OM-1vs A6500
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Wildlife, Sport, Outdoor — OM-1 (2022): OM System's statement camera — class-leading weather sealing and the best IBIS in the business.
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
OM-1 (2022)
- Wildlife and bird photographers who need fast burst and pro weather sealing
- Outdoor photographers who work in challenging conditions
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 a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM-1 (2022) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £649 |
| Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Live MOS stacked BSI | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K 60fps 10-bit | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 1053-point cross-type phase-detect, AI subject recognition | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 7.0 stops (8 stops with sync IS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 50fps electronic, 120fps Pro Capture | 11fps |
| Battery Life | 520 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 599g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.8 × 91.6 × 72.7mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.83× 5.76M-dot | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M-dot | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type B | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C 3.1, HDMI, 3.5mm mic/headphone | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-1 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with OM-1
Camera family history