Sony A6500 vs Fujifilm X100F

The Sony Alpha A6500 and the Fujifilm X100F are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2016 and January 2017. The A6500 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the X100F is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A6500		Fujifilm X100F
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Sony E mount lenses		35mm f/2.0
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 200-12,800 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
11 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		no shake reduction
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
350 shots per battery charge		390 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 53 mm, 453 g		127 x 75 x 52 mm, 469 g

Check A6500 offers at
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Check X100F offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6500 and the Fujifilm X100F? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony A6500 and the Fujifilm X100F. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X100F can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the A6500 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Fujifilm X100F is notably larger (18 percent) than the Sony A6500. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A6500 is splash and dust resistant, while the X100F does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the X100F has a lens built in, whereas the A6500 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the A6500 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the A6500 gets 350 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the X100F can take 390 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-W126S power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X100S	127 mm	74 mm	54 mm	445 g	330	n	Jan 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X100T	127 mm	74 mm	52 mm	440 g	330	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
12.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
15.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The X100F was launched at a lower price than the A6500, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the X100F has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the X100F has a lower pixel density and marginally larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 3.91μm for the A6500), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the X100F is a somewhat more recent model (by 3 months) than the A6500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X100F has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Sony Alpha A6500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Fujifilm X100F are ISO 200 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Like most digital cameras, the A6500 uses a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. In contrast, the X100F employs a more randomized X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
2.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
4.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
5.		Fujifilm X100S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.3	12.5	1329	75
6.		Fujifilm X100T	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.6	12.8	1483	78
7.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
8.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
9.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
10.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
11.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
12.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
13.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
14.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
15.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
16.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
17.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A6500 provides a higher video resolution than the X100F. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Fujifilm is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the X100F offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the A6500 (2360k vs 2359k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A6500 and Fujifilm X100F in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
4.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
5.		Fujifilm X100S	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X100T	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
8.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The A6500 has a touchscreen, while the X100F has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm X100F has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The A6500 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the X100F uses SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A6500 and Fujifilm X100F and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm X100S	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X100T	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the A6500 and the X100F have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A6500 was replaced by the Sony A6600, while the X100F was followed by the Fujifilm X100V. Further information on the features and operation of the A6500 and X100F can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X100F Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Sony A6500 better than the Fujifilm X100F or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A6500:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.43x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 127x75mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in October 2016).

Advantages of the Fujifilm X100F:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the A6500 necessitates an extra lens.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (390 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (3 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A6500 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A6500 and the Fujifilm X100F place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the A6500 and the X100F in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X100S	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X100T	5/5	+	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
12.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
15.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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