Decision tools · Compare
A1 vs A6500
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 55MP; the A6500 is the most affordable; only the A6500 is weather sealed.
Different kinds of camera — their specs aren't comparable, so read the rows as facts, not a contest.
32 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
A6500 — Travel, Street & Versatile Everyday Photography: The first Sony APS-C with IBIS — the A6500 added in-body stabilisation, touch AF, and a far deeper buffer to the A6300's already strong formula.
Who should buy what
A6500 (2016)
is the right camera for you if…
- Travel photographers who want IBIS in a compact weather-sealed E-mount body
- A6300 owners who need the stabilisation or touch AF the A6300 lacked
- Street and documentary photographers who want a capable compact with weather sealing
- Sony E-mount shooters looking for a capable used body at an accessible price
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1Antigravity · 2025 | A6500Sony · 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £909 | £345 usedBest |
| Sensor | — | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 55.0MPBest | 24.2MP |
| Video | — | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | — | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | — | 11fps |
| Battery Life | — | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | — | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | — | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | — | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | — | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed lens (360°, f/2.2) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | — | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | — | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
| Take-off weight | 249 g | — |
| Fly without registering | Yes — under 250 g | — |
| Flight time | 24 min | — |
| Wind resistance | 10.7 m/s | — |
| Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional | — |
| Video link | OmniLink 360 | — |
| Range | 6.0 km | — |
| Top speed | 16.0 m/s | — |
| Cameras | 1 | — |
| RAW stills | Yes | — |
| Vertical shooting | Not supported | — |
| Intelligent flight | Subject tracking, waypoints, return-to-home | — |
| Storage | 20 GB built in + microSD slot | — |
| Controller in the box | Vision goggles + Grip Motion Controller | — |
| FPV | Yes, goggles in the box | — |
| Folds | Yes | — |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
A1
A6500
Portrait
—
6.6/10
Street
—
7.1/10
Travel
—
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
—
5.2/10
Filmmaking
—
5.1/10
Documentary
—
5.8/10
Sports & Action
—
6.6/10
Landscape
—
5.5/10
Wildlife
—
7.3/10
Casual
—
4.8/10
Food
—
6.3/10
Macro
—
5.7/10
Architecture
—
5.4/10
Astrophotography
—
5.3/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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