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Qvs A6500

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Leica Q Leica Q (2015) Starting from £1999 new Best for Street, travel & fine art photography View Q
VS
Sony A6500 Sony A6500 (2016) Starting from £649 new Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography View A6500

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?

Street, Travel & Fine Art Photography — Q (2015): The camera that redefined luxury compact photography — a full-frame sensor, the finest 28mm compact lens available, and a shooting feel that is uniquely Leica.

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.

↓ Full specifications below

Q (2015)

  • Street and documentary photographers who want a full-frame fixed-lens camera with iconic character
  • Travel photographers who want the finest compact image quality available
  • Leica enthusiasts who want an autofocus alternative to the M system
  • Photographers who value build quality and shooting experience as much as spec sheets

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 a6500 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Q (2015)A6500 (2016)
Price £1,999 £649
Sensor 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS
Resolution 24.2MP 24.2MP
Video 1080p/60p 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p
Autofocus Contrast-detect AF, 49 AF fields, face detection 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection
Stabilisation None IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS)
Burst Rate 10fps 11fps
Battery Life ~270 shots (CIPA) ~310 shots (CIPA)
Weight 640g (with battery and card) 453g (with battery and card)
Dimensions 130.0 × 80.0 × 93.5mm 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm
Weather Sealed No Yes
Viewfinder EVF, 3.68M dots, 0.68× magnification EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification
Screen 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Fixed Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH Sony E-mount
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-I slot Single SD UHS-I slot
Connectivity Wi-Fi USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth
Genre QA6500
Street
9.0
9.0
Travel
9.0
9.0
Portrait
7.0
9.0
Landscape
7.0
Vlogging & Video
4.0
7.0
Wildlife
4.0
7.0
Sports & Action
7.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side Q prices → A6500 prices →

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