For this Sony a5000 Vs a6500 comparison article, we review two mirrorless cameras with the intent of showing all the features of these cameras and helping you make the perfect choice for you.
Now, this is going to be quite a long read. So, if you do not have enough time to go through the whole article and need to make a quick decision, then, please, go through our comparison overview section.
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The comparison overview contains a highlight of all the features of the two cameras in comparison.
We do recommend, however, that you go through the whole article so as to get the proper understanding of all the features and even get opinions from users who have had experience with the cameras.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Comparison Overview
Overall Review Of The Sony a5000 Vs a6500
The Sony a5000 is an entry-level mirrorless camera, meaning it’s a camera targeted at beginners. Sony introduced the camera in January of 2014 as a successor to the Sony Nex-3n and itself was succeeded by the Sony a5100.
The Sony a6500 on the other hand is a semi-pro level camera introduced in October of 2016. This camera has a design that can work for both beginners and professionals as well. It succeeded the Sony 6300.
The Sony a5000 and a6500 are both fantastic cameras for photography. They both have APS-C sensors with 20 and 24 megapixel resolutions respectively, and they also support the RAW format of images.
When it comes to shooting video, both cameras will do pretty fine, however, the a6500 will do a better job. This is because it shoots in 4K at 24 frames per second and has a microphone port, while the a5000 shoots in 1080p at 24 frames per second and isn’t designed with a microphone port.
Ratings Of The Features Of The Sony a5000 Vs a6500
The Sony a5000 and a6500 share a lot of fantastic features, some of which include built-in Wi-Fi, a tilting articulating screen, built-in flash, face detection focus, timelapse recording, auto-exposure bracketing, Near Field Communication, and smartphone remote control.
For the features that make the Sony a5000 a better camera in this Sony a5000 Vs a6500 comparison, the Sony a5000 has a longer-lasting battery per full charge. The battery of this camera lasts 420 shots per single charge.
This might not be the most impressive battery life for a camera, however, for a mirrorless camera, this camera does quite a good job.
Also, this camera is lightweight which makes it more convenient to carry around.
The sensor pixel area of the Sony a5000 is also slightly larger which is important for image quality, especially in low light.
As for the a6500, it has quite a lot of features that you don’t get to find on the Sony a5000.
These features include image stabilization, an external flash shoe, a touchscreen LCD screen, an electronic viewfinder, an external microphone port, environmental sealing, and Bluetooth connection.
Then, for other features where the a6500 performs better, this camera has a higher max sensor resolution and ISO value than the a5000.
It also has a higher number of focus points, burst mode performance, LCD screen resolution, flash coverage range, color depth, dynamic range, and video resolution.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Our Opinion Of The Price/Value Ratio
These two cameras have a pretty wide price gap. However, for the features they possess, the price tags placed on both cameras are just right.
For our opinion on which will offer better value for your money, we would have to go for the Sony a6500 on this one.
Now, although the a6500 costs more and also has a quite a number of features in common with the a5000 (it costs about twice the price of the a5000), there are a lot of features this camera has that you might have to pay way more for on other cameras. And this is why we are going for the a6500.
Now, inasmuch as you might value our opinion on this matter, the camera that offers best value is solely dependent on what you need the camera for.
The two cameras up for comparison today thrive at different things. So, whichever one fits your work and budget will give you the best value for your money.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Comparison Table
Sony a5000 |
Sony a6500 | |
| Announcement Date | January 2014 | October 2016 |
| Built-in Image Stabilization | None | Sensor Shift |
| Viewfinder | None | Electronic |
| Battery Life | 420 shots | 350 shots |
| Weight | 269 grams | 453 grams |
| External Flash Shoe | No | Yes |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Max Sensor Resolution | 20 megapixels | 24 megapixels |
| Number Of Focus Points | 25 | 425 |
| LCD Screen Resolution | 461k dots | 922k dots |
| Continuous Shooting Mode | 4 frames per second | 11 frames per second |
| Microphone Port | No | Yes |
| Environmental Sealing | No | Yes |
| Flash Coverage | 4 meters | 6 meters |
| Color Depth | 23.8 | 24.5 |
| Dynamic Range | 13.0 | 13.7 |
| Low Light ISO | 1089 | 1405 |
| Max Video Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 3840 x 2160 pixels |
| Auto Exposure Bracketing Range | ±3 EV | ±5 EV |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Sensor Pixel Area | 18.03µm2 | 15.28 µm2 |
| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – What Situation Is Each Best For?
Sony a5000 |
Sony a6500 |
| This camera will be the better choice for anything that involves carrying the camera around. This is because it is a very lightweight camera. So, if you intend to do daily photography or travel with this camera, you don’t have to worry about the camera becoming a burden. It’s also a great choice for beginners. For now, while photography hasn’t begun to effectively pay the bills, you can survive with the a5000. It’s got some pretty impressive features for the price and you won’t have to break the bank to afford it. | As for the a6500, it is a great multipurpose camera. This camera can produce a performance that is well above average in any workspace. However, for its area of specialty, this will work a fantastic treat for Street photography. Features like its built-in image stabilization, face detection focus and electronic viewfinder make it great for this kind of work. Also, the Sony a6500 makes a great choice for photographers who are looking to make an upgrade. If your skillset has surpassed your current beginner camera and you need an intermediate upgrade that won’t cost an arm and a leg, here is your guy. For the price and features, it’s really tough to get a better deal out there. |
| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
With this, we come to the end of the comparison overview section. If you need more detail, please keep reading the review to the end.
On the other hand, if you want to check out other beginner cameras, you can click here to read our comparison review of the Sony a68 vs Canon 77D.
If you want something more professional though, click here to read our comparison review of these two bad boys – the Sony a9 vs Panasonic GH5.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Features
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 1: Wireless Connection
This is a feature that allows the camera connect to the internet and share files with other devices from any location.
When a camera has this feature built-in, you don’t have to carry around your devices and USB cords with you for every shoot.
It saves you the clutter and the inconvenience as well.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 2: Articulating Screen
The articulating screen feature is a feature of the LCD screen that allows it to move in different directions to ease shooting from different positions.
There are three different types of articulating screens, but, for the cameras in this review, they both have tilting or tiltable articulated screen type.
This articulated screen type is designed to move about just one axis, thereby, allowing the screen to only tilt slightly upwards and downwards.
It’s, definitely, not the most sophisticated type of articulated screen right now as there are selfie-friendly screens which you can turn to face you. All the same, they offer a degree of convenience and are still much better than fixed screens.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 3: Built-in Flash
There are lowlight scenes that sometimes require the photographer to make use of light enhancement tools, and the built-in flash is one of these light enhancement tools.
The built-in flash is designed as a part of the camera body. Also, its functionalities are programmed into the system of the camera. So, when exposure settings are made on the camera, the settings also affect the built-in flash.
This means that you are sure to always have your images properly exposed. However, this will only apply to scenes that are within the limit of the built-in flash.
The built-in flash isn’t a powerful light enhancement tool, therefore, it has its limits when it comes to poorly lit scenes. For a casual shoot, though, most times, the built-in flash would suffice.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 4: Max ISO
The ISO value of a camera determines how sensitive the image sensor of the camera is to light. Higher ISO values mean more sensitivity, thereby, producing brighter images and vice versa.
The two cameras up for comparison today both have impressive values for their maximum ISOs.
The Sony a5000 has a maximum ISO value of 16000 ISO, while the Sony a6500 has a maximum ISO value of 25600. In fact, for the Sony a65000, this value can still be expanded to about 51200 ISO.
Impressive figures, we must say, especially for the level these cameras are at.
Now, it is common knowledge that as higher ISO values produce brighter images, it also increases the chances of having noisy images, and this varies across different cameras.
So, for this reason, we have embedded videos here showing how these two cameras function under low light conditions as well as the level of noise you can expect at different ISOs.
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Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 5: Max Shutter Speed
The shutter speed of the camera refers to the duration of time the shutter of the camera stays open while capturing the image.
This shutter speed value usually comes at a range, from slow to super-fast. On both the Sony a5000 and the a65000, max shutter speed is 1/4000s but can also go as slow as 30 seconds.
This means that you’ll be able to capture a lot of beautiful effects with your subject in motion. Whether you want to freeze them in time, or you want to achieve a blurring effect to bring some drama or create an illusion of speed, these cameras can give them to you.
Although not the fastest shutter speed there is, at this value, these cameras should be able to work for wildlife, sports, and action photography. Except for the a5000 though. This is because of its poor burst mode with only 4 frames per second.
The Sony a6500, on the other hand, with its decent 11 frames per second continuous shooting, plus a decent max shutter speed would do a pretty fair job in fast-paced scenes.
But besides effects and objects in motion, shutter speed also affects the brightness (or otherwise) of your images. This is because the longer the shutter is kept open, the more light gets to the image sensor, therefore, the brighter your images.
If the reverse happens and the shutter only opens for a fraction of a second, the image won’t be as bright. All these are factors you’d have to consider when taking your photos.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 6: RAW Support
RAW is an image file format. With this file format, the images saved by the camera will contained all the detail recorded from the scene, resulting in high quality images.
Images saved in this format are known to be quite large in storage. However, this shouldn’t be surprising information if you consider the amount of detail the images carry.
The only major issue with this file format is that not all platforms support the file format. Because of its rather large size, most platforms would only accept JPEG.
So, is JPEG that bad? Not at all, it’s a fantastic image format. It’s not as bulky as RAW images and is therefore faster to upload and transfer, plus it takes up little storage space.
Nonetheless, RAW photos do not afford the photographer the level of editing freedom that RAW images do. A lot of mistakes made while shooting can be corrected using appropriate software in post as long as the images are shot RAW.
Plus, RAW images do not undergo destructive editing and nearly anything done can always be undone. This is why most photographers shoot RAW and tell everyone else to.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 7: Face Detection Focus
Face detection focus is a feature on the camera that detects human faces on the scene being shot in order to help the camera give the proper focus and exposure to the face.
Face detection does not just detect a human face, the feature is programmed to also lock down on the face as well. This means that even if someone moves, the camera moves along with them, pinning their new location, and applying the right exposure for the perfect shot.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 8: Timelapse Recording
This feature on the camera is a shooting technique that allows the camera to take the shots at a frame rate that is more spread out that the rate at which it will be displayed. This will then result in a lapse in time in the final product.
Timelpase basically helps the viewer watch an occurrence of events at a rate much faster than they would normally.
For some cameras, they have this feature built-in as part of the system of the camera, while for others, they require that you install an application. Some cameras do not support timelpase at all.
As for our two cameras today, they both shoot timelapse. However, they require that you install an external application before it can perform the function.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 9: Auto-Exposure Bracketing
Seeing the name of this feature, you can already tell that it is an exposure-related feature.
This feature allows you to take multiple shots at automatically-set exposure values every time you press the shutter button.
It’s a feature that really comes in handy in places with tricky lighting, highlights and shadows. If you have to reset your exposure after every shot, it can quickly get tiring. Plus, you might miss many “moments” while resetting your exposure.
With auto-exposure bracketing, your camera, depending on its level of sophistication, will take several shots of the photo at different preset exposure levels with one press of the shutter button.
So, for instance, if your camera is set to take 3 photos in auto-exposure mode like the a5000, here’s what would happen. The camera would take a shot with perfect exposure (at least, according to its calculations), and then take one that’s under-exposed and another that’s over-exposed to give you options.
The idea is that, hopefully, one of them would have just the exposure you were looking for. As you can see, this is a handy feature indeed.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 10: Near Field Communication (NFC)
This is another wireless feature that can be found on cameras. The NFC connection is a wireless feature that creates a connection between the camera and a smartphone.
With this connection, you can seamlessly transfer files from the camera to your NFC compatible smartphones and mobile devices just by putting them both in close proximity of each other.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Common Feature 11: Smartphone Remote Control
The smartphone remote control feature is a feature that allows you to remotely control the camera with your smartphone.
Remote control is one function that comes in handy in a lot of different cases, and there are a lot of tools available for it.
However, for the cameras here, they support the smartphone remote control feature.
This remote control method allows you to get a preview of the scene being shot, access menu files, and also adjust exposure and focus, all from your smartphone.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Unique Features
Image Stabilization
Image stabilization is feature that helps stabilize the camera in the event of an involuntary camera shake. By doing this, image stabilization takes out the chances of having blurry images as a result of the slightest camera shake.
Some cameras have the image stabilization feature built-in, while for some cameras, they require that you purchase compatible Vibration Reduction (VR) lenses.
If the lens line up of the camera doesn’t have any VR lens in the collection, then you might be restricted to always shooting with a tripod stand to avoid having images with motion blur.
Only the a6500 has the image stabilization feature built-in, called the sensor-shift image stabilization system. This system involves the use of actuators that move and re-align the sensor with the image whenever motion is detected.
The sensor-shift image stabilization system is a favorite among many photographers because of how convenient and affordable it is. It works with any glass, so you don’t have to buy special VR glass which are quite expensive and burdensome to carry around.
External Flash Shoe
The external flash shoe is a component of the camera that allows you to mount an external flash on the body of the camera.
The external flash is a more powerful light enhancement tool than the built-in flash we spoke about earlier in the review. And so, where the built-in flash reaches its limit, the external flash picks up from there.
This feature is unique to the Sony a6500.
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Touchscreen
We already have smartphones and mobile devices all making use of touch sensitive screens and we see how interesting it has made usage and navigation with these devices.
A lot of modern cameras have also joined in with touch screen LCDs. So, to perform functions like editing, navigation, and application of settings, all you have to do is touch.
This feature can only be found on the Sony a6500.
Viewfinder
A viewfinder is a tool that allows the photographer to frame images properly before taking shots.
The LCD screen of the camera can also be used for framing, however, the viewfinder stands out as a result of the composure it offers when framing.
Only one of the cameras in this comparison has the viewfinder feature and that’s the a6500 with its Electronic Viewfinder (EVF).
The EVF is a viewfinder type that functions by displaying an image that has been electronic projected by the image sensor of the camera.
The EVF is completely electronic and doesn’t require the mirror mechanism to function. This is why it is more commonly found on mirrorless cameras. The absence of mirrors is also the reason most cameras with electronic viewfinders are usually more compact and lightweight.
The EVF has a lot of great advantages, nonetheless, it is important to note the EVF is a battery-consuming feature.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Video Resolution
The video resolution of a camera is the number of horizontal lines that the video shot by the camera has stacked one on top the other from top to bottom.
This feature determines the quality of the video and the size of screen that the video can be displayed on.
When the size of the screen exceeds the video resolution, the video will lose its quality.
The Sony a5000 has a video resolution of 1920 by 1080. This is a full high definition video resolution.
This might not be a very cinematic or professional video quality resolution, still, it is a pretty impressive resolution, great for high-end HD TVs.
As for the a6500, it has a resolution of 3840 by 2160. This is known as a 4K resolution. It is one of the highest video resolutions for modern digital cameras. This resolution can shoot professional standard videos that can be used for cinematic purposes.
Microphone Port
The microphone port feature allows the user to connect an external microphone to the body of the camera.
The external microphone enhances the audio of the video by recording the sound from the direction it is pointed at and leaving out as much as noise possible from the surrounding environment.
This feature can only be found on the Sony a6500.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Environmental-Sealing
Weather elements gaining access into the inner components of the camera is known to be one of the most common causes of damage for cameras.
So, in order to use the camera under certain weather conditions, it is important for the camera to have the environmental- or weather-sealing feature.
This sealing, made up of rubber and silicon linings, is positioned at different points on the camera body that could be access points for the weather elements.
However, it is important to note that the sealing design varies across individual cameras and brands.
Also, having weather-sealing does not render a camera water-resistant. So, as much as possible, limit your camera’s interaction with water to light, unexpected rain and the likes. If you must shoot in the rain, get a water-proof jacket for your baby.
Of the two cameras in the Sony a5000 Vs a6500 comparison, only the a6500 has weather-sealing.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is quite a household name when it comes to wireless connection. The Bluetooth connection allows the camera connect to other devices and share files without having to take out the memory card.
Only the a6500 has the Bluetooth feature here.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 — Unique Pros
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Pros Of The Sony a5000
- Firstly, this camera has a longer-lasting battery life than the a6500.
- Also, the Sony a5000 is lighter in weight of the two cameras.
- Finally, this camera has a larger sensor pixel area.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Pros Of The a6500
- Comes with built-in sensor-shift image stabilization.
- Also comes with an external flash shoe.
- LCD screen is touch-sensitive with a higher screen resolution.
- Features an electronic viewfinder.
- Max sensor resolution is higher than that of the a5000.
- Higher ISO and so will perform better in low light.
- Has more focus points than the a5000.
- Better burst mode (11 frames per second) than the a5000 (4 frames per second).
- In addition, this camera has a higher video resolution and microphone port, making it better for shooting videos.
- Weather-sealing to protect camera and ensure durability.
- The built-in flash of this camera also covers a farther range than that of the Sony a5000.
- Comes with built-in Bluetooth connection.
- Finally, this camera has a higher color depth and dynamic range. Means better color and light detail on images.
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 — Unique Cons
Sony a5000 Vs a65000 – Cons Of The Sony a5000
- Lacks image stabilization.
- Does not come with a viewfinder.
- No environmental sealing.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Cons Of The a6500
- This camera doesn’t have a long-lasting battery.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 — Common Pros
Sony a5000 |
Sony a6500 | |
| Built-in Wi-Fi | This feature allows the camera to connect to the internet for convenient file sharing among devices. On some cameras, the Wi-Fi feature can be used to share images directly to social media pages from the camera. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| Articulating Screen | The tilting screen of the a5000 is very helpful for shooting scenes that are high above the head or low below the eye level. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| Built-in Flash | This is the most basic light enhancement feature that exists in photography. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| RAW Support | Images shot in this format are usually of very high quality and give a lot of editing leeway. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| Face Detection Focus | Great for shooting portraits. With this feature, the subject will always be in focus. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| High Max Sensor Resolution | Makes this camera great for photographers that do aggressive cropping, downsampling, or print photos in large sizes. | The a6500 has a 24-megapixel sensor resolution. |
| Timelapse Recording | This camera doesn’t have the feature built-in, therefore, it requires that you install an external app before it can perform this function. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| Auto Exposure Bracketing | Important for shooting in areas with tricky lighting. This camera has an Auto exposure bracketing range of ±3 | The a6500 has an Auto exposure bracketing range of ±5 |
| Near Field Communication | Also makes file-sharing easier. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| Smartphone Remote Control | With this feature you can trigger the shutter, make adjustments to settings and much more all from your smartphone. This feature also allows you to download the images shot directly from the camera to the smartphone for editing and sharing. | Same as the Sony a5000. |
| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Common Cons – Sony a5000 Vs a6500
There are no common cons between the Sony a5000 and the a6500.
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – What Users Think About Both Cameras
Sony a5000 |
Sony a6500 |
| With the a5000, the most mentioned feature of this camera, unsurprisingly, is its size and weight. A lot of users are impressed with how well this camera can fit in a bag for travel and still not be a burden. Also, some users mentioned that this camera was their first upgrade from point and shoot cameras, and it served them a comfortable start. Finally, users love the image quality that the a5000 produces. | As for the a6500, one particular feature kept popping up in the comments users made, and that is in-body image stabilization. According to users, the image stabilization feature of this camera allows you to comfortably shoot images at a shutter speed as slow as 1/30 seconds and still not have blurs. Furthermore, users applauded the grip of this camera. Apparently, it feels good to hold, which is great. Also, the large buffer of this camera is another feature that users love, allowing them read and write to the memory card without any delay. |
| For users who purchased the camera with intention to also shoot video, they weren’t very happy with this camera. Firstly, shooting video with the a5000 requires you to stay within a time limit – this didn’t sit well with a lot users. Also for shooting video, some users weren’t too happy that the camera isn’t designed with an external microphone port. | One complaint that seemed to be unanimous about the a6500 though is the touch sensitivity of the camera. Users complained that the touchscreen LCD screen of this camera isn’t as responsive as you would want it to be, especially when shooting images. Then, another thing that popped up was about the shutter speed of the camera. Although this camera shoots images of fantastic quality, some users wish it could have a faster max shutter speed for the sake of shooting under sunlight. According to users, when trying to capture portraits with intense bokeh and subject isolation, the highlights get a bit blown out. |
| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
Sony a5000 Vs a6500 – Our Take
Sony a5000 |
Sony a6500 |
| The Sony a5000 is, without a doubt, an impressive camera. Considering its price range and comparing it with the specs that this camera packs into such a small body, we have to give it the praise it deserves. It’s not the most sophisticated camera, but we are more than confident in its abilities to serve the beginner. | The a6500 is another fantastic camera that made it worth looking into. This camera pretty much does it all, and still maintains quite a small body size. Another fantastic thing about this camera is that some of the features on this semi-pro level camera are features that you might not find even in some “pro-level” cameras. Is the Sony a6500 perfect? No, but its pros sure do outweigh its cons. |
| You think so too? Then, click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | You agree? Then, click here to get the a6500 now! |
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| Click here to get the Sony a5000 now! | Click here to get the a6500 now! |
