A6500vs A7R
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
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 (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; the a7r is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £349 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 4fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — |
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