Upgrade Guide

Sony A6500→Sony A7S II

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

You own

Sony

A6500

£649

2016

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7S II

£799 (+£150)

2015

⚖️

Situational

One clear hardware improvement over the A6500. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.

What's new in the A7S II

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A6500	A7S II
Price	£649	£799
Released	2016	2015	↓
Sensor	24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS	12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS
Resolution	24MP	12MP	↓
Video	4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p	4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3
Autofocus	425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection	169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards
Stabilisation	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS)	5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS)
Burst Rate	11fps	5fps continuous	↓
Battery Life	~310 shots (CIPA)	~370 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	453g (with battery and card)	584g body only	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification	EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification
Screen	3.0" fully articulating touchscreen	3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots
Mount	Sony E-mount	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-I slot	Dual SD UHS-I slots

Compare side-by-side

See A6500 and A7S II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7S II against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A6500

Related buying guides

Camera family history