OM-3vs A6500
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
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-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
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-3 (2024) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £999 | £649 |
| Sensor | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 414g (with battery) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-3 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with OM-3
Camera family history