Sony
A1 II 2024
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
£5699
new today at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
A1 II vs A6500
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the A6500 is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·15 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.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
A1 II — Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work: The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
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
A1 II (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
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 | A1 IISony · 2024 | A6500Sony · 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,699 | £345 usedBest |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MPBest | 24.2MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanicalBest | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA)Best | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size | 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
A1 II
A6500
Portrait
9.0/10
6.6/10
Street
6.6/10
7.1/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
8.7/10
5.2/10
Vlogging & Video
6.4/10
—
Filmmaking
8.2/10
5.1/10
Documentary
8.3/10
5.8/10
Sports & Action
9.3/10
6.6/10
Landscape
8.0/10
5.5/10
Wildlife
9.2/10
7.3/10
Casual
5.3/10
4.8/10
Food
8.5/10
6.3/10
Macro
8.1/10
5.7/10
Architecture
8.4/10
5.4/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
5.3/10
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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