Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R→Sony A6500
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The A6500 improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7R owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A6500
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Burst rate11fps vs 4fps
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Generation3 years newer (2016 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution24MP (down from 36MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R | A6500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | ||
| Portrait | +2.0 | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Travel | +5.0 | ||
| Sports & Action | +3.0 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +3.0 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Wildlife | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R | A6500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £649 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2016 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS | |
| Resolution | 36MP | 24MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | 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 | 4fps | 11fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 453g (with battery and card) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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