Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Detailed Comparison

Today, we will be comparing two semi-pro mirrorless cameras made by Sony – Sony a6300 vs a6500.

In this article, you will get enough information to help you make a smart decision about which of these cameras better suits your needs.

What you will be seeing in this Sony a6300 vs a6500 comparison article is a thorough analysis of the features and functions of these two semi-pro cameras. We will be showing you ways in which they are similar, and also, things that differentiate them. We will further be recommending each of them for you, depending on what your needs for a camera are.

Also, we will be sharing with you what customers who have gotten each of these cameras think about them. We believe that will be really helpful in making your final decision. Let get into it.

Sony a6300 vs a6500
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Get the Sony a6300 here now.Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Comparison Overview

So, yes, these cameras are pretty similar, but are indeed very different. They are obviously made by the same company – Sony – and, in fact, belong in the same series.

Sony has, over the years, proven to be one of the biggest names in the technological space, and have become a name millions of customers have come to trust. Thus, we already know that this is going to a really close comparison of two really good semi-pro cameras.

The Sony a6300 was announced by Sony on the 3rd of February, 2016, and then was replaced by the Sony a6500, which was announced 8 months later, on the 6th of 0ctober, 2016.

Though the a6500 was made as a replacement for the a6300, Sony failed to make improvements in some areas. One of those areas is the battery. As a matter of fact, the battery of the a6300, surprisingly lasts longer than that of the a6500, and yes, people were unhappy with that.

Anyway, this does not mean that improvements were not made at all. In fact, there were a number of them. JPEG buffer is one areas that saw a major improvement. We are talking a leap from 44 to 231. Amazing, isn’t it?

Well, as we go on comparing the Sony a6300 vs a6500, you will be finding out what areas saw a major improvement, what areas failed to impress, and also, features that didn’t even change.

So, hey, if you have been having a hard time trying to decide on which camera to get, you can keep calm now; you have come to the right place. Come along with us as we compare the Sony a6300 vs a6500.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Comparison Table

 

Sony a6300

Sony a6500

Camera weight 0.89 pounds (404 grams) 1 pound (453 grams)
Camera dimensions 4.72 by 1.93 by 2.64 inches 4.72 by 2.09 by 2.64 inches
Screen size 3 inches 3 inches
Burst mode 11 frames per second 11 frames per second
Wireless connection Yes Yes
Articulating screen Yes Yes
ISO range 100 to 25600 (expandable to 51200) 100 to 25600 (expandable to 51200)
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Battery life 400 shots per full charge 350 shots per full charge
Touch screen No Yes
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Get the Sony a6300 here now.Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Well, if you want a little more on this Sony a6300 vs a6500 comparison, this video should be very helpful.

It is a hands on review of both these cameras – Sony a6300 vs a6500 – and it shows you, in a few minutes, the similarities and differences between these 2 semi-pro cameras. Check it out here!

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Which Is Better Under What Circumstance?

Sony a6300

Sony a6500

If you are looking for an affordable camera, something that won’t hurt your pocket so much, then this is the one we recommend for you. This camera costs significantly less than its successor – the Sony a6500 – and many other semi-pro cameras out there.

But in spite of being affordable, this camera still comes with a lot of amazing features and functions, as you will be finding out in this article.
If you are into, say, event photography, then this is the camera we recommend for you.

In cases such as this, you would be needing to hold your camera for a long time, this might cause it to shake a couple of times.
Well, the Sony a6500 comes with image stabilization, and you know how useful that can be when you are doing a lot of movements with your camera in hand.
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Get the Sony a6300 here now.Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Common Features

The first step to understanding these cameras in comparison is to know the types of cameras they are to start with. So, like we have mentioned, both these cameras are mirrorless cameras.


Mirrorless Cameras

Simply, mirrorless cameras are cameras that do not have use for mirrors – you would have guessed that, wouldn’t you?

Now, mirrors are used in cameras called digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras (otherwise known as mirrored cameras). In these cameras, light is sent from the lens, through the mirrors, and then to the optical viewfinder, where you, the photographer, get to preview and frame your image properly.

Now, this optical viewfinder is a feature that you won’t find in any mirrorless camera. And that is simply because they do not have a reflex design and, therefore, have no need for it (optical viewfinder).

Now, back to mirrorless cameras. These cameras either come with electronic viewfinders, or just LCD screens. We will be talking more about these features (electronic viewfinder and LCD screen) as we go further with this Sony a6300 vs a6500 comparison. So, make sure you stick with us.

Semi-Pro Cameras

Now, these cameras in comparison – Sony a6300 vs a6500 – are also semi-pro cameras. From the name, you might already have been able to deduce that there is something called a pro camera. Well, if you did, you are right.

Compared to semi-pros, pro cameras are made more durable. And this is simply because they are created to undergo more intense use. However, they are less affordable than semi-pro cameras, and you probably can guess why.

Therefore, if you are a professional photographer, but are not doing it on the grandest scale – here we mean sports photography, photojournalism, paparazzi, and all that – then you’ll be okay with a semi-pro camera.

Now we all have an idea about what mirrorless and semi-pro cameras are, we sure can go on with comparing the Sony a6300 vs a6500.

However, remember that they are made by the same company, and even belong in the same series. Therefore, it should not be so much of a surprise that these cameras have quite a number of similar features.

So, Sony really did make a couple of improvements on the a6300 in the a6500, however, as you would expect, some features are the same across board.

Thus, what we will be doing in this section is to briefly discuss each of those features you can find in both these cameras. Come with us!


Electronic Viewfinder

Definitely has to be first one, right? Well, this is a feature present in many mirrorless cameras out there, so, it is no surprise that these cameras each come with an electronic viewfinder.

Now, an electronic viewfinder is a feature that sits right atop your camera screen and allows you preview and properly frame the image your lens is capturing.


Wireless Connection & Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology

These two features work hand in hand to make it easy for you to do quick and easy transfer of files from your Sony camera to other compatible devices nearby.

Just by connecting via Wi-Fi, transfer of files, uploading of images and videos to the internet, are made a lot easier.

One major advantage of these features is that, with them, you can use your smart device as your camera screen, and can even control your camera remotely.

Anyway, this video below talks more about these features and shows you how to use them on your Sony a6300.

So, if you want to see how you can make use of the Wi-Fi and the near field communication (NFC)  technology to connect your Sony camera to your smartphone, and do remote shooting, and other cool stuff, check this video out now.


Articulating Screen

An articulating screen (otherwise called a tilting screen) is a type of screen that is flexible, and so, can be rotated to different angles.

This type of screen is particularly amazing for selfies, and for taking shots from really difficult angles.

You know, sometimes, you might have to bend to awkward angles just to take a photo or record a video. And most times, you won’t be able to get your eyes to your viewfinder.

In cases like this, your camera’s articulating screen acts as your viewfinder, and seeing as using it is so easy and stress free, it makes it even more fun.


Microphone Jack

With a microphone jack, you can connect an external microphone to your camera, and get better audio.

This is a great feature that comes with both these cameras, and even more interesting for you if you would be doing a lot of video and audio recordings in noisy areas.

What this means is that, in spite of the noise all around you, you can still get clear and hiqh quality sound for your videos. All you need to do is connect an external microphone using the external mic jack.


Face Recognition Focus

This is the feature that enables your camera lens to detect the human faces present in its frame, and focus on them.

And, as you would have guessed, this feature will help you take great portraits with your Sony camera.


In-Built Flash

If you are shooting at night, or in areas where lighting is not sufficient, you still would need to boost the brightness of your images, somehow, wouldn’t you?

One way to do that is by using your camera’s in-built flash. This flash provides light enough for you to get pretty bright images even in those areas of low light.

Well, in cases where your camera’s in-built flash does not give you the best of results, what other options do you have? Our next common feature will answer that.


External Flash Hot Shoe

An external flash hot shoe is a feature that allows you attach an external flash to your camera, in order to further boost your camera’s lighting.

If you would like to do a lot of flash photography with your camera, then this would surely come as good news to you.

So, in case your in-built flash does not give you your desired results, this is another very amazing option your Sony camera offers you.


Auto Exposure Bracketing

Now, this is one very cool feature that makes shooting in areas with complicated exposure and lighting conditions, really easy.

What this feature does is that it helps you take a picture once, and then produces that one picture in a couple of different exposure settings.

That is to say, when you set the auto exposure bracketing setting, you can capture an image just once, and get the same results you would have gotten if you had, instead, taken a couple of different shots, each with different exposure settings. Convenient, isn’t it?

Also, this feature helps you improve your HDR photography skills. It is indeed a very lovely feature, and a really easy one to use, too.


RAW Support

This is yet another feature common to both these cameras in comparison – Sony a6300 vs a6500. With this feature, you are presented with the option of getting your images in their untouched, uncompressed, RAW format.

This, in case you didn’t know, is the highest quality your images can come in. Having your images in this format means you can now do a whole lot with them.

They are in their highest quality, so, you won’t be missing any detail in your photo or video.


HDMI Output

This feature allows you connect an HDMI cord to your camera, so, you can view your images on a larger display. Really cool!

Sony a6300 vs a6500
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Get the Sony a6300 here now.Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Unique Features


Touch Screen

If we were to do a poll, asking people to pick their preference between a touch screen camera and a camera without a touch screen, we are pretty sure the majority would go for the touch screen camera.

Why? Well, because it is a lot more convenient to use. A touch screen makes it a lot easier for you to access your cameras functions; sort of like you are using your smartphone.

Well, of these two cameras we are comparing in this article, today – Sony a6300 vs a6500 – this is a feature you can find in just the Sony a6500.


In-Built Bluetooth

This is a form of wireless connection that is present in just the Sony a6500. With this, transfer of files is made a lot easier, and faster.


Image Stabilization

Now, this is a feature that is pretty much self-explanatory – it helps to stabilize your images and videos.

What it does is that it helps you clean up the effects of shaking on your videos. Anyway, this is a feature that comes with just the Sony a6500.

Now, before we go any further with this Sony a6300 vs a6500 comparison article, let us show you something real quickly.

So, we have already established that the image stabilization feature is present in just the a6500.

Therefore, in this video below, you will be seeing what difference the presence of this feature in the a6500 – and the lack of it in the a6300 – makes. Check it out!

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Unique Pros


Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Unique Pros Of The Sony a6300


Affordability

The Sony a6300, like we have mentioned already, costs significantly less than the Sony a6500, and many other Semi-Pro cameras.

So, if you are looking for a camera that will fit well into your budget, this is one you would like to consider. It is quite affordable, and it does not even sacrifice features to achieve this.

Get the Sony a6300 here now.


Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Unique Pros Of The Sony a6500


Touch Screen

A touch screen camera affords you more convenience than a camera with just a normal screen.

Therefore, with your Sony a6500, you won’t have to always search for the right button to use, all you need to do is tap on your screen.

Also, this is great for when you want your camera to focus on an object before capturing it. Again, just tap on the screen.


More connectivity

Although both these cameras are Wi-Fi enabled, with Bluetooth, the a6500 offers you a little more connectivity.


Image Stabilization

We have already shown you how image stabilization can be really useful for you. Especially if your need for a camera requires that you hold your camera in your hand most of the time.

Well, this is another advantage the a6500 has over the a6300. With the earlier, effects of shakes and slight hand movements are properly taken care of.


Pretty Large JPEG Buffer

The Sony a6500 has a pretty large JPEG buffer. Now, what a buffer does for you is that it temporarily holds your images, while they are being transferred to the memory card.

So, while you are shooting JPEG on burst mode (continuous shooting), the a6500’s buffer can hold up to 231 shots before it gets full.

This is pretty remarkable, especially when you compare the buffers of the Sony a6300 vs a6500. While the a6500 can hold up to 231 shots, the a6300 can only hold 44.

Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Sony a6300 vs a6500
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Get the Sony a6300 here now.Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Unique Cons


Unique Cons Of The Sony a6300


No Touch Screen

We all already know that a touch screen makes a camera a lot easier to use. And well, seeing as this camera does not come with that, we sure can say that is one area it is inferior to the a6500.


No Image Stabilization

Like we have explained, in some conditions, when you really cannot stop your hands from shaking, you would need your camera to come and save the day.

Well, that is one thing this camera cannot do for you. It does not have the image stabilization function.

This means that the effect of shakes on your videos – particularly – will be pretty evident with this camera. 


No Bluetooth

Without an in-built Bluetooth, the connectivity of your a6300 is pretty limited.


Small JPEG Buffer

We already know what a buffer is, and how useful it can be, especially during continuous shooting.

Well, this camera can only hold a pretty unimpressive 44 shots, which is only about one fifth of what the a6500 can hold. Not good.


Unique Cons Of The Sony a6500


Pretty High End

For some, the Sony a6500 is not a very affordable camera. Perhaps, if you are on a tight budget, this is not a camera to be considering.

Comparing the price of the Sony a6300 vs a6500, one can see that the latter is quite on the high side.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Common Pros

 

Sony a6300

Sony a6500

Good connectivity This is a Wi-Fi enabled camera, and it further comes with a near field communication (NFC) technology.

Already, in this Sony a6300 vs a6500 comparison article, we have seen how useful these features can be, especially in the transfer and uploading of files. Also, with Bluetooth, your camera is even better connected.
Same as the Sony a6300, except that the a6500 does not have Bluetooth.
Remote Controlling Just by connecting it to your camera, you can use your smart device to do a shoot, thanks to this feature.

In fact, even though you are meters away from your camera, your smart device can still act as your camera’s screen, and you can go on with shooting as normal.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Great selfie camera Coming with an articulating screen, your a6300 is actually a lovely camera to use to take photos of yourself by yourself.

In addition to that, it is also great for vlogging, YouTubing, and capturing images from really difficult angles.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Good lighting With your camera’s in-built flash, you can always enhance the brightness of your images whenever the need arises. Same as the Sony a6300.
Enhanced lighting The external flash hot shoe provides you an option of further enhancing your camera’s lighting.

All you really need to do is get an external flash, and mount it on the hot shoe just above your camera screen. This is also a great feature for you if you would be doing a lot of flash photography.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Better image framing Your camera’s electronic viewfinder will allow you preview and properly frame your images, so as to get a perfect shot. Same as the Sony a6300.
High quality images With the RAW support feature, you don’t get just high quality images, you, in fact, get your images in their highest quality. This is particularly great if your images are for professional use. Same as the Sony a6300.
Good portrait photographs You will surely be getting great portraits with your Sony a6300. This is simply because this camera comes with the face detection focus feature.

The human faces in your frame will surely be looking sharper, and will not be missing any detail.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Great audio quality This camera, with the microphone jack, provides you an option of getting better sound quality from your camera.

Your camera’s in-built camera won’t always give you the best of results. In cases like this, an external microphone would be needed. Thankfully, this camera allows you connect one, so, you’re good.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Weather sealing When your camera is weather sealed, it means that it is safe to use it even in harsh weather conditions. Not many Semi-Pro cameras have this sealing, so, it is really a big deal.

This is good news if you do a lot of outdoor shooting. You won’t always have to bring your shoot to an abrupt end just because the leaves start rustling.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Good continuous shooting speed When shooting on burst mode, this camera offers you 11 frames per second – pretty impressive. This is even better news for you if your need for a camera requires you to “capture the moment”.

So, for example, Lebron James is about to go for a slam dunk, and you are in the court trying to get a good shot of that. Now, if your continuous shooting is slow, you might just miss out on getting the perfect picture. But with 11 frames per second, you’ll be getting a number of iconic photos, lol.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Time-lapse recording This is one camera function that further opens up your creativity as a photographer. It helps you manipulate time a bit. It helps you experience what normally would take a really long time in just a few seconds, without really missing out on anything.

For example, the rise of the sun or the blossoming of a flower is better experienced in a time-lapse recorded video.
Same as the Sony a6300.
Slow motion Still on creativity in your photography, slow motion makes that even spicier. Everything, they say, is better in slow motion, isn’t it? Lol! Same as the Sony a6300.
Panorama Further talking about creativity, your Sony a6300 camera can stitch a couple of images together and make them into one panoramic photo. It is actually really exciting. Same as the Sony a6300.
Good HDR photography The auto exposure feature allows you take lovely photos in HDR, and it also makes taking pictures in difficult lighting and exposure conditions a lot easier and even more efficient. Same as the Sony a6300.
View images on larger screens With an HDMI cord, you can easily view your images on a much larger screen. Lovely! Same as the Sony a6300.
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Get the Sony a6300 here now.Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Common Cons

 

Sony a6300

Sony a6500

Average light sensitivity Your camera’s sensitivity to light (ISO) is one feature which helps you get bright enough images even in areas of low light.

And, of course, the higher your camera’s maximum ISO, the better its sensitivity to light. But with an ISO range of 100 to 25600 (expandable to 51200), the a6300 does not have a very high maximum ISO.
Same as the Sony a6300.
No headphone jack A headphone jack, of course, helps you connect headphones to your camera. Headphones are great for when you are recording videos and audio with your camera.

With headphones, you can easily monitor the audio recording, and then easily make necessary adjustments. Well, this camera does not come with a headphone jack, so, you do not have that luxury.
Same as the Sony a6300.
No GPS An in-built GPS is what enables you geo-tag your images and videos with your camera. The Sony a6300 does not come with that. Same as the Sony a6300.
Low resolution screen With only 921k dots, the a6300 has a pretty low resolution screen. This means that it won’t be giving you as much detail as you would have loved. Same as the Sony a6300.
Unimpressive battery This camera has a battery that you might not be so happy with. With the Sony a6300, you can only get about 400 shots per full charge, which is definitely not up to an entire day’s worth of shooting. Same as the Sony a6300. However, at 350 shots per full charge, the battery of the a6500 is slightly worse.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – What Do People Think About Both Cameras?

Sony a6300

Sony a6500

Customers seem to be happy with this camera. According to them, Sony did a good job with this one. A couple of photographers have said that not only does the Sony a6300 produce bright and clear images, it also makes pretty good videos. People also seem to be in love with this camera. Apparently, it is easy to use and gives clear images and videos.
Furthermore, customers seem to think that this camera has pretty amazing features, especially considering how affordable it is.

However, some wished for a slightly wider screen, headphone jack, a touch screen, a better JPEG buffer, and a longer lasting battery.
People have said that though this camera is not the most affordable one out there, it does give good value for its price. It is weather sealed, has a touch screen, slow motion, and a lot other features.

Also, people have said that this is one very easy camera to use. However, many customers were of the opinion that the battery could have and should have been better.
Summarily, there have been a lot of compliments for the Sony a6300.

According to majority of photographers who have used this, this is a great camera for selfies, vlogging, traveling, portrait photography, flash photography, and many more. So, it is safe to say that this camera really had many people smiling.
In all, we can say people love this camera. Many customers have sung praises about this camera’s image stabilization feature, and also, about how much it can do, and how easy it is to use.
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Sony a6300 vs a6500
Get the Sony a6300 here now.Get the Sony a6500 here now.

Sony a6300 vs a6500 – Our Take

Sony a6300

Sony a6500

So, first of all, we were not very impressed by the battery of this camera. We think Sony should have done better. Also, we could not understand why Sony did not make this a touch screen camera. It must be said that, with this camera, Sony did actually improve on the a6300. However, what we really do not understand is why Sony downgraded the battery.

While there were still complaints about 400 shots per full charge with the a6300 not being sufficient, Sony went ahead to even worsen it by giving us 350 shots per full charge with the a6500. Not impressive.
Anyway, this camera yields pretty good results for its price. With this, you get sharp photos and videos, nice portraits, pretty fast continuous shooting, all at a pretty affordable price. In spite of the poor battery, the Sony a6500 is a high performance camera. It gives you good images, with image stabilization. It is also a touch screen camera – which we love – and has an impressive JPEG buffer.
Finally, we think Sony did a good job with this one. The Sony a6300 is indeed a functional, lightweight, convenient, and affordable, camera. And yes, we love it. This is yet another camera we love. Perhaps not as lightweight as the Sony a6300, and definitely not as affordable, but it is surely more convenient, and slightly more functional. In spite of the few shortcomings, the Sony a6500 surely gets a thumbs up from us, great camera it is.
Get the Sony a6300 here now. Get the Sony a6500 here now.

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