Sony a9 vs Sony a6500
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a9 and Sony a6500. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.
Sony a9 were released 2017 and Sony a6500 was released 2016. That is a 1 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a9 | 2017 |
Sony a6500 | 2016 |
Type of camera
Both these cameras are Mirrorless cameras. No difference there.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a9 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Sony a6500 has a "Sony APS-C"-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 a9 | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
Sony a6500 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
** 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)
Resolution
Both these cameras have the exact same resolution. Sony a9 has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a6500 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a9 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Sony a6500 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
ISO range
Sony a9 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a6500. Sony a9 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Sony a6500 has 100 to 25600.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a9 | 100-51200 |
Sony a6500 | 100-25600 |
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 a9
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a6500
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a9 can shoot up to 20 pictures per seconds and Sony a6500 can shoot up to 11 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a9 | 20 |
Sony a6500 | 11 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a9 and Sony a6500 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.
Sony a9 weighs 673 gr (equal to 1.48 lb) which is 49% heavier than Sony a6500 and its 453 gr (or 1 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a9 | 673 gr 1.48 lb |
Sony a6500 | 453 gr 1 lb |
Sony a9 vs Sony a6500 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a9 and Sony a6500, 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 a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Name | Sony a9 | Sony a6500 |
Manufacturer | Sony | Sony |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Release Year | 2017 | 2016 |
Release Date | 2017-04-19 | 2016-10-06 |
MSRP | 4499 USD | 1399 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
Sensor |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Sensor Size | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) | APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) |
Sensor Type | Stacked CMOS | CMOS |
Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 24 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | Bionz X |
Image |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
ISO Range | 100 - 51200 | 100 - 25600 |
White Balance Presets | 10 | 8 |
Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
Image Stabilization |
Yes (Sensor-Shift (5-axis)) |
Yes (Sensor-Shift (5-axis)) |
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
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 | 693 | 425 |
Lens Mount |
Sony E See Compatible Lenses |
Sony E See Compatible Lenses |
Focal Length Multiplier |
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 |
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 |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Tilting |
Screen size | 3” | 3” |
Screen dots | 1440000 | 921600 |
Touch screen | Yes | Yes |
Screen type | TFT LCD | TFT LCD |
Live view | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Electronic |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | 1.07× (0.71× 35mm equiv.) |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686400 | 2359296 |
Photography features |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Frames per second | 20 fps | 11 fps |
Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/4000 seconds |
Built-in Flash | No | Yes |
Built-in Flash Range | N/A | 6 meters |
External Flash | Yes | Yes |
Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
Time-lapse | No | No |
Metering modes |
Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot Average |
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 a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Video recording | Yes | Yes |
Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD |
MPEG4 XAVC-S AVCHD |
Video resolution |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Memory Card |
SD/SDHC |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | Yes | Yes |
Headphone Port | Yes | No |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11/b/g/n with NFC) |
Yes Built-in (802.11/b/g/n with NFC) |
Remote Control | Yes (Wired or wireless) | Yes (via smartphone) |
GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a9 |
Sony a6500 |
Enviromentally sealed | Yes | No |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FZ100
|
NP-FW50
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 650 shots | 350 shots |
Width | 127 mm | 120 mm |
Height | 96 mm | 67 mm |
Depth | 63 mm | 53 mm |
Weight | 673 gram | 453 gram |