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Sony A6500 vs Nikon D500

The Sony Alpha A6500 and the Nikon D500 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2016 and January 2016. The A6500 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D500 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 20.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Sony A6500
versus
Nikon D500
Sony A6500   Nikon D500
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Sony E mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor 20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200) ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 1,640,000)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 922k dots 3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge1240 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 53 mm, 453 g 147 x 115 x 81 mm, 860 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6500 and the Nikon D500? 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A6500 and the Nikon D500 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Sony A6500 vs Nikon D500
Compare A6500 versus D500 top
Comparison A6500 or D500 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D500 is considerably larger (110 percent) than the Sony A6500. Moreover, the D500 is substantially heavier (90 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 (D500). 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 D500 can take 1240 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15 power pack. 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 table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

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Body Specifications
  empty 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 1,399ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2 141 mm 83 mm 46 mm 495 g 350 Y Jan 2016 1,699ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D300S 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 938 g 950 Y Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D3400 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 445 g 1200 n Aug 2016 499ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 n Jan 2015 899ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D7500 136 mm 104 mm 73 mm 720 g 950 Y Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
9.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A77 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 732 g 470 Y Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A77 II 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 647 g 480 Y May 2014 1,199ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A6300 120 mm 67 mm 49 mm 404 g 400 Y Feb 2016 999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A6400 120 mm 67 mm 50 mm 403 g 410 Y Jan 2019 899 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A6600 120 mm 67 mm 69 mm 503 g 810 Y Aug 2019 1,399 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A6700 122 mm 69 mm 64 mm 493 g 570 Y Jul 2023 1,399 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony NEX-7 120 mm 67 mm 43 mm 400 g 430 n Aug 2011 1,349ebay.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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The A6500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 30 percent) than the D500, 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 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. 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 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. The sensor area in the D500 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.

Sony A6500 and Nikon D500 sensor measures

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Sony A6500 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 20.7 MP of the Nikon D500. 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 4.22μm for the D500). However, it should be noted that the A6500 is a somewhat more recent model (by 9 months) than the D500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

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 D500 are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 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 D500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-1640000.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

A6500 versus D500 MP

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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty 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 40004K/30p24.513.7140585
2.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
3.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.713.0160880
4.
 
Nikon D300S APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.512.278770
5.
 
Nikon D3400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.813.9119286
6.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
7.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
8.
 
Nikon D7500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.314.0148386
9.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
10.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
11.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
12.
 
Sony A77 II APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.413.4101382
13.
 
Sony A6300 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.413.7143785
14.
 
Sony A6400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.013.6143183
15.
 
Sony A6600 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p23.813.4149782
16.
 
Sony A6700 APS-C 25.6 6192 41284K/120p24.314.0232986
17.
 
Sony NEX-7 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i24.113.4101681
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 two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

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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 D500 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the A6500 has a higher magnification than the one of the D500 (0.70x vs 0.67x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A6500, the Nikon D500, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty 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 A65002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
3.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro22360 n3.0 / 1620 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s n n
4.
 
Nikon D300Soptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D3400optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon D5500optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D7500optical Y3.2 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
9.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
10.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A772359 Y3.0 / 921 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Sony A77 II2359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony A63002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
14.
 
Sony A64002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
15.
 
Sony A66002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A67002360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony NEX-72359 n3.0 / 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 D500 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 Nikon D500 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 D500 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A6500 only has one slot. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A6500 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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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 D500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A6500Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
2.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
3.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Nikon D300SYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
5.
 
Nikon D3400Ymono / mono--mini2.0--Y
6.
 
Nikon D5500Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
7.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
8.
 
Nikon D7500Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
9.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
11.
 
Sony A77Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
12.
 
Sony A77 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
13.
 
Sony A6300Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony A6400Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YYY
15.
 
Sony A6600Ystereo / monoYYYES2.0YYY
16.
 
Sony A6700Ystereo / monoYYYES3.2YYY
17.
 
Sony NEX-7Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---

It is notable that the D500 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The A6500 lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the A6500) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A6500 and the D500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A6500 was replaced by the Sony A6600, while the D500 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A6500 and D500 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D500 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Sony A6500 better than the Nikon D500 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A6500:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20.7MP) with a 8% higher linear resolution.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.67x).
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 407g or 47 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.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (30 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 9 months after the D500).

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Arguments in favor of the Nikon D500:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 922k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1240 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2016).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D500 comes out slightly ahead of the A6500 (15 : 14 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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.

A6500 14:15 D500

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A6500 and the Nikon D500 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A6500 or the D500 perform in practice. 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 hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A65005/5+ +3.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2016 1,399ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2016 1,699ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D300S5/5+ +..82/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D34004/5+4/576/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2016 499ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 899ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D75004.5/5+ +4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
9.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A775/591/100..81/100..5/5 Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A77 II4/5....80/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 1,199ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A63004.5/5+..85/1005/55/5 Feb 2016 999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A64004/5+4/585/1004.5/54/5 Jan 2019 899 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A66004/5+4/583/1004.5/54/5 Aug 2019 1,399 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A67004.5/5+4.5/588/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2023 1,399 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony NEX-75/5+ +..81/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2011 1,349ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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, 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Sony A6500 vs Nikon D500

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Sony A6500 Nikon D500
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date October 2016 January 2016
    Launch Price USD 1,399 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Sony A6500 Nikon D500
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
    Sensor Area 366.6 mm2 368.95 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm 28.3 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels 20.7 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.91 μm 4.22 μm
    Pixel Density 6.55 MP/cm2 5.60 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 51,200 ISO 50 - 1,640,000 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X EXPEED 5
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 85 83
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.5 24.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.7 14.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1405 1324
    Screen Specs Sony A6500 Nikon D500
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x 0.67x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 922k dots 2359k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Sony A6500 Nikon D500
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 11 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations200 000 actuations
    Electronic ShutterYESno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards SDXC or XQD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Sony A6500 Nikon D500
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Sony A6500 Nikon D500
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony NP-FW50 Nikon EN-EL15
    Battery Life (CIPA)350 shots per charge1240 shots per charge
    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)
    147 x 115 x 81 mm
    (5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 453 g (16.0 oz) 860 g (30.3 oz)
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