A6500vs A7 IV
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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Landscape | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history