Upgrade Guide
Sony A6500→Sony A7R IV
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A6500. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7R IV
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Resolution61MP vs 24MP (+37MP)
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Battery life670 shots (CIPA) vs ~310 shots (CIPA)
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Generation3 years newer (2019 vs 2016)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A6500 | A7R IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | -1.0 | ||
| Street | -2.0 | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -1.0 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Landscape | — | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A6500 | A7R IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £2,199 | |
| Released | 2016 | 2019 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 61MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 4K 30fps | |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | 567-point phase-detect, real-time tracking | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 10fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | 670 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 665g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.44M-dot | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type A |
Compare side-by-side
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