A6500vs FX3
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
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, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
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) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — |
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