Decision tools · Compare
KF vs A6500
Quick take: The A6500 is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·16 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Sony
A6500 2016
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
£649
list price · used from £401 at eBay
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
KF — Landscape & Outdoor: The Pentax KF is a rare thing — a weather-sealed DSLR with in-body stabilisation and an articulating screen at an accessible price. Video is modest at 1080p/60p, but for outdoor and landscape photographers who prefer optical viewfinders and want real weather sealing, the KF delivers in a format that is increasingly hard to find.
A6500 — Travel, Street & Versatile Everyday Photography: 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
KF (2022)
is the right camera for you if…
- Outdoor and landscape photographers who want weather sealing at an accessible price
- DSLR users who want IBIS and an articulating screen without switching systems
- Pentax K-mount lens collectors who want a modern body for their glass
- Photographers who prefer the natural feel of an optical viewfinder
A6500 (2016)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | KFPentax · 2022 | A6500Sony · 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £849 | £649Best |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | SAFOX 13 phase-detect AF with 11 points | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | In-body Shake Reduction (SR II), up to 5.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 11fpsBest |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA)Best | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 643g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 131.0 × 101.0 × 76.0mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 0.95× magnification, ~100% coverage | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating LCD, 1.04M dots (no touch) | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Pentax KF-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
KF
A6500
Portrait
6.1/10
6.6/10
Street
5.5/10
7.1/10
Travel
5.5/10
6.6/10
Wedding & Events
5.0/10
5.2/10
Vlogging & Video
4.5/10
—
Documentary
5.0/10
5.8/10
Sports & Action
5.3/10
6.6/10
Landscape
6.1/10
5.5/10
Wildlife
6.0/10
7.3/10
Casual
4.3/10
4.8/10
Food
5.9/10
6.3/10
Macro
5.4/10
5.7/10
Architecture
6.0/10
5.4/10
Astrophotography
4.8/10
5.3/10
Fun & simple
3.1/10
—
Filmmaking
—
5.1/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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