Decision tools · Compare
A6500 vs A7 II
Quick take: The A7 II has the highest resolution at 24MP; the A7 II is the most affordable.
Where the A6500 wins
- Burst Rate: 11fps
- Weight: 453g (with battery and card)
- Street: 7.1 vs 5.9
- Travel: 6.4 vs 5.7
- Sports & Action: 6.6 vs 5.8
Where the A7 II wins
- Cheaper new: £288 vs £345
- Resolution: 24.3MP
- Battery Life: 350 shots (CIPA)
- Astrophotography: 6.4 vs 5.3
16 specs side by side·14 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?
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.
A7 II — Travel, Portrait: The camera that proved full-frame IBIS was possible in a compact body.
Who should buy what
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
A7 II (2014)
is the right camera for you if…
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want full-frame on a budget
- Film shooters adapting vintage lenses (IBIS helps enormously)
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A6500Sony · 2016 | A7 IISony · 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £345 used | £288 usedBest |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.3MPBest |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 1080p 60fps |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | 117-point phase-detect hybrid AF |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fpsBest | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | 350 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card)Best | 599g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF 0.71× 2.36M-dot |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-Mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | SD / Memory Stick Pro Duo |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, NFC, Micro USB, Micro HDMI |
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
A6500
A7 II
Portrait
6.6/10
6.8/10
Street
7.1/10
5.9/10
Travel
6.4/10
5.7/10
Wedding & Events
5.2/10
5.5/10
Filmmaking
5.1/10
—
Documentary
5.8/10
5.7/10
Sports & Action
6.6/10
5.8/10
Landscape
5.5/10
5.8/10
Wildlife
7.3/10
6.7/10
Casual
4.8/10
3.9/10
Food
6.3/10
6.0/10
Macro
5.7/10
5.5/10
Architecture
5.4/10
5.7/10
Astrophotography
5.3/10
6.4/10
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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