Sony A6500 vs Nikon D1
The Sony Alpha A6500 and the Nikon D1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2016 and June 1999. The A6500 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D1 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 2.6 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6500 and the Nikon D1? 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
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A6500 and the Nikon D1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D1 is considerably larger (199 percent) than the Sony A6500. Moreover, the D1 is substantially heavier (143 percent) than the A6500. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A6500) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony A6500, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.
Concerning battery life, the A6500 gets 350 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the D1 can take .. images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-4 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the D1 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the A6500, there are third party battery grips available as optional accessories (see here on ebay). The power pack in the A6500 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A6500 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 53 mm | 453 g | 350 | Y | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon D1 | 157 mm | 153 mm | 85 mm | 1100 g | .. | Y | Jun 1999 | 5,499 | ebay.com | |
3. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | 141 mm | 83 mm | 46 mm | 495 g | 350 | Y | Jan 2016 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D300S | 147 mm | 115 mm | 81 mm | 938 g | 950 | Y | Jul 2009 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D300 | 147 mm | 114 mm | 74 mm | 925 g | 1000 | Y | Aug 2007 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D2Xs | 158 mm | 150 mm | 86 mm | 1252 g | 3800 | Y | Jun 2006 | 4,699 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D200 | 147 mm | 113 mm | 74 mm | 920 g | 400 | Y | Nov 2005 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D1X | 157 mm | 153 mm | 85 mm | 1100 g | 1200 | Y | Feb 2001 | 5,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus PEN-F | 125 mm | 72 mm | 37 mm | 427 g | 330 | n | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Panasonic GX8 | 133 mm | 78 mm | 63 mm | 487 g | 330 | Y | Jul 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
11. | Sony A6700 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 64 mm | 493 g | 570 | Y | Jul 2023 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A6400 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 50 mm | 403 g | 410 | Y | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A6600 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 69 mm | 503 g | 810 | Y | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A6300 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 49 mm | 404 g | 400 | Y | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 647 g | 480 | Y | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A77 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 732 g | 470 | Y | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 43 mm | 400 g | 430 | n | Aug 2011 | 1,349 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A6500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 75 percent) than the D1, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D1 is 1 percent bigger. 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.
Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Sony A6500 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 2.6 MP of the Nikon D1. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 11.93μm for the D1). However, it should be noted that the A6500 is much more recent (by 17 years and 3 months) than the D1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A6500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A6500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D1 are 10 x 6.6 inches or 25.4 x 16.7 cm for good quality, 8 x 5.2 inches or 20.3 x 13.3 cm for very good quality, and 6.7 x 4.4 inches or 16.9 x 11.1 cm for excellent quality prints.
The A6500 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
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 Nikon D1 are ISO 200 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-6400.
In terms of underlying technology, the A6500 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D1 uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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.
# | 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. | Nikon D1 | APS-C | 2.6 | 2000 | 1312 | none | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
3. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.7 | 13.0 | 1608 | 80 | |
4. | Nikon D300S | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.5 | 12.2 | 787 | 70 | |
5. | Nikon D300 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | none | 22.1 | 12.0 | 679 | 67 | |
6. | Nikon D2Xs | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | none | 22.2 | 10.9 | 489 | 59 | |
7. | Nikon D200 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.5 | 583 | 64 | |
8. | Nikon D1X | APS-C | 5.9 | 3008 | 1960 | none | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
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 A6700 | APS-C | 25.6 | 6192 | 4128 | 4K/120p | 24.3 | 14.0 | 2329 | 86 | |
12. | Sony A6400 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 13.6 | 1431 | 83 | |
13. | Sony A6600 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 23.8 | 13.4 | 1497 | 82 | |
14. | Sony A6300 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.4 | 13.7 | 1437 | 85 | |
15. | Sony A77 II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.4 | 1013 | 82 | |
16. | Sony A77 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.2 | 801 | 78 | |
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 cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The A6500 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the D1 does not. The highest resolution format that the A6500 can use is 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6500 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the D1 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A6500 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D1 (96%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A6500 has a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A6500 and Nikon D1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | 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. | Nikon D1 | optical | Y | 2.0 / 120 | fixed | n | 1/16000s | 4.5/s | n | n | |
3. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1620 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | n | n | |
4. | Nikon D300S | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Nikon D300 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D2Xs | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
7. | Nikon D200 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D1X | optical | Y | 2.0 / 120 | fixed | n | 1/16000s | 3.0/s | n | 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 A6700 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | n | Y | |
12. | Sony A6400 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Sony A6600 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Sony A6300 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A77 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 921 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | 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 difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The A6500 has one, while the D1 does not. While the built-in flash of the A6500 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
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, the A6500 is one of those camera that have an additional 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 A6500 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the D1 uses Compact Flash cards.
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 Nikon D1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | 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. | Nikon D1 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | FW | - | - | - | |
3. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
4. | Nikon D300S | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Nikon D300 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D2Xs | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Nikon D200 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D1X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | FW | - | - | - | |
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 A6700 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | YES | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony A6400 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A6600 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | YES | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A6300 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
15. | Sony A77 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A77 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the A6500 offers wifi support, while the D1 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D1 (unlike the A6500) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the A6500 and the D1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D1 was replaced by the Nikon D1X, while the A6500 was followed by the Sony A6600. Further information on the features and operation of the A6500 and D1 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D1 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Sony A6500 better than the Nikon D1 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Sony Alpha A6500:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 2.6MP) with a 201% higher linear resolution.
- Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 4K/30p movies.
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 96%).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.53x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 120k dots).
- 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 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 157x153mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 647g or 59 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (75 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 17 years and 3 months of technical progress since the D1 launch.
Reasons to prefer the Nikon D1:
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/16000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 1999).
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A6500 is the clear winner of the match-up (22 : 6 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Nikon D1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A6500 or the D1. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A6500 | 5/5 | + + | 3.5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon D1 | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Jun 1999 | 5,499 | ebay.com | |
3. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | .. | + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D300S | 5/5 | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2009 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D300 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2007 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D2Xs | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jun 2006 | 4,699 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D200 | .. | + + | .. | + + | o | .. | Nov 2005 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D1X | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Feb 2001 | 5,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus PEN-F | .. | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Panasonic GX8 | 5/5 | + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
11. | Sony A6700 | 4.5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 88/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2023 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A6400 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A6600 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A6300 | 4.5/5 | + | .. | 85/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A77 II | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A77 | 5/5 | 91/100 | .. | 81/100 | .. | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 81/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Other camera comparisons
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Specifications: Sony A6500 vs Nikon D1
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Sony A6500 | Nikon D1 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | Nikon F mount lenses |
Launch Date | October 2016 | June 1999 |
Launch Price | USD 1,399 | USD 5,499 |
Sensor Specs | Sony A6500 | Nikon D1 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CCD |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.5 x 15.6 mm | 23.7 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 366.6 mm2 | 369.72 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.2 mm | 28.4 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | 2.6 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 2000 x 1312 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 3.91 μm | 11.93 μm |
Pixel Density | 6.55 MP/cm2 | 0.71 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | no Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25,600 ISO | 200 - 1,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 51,200 ISO | 200 - 6,400 ISO |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 85 | .. |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.5 | .. |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.7 | .. |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1405 | .. |
Screen Specs | Sony A6500 | Nikon D1 |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 96% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x | 0.53x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 2.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 922k dots | 120k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Fixed screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | no Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Sony A6500 | Nikon D1 |
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | no Peaking Feature |
Continuous Shooting | 11 shutter flaps/s | 4.5 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | YES | no E-Shutter |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | CF cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Sony A6500 | Nikon D1 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | Firewire |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | no HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | no MIC socket |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | no Wifi |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | no NFC |
Body Specs | Sony A6500 | Nikon D1 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FW50 | Nikon EN-4 |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | no USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
120 x 67 x 53 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.1 in) |
157 x 153 x 85 mm (6.2 x 6.0 x 3.3 in) |
Camera Weight | 453 g (16.0 oz) | 1100 g (38.8 oz) |
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