Sony a6500 vs Nikon D3s

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a6500 and Nikon D3s. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a6500 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D3s is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sony a6500 is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D3s is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a6500 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D3s has a "Nikon FX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a6500 has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D3s has 12,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a6500 has a 99 % larger resolution than Nikon D3s. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Nikon D3s has a larger ISO-range than Sony a6500. Nikon D3s has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 102400 while Sony a6500 has 100 to 25600.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a6500
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D3s

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a6500 can shoot up to 11 pictures per seconds and Nikon D3s can shoot up to 11 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a6500 and Nikon D3s can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Nikon D3s weighs 1240 gr (equal to 2.73 lb) which is 174% heavier than Sony a6500 and its 453 gr (or 1 lb).

Sony a6500 vs Nikon D3s Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a6500 and Nikon D3s, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Name	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Manufacturer	Sony	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Release Year	2016	2009
Release Date	2016-10-06	2009-10-14
MSRP	1399 USD	5199 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Camera Type	Mirrorless	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 23.9 mm) Also known as "FX"
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	6000 x 4000 pixels	4256 x 2832 pixels
Megapixels	24 MP	12,1 MP
Image Processor	Bionz X	EXPEED
Image	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
ISO Range	100 - 25600	200 - 102400
White Balance Presets	8	12
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift (5-axis))	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW + TIFF
Optics & Focus	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous LiveView
Focus Points	425	51
Lens Mount	Sony E See Compatible Lenses	Nikon F See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm	FX (Full frame) No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	921600	921000
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	TFT LCD	Low-temperature polysilicon TFT color LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.07× (0.71× 35mm equiv.)	0.7×
Viewfinder Resolution	2359296	N/A
Photography features	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Frames per second	11 fps	11 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	No
Built-in Flash Range	6 meters	N/A
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 XAVC-S AVCHD	Motion JPEG MPEG4 H.264
Video resolution	1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160	1280 x 720
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11/b/g/n with NFC)	Yes Optional
Remote Control	Yes (via smartphone)	Yes
GPS	No	Yes Optional with GP-1
Body & Dimensions	Sony a6500	Nikon D3s
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FW50	Lithium-Ion EN-EL4a rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	350 shots	4200 shots
Width	120 mm	160 mm
Height	67 mm	157 mm
Depth	53 mm	88 mm
Weight	453 gram	1240 gram