Sony A6500 vs A7R

The Sony Alpha A6500 and the Sony Alpha A7R are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2016 and October 2013. Both the A6500 and the A7R are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (A6500) and a full frame (A7R) sensor. The A6500 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the A7R provides 36.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony A6500		Sony A7R
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1230k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
11 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 53 mm, 453 g		127 x 94 x 48 mm, 465 g

Check A6500 offers at
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Check A7R 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 Sony Alpha A7R? 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 Sony A7R. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions 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 Sony A7R is considerably larger (48 percent) than the Sony A6500. Moreover, the A7R is slightly heavier (3 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A6500) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7R). Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

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. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		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.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
6.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	1,399	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7C II	124 mm	71 mm	63 mm	514 g	540	Y	Aug 2023	2,199	amazon.com
8.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	2,499	amazon.com
9.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
10.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
11.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7S	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	489 g	380	Y	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	1,699	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.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The A6500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the A7R, 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.

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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A6500 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A7R a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7R is 135 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 36.2MP, the A7R offers a higher resolution than the A6500 (24MP), but the A7R nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 3.91μm for the A6500) due to its larger sensor. However, the A6500 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 11 months) than the A7R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7R has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A6500 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 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 Sony Alpha A7R are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7R has a markedly higher DXO score than the A6500 (overall score 10 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1.1 bits higher color depth, 0.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
4.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
5.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
6.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
7.		Sony A7C II	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3237	96
8.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
9.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
10.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
11.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
12.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
13.		Sony A7S	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	3702	87
14.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
15.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
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 two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A6500 provides a higher video resolution than the A7R. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the A7R 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 A7R offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the A6500 (2400k vs 2359k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A6500 and Sony A7R along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
4.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
5.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
7.		Sony A7C II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7S	2400	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
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 A7R 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).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A6500 and the A7R write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Sony Alpha A7R 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.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y
7.		Sony A7C II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A7S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	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 A7R 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.

Both the A6500 and the A7R have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7R was replaced by the Sony A7R II, while the A6500 was followed by the Sony A6600. Further information on the features and operation of the A6500 and A7R can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7R Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A6500 or the Sony A7R – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of 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).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 127x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the A7R launch.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7R:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 23%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (10 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.1 bits more color depth).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1 stops ISO advantage).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.70x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 922k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2013).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6500 comes out slightly ahead of the A7R (11 : 10 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 Sony A7R place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A6500 or the A7R. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		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.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
6.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	1,399	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7C II	4/5	..	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2023	2,199	amazon.com
8.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	2,499	amazon.com
9.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	899	amazon.com
10.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
11.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7S	4/5	..	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,699	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.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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

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