X-E5vs A6500
Fujifilm
X-E5 (2025)
Starting from £1299 new
Best for Street, travel and everyday photography with compact prime lenses
View X-E5
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street, Travel And Everyday Photography With Compact Prime Lenses — X-E5 (2025): The X-E5 is the most capable X-E camera Fujifilm has made — adding IBIS and the 40MP sensor from the X-T5 to a genuinely pocketable rangefinder-style body. For photographers who want Fujifilm's image quality and film simulations without the bulk of an X-T or X-H body, it's an easy recommendation.
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
X-E5 (2025)
- Street photographers who want a discreet, rangefinder-style body with manual dials
- Travel photographers who want 40MP resolution and IBIS in a compact package
- Fujifilm enthusiasts who want film simulations paired with small prime lenses
- Hybrid shooters who want capable 6.2K video in a body built primarily for stills
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 x-e5 has the highest resolution at 40mp; the a6500 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | X-E5 (2025) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £649 |
| Sensor | 40.2MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 40.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 6.2K 30fps, 4K 60fps | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid AF with deep-learning subject detection for people, animals and vehicles | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | In-body 5-axis IS, up to 7 stops — first X-E body with IBIS | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 8fps mechanical, 20fps electronic (1.25x crop) | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA, NP-W126S) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 445g (body with battery and card) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 124.0 × 72.9 × 38.2mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M-dot built-in | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0-inch tilting touchscreen, 1.84M-dot | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Fujifilm X-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | SD / SDHC / SDXC (UHS-I) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | X-E5 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with X-E5
Camera family history