A6500vs A7S III
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S III
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.
Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
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
A7S III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
Quick take: The a6500 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A6500
Camera family history