Sony A6500 vs Sony A7 III

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Sony A6500

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

$1,098.00
15%
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BUY from B&H PHOTO

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Sony A7 III

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

$1,999.99

BUY from B&H PHOTO

Sony A6500 vs Sony A7 III Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Mirrorless cameras by Sony. Both cameras have 24.0MP sensors but Sony A6500's sensor is APS-C sized whereas Sony A7 III has a Full frame sensor. This will be an interesting match up as even though these two cameras doesn't have the exact same body type, they are both ranked amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Sony A6500 is ranked #7 out of 38 Semi-Pro Mirrorless cameras with an overall score of 81 whereas Sony A7 III is ranked #6 out of 32 Pro Mirrorless cameras with an overall score of 92.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A6500 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-10-06

24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 51200)

Sony E Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3″ Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

11.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

453g. 120 x 67 x 53 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Sony Alpha a6300 Compare

Sony A7 III Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2018-02-27

24MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50-204800)

Sony E Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3' Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

120 fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

650g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Sony Alpha 7 II Compare

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha a6500 over Sony Alpha A7 III

Built-in Flash	Yes vs No	Useful in low-light
Continuous Shooting	11.0fps vs 10.0fps	1 fps faster
Weight	453 g vs 650 g	197 g lighter
Price	$1,098 vs $2,000	$902 cheaper

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7 III over Sony Alpha a6500

Max ISO	51.200 vs 25.600	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	693 vs 425	268 more focus points
Max Shutter Speed	1/8000s vs 1/4000s	faster shutter speed
Battery Life	610 shots vs 350 shots	260 more frames with a single charge
Headphone Port	Yes vs No	better video control
Viewfinder Resolution	2359.296k dot vs 2359k dot	0% higher resolution
Color Depth	25.0 vs 24.5	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	14.7 vs 13.7	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	3730 vs 1405	better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area	35.50µm² vs 15.28µm²	132% larger pixel area
Bluetooth	Yes vs No	Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Storage Slot	2 vs 1	Extra storage slot
Support for UHS Memory Cards	UHS-II vs none	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha a6500 and Sony Alpha A7 III

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	All the lenses are stabilized
Articulating Screen	Yes vs Yes	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Touch Screen	Yes vs Yes	Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	24 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution	922k dots vs 922k dots	Higher resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	11.0fps vs 10.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection	Yes vs Yes	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote Control	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha a6500 and Sony Alpha A7 III

Sony A6500 vs Sony A7 III: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III. Sony A6500 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 29mm shorter and 21mm thinner than Sony A7 III.

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III.

Sony A6500 vs Sony A7 III Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A6500 is significantly lighter (197g ) than the Sony A7 III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Sony A7 III has a Full frame sensor and Sony A6500 has a smaller APS-C sensor, Sony A6500's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Sony A7 III lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A6500

A7 III

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A6500

A7 III

Min

Average

Max

Sony A6500 vs Sony A7 III: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III have 24.0 MP resolution sensors but Sony A6500's sensor is APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) and Sony A7 III's sensor is Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ).

Since Sony A7 III's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Sony A6500.

Below you can see the A6500 and A7 III sensor size comparison.

As seen above, Sony A7 III has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Sony A6500. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A6500 for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 III for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A6500 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Sony A6500 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 III for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
425 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
693 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 610 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Sony A6500 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
453g
Body Thickness 53mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
650g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

Sony A6500 for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 III for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Sony A7 III vs Sony A6500 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Both Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III have 83 native lenses available but be careful that since Sony A7 III has a full frame sensor, only 46 of these lenses can cover the full frame sensor of A7 III.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies.

Lens Type	# of Sony A6500 Lenses	# of Sony A7 III Lenses
Standard Zoom	9	9 (7 Full Frame)
Standard Prime	13	13 (5 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom	4	4 (3 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime	27	27 (14 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom	6	6 (5 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime	10	10 (7 Full Frame)
SuperZoom	8	8 (1 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	1	1 (0 Full Frame)
Macro Prime	4	4 (3 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime	1	1 (1 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	83	83 (46 Full Frame)

Sony A6500 vs Sony A7 III: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A6500 and Sony A7 III scores compare:

Sony A6500

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #8 out of 115 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #64 out of 1140 in all Cameras

Sony A7 III

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #4 out of 53 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #9 out of 1140 in all Cameras

Sony A7 III has a higher Overall Score thanks to its better image quality and more features compared to Sony A6500. On the other hand the Sony A6500 beats Sony A7 III in two significant areas: Value for Money and Compactness.
If you are a price conscious buyer and looking for a small and relatively low priced camera where you can take everywhere with you, Sony A6500 is the right choice for you.
If you are after the better photographic performance with all the advanced features, definitely get the Sony A7 III

Sony A6500

$1,098.00
15%
off

Sony A7 III

$1,999.99

Sony A7 III vs Sony A6500 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Alpha a6500	Sony Alpha A7 III
Brand	Sony	Sony
Announced	2016-10-06	2018-02-27
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless	SLR-style mirrorless
Price	$1,098.00	$1,999.99
Sensor
Type	CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	APS-C	Full frame
Dimensions	23.5 x 15.6 mm	35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area	366.60mm²	852.04mm²
Megapixels	24 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	6000 x 4000	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	25,600 ISO	51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	51200 ISO	204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	425	693
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony E	Sony E
Number of Available Lenses	83	83
Screen
Type	Tilting	Tilting
Size	3″	3'
Resolution	922k dots	922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,359k dots	2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.7	0.78
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed	1/4000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m (at ISO 100)	no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	11.0 fps	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Yes	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	453g	650g
Dimensions	120 x 67 x 53mm	127 x 96 x 74mm
Battery Life	350 shots	610 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording	With Downloadable App
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	85	96
DxO Color Depth	24.5	25.0
DxO Dynamic Range	13.7	14.7
DxO Low Light ISO	1405	3730
	Report a correction	Report a correction