Upgrade Guide
Sony A6500→Sony Sony FX5
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the A6500. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the Sony FX5
-
Generation10 years newer (2026 vs 2016)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution17MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | A6500 | Sony FX5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.3 | ||
| Street | -1.8 | ||
| Travel | -0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.8 | ||
| Filmmaking | +3.6 | ||
| Documentary | +2.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.2 | ||
| Landscape | -0.4 | ||
| Wildlife | -0.5 | ||
| Casual | +0.3 | ||
| Food | +1.1 | ||
| Macro | -0.5 | ||
| Architecture | +0.7 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.4 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A6500 | Sony FX5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £4,699 | |
| Released | 2016 | 2026 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | 16.6MP full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 17MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | 5K/60p open-gate, 4K/120p, internal RAW/X-OCN, 10-bit Log, triple base ISO | |
| Autofocus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection | AI-powered hybrid phase-detect AF (759 points) with subject tracking | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) | IBIS with Dynamic Active Mode | |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 10fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~105 min actual recording, ~170 min continuous (LCD) | ↓ |
| Weight | 453g (with battery and card) | 734g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | Optional detachable EVF (DVF-EL1), OLED | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | Fully articulating touchscreen (4-axis arm) | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | CFexpress Type A + SDXC (dual) |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A6500 and Sony FX5 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the Sony FX5 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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