If you’re considering a crop-sensor mirrorless camera, Sony’s a6X00 lineup probably caught your eye. These portable cameras have been around since 2014 with the original a6000, and each one has had good image quality and well-balanced features. The two that I’m comparing today are the Sony a6300 and the Sony a6700. Despite the similar-looking names, these two cameras are actually very different. The a6300 is a consumer-level camera from 2016, while the a6700 is a prosumer-level camera from 2023. The underdog doesn’t win here, either – the a6700 is definitely the better camera! But by how much? And if you already have the Sony a6300, is it worth upgrading to the Sony a6700? I’ll answer those questions today!
Let’s start by looking at the specifications of both cameras side-by-side:
Sony a6300 vs Sony a6700 Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Sony a6300 | Sony a6700 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | February 2016 | July 2023 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Image Processor | BIONZ X | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 24.2 MP | 26.0 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 6000×4000 | 6192 x 4128 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 23.5 x 15.6 mm (APS-C) | 23.3 x 15.5 mm (APS-C) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 3.92µ | 3.76µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | Yes |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | No | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 25,600 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 100-51,200 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | No |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | No | Yes |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/4000 | 1/8000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 11 FPS | 11 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 3 FPS | 11 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | None | None |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 21 frames (11 FPS) | 59 frames (11 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition |
| Autofocus Points | 425 | 759 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -1 EV | -3 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/160 | 1/160 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | No |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Raw Video | No | No |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | Extra 1.23x crop in 4K 30p; extra 1.14x crop at 1080p 100 / 120 FPS | Extra 1.58x crop at 4K 120p (otherwise no additional crop) |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 1 | 1 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-I) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.0 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 0.92 million dots | 1.04 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Fully Articulating |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 1.07x (0.70x FF equiv.) | 1.07x (0.70x FF equiv.) |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 2.36 million dots | 2.36 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | No |
| Headphone Jack | No | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type B 2.0 | Type C 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Battery Type | NP-FW50 | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 350 frames | 550 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 400 frames | 570 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 404 g (0.89 lbs.) | 493 g (1.09 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 120 x 70 x 49 mm (4.7 x 2.8 x 1.9″)1 | 122 x 69 x 64 mm (4.8 x 2.7 x 2.5″)1 |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $1000 (Discontinued) | $1400 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Sony a6300 Used Prices | Sony a6700 Used Prices |
| 1Note that the depth measurements in this table exclude the optional rubber cap for the viewfinder | ||
Summary and Analysis
No surprise – the Sony a6700 is the better camera! The only real advantages of the Sony a6300 are weight, size, and price. Meanwhile, the Sony a6700 brings a lot of more modern, advanced features to the table.
Probably the biggest difference between the two cameras is the autofocus system. The Sony a6700 has one of Sony’s best autofocus systems, even including their high-end cameras… specifically because it’s borrowed from the professional Sony a7R V! For sports and wildlife photography, the a6700 also has the advantage of a larger buffer of 59 frames rather than just 21.
Another big area where the a6700 wins is for videography. Both cameras can film 4K video – which is pretty impressive for the a6300 considering it’s from 2016! – but the Sony a6700 definitely has more advanced features here. In particular, the a6700 can record slow-motion 4K up to 120 FPS, and it’s capable of recording 10-bit internal 4:2:2 video. Also – not listed in the table above – the Sony a6700’s 4K video is derived from oversampled 6K, so it’s sharper than the 4K from the Sony a6300. In short, the video quality from the Sony a6700 is a good bit higher than from the a6300, even though both cameras nominally have the same 4K maximum resolution.
There are other benefits to the a6700, too, but I’ll point out one in particular: the in-body image stabilization system (IBIS). A lot of Sony’s lenses already have image stabilization (labelled OSS), but some great prime lenses and third-party glass does not. If you want to use any of these non-stabilized lenses, you’ll see a lot of benefits from IBIS. The Sony a6700 is definitely the better choice if that applies to you.
Recommendations
My normal recommendation is to pick a cheaper camera with a top-notch lens, rather than a more expensive camera with cheap glass. But in this case, I think it really depends upon the type of photography that you do.
On one hand, for something like landscape or architectural photography, I think you should just save money and go with the Sony a6300. (The a6300 is selling for some really great prices on the used market, after all.) Likewise, if you’re a landscape/travel photographer who already has the a6300, I don’t think it’s worth upgrading to the a6700, unless you also do a lot of video work.
On the other hand, sports and wildlife photographers should 100% pick the a6700 over the a6300. The better autofocus system and bigger buffer of the a6700 are simply worth the money. Likewise, dedicated videographers should definitely pick the Sony a6700. Oversampled 4K video with 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording is simply awesome for videography, and that’s not even mentioning the much better slow-motion features of the a6700.
Here’s how I’d sum everything up:
What does the Sony a6300 offer over the Sony a6700?
- Lighter weight (89g lighter or about 1.2 times lighter) and slightly smaller size
- Significantly lower price, especially on the used market
What does the Sony a6700 offer over the Sony a6300?
- In-body image stabilization, which is a huge help for handheld photography with non-stabilized lenses
- Significantly better autofocus system with high-end tracking capabilities
- Better videography features, such as internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording and 4K 120p support
- A fully articulating LCD screen
- An additional command dial on the front of the camera
- Better battery life both with the viewfinder and with the rear LCD
Questions? Go to our forum, where you can start a conversation and talk to photographers about these two cameras!
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