Sony a7S vs Sony a6500 Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Sony a7S | Sony a6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | April 2014 | October 2016 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Image Processor | BIONZ X | BIONZ X |
| Resolution | 12.2 MP | 24.2 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 4240×2832 | 6000×4000 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.8 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) | 23.5 x 15.6 mm (APS-C) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 8.4µ | 3.92µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | Yes |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | No | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 102,400 | ISO 25,600 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 50-409,600 | ISO 100-51,200 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | No |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | No | No |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/4000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 5 FPS | 11 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 5 FPS | 3 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | Autofocus fixed at first frame for 5 FPS shooting; 12-bit raw only | None |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 31 frames (5 FPS) | 107 frames (11 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Contrast Detect | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 25 | 425 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -4 EV | -1 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/250 | 1/160 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | No |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 8 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 8 bits |
| Raw Video | No | No |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS1 | 30 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 120 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | Extra 1.23x crop in 4K 30p; extra 1.14x crop at 1080p 100 / 120 FPS |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 30 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 1 | 1 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-I) | SD (UHS-I) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.0 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 0.92 million dots | 0.92 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Single Axis |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | 1.07x (0.70x FF equiv.) |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 2.36 million dots | 2.36 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | No |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | No |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | Yes |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type B 2.0 | Type B 2.0 |
| Battery Type | NP-FW50 | NP-FW50 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 320 frames | 310 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 380 frames | 350 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 490 g (1.08 lbs.) | 453 g (1.00 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 127 x 94 x 58 mm (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.3″)2 | 120 x 67 x 53 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.1″)3 |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $2500 (Discontinued) | $1400 (Discontinued) |
| Used Prices | Sony a7S Used Prices | Sony a6500 Used Prices |
| 1The Sony a7S supports 4K video, but only with an external recorder over HDMI | ||
| 2The Sony a7S’s official dimensions do not include the depth of the protruding viewfinder. To match typical standards today, 10mm were added to the a7S’s depth measurement in this table. | ||
| 3The Sony a6500’s depth measurment in this table excludes the optional rubber cap for the viewfinder | ||
Questions? Go to our forum, where you can start a conversation and talk to photographers about these two cameras!
