EOS RPvs A6500
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Entry Full-Frame Stills Photography — EOS RP (2019): An affordable gateway into the RF system. The RP makes sense as a stepping stone camera — if you're committed to Canon RF glass, this is the cheapest full-frame body to buy those lenses for. Just manage expectations on video and battery life.
Travel, Street & Versatile Everyday Photography — A6500 (2016): 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 RP (2019)
- Canon users who want to start investing in RF glass affordably
- Stills photographers who shoot primarily in good light
- Anyone coming from a Canon DSLR wanting the RF system at low cost
- Travel photographers who prioritise compactness over video specs
A6500 (2016)
- 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
Quick take: The eos rp has the highest resolution at 26mp; the a6500 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS RP (2019) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £649 |
| Sensor | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 26.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps mechanical | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 485g (body, battery, card) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS RP | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history