Sony HX400V Review

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Main Features

20MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 12800

24-1200 mm F2.8-6.3 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

Electronic viewfinder

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

660g. 130 x 93 x 103 mm

Replaced Sony HX300

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Sony HX400V Overview

First introduced in February 2014 , Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V is a 20.0MP Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization , Tilting screen and 24-1200 mm F2.8-6.3 lens. Sony replaced the older HX300 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V vs Sony HX300

Sony HX400V Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Sony HX400V has an Overall Score of 53/100 and ranked #31 out of 113 in DSLR-Like cameras (Top 10 Bridge), and ranked #427 out of 1218 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Sony HX400V Physical Specs

Sony HX400V weighs 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz) and has external dimensions of 130 x 93 x 103 mm (5.1 x 3.67 x 4.06″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR-Like type cameras is 591g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 103mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR-Like Cameras

Sony HX400V

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR-Like Cameras

Sony HX400V

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Average

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Here is the front and top view image of Sony HX400V with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Sony HX400V Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony HX400V, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Sony HX400V Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Sony HX400V with its main competitors:

Sony HX400V Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs HX400V	Thickness	vs HX400V
Canon SX70 HS Compare	608g	52g lighter	117mm	14mm thicker
Panasonic FZ80 Compare	616g	44g lighter	119mm	16mm thicker
Sony H400 Compare	628g	32g lighter	122mm	19mm thicker
Sony HX300 Compare	623g	37g lighter	103mm	equal thickness
Sony HX350 Compare	652g	8g lighter	103mm	equal thickness
Panasonic FZ300 Compare	691g	31g heavier	117mm	14mm thicker
Canon SX540 HS Compare	442g	218g lighter	92mm	11mm thinner
Nikon P900 Compare	899g	239g heavier	137mm	34mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Sony HX400V 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 Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Sony HX400V Sensor and Photography Features

Sony HX400V has a 20.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5184 x 3888 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. HX400V has a native ISO range of 80 - 12800 but unfortunately, Sony HX400V doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a DSLR-Like camera with a RAW support, consider Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II or Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 in the same price range.

Sony HX400V 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 Sony HX400V vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Bridge cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Sony HX400V's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Sony HX400V Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Sony HX400V Lens

Sony HX400V features a 24-1200 mm F2.8-6.3 50x zoom lens. This camera offers exceptional wide angle capacity thanks to 24mm focal length on the wide end and remarkable super telephoto reach at 1200mm.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

HX400V

Widest - Samsung WB2200F

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

HX400V

Longest - Nikon P1000

Average

With a max aperture of f2.80, this lens is fast on wide end, but max aperture of f6.30 at tele end makes is really slow at longer focal lengths.

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

HX400V

Fastest - Sony RX10 III

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

HX400V

Fastest - Olympus 1

Average

HX400V is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Sony HX400V's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Sony HX400V LCD and Viewfinder

Sony HX400V has a Tilting 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 921k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

HX400V has a built-in Electronic viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later.

Sony HX400V Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Sony HX400V features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( Wi-Fi and NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible, One-touch remote, One-touch sharing) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. With its NFC feature, HX400V can communicate with devices such as smartphones which are also equipped with this technology by simply touching each other.One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our HX400V. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect HX400V to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery

Sony HX400V is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 300 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR-Like type cameras is 353 shots, Sony HX400V has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend HX400V owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

Sony HX400V

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Average

Max

Fujifilm HS35EXR with its 600shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Superzoom cameras. Check the comparison of Sony HX400V vs Fujifilm HS35EXR or take a look at Longest Battery Life Bridge cameras list.

Sony HX400V Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon SX70 HS Compare	3840 x 2160	325shots	Yes	Yes	No
Panasonic FZ80 Compare	3840 x 2160	330shots	Yes	No	No
Sony H400 Compare	1280 X 720	300shots	No	No	No
Sony HX300 Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	No	No	No
Sony HX350 Compare	1920 x 1080	300shots	No	No	No
Panasonic FZ300 Compare	3840 x 2160	380shots	Yes	No	No
Canon SX540 HS Compare	1920 x 1080	205shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon P900 Compare	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	Yes	Yes

Sony HX400V Video Features

With Sony HX400V, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60p,60i,24p fps and save in MPEG-4 and AVCHD formats. Full HD resolution of Sony HX400V 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.

HX400V has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. Sony HX400V also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone.

Sony HX400V Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Sony HX400V can shoot continuously at max speed of 10 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash

HX400V has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing

Sony HX400V features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

Sony HX400V also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Sony HX400V PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Sony HX400V review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

NFC Connectivity

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

External Flash Shoe

Full HD Video

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Built-in GPS

Face Detection Focusing

20.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

12.800 Max ISO

921k dots LCD Resolution

1/4000s High Shutter Speed

10.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

External Microphone Port

24mm Wide Angle Lens

1200mm Good Tele Lens

50.0X Optical Zoom

Fast 2.80 Lens at Wide

Panorama Shooting

AE Bracketing

Remote control with a smartphone

Report a correction

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CONs

No Touch Screen

No RAW Shooting

Only 9 Focus Points

Heavy Body: 660

No Environmental Sealing

Slow Lens at Tele: f6.30

Report a correction

What type of Photography is Sony HX400V Good for?

In this section, we review and score Sony HX400V in 5 different photography areas.

Sony HX400V for Portrait Photography

Sony HX400V has a score of 44 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Bridge Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode

Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX400V for Portrait Photography

Sony HX400V for Street Photography

Sony HX400V has a score of 64 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Bridge Cameras for Street Photography list.

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Image Stabilization

Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX400V for Street Photography

Sony HX400V for Sports Photography

Sony HX400V has a score of 55 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Bridge Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Wireless Connection
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
External Flash Shoe

Image Stabilization
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.30
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX400V for Sports Photography

Sony HX400V for Daily Photography

Sony HX400V has a score of 52 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Bridge Cameras for Daily Photography list.

50.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
660g

Body Thickness 103mm
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX400V for Daily Photography

Sony HX400V for Landscape Photography

Sony HX400V has a score of 32 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Bridge Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theHX400V.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
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 Sony HX400V for Landscape Photography

Sony HX400V Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Sony HX400V compares with other DSLR-Like cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Sony HX400V alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Sony HX400V

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony HX400V amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Sony HX400V Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Sony HX400V with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Sony HX400V's price range.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sony HX400V

Does the Sony HX400V have Image Stabilization?
Does the Sony HX400V have RAW support?
Does the Sony HX400V have Weather Sealing?
Does the Sony HX400V have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Sony HX400V?
What is the Sensor Size of Sony HX400V?
is the Sony HX400V a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Sony HX400V have Touch Screen?
Does the Sony HX400V have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony HX400V?
What is the Weight of Sony HX400V?
What are the Dimensions of Sony HX400V?

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Sony
Model	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
Announced	2014-02-12
Body Type	SLR-like (bridge)
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Number of Lenses
Lens Focal Range	24-1200 mm (50x)
Max Aperture	F2.8-6.3
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Tilting
Screen Size	3"
Screen Resolution	921k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	n/a
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	8.50 m (ISO Auto)
Flash Modes	Flash Off / Autoflash / Fill-flash / Slow Sync. / Advanced Flash / Rear Sync. / Wireless (with optional compliant flash)
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	20 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5184 x 3888
Max Native ISO	12,800
Min Native ISO	80
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
Number of Focus Points	9
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	660g
Physical Dimensions	130 x 93 x 103mm
Battery Life	300 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	NP-BX1
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, portrait)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	BuiltIn
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Storage Slots	1

Most Popular Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

Canon SX540 HS
20 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 24-1200 mm

Panasonic FZ300
12 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 25-600 mm

Canon SX620 HS
20 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 25-625 mm

Nikon B500
16 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 23-900 mm

Panasonic ZS70
20 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 24-720 mm

Nikon P1000
16 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 24-3000 mm

Panasonic FZ80
18 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 20-1200 mm

Sony H300
20 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor| 25-875 mm

Latest Bridge Cameras

Leica V-Lux 5
20 MP | 1" Sensor | 25-400 mm

Nikon P950
16 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor | 24-2000 mm

Panasonic FZ1000 II
20 MP | 1" Sensor | 25-400 mm

Nikon B600
16 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor | 24-1440 mm

Canon SX70 HS
20 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor | 21-1365 mm

Nikon P1000
16 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor | 24-3000 mm

Sony RX10 IV
20 MP | 1" Sensor | 24-600 mm

Panasonic FZ80
18 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor | 20-1200 mm