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Sony Alpha 6500 · Photo source

Sony Alpha 6500
Photo 1 of 14

Sony Alpha 6500 · Photo source

Sony · Alpha

Alpha 6500

Released November 2016

Sony's Alpha 6500 is an APS-C E-mount camera with five-axis sensor-shift stabilisation, touch focusing, a deep burst buffer and 4K recording.

Type
Mirrorless
Sensor
APS-C
Megapixels
24.2
Lens
Sony E-mount
Video
3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Body weight
410 g

What reviewers say

PhotographyBlog and Digital Camera World praised image quality, responsive autofocus, deep burst buffering and useful stabilisation, but questioned the premium price and limited controls. PhotographyBlog liked the improved grip but found touch operation sluggish. Digital Camera World criticised balance with long lenses and found noise and dynamic range behind newer rivals in its laboratory tests.

From photographyblog.com, digitalcameraworld.com, digitalcameraworld.com, digitalcameraworld.com, digitalcameraworld.com and digitalcameraworld.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Image and sensor

Camera type
Mirrorless
Sensor format
APS-C
Sensor type
Exmor CMOS
Sensor dimensions
23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
24.2 MP
Largest image
6000 × 4000
RAW recording
Yes
Standard ISO range
100–25600
Sensor detail
Approximately 25.0 million total pixels; 3:2 aspect ratio
Image formats
JPEG, compressed RAW and RAW+JPEG; ARW 2.3; 14-bit RAW support
ISO detail
ISO 51200 is expanded; Auto ISO limits configurable
Image processor
BIONZ X with front-end LSI

Lens and shooting

Lens mount
Sony E-mount
Stabilisation
Sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst
11 fps
Autofocus
425 phase-detection and 169 contrast-detection points; Lock-on AF and Eye AF with AF-C; EV −1 to 20 at ISO 100 with F2 lens
Shutter
30 seconds to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; electronic first curtain and silent shooting; flash sync 1/160 second
Burst detail
Up to 11 fps Hi+ with AF/AE tracking; 8 fps live view. Current Japanese sheet lists Hi+ buffers of 301 Standard JPEG, 269 Fine JPEG, 233 Extra Fine JPEG, 107 RAW or 100 RAW+JPEG; launch press claim of 307 Fine JPEG applies to Hi mode.
Stabilisation detail
Five-axis sensor shift; five-stop CIPA pitch/yaw claim with Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA and long-exposure noise reduction off; correction depends on lens
Flash
Built-in pop-up flash; guide number 6 at ISO 100 in metres; Multi Interface Shoe
Exposure controls
PASM, auto and scene modes, Sweep Panorama, DRO and Auto HDR

Video

Highest video resolution
3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Video detail
XAVC S 4K at up to 100 Mbps; 30p/24p NTSC or 25p PAL. Full HD up to 120p NTSC/100p PAL; S-Log2, S-Log3 and S&Q modes.
Audio
Stereo microphone and 3.5 mm microphone input; no headphone output

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder
Electronic
Screen size
3″
Screen dots
921,600
Touchscreen
Yes
Tilting screen
Yes
Display detail
Screen tilts approximately 90° up or 45° down; touch focus and touchpad
Viewfinder detail
0.39-type OLED, 2,359,296 dots; approximately 0.70× 35 mm-equivalent magnification

Connections and design

Wi-Fi
Yes
Bluetooth
Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)
350 photographs
Body weight
410 g
Release detail
Sony's North American announcement states shipping in November 2016; month precision is retained. Hong Kong availability was December 2016.
Recording media
One shared SD/Memory Stick slot; SDHC/SDXC UHS-I
Ports
Multi/Micro USB, Micro HDMI Type D, microphone input and Multi Interface Shoe
Wireless connections
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth smartphone location linking
Battery life detail
NP-FW50; CIPA approximately 350 photographs with LCD or 310 with viewfinder
Charging
In-camera USB charging and USB power supply
Dimensions
120.0 × 66.9 × 64.4 mm; depth from grip to monitor 53.3 mm
Weight detail
Approximately 410 g body only; 453 g with battery and memory card
Materials
Magnesium alloy body with dust and moisture resistance; not guaranteed in all conditions
In the box
NP-FW50 battery, AC-UUD12 adapter, shoulder strap, body cap, accessory shoe cap, eyepiece cup and Micro USB cable (Japanese specification); kit lens where selected

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Five-axis sensor-shift stabilisation
  • Deep burst buffer with AF/AE tracking
  • Touch focus and 4K recording

Cons

  • Screen does not face forward
  • No headphone socket

Closest rivals

Model
TypeSensorMegapixelsLensVideoBody weightReleased
SonyAlpha 6300
MirrorlessAPS-C24.2Sony E-mount3840 × 2160 at 30 fps361 gMar 2016
FujifilmX-Pro3
MirrorlessAPS-C26.1Fujifilm X mount4096 × 2160 at 29.97 fps447 gNov 2019
SonyAlpha 6000
MirrorlessAPS-C24.3Sony E-mount1920 × 1080 at 60 fps285 gMar 2014

Sources

  1. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-6500/spec.html
  2. sony.mediaroom.com/2016-10-06-Sony-Introduces-New-6500-Camera-with-Exceptional-…
  3. sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20161021_2_1_e.pdf

Photo: sony.jp

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