Upgrade Guide

Sony A5100→Sony A6500

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A5100

£200

2014

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A6500

£649 (+£449)

2016

✅

Strong upgrade

The A6500 improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A5100 owners will notice the difference.

What's new in the A6500

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A5100	A6500
Price	£200	£649
Released	2014	2016	↑
Sensor	24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS	24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS
Resolution	24MP	24MP	↓
Video	1080p/60p	4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p
Autofocus	Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection	425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection
Stabilisation	None	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS)
Burst Rate	6fps	11fps	↑
Battery Life	~400 shots (CIPA)	~310 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	224g (body only)	453g (with battery and card)	↓
Weather Sealed	No	Yes	↑
Viewfinder	None	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification
Screen	3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots	3.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount	Sony E-mount	Sony E-mount
Memory Cards	Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot	Single SD UHS-I slot

Compare side-by-side

See A5100 and A6500 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A6500 against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A5100

Related buying guides

Camera family history