Z7 IIvs A6500
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Landscape & Studio / High-Resolution — Z7 II (2020): The Z7 II is a landscape and studio camera first, everything else second. 45.7MP with weather sealing and dual card slots is a compelling package. If you need resolution, it delivers. If you don't, the Z6 II is the smarter buy.
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
Z7 II (2020)
- Landscape photographers who print large or need to crop significantly
- Studio and commercial photographers requiring maximum resolution
- Architecture photographers where detail is non-negotiable
- Fine-art photographers who shoot primarily from a tripod
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 z7 ii has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z7 II (2020) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,699 | £649 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 493 points, Eye AF, subject tracking | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 705g (body, battery, card) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z7 II | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Video | — | |
| 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