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Sony H400

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 front
 
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-1550mm (F3.4-6.5) lens
  • 628g - 130 x 95 x 122mm
  • Introduced February 2014
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
62
Imaging
45
Features
41
Overall
43

Sony H400 overview

Sony H400 is Sony's Small Sensor Superzoom camera originally announced on February of 2014. The camera houses a 20MP, CCD 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 5152 x 3864.

The H400 ranks at #79 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and all round #578 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. Remember to check our Smart camera filter to find camera rankings based on your personal requirements.

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Here is a graph of different criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony H400 family

The Sony H400 comes with a history of related cameras. Down below, you can view all older and latest models as well as main specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX350 front thumbnailSony HX350
H400 vs HX350
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2016
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX80 front thumbnailSony HX80
H400 vs HX80
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2016
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX90V front thumbnailSony HX90V
H400 vs HX90V
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H300 front thumbnailSony H300
H400 vs H300
25-875mm
F3-5.9
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H400 front thumbnailSony H40025-1550mm
F3.4-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX400V front thumbnailSony HX400V
H400 vs HX400V
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2014
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX50V front thumbnailSony HX50V
H400 vs HX50V
24-720mm
F3.5 - 6.3
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX300 front thumbnailSony HX300
H400 vs HX300
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H200 front thumbnailSony H200
H400 vs H200
24-633mm
F3.1-5.9
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX20V front thumbnailSony HX20V
H400 vs HX20V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX200V front thumbnailSony HX200V
H400 vs HX200V
27-810mm
F2.8-5.6
18MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX10V front thumbnailSony HX10V
H400 vs HX10V
24-400mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX30V front thumbnailSony HX30V
H400 vs HX30V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H90 front thumbnailSony H90
H400 vs H90
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX100V front thumbnailSony HX100V
H400 vs HX100V
27-810mm
F2.8-5.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX9V front thumbnailSony HX9V
H400 vs HX9V
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H50 front thumbnailSony H50
H400 vs H50
31-465mm
F2.7-4.5
9MP1/2.3"2009

Sony H400 Pros and Cons

Below is a shortlist of pros and cons of the Sony H400 based on factors that are typically viewed as necessary in a camera.

above average min ISO (80)
built-in flash
built in image stabilization (Optical)
comes with HDMI socket
comes with mic socket
good MP (20MP)
great reach (1550mm)
incredible zoom range (25-1550mm 62.0 x zoom)
provides face detect autofocus
provides tracking focus
relatively wide (25mm)
screen is a good size (3 inches)
can't use external flash
display is not selfie friendly
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
heavier than average (628g)
lack of manual focus
no headphone socket
no phase detect autofocus
no RAW support
no Time Lapse function
screen does not articulate
screen has low resolution (460 thousand dots)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
slow at tele end (f6.5)
slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
sluggish max aperture (f3.4)
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
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Sony H400 Sensor specifications

The Sony H400 features the Bionz(R) chip. The sensor spec in the Sony H400 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 5152 x 3864 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization as the latter can easily produce cropping.

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The CCD sensor boasts 20MP and delivers a native ISO range of 80 - 3200. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not saved which means that you have less room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below shows the H400's sensor dimensions in comparison to other common sizes. The H400 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is pointed out in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 sensor size Photography Glossary

To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony H400 dimensions

Sony H400 weighs about 1.38 lbs (628 grams / 22.15 oz) and the volume of the camera is 130mm x 95mm x 122mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.8"). The weight of normal Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 grams so the Sony H400 is more heavy in comparison with other competitors.

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Listed below is a pic of the Sony H400 beside a softdrink so you're able to have a feel for its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 dimensions scale

The top view below will show you the button arrangement on the H400.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 topview buttons dials

Sony H400 Lens specifications

The H400 offers a built in lens and it has a focal range of 25-1550mm making it a 62.0 x zoom which is ideal and would let you zoom right in.

At the widest 25mm, the lens offers an aperture of f3.4 making it rather slow and not very good in low light situations and you will likely struggle to capture a shallow depth of field. You will also have to increase the ISO setting which results in noisy files. Towards the tele end, 1550mm is phenomenal zoom and comes to f6.5 making it fairly sluggish and you may need to apply slow shutter speeds.

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Sony H400 Connectivity

The H400 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that have NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can be controlled wirelessly through smartphones. You are able to transfer pictures and oftentimes adjust settings with no need to connect physically to the camera.

Some applications even stream a Liveview and click the shutter in case you aren't close to the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it can be hooked up to an external screen. Most cameras will allow you to charge the battery using the USB socket.

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Sony H400 Video specifications

The maximum video quality in the Sony H400 is 1280 x 720 and it can shoot in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 720p is terrible by today's requirements. You should really go for at least FUll HD quality for video. While the camera includes a mic socket, it is sadly lacking a headphone socket which means that you will not have the option to check your sound levels.

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Sony H400 Weather Sealing

Sony H400 doesn't include weather proofing so damp conditions can easily damage the camera.

Sony H400 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony H400 is equipped with a 3 inch fixed display screen supporting a resolution of 460 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the display screen is not a touch screen.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 screen and viewfinder Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

The ViewFinder specs regarding Sony H400 are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 201 thousand dots
  • Coverage 100%

Viewfinders are rather handy for bright outdoor conditions which will make the camera display washed out and very difficult to view.

Sony H400 Shutter specifications

Sony H400 continuous shooting speed is 1.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.

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Sony H400 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Sony H400 includes only built in flash lacking external flash ability.

Sony H400 Autofocus specifications

Sony H400 includes just Contrast Based Autofocus and lacks Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is more faster & accurate in comparison with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera supports Face detect which makes it valuable for portraits.

It also includes Tracking Autofocus for subjects on the move. Sony H400 doesn't have manual focusing. Manual focusing ability is useful for low light situations or you want to have more exact control on focus.

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Sony H400 Battery life

The battery in the Sony H400 is designed to last for 300 shutters based on the CIPA requirements which is about the same as its rivals. The general Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR features the highest possible (600) battery life for this kind of cameras.

Following is a listing of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that have the best battery life:

Sony H400 for different styles of photography

The following graph shows a summation of the Sony H400 for different styles of photography. To look at more, have a look at the specific section below.

Portrait photography with Sony H400

The Sony H400 gets a points total of 40 which is dreadful, and means the camera is not really acceptable for portrait photography. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor specs, RAW support & potential to work with external flash.

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MP count decent (20 megapixels)
comes with face detect autofocus
focusing manually not possible
cannot use external flash
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format

Sony H400 Street photography highlights

Coming in at a dreadful rating of 43, the Sony H400 is not really acceptable to use in street photography. A good street photography camera provides a good balance of picture quality and portability.

Photography Glossary
image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
heavier than others (628g)

Sony H400 Sports photography factors

A reasonable sports photography score of 51 means the Sony H400 is somewhat suited for shooting sports. A camera really should have very good autofocus plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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great zoom range (25-1550mm 62.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (20MP)
features tracking autofocus
continuous shooting slow (1.0 frames/s)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect autofocus

Travel photography with Sony H400

Size is very critical in choosing a travel camera. Overall, the Sony H400 gets a modest 53 for a travel camera which makes it somewhat suitable to purchase for your journeys.

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good resolution (20 megapixels)
built-in flash
relatively wide (25mm)
very long reach (1550mm)
no Time Lapse mode
heavier than competition (628 grams)
display is not selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f3.4)

Sony H400 Landscape photography information

For anyone who is planning to purchase a camera for landscape photographs, the most significant aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony H400 at it's dreadful rating of 44 for a landscape camera is not really acceptable in the current market.

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decently wide (25mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (20 megapixels)
lack of manual focus
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.4)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
missing Timelapse recording

Sony H400 Vlogging details

A camera for vlogging really should come with a moving display, mic port and ideally image stabilization. Considering all the details, the Sony H400 is not really acceptable as a vlog camera as it comes to a dreadful rating of 26.

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pretty wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detect focus
comes with microphone jack
sluggish max aperture (f3.4)
does not contain selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pixels)
more heavy than competitors in class (628 grams)

Sony H400 Alternatives

If you want replacements to the H400, here is a number of the top placed cameras that fall under the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The graph below shows you an overview of the H400 versus it's highest scoring rivals mentioned earlier.

Here are a few more cameras you may take a look at as alternative options. To see a extensive comparison, visit the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400
Class
Small Sensor Superzoom
Introduced
2014-02-13
Physical type
SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Processor
Bionz(R)
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
20 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution
5152 x 3864
RAW data
Max native ISO
3200
Minimum native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Cross type focus points
0
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
25-1550mm (62.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.4-6.5
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display diagonal
3 inches
Display resolution
460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology
Clear Photo LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
201 thousand dots
Viewfinder coverage
100%
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed
1/2000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate
1.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
8.80 m
Flash settings
Auto, Flash On, Slow Synchro, Flash Off, Advanced Flash
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions
1280 X 720
Max video resolution
1280x720
Video file format
MPEG-4, H.264
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
628 gr (1.38 pounds)
Physical dimensions
130 x 95 x 122mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.8")
Other
Battery life
300 photos
Battery type
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (Off, 10 sec, 2 sec, portrait1, portrait2)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick PRO Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
1
Pricing at launch
$268