Upgrade Guide

Sony A6500→Sony ZV-1 II

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

You own

Sony

A6500

£649

2016

→

Upgrade to

Sony

ZV-1 II

£649 (+£0)

2023

✅

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 ZV-1 II

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A6500	ZV-1 II
Price	£649	£649
Released	2016	2023	↑
Sensor	24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS	20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS
Resolution	24MP	20MP	↓
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	↑
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

Compare side-by-side

See A6500 and ZV-1 II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

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Other upgrades from the A6500

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Camera family history