A6500vs Sony RX100 VII
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
Sony
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel & versatility
View Sony RX100 VII
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.
Travel & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
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
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- Travel photographers who want the most capable 1-inch compact available
- Vloggers who need fast AF and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket body
- Photographers who want a high-quality compact backup to a mirrorless system
- Anyone who wants professional AF performance without carrying a large camera
Quick take: The a6500 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a6500 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | Sony RX100 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — |
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