the sensor readout speed isn’t as great as that of BSI Stacked or Stacked CMOS sensors we see in professional-level cameras, and stacked CMOS sensors have very high readout speed that rolling shutter effect almost nonvisible.
But, the readout speed isn’t that fast, in Canon R50 or in Sony A6400. So, it’s highly recommended to use EFCS (Electronic first or front curtain shutter). So, the Maximum shooting speed we recommend for Canon R50 is 12 FPS (with EFCS) to avoid a rolling shutter and with Sony A6400 u don’t have such issues so you can freely use top mechanical shutter speed up to 11 FPS. Since with Mech shutter, we don’t have such issues.
| Internal Recording Modes | H.264/H.265/MPEG-4 UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.98/25/29.97 fps 1920 x 1080 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94/100/120 fps |
XAVC S UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 24.00/25/29.97 fps [60 to 100 Mb/s] 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94/100/ fps [16 to 100 Mb/s] AVCHD 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps [17 to 24 Mb/s] |
| Broadcast Output | NTSC/PAL | NTSC/PAL |
| Built-In Microphone Type | Stereo | Stereo |
| Gamma Curve | None | Slog 2, slog3 HLG |
| Recording Limit | None | None |
Which one is better for Recording video, Sony A6400 or Canon R50?
If we compare the video capturing ability of both cameras, then for sure I will prefer Canon R50 more due to its 10BIT Video capturing ability. Although the 10 BIT video is limited HDRPQ mode, as you know when ur using an 8-bit camera we are bounded into limitations even if you are allowed to have access to log profiles.
A 10-bit image can display up to 1.07 billion colors, while an 8-bit photo can only display 16.7 million. So, if u have the option when u can have a camera with 10 BIT output, you must grab it without having a second thought in your brain.
Sony vs Canon Lenses 2023
If you are able to find your usable lenses in Canon RF Mount is completely ok, you can go with it. We already discussed the published Best Lenses for Canon R50 Camera here you can check it out. At Sony, we do have a massive range of lenses from third-party lens makers too.
| Focus Type | Auto and Manual Focus | Auto and Manual Focus |
| Focus Mode | Continuous-Servo AF, Manual Focus, Single-Servo AF | Automatic, Continuous-Servo AF, Direct Manual Focus, Manual Focus, Single-Servo AF |
| Autofocus Points | Photo Phase Detection: 4503 Video Phase Detection: 3713 |
Phase Detection: 425 Contrast Detection: 425 |
| Autofocus Sensitivity | -4 to +20 EV | -2 to +20 EV |
Without a doubt, we have to say the AF system of Canon is better compared to Sony since Sony A6400 is a 4+ years old announcement and lacks eye AF in 4K video mode as well as dedicated 3D AF object tracking mode is also missing.
For general-purpose work, both Camera AF system is completely ok. But, when ur about to shoot sports or record video it’s more important to use a Canon R50 camera instead of the Sony A6400.
| Battery Type | 1 x LP-E17 Rechargeable Lithium Polymer, 7.2 VDC, 1040 mAh | 1 x NP-FW50 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 7.2 VDC, 1080 mAh |
| Tripod Mounting Thread | 1 x 1/4″-20 Female (Bottom) | 1 x 1/4″-20 Female (Bottom) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 4.6 x 3.4 x 2.7″ / 116.3 x 85.5 x 68.8 mm | 4.7 x 2.6 x 2.4″ / 120 x 66.9 x 59.7 mm |
| Weight | 13.2 oz / 375 g (With Battery, Recording Media) 11.6 oz / 328 g (Body Only) |
14.22 oz / 403 g (With Battery, Recording Media) |
Verdict: Despite of being a 4-year-old announcement Sony A6400 is an amazing option even in 2023 with balanced core specification and an open lens mount. If u like to buy a Canon R50 camera, kindly find out the lenses available for Canon R50 before you make the decision. If the lenses you need are available then you can go with them. For sports and wildlife shooters it’s more recommended to have a higher-end model like Canon R10.
Get Canon R50 From Amazon.com | B&H Store
Check the Latest Price of Canon R10 at B&H Store and Amazon.com | B&H Store
Also, see – Canon R10 vs Sony ZV-E10
Also see – Canon R10 vs Sony A6400
