Z6vs A6500
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel, Portrait, Video — Z6 (2018): Nikon's proof of concept — and a genuinely excellent camera.
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
Z6 (2018)
- Nikon DSLR users making their first move to mirrorless
- Photographers who want full-frame Nikon glass on a budget
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 z6 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z6 (2018) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £749 | £649 |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.5MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K 30fps (full-width), 1080p 120fps | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 273-point phase-detect hybrid AF | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 12fps | 11fps |
| Battery Life | 310 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 585g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 67.5mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.80× 3.69M-dot | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M-dot | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-Mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single XQD / CFexpress Type B | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1, HDMI | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z6 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| 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