A6500vs A7R VI
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
Sony
A7R VI (2025)
Starting from £4399 new
Best for Studio, landscape and commercial photographers needing maximum resolution
View A7R VI
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.
Studio, Landscape And Commercial Photographers Needing Maximum Resolution — A7R VI (2025): The A7R VI cements its place as the resolution flagship of the Sony full-frame range — 61MP, AI-driven autofocus, and 8K video make it as capable for video and action work as it is for studio and landscape photography. The price reflects its position at the top of the lineup, but the capability is hard to match.
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
A7R VI (2025)
- Studio and commercial photographers who need maximum resolution for large prints and heavy cropping
- Landscape photographers who want best-in-class dynamic range and detail
- Hybrid shooters who need 8K video alongside a 61MP stills sensor
- Professionals upgrading from the A7R V who want faster AI-driven autofocus
Quick take: The a7r vi has the highest resolution at 61mp; the a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | A7R VI (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £4,399 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 61MP full-frame stacked back-illuminated CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 61.0MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 8K 30fps, 4K 120fps oversampled |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | AI processing unit — subject recognition for people, animals, birds and vehicles across the frame |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | In-body 5-axis IS, up to 8.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 8fps mechanical / 7fps electronic with full AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA, NP-FZ100) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 723g (body with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 131.3 × 96.9 × 82.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, 9.44M-dot, up to 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2-inch 4-axis multi-angle touchscreen, 3.69M-dot |
| 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 (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0, 2.5GbE |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | A7R VI |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Casual | — |
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