Z50vs A6500
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Beginner, Travel, Everyday — Z50 (2019): Nikon's Z system at its most accessible.
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
Z50 (2019)
- Nikon DSLR users wanting a lighter mirrorless
- First-time enthusiast camera buyers
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 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the z50 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z50 (2019) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | £649 |
| Sensor | APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K 30fps (1.5× crop), 1080p 120fps | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 209-point phase-detect hybrid AF | 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 | 11fps | 11fps |
| Battery Life | 300 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 397g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 126.5 × 93.5 × 60.0mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.68× 2.36M-dot | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" downward-tilting touchscreen, 1.04M-dot | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-Mount (DX) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB, Micro HDMI | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z50 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Z50
Camera family history