A6500vs A6700
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
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.
All-Round & Video — A6700 (2023): Best-in-class autofocus and 4K/120p video in a compact APS-C body — the standout camera under £1,000.
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
A6700 (2023)
- APS-C photographers who want the best Sony autofocus in a compact body
- Video shooters who need 4K/120p and subject tracking in a smaller package
- A6400 or A6600 owners ready for a significant AF and video upgrade
- Photographers who want near-A7 performance without the full-frame price
Quick take: The a6700 has the highest resolution at 26mp; the a6500 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | A6700 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 26MP APS-C Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 26.0MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p oversampled, S-Log3, 10-bit |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition (human/animal/bird/vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 11fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~570 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 493g body only |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 122.0 × 69.0 × 75.1mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type A slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C (3.2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | A6700 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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