Sony a6500 vs Nikon Z6 II

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a6500 and Nikon Z6 II. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a6500 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon Z6 II is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a6500 were released 2016 and Nikon Z6 II was released 2020. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a6500 2016
Nikon Z6 II 2020

Type of camera

Both these cameras are Mirrorless cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a6500 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon Z6 II has a "Nikon FX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a6500 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Nikon Z6 II 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier

** 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 Z6 II has 25 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a6500 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000
Nikon Z6 II 25 MP
24337152 pixels
6048 x 4024

Nikon Z6 II has a 1 % larger resolution than Sony a6500. 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 Z6 II has a larger ISO-range than Sony a6500. Nikon Z6 II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Sony a6500 has 100 to 25600.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a6500 100-25600
Nikon Z6 II 100-51200

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 Z6 II

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 Z6 II can shoot up to 14 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a6500 11
Nikon Z6 II 14

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 Z6 II 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 Z6 II weighs 705 gr (equal to 1.55 lb) which is 56% heavier than Sony a6500 and its 453 gr (or 1 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a6500 453 gr
1 lb
Nikon Z6 II 705 gr
1.55 lb

Sony a6500 vs Nikon Z6 II Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a6500 and Nikon Z6 II, 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 Z6 II
Name Sony a6500 Nikon Z6 II
Manufacturer Sony Nikon
Release Date and Price
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
Release Year 2016 2020
Release Date 2016-10-06 2020-10-14
MSRP 1399 USD 1995 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
Camera Type Mirrorless Mirrorless
Sensor
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
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 BSI-CMOS
Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 6048 x 4024 pixels
Megapixels 24 MP 25 MP
Image Processor Bionz X DUAL EXPEED 6
Image
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
ISO Range 100 - 25600 100 - 51200
White Balance Presets 8 12
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift (5-axis))
Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW + TIFF
Optics & Focus
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
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
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 425 273
Lens Mount Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Nikon Z

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 Z6 II
Articulated LCD Tilting Tilting
Screen size 3” 3.2”
Screen dots 921600 2100000
Touch screen Yes Yes
Screen type TFT LCD TFT LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 1.07× (0.71× 35mm equiv.) 0.8x
Viewfinder Resolution 2359296 3690000
Photography features
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
Frames per second 11 fps 14 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 900 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
Highlight Weighted
Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
XAVC-S
AVCHD
MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution 1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Compact Flash Express
SD/SDHC
XQD
Connectivity
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes Yes
Headphone Port No Yes
Wireless Yes
Built-in (802.11/b/g/n with NFC)
Yes
Built-In (802.11ac + Bluetooth)
Remote Control Yes (via smartphone) Yes (via MC-DC2 or smartphone)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a6500
Nikon Z6 II
Enviromentally sealed No Yes
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FW50
EN-EL15c lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 350 shots 410 shots
Width 120 mm 134 mm
Height 67 mm 101 mm
Depth 53 mm 70 mm
Weight 453 gram 705 gram