A6500vs ZV-1 II
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.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt 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
ZV-1 II (2023)
- Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
- Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
- ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
- Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses
Quick take: The a6500 has the highest resolution at 24mp; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A6500 (2016) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £649 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 292g |
| Dimensions | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | None |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | ZV-1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — |
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