A6500vs A6600

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Sony A6500 (2016) Starting from £649 new Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography View A6500

Sony A6600 (2019) Starting from £1299 new Best for Hybrid photography, travel & video on Sony APS-C View A6600

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you 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.

Hybrid Photography, Travel & Video On Sony Aps-C — A6600 (2019): The APS-C Sony that has everything — IBIS, real-time Eye AF, excellent battery life, and 4K/30p in a weather-sealed body.

↓ Full specifications below

Who should buy what

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

A6600 (2019)

Sony APS-C shooters who need IBIS — the only A6000-series body to offer it
Hybrid photographers who want the best of stills and video from a compact E-mount body
A6400 or A6100 owners who want IBIS and a headphone jack for video work
Travel photographers who need compact full-featured weather-sealed performance

Quick take: The a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification	A6500 (2016)	A6600 (2019)
Price	£649	£1,299
Sensor	24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS	24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS
Resolution	24.2MP	24.2MP
Video	4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p	4K/30p (no crop), 1080p/120p
Autofocus	425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection	Real-time Eye AF, real-time tracking — inherited from A9
Stabilisation	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS)	5-axis IBIS — 5 stops
Burst Rate	11fps	11fps continuous with AF/AE
Battery Life	~310 shots (CIPA)	~810 shots (CIPA) — large NP-FZ100 battery
Weight	453g (with battery and card)	503g body only
Dimensions	120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm	120 × 66.9 × 69.3mm
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification	EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification
Screen	3.0" fully articulating touchscreen	3.0" touchscreen, tilting
Mount	Sony E-mount	Sony E-mount (APS-C)
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-I slot	Single SD UHS-I slot
Connectivity	USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth	USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks

Suitability by genre

Genre	A6500	A6600
Travel	9.0	9.0
Street	9.0	9.0
Portrait	9.0	9.0
Wildlife	7.0	7.0
Vlogging & Video	7.0	9.0
Sports & Action	7.0	—
Sports	—	7.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side A6500 prices → A6600 prices →

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