Photographers looking to get into Sony’s APS-C system have no shortage of strong options these days. From the cheap a6000 to the top of the line a6700, there’s a camera for every budget. Sitting right in the middle is the Sony a6500. I’ve personally owned this camera for about half a year and, while it hasn’t been my main body , I’ve definitely put it through its paces.
Why You Can Trust Me
Chance (that’s me) has been practicing photography for 10 years and has been a paid professional for most of it. I got my first Sony in 2018 so this website is the culmination of about 6 years of Sony experience (full site history). I’ve had this particular camera for about half a year (read how I review and test gear).
So, in this review, I’ll be covering pretty much everything about this camera, from the image quality all the way down to my niche opinions on button layout. And, of course, I’ll be sharing dozens of sample photos. So, let’s dive in!
Pros:
- Great image quality
- Robust & compact build
- Typical fantastic Sony autofocus
- Comfortable/convenient design
Cons:
- No flip up/out screen
- Better options for video shooters
- Poor battery life (as usual)
Verdict: If you’re doing a lot of video, just buy the ZV-E10 instead. However, if your primary focus is on photography, the Sony a6500 packs some serious punch for your dollar. Check out what others have to say (affiliate link) or keep reading for my impressions.
Size & Weight
So first up, I’ll start this review like I do all my others: talking about size & weight. As with many other Sony cameras, the a6500 is, unsurprisingly, pretty small. It definitely gained a little bit of heft over some of their previous bodies like the super-tiny a6000, but it can still fit in your pocket when combined with the right lens. I love it.
Speaking of which, as with any other small camera, it goes without saying that the lens you choose makes a bit difference. Putting a humungous superzoom on this thing is going to make the camera feel very weird and awkward. My preference is usually either the Sigma 30mm F1.4 (my all-time favorite lens) or the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8. This camera does come with in-body image stabilization, eliminating the need to use a stabilized lens (which is a big beef I have with my ZV-E10).
Build Quality
Now, small size doesn’t necessarily mean flimsy. Quite the opposite, in fact, with this camera. The body of the a6500 feels pretty solid and, while it may not match the a7iii, for example, I’m actually quite happy with how durable it’s been for a “compact and affordable” camera.
As for weather sealing, Sony marketed it as having “some upgrading sealing” on the top and side, but I’m assuming that doesn’t actually mean the camera is “weather sealed” per se. I’ve taken mine out into some light conditions such as snow, a gentle drizzle, and some beaches and never had any problems. I wouldn’t recommend swimming with your a6500.
Finally, I want to touch on aesthetics. I know the appearance of a camera should come after everything else, but I do want to mention that the a6500 is fairly handsome. It’s not as exciting or unique as my all-white ZV-E10, but it has a clean, minimalistic look that is pretty standard across the industry at this point.
Ergonomics/Comfort
As for ergonomics, usability, and general comfort, I think that’s definitely a point where this camera shines, especially versus older bodies. The grip is decently large, though not big enough to be disruptive or cumbersome when tossing the camera in a bag. Some photographers have complained about the grip, but the truth is that this is a small camera. The grip isn’t meant to be large.
Button layout is an especially strong point of this camera. You’ve got two fully customizable buttons on the top (by the way, this is how Sony’s customizable buttons work if you’re unaware) along with the shutter button, on/off swing, a semi-customizable adjustment dial (shutter speed/aperture) and then of course the mode dial.
On the back you’ve got the standard set of buttons you’d expect, but with an extra bonus: a weird little customizable lever thingy. You can flip the lever up or down (it’s VERY tactile) and, depending on how you have your custom buttons set up, it’ll do different things when the button inside is pressed. I really like this feature, as it allows you to have just that little bit of extra customizability.
There is definitely no shortage of buttons on this camera, trust me. It’s great. This is one of those cameras that, once you get used to it, just feels like an extension of your body.
Image Quality
Now: let’s talk image quality! The a6500 performs pretty much as well as any other Sony body. We see excellent, highly detailed images (24mp or roughly 6000×4000), high-quality RAW files with great dynamic range, good color reproduction, and solid low-light performance.
Low-light performance is pretty strong. It won’t match a more expensive, newer body, but with the right lens plus some streetlights, you can pretty much shoot just about anywhere (again, shout out to Sigma’s F1.4 lineup).
Overall, I have absolutely no complaints with image quality. In any case, pictures are worth a thousand words or something like that, so here are a few samples.
Video Quality
So pictures look spectacular, but what about video? Spec-wise, we see pretty good numbers: 4k 30fps and 1080p 120fps. Pretty standard stuff, and actual video footage (with decent light) looks really great. The camera also comes with a mic jack. The record button is still in a weird and inconvenient area.
So, if I were behind the camera all the time, I’d wholeheartedly recommend this for video. However, as I do YouTube (have you checked out the channel yet?), I’m usually in front of the camera. And for that purpose, this camera lacks one critical component: a usable screen. It doesn’t flip up or out, only 90 degrees. Huge downside of a camera that otherwise could shoot solid video.
Viewfinder/Screen
Speaking of the screen, however, although it’s completely useless for recording yourself, the quality is decent. Pictures and playback look pretty good on it, though it falls apart in bright sunlight.
Thankfully, the viewfinder of the a6500 is pretty nice. I’ve met photographers who are viewfinder snobs, but for my purposes I’ve found the one on this camera to be more than adequate. It’s high enough quality and extremely bright/readable even on sunny days.
Focusing System
Next up, let’s focus on focusing (heh). There isn’t a ton to say here, as Sony cameras are well known for having incredible autofocus, and the a6500 is definitely not an exception. Focus locks in quickly, tracking works pretty well, and it has EyeAF.
For manual focus nerds, there’s peaking, a magnifier feature that can be bound to anything, and the camera of course fully indirectly supports thousands of vintage and modern lenses through the use of adapters. Speaking of which, if you’re interested in playing around with manual focus, check out my guide.
Battery Life
The last thing to cover is battery life. It’s not terrible, but it’s not great either. If I’m out shooting street photos, it tends to die within a couple hours. So, if you’re going to be out for the day, I’d recommend bringing at least one spare battery.
Speaking of which, I’ve seen a lot of people ask whether they should pony up and pay full price for the OEM Sony batteries or if they should pay (literally) half as much to get off-brands. In my opinion, just use off-brands (don’t tell Sony I said that!). You might lose out on 5% battery life but you’ll save a LOT of money. I’d recommend these but really any highly-rated ones on Amazon will be fine.
Who is the a6500 good for?
Alright, so now that you’ve read a couple thousand words of me ranting about the Sony a6500… should you actually buy it? If I had to quickly sum it up, this is what I’d recommend:
- If you’re interested in doing primarily video/YouTube, buy the Sony ZV-E10 instead.
- If your main focus is on photography, then I can wholeheartedly recommend the a6500 for all the reasons I’ve listed in this article.
So yeah, for photos, you can’t go wrong with the Sony a6500. If you’re interested in picking it up for yourself, I’ll drop an affiliate link down below. Oh, and once you buy it, feel free to come back and read my dozens of guides to learn how to use it. Thanks for reading!
Check prices <— affiliate link, which means I get a (very) small commission if you buy at no extra cost to you. Thank you!