Sony A6600 vs A6400 - my thoughts...

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Originally Posted by Manfred M

I spoke to the manager of one of the local bricks and mortar (as well as online) camera stores last week and they are under the impression that Canon will be launching up to two new mirrorless models early in 2020.

You might get your wish sooner than expected.

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I've heard this. The rumor I have heard most often is that one of them will be a 75 MP monster to replace the 5DS. There is less chatter about the second, but some say it will be a more professionally oriented version of the EOS-R, e.g., with dual card slots. I haven't heard anything about fixing the limitations of the first iteration, which unlike the 5D series, doesn't have wonderful controls. The second one, if the rumors are right and if they fix those few problems, might be very tempting, even though it is FF. The one lens I own that I have thought about replacing is the EF 24-105, and first reviews suggest that the new R version is noticeably better.

The one thing that was mentioned was that there is an industry view that the XQD memory card technology is so reliable that a second card / slot is no longer required. The SD and CF cards are more prone to errors.

I can't remember having two rolls of film in a camera in case one failed...

Not to say hat it can't happen but, in over fifteen years of shooting with CF cards, I have had only two bad ones and these were Kingston (I don't buy that brand anymore) and both of them were bad from the start - they did not work for a while and then quit.

I have had a CF card go through the washing machine cycle and did not lose any images, although I ensured it was dry before trying to extract the files. I have not used SD cards for as long as I used CF types so I don't have any personal thoughts about their longevity but, they do not seem as sturdy as the CF cards,,,

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Originally Posted by Manfred M

The one thing that was mentioned was that there is an industry view that the XQD memory card technology is so reliable that a second card / slot is no longer required. The SD and CF cards are more prone to errors.

I can't remember having two rolls of film in a camera in case one failed...

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I've heard that so many times, but I can't find any authoritative sources about it.
Do you know any?

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Originally Posted by lunaticitizen

I've heard that so many times, but I can't find any authoritative sources about it.
Do you know any?

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This is what I was told by a camera store manager as information that they had received from Nikon and Sony.

You might find this article interesting: https://phlearn.com/magazine/xqd-car...-is-cfexpress/


The key writeup on card durability from that article says:

"Besides physical strength, XQD cards have robust protection from corruption and failure. Various design features are related to protecting the data. Shell strength has been increased to improve durability. This also helps to prevent flexing and bending caused during transport and by repeated insertion into card slots. Recessed contact pins mean that these are protected from physical damage from dust or electrostatic shock for more reliable performance even in harsh environments.

XQD memory cards are claimed to be shockproof, magnet proof, anti-static, and resistant to breakage. They can offer full performance even in extreme temperatures. They stand up under exposure to intense UV light and airport X-ray machines. XQD cards are designed for prolonged heavy use.

Those physical protections eliminate some of the major causes of card failure. The electronic stability of XQD is another welcomed feature. The manufacturers of XQD cards claim superior stability compared to CF and SD cards, and those are already pretty stable for the most part. Real-life experience from photographers using XQD has been positive.

Not to say that there won’t ever be an XQD card that will fail for one reason or another, but the risk of failure is very low. It is similar to the progression of computer media. Back when computers used 5 ¼” floppy disks, those disks seldom failed if handled properly, even though they were rather flimsy. Computer media kept getting better. ZIP drives, 3 ½” floppies, CD/ROM, DVD, and flash drives all increased data storage capability, ease of access, and reliability. What will be the next thing?"

Thank you.

But still, I'm not sure about this supposed superiority. In the previous post you talk about SD and CF being "more prone to errors"; I wonder if this is an inherent weakness of their technology or maybe it's just simply about packaging?

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Originally Posted by lunaticitizen

Thank you.

But still, I'm not sure about this supposed superiority. In the previous post you talk about SD and CF being "more prone to errors"; I wonder if this is an inherent weakness of their technology or maybe it's just simply about packaging?

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Both reasons. Better technology AND better packaging.

Go for A6600, whatever you need the most important thing is to have a better grip and a very good battery backup. You are getting both in this model. I have always faced problem with the battery backup, the next upgrade I make it would definitely be the one with a larger battery capacity.

I agree that the A6600 is a better camera than the A6400 but, not greatly better for stills...

A Meike Battery Grip for the A6400 does a lot to improve the battery use (with a pair of batteries) as well as improving the grip itself...