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Nikon S6400 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Nikon S6400

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    Main Features

    • 16MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor
    • ISO 125 - 3200
    • 25-300 mm F3.1-6.5 Zoom Lens
    • Optical Image Stabilization
    • 3" Fixed Type Screen
    • continuous shooting
    • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video
    • 150g. 95 x 58 x 27 mm
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Nikon S6400 Overview

    First introduced in August 2012 , Nikon Coolpix S6400 is a 16.0MP Ultracompact camera with a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization and 25-300 mm F3.1-6.5 lens.

    Nikon S6400 Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Sensor and Photography Features
    4. Physical Specs
    5. LCD and Viewfinder
    6. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    7. Video
    8. Other Features
    9. Lens
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Nikon S6400 has an Overall Score of 38/100 and ranked #249 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #820 out of 1220 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Nikon S6400 Physical Specs
    Nikon S6400 weighs 150 g (0.33 lb / 5.29 oz) and has external dimensions of 95 x 58 x 27 mm (3.74 x 2.28 x 1.06″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Nikon S6400 is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 27mm, it has an average thickness for its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Nikon S6400
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Nikon S6400
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Here is the front and top view image of Nikon S6400 with the dimensions:

    Nikon S6400 Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Nikon S6400 Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Nikon S6400, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Nikon S6400 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Nikon S6400 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Nikon S6400 with its main competitors:

    Nikon S6400 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs S6400 Thickness vs S6400
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6300
    Compare
    404g 254g heavier 49mm 22mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Nikon S3300
    Compare
    128g 22g lighter 19mm 8mm thinner
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    403g 253g heavier 50mm 23mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Nikon S6500
    Compare
    250g 100g heavier 26mm 1mm thinner
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A500
    Compare
    630g 480g heavier 84mm 57mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6100
    Compare
    396g 246g heavier 59mm 32mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6500
    Compare
    453g 303g heavier 53mm 26mm thicker
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Nikon S6300
    Compare
    160g 10g heavier 26mm 1mm thinner

    Weather Sealing

    Nikon S6400 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Nikon S6400 Sensor and Photography Features

    Nikon S6400 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. S6400 has a native ISO range of 125 - 3200 but unfortunately, Nikon S6400 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Fujifilm X30 in the same price range.

    Nikon S6400 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Nikon S6400 vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Nikon S6400's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Nikon S6400 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Nikon S6400 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Nikon S6400 Lens

    Nikon S6400 features a 25-300 mm F3.1-6.5 12× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 25mm and remarkable super telephoto reach at 300mm.

    Wide Coverage

    Compact Cameras

    S6400
    Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
    Average
    Telezoom

    Compact Cameras

    S6400
    Longest - Canon SX520 HS
    Average

    With a max aperture of f3.10 at 25mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f6.50.

    Max Aperture at Wide

    Compact Cameras

    S6400
    Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
    Average
    Max Aperture at Tele

    Compact Cameras

    S6400
    Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
    Average

    S6400 is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds.



    Nikon S6400 LCD

    Nikon S6400 has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 460k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

    LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

    Nikon S6400 back view and LCD

    S6400 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare) or Fujifilm X30 (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Nikon S6400 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    You can connect S6400 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

    Battery

    Nikon S6400 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 160 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 255 shots, Nikon S6400 has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend S6400 owners to buy some extra batteries.

    Battery Life Comparison in Ultracompact Cameras

    Nikon S6400
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Nikon L32 with its 320shots is the model with longest battery life among Ultracompact cameras. Check the comparison of Nikon S6400 vs Nikon L32 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

    Nikon S6400 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6300
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 400shots Yes No Yes
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Nikon S3300
    Compare
    1280 x 720 180shots No No No
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 410shots Yes Yes Yes
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Nikon S6500
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 shots Yes No No
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A500
    Compare
    None 520shots No No No
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6100
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 420shots Yes Yes Yes
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Sony A6500
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 350shots Yes Yes Yes
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Camera Nikon S6300
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 230shots No No No

    Nikon S6400 Video Features

    With Nikon S6400, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30 fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Nikon S6400 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

    S6400 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
    Nikon S6400 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Fujifilm X30 in a similar price range.

    Nikon S6400 Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Nikon S6400 can shoot continuously at max speed of and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately S6400 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Nikon S6400 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

    Nikon S6400 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

    Nikon S6400 PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Nikon S6400 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Image Stabilization
    Full HD Video
    Touch Screen
    Face Detection Focusing
    1/4000s High Shutter Speed
    150g Light Body
    25mm Wide Angle Lens
    300mm Good Tele Lens
    12.0X Optical Zoom
    Report a correction

    Buy Nikon S6400 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Wireless Connection
    No Articulating Screen
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No RAW Shooting
    Max Sensitivity only ISO 3.200
    Low Screen Resolution ( 460kdots )
    Low Battery Life: 160 shots
    No Manual Focusing
    No Manual Exposure
    No Environmental Sealing
    Slow Lens at Wide: f3.10
    Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Nikon S6400 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Nikon S6400 in 5 different photography areas.

    Nikon S6400 for Portrait Photography

    Nikon S6400 has a score of 23 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS6400.
    Image Stabilization
    Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No RAW shooting capability
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon S6400 for Portrait Photography

    Nikon S6400 for Street Photography

    Nikon S6400 has a score of 55 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.
    Live-view
    Face-Detection Focusing
    Image Stabilization
    25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Small Body
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon S6400 for Street Photography

    Nikon S6400 for Sports Photography

    Nikon S6400 has a score of 16 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS6400.
    Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
    Image Stabilization
    300 mm Tele Lens
    Environmental Sealings
    Focus Points
    Poor Battery Life: 160 shots
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Flash Shoe
    Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon S6400 for Sports Photography

    Nikon S6400 for Daily Photography

    Nikon S6400 has a score of 61 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Compact Body
    150g
    12.0X Optical Zoom
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon S6400 for Daily Photography

    Nikon S6400 for Landscape Photography

    Nikon S6400 has a score of 19 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS6400.
    25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Nikon S6400 for Landscape Photography
    Nikon S6400 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Nikon S6400 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Nikon S6400 alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Nikon S6400

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Nikon S6400 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Sony A6300
    Sony A6300
    Compare
    Nikon S3300
    Nikon S3300
    Compare
    Sony A6400
    Sony A6400
    Compare
    Nikon S6500
    Nikon S6500
    Compare
    Sony A500
    Sony A500
    Compare
    Sony A6100
    Sony A6100
    Compare
    Sony A6500
    Sony A6500
    Compare
    Nikon S6300
    Nikon S6300
    Compare

    Nikon S6400 Alternatives in Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Nikon S6400 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Nikon S6400's price range.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Nikon S6400
    Does the Nikon S6400 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Nikon S6400 have RAW support?
    Does the Nikon S6400 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Nikon S6400 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Nikon S6400?
    What is the Sensor Size of Nikon S6400?
    is the Nikon S6400 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Nikon S6400 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Nikon S6400 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Nikon S6400?
    What is the Weight of Nikon S6400?
    What are the Dimensions of Nikon S6400?
    Nikon Coolpix S6400 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Nikon
    Model Nikon Coolpix S6400
    Announced 2012-08-22
    Body Type Ultracompact
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount fixed lens
    Lens Focal Range 25-300 mm (12×)
    Max Aperture F3.1-6.5
    Macro Focus Range 10cm
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Technology TFT LCD monitor
    Screen Size 3"
    Screen Resolution 460k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder None
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage n/a
    Viewfinder Magnification n/a
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 4s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting n/a
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation n/a
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range n/a
    Flash Modes n/a
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score not tested
    DxO Color Depth not tested
    DxO Dynamic Range not tested
    DxO Low Light ISO not tested
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Size 1/2.3"
    Sensor Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 28.07mm2
    Sensor Resolution 16 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 4608 x 3456
    Max Native ISO 3,200
    Min Native ISO 125
    RAW Support
    Autofocus
    AF Touch
    AF Continuous
    AF Single
    AF Tracking
    AF Selective
    AF Center
    AF Multi Area
    AF Live View
    AF Face Detection
    AF Contrast Detection
    AF Phase Detection
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
    Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
    Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 150g
    Physical Dimensions 95 x 58 x 27mm
    Battery Life 160 shots
    Battery Type Battery Pack
    Battery Model EN-EL19
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (10 or 2 seconds)
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/SDHC/SDXC
    Storage Slots 1


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