A6500vs A9
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
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 Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
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
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The a6500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
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