Canon
EOS-1Ds 2002
Best for Full-frame DSLR history & Canon archive collections
£200
list price · used from £102 at eBay
Decision tools · Compare
EOS-1Ds vs A6500
Quick take: The A6500 has the highest resolution at 24MP; the EOS-1Ds is the most affordable.
16 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.
Sony
A6500 2016
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
£649
list price · used from £401 at eBay
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
EOS-1Ds — Full-Frame Dslr History & Canon Archive Collections: The world's first production full-frame DSLR — the EOS-1Ds arrived in 2002 with 11MP and changed professional photography forever. Historically irreplaceable.
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
EOS-1Ds (2002)
is the right camera for you if…
- Collectors and historians of professional digital photography
- Canon archivists who want the full EOS-1 lineage represented
- Photography educators documenting the full-frame transition
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 | EOS-1DsCanon · 2002 | A6500Sony · 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £200Best | £649 |
| Sensor | 11.1MP full-frame CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 11.1MP | 24.2MPBest |
| Video | — | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 45-point AF with 7 cross-type points | 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 | 3fps continuous | 11fpsBest |
| Battery Life | ~500 shots per chargeBest | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1270g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 155.6 × 117.8 × 79.9mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF, 0.70× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 2.0" fixed LCD | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | CompactFlash Type I/II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB 1.1, FireWire | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
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
EOS-1Ds
A6500
Portrait
5.1/10
6.6/10
Street
3.6/10
7.1/10
Travel
3.5/10
6.6/10
Wedding & Events
4.6/10
5.2/10
Documentary
3.6/10
5.8/10
Sports & Action
4.4/10
6.6/10
Landscape
4.2/10
5.5/10
Wildlife
5.0/10
7.3/10
Casual
1.9/10
4.8/10
Food
3.5/10
6.3/10
Macro
3.2/10
5.7/10
Architecture
4.0/10
5.4/10
Astrophotography
5.7/10
5.3/10
Filmmaking
—
5.1/10
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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