Customer Ratings & Reviews

In my opinion, this is the best overall APS-C interchangeable lens camera available at any price. I have been using mine for just over a month. It produces outstanding images. There are many reasons why, but I want everyone to understand I am not writing this review for professionals who already know the features of the camera, but rather for beginner and intermediate photographers. These are the big things that are important to the quality of your images: 1. In Camera Body Image Stabilization (IBIS). Unless your hands are super steady, with 24 megapixels you will need image stabilization to get really sharp images. If you don't have IBIS, you are limited to those lenses which have in-lens image stabilization. But many small, truly outstanding prime lenses, do not have image stabilization. To name three, there is a Sony F2 28mm lens about $500, two Sony-Zeiss lenses, an APS-C F1.8 24mm and F1.8 55mm which are both outstanding. IBIS means you can shoot these lenses with this camera, hand held, and get tack sharp images. 2. Focus. a lot gets said about image quality, but IMHO the biggest single obstacle to shooting really good shots for every day photographers, is that the shot is a little out of focus. This camera has superb focusing. It's super quick and super accurate, so a much higher percentage of your shots are good. Not to harp on it, but if you don't get good focus on a key shot, well, it isn't going to happen again, so you just missed it. You have to learn how to use the focus settings on the camera. But when you do, wow! 3. Fast shooting and focusing. I have not used the camera at its fastest shooting speed (more than 10 frames per second) but only at it medium speed; plenty fast for me. It shoots and refocuses keeping your shots always in focus. For my wife's hula dancing it works like a charm. 4. Sony has a lot of video experience which translates into much more user friendly video capabilities. Sony's file formats work easily with multiple softwares, And by the way, the IBIS is really important for hand held video. For hand held, I also like that the size and weight are a lot less than the DSLR cameras. And just to mention the sensor APS-C size is the largest practical sensor size for video... and the video images and colors are imho much better than those in dedicated consumer level video cameras. 5. I personally favor APS-C cameras over full frame for a whole bunch of reasons. Depth of field is greater...which means more of your image will be in better focus. (Many pros actually prefer that only their main subject is in focus, because other stuff in focus detracts from the main image). But most consumers want as much of their images in focus as possible. Because individual pixels are smaller than in full frame cameras, actual detail of images will be greater as long as you zoom in on your actual subject. There are also more smaller lenses that work with APS-C than with full frame cameras, so you can keep the size of camera+lens much smaller with APS-C. 6. There's a whole list of lesser considerations and technical reasons why I like the A6500 better than any other APS-C camera. If you are interested you can read about them elsewhere on the web. But here I have tried to stay focused on the things that will actually make a difference to your everyday image quality. 7. Commentators complain that batteries could be larger and that Sony menus are not to their liking. The camera has touch screen, but they complain, only limited functions...on and on. But the truth is, all but the most demanding users simply develop workarounds for most of these kinds of concerns, and they are not really a factor in everyday photography. 4. Video.

I have owned this camera for 2 months. The image quality is superb and most controls operate very similar to the A6000. Where this camera excels is a tougher and water resistant body, image stabilization within the body when using a non-stabilized lens, a touch screen for selecting your subject (marginal convenience) and a somewhat better organized menu system. The camera is easy to handle and its very hard to get a bad shot. I particularly love the size for travel without giving up any of the image quality of my regular DSLR.

Great camera very light, amazing image quality out of camera before post. Very large buffer for raw and jpeg a plus. Battery life could be better but spares are inexpensive, I can get through 2 shoots on a single battery. Very accurate autofocus which is a major plus, No missed shots even with slower lens.

Let me first start off by saying I've owned my A6500 for 5 months now and I'm just now starting to understand how to use it. With that said, I can honestly say (I now) love it! This is my first mirrorless that wasn't a point and shoot so that required a steep learning curve. So that meant I had to learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO and all the different lenses that come with it, not to mention the equipment. At first I was so overwhelmed by the amount of time and energy I was putting into learning how to use it I seriously considered returning it. But what stopped me was the great results I was getting (and continue to get) once I started to get the hang of it, and this was only after pouring through several photography books, including Bryan Peterson's, YouTube videos and talking to other photographers that it all started to make sense. What makes it truly worthwhile for me is when my pictures look almost professional grade, which is a very real possibility with this camera. Another thing I love about the A6500 is it's perfect for shooting at night when I have the aperture set wide to 1.8, using either my Sony 35mm or 85mm lenses, which I also highly recommend. Totally worth it! Now I'm starting to add-on new equipment, like a recently purchased Manfrotto tripod and a Sony remote control which both really cut down on camera shake and the blurriness I used to get in my pictures. Another must-have! Pictures turn out almost perfect with these two additional accessories. I'm now dabbling in light photography, long exposures and panoramas which I want to explore more of on my next vacation. In parting, if you're looking to explore all the possibilities of a mirrorless camera, step up to the A6500 for some blow your mind photographs. You won't regret it!

Upgraded from an a6000 to the a6500. Fit and finish is high quality. The lens mount is snug and precise as well as the feel of the switches. The weight of the camera is a little more than the a6000; but, it feels more durable. The color balance of the image out of the camera is more accurate than the a6000. It goes without saying that the image stabilization in the camera is the frosting on the cake. Now the Zeiss 55mm F1.8, Zeiss 24mm F1.8 and the Sony 50mm f2.8 lenses all benefit from stabilization. Thanks to Sony and Best Buy for a worthwhile upgrade.

Very easy to use as a beginner. The best buy staff was very helpful explaining some key functions since i really hadn't the slightest clue of anything more than point and click. Picture quality is outstanding. Feel like professional quality shots right out of the gate.

For someone who does photography and video you won't find anything this good for under $2500. Sharpest video for anything near it in price, best autofocus on any camera in its league and beats the new GH5 in low light, noise and photography abilities!

....and I’ve only had it 2 months. Loving it even more than when I bought it. Color science is nice, easy to shoot in jpeg & raw & easy to transport the RAW files to my phone & or computer. Best way to learn is to watch as many YouTube videos as possible & get outside and start shooting! I just got back from a week long Alaskan Cruise & got some amazing pictures & 4K video. It was rainy off and on in Juneau & the weather protectant sealing really protected the camera. Only down side is the LCD screen is hard to see in average to strong sunlight & the menu was a little over whelming to start out.

This camera lives up to its hype. I love the photos and videos it is capable of. It is amazing that such a compact camera can deliver such great results.~

I had been looking at this camera for some time, but I was hesitant regarding the price. When I saw it as a Best Buy Open Box Excellent, I jumped on it. I've had the camera for about a month and I'm using it instead of a full frame Sony or Nikon.

Compared to the Sony A7R2, the image quality suffers, but where the a6500 shines is speed, portability, and value. This camera is a steal: 4k video w/sLog, focus peaking, lighting fast AF, best in class eye tracking, in-body stabilization, and Sony's app (which gives you total remote control of the camera).

I really wanted this camera to use when our family goes on hikes and adventures. I wanted to take some 4K desktop pictures with it. Very happy with the results. It has all the power and clarity of a bigger camera but is compact and lighter than others. Love using if for sports as well.

I went around 2 months collecting all the technical information in Mirrorless technology and finally chosen this product. You'll never ever regret purchasing this product. It is best in its range and there are no other competitor close to a6500 when you compare with Similar price and specifications. I'm in love with my camera. Definitely recommend this. Recommendation: Pair up 35mm Sony prime lens with is and that will be a killer combination. I will leave it to you regarding zoom lens what to be chosen. Cons: The only con I noticed compared with others in this range was the display, The touch panel is not as responsive as you expect. but you'll rarely use this. (I mostly use it for quick focus of an image) apart from that Its the best compact mirrorless camera present in the market right now.

This may not be the best camera out there but its definitely not the worst. It is the flagship sony aps-c camera at the moment and its a great creative tool. Arrived safely and fast of course with besy buy, thank you!

I been enjoying this Sony a6500 camera its very stable and takes superb pictures dont forget to grab the 16-50mm lens for closeup pics and the HDMI-micro to HDMI SONY DLC-HEU15 cable to view 4K content on non 4K TV

This is the second generation Sony my wife is had and she loves it it is a great camera and I like the little flash on the top

The Sony A6500 is Excellent at taking hard to get photos. Sharp and clean.

I love my camera it takes a little time to learn how to work but once mastered the sky is the limit...

There really isn’t another camera that compares with the A6500. I have seen comparisons between this camera and the Canon 80 D, but that isn’t fair to Canon. The A 6500 is superior to every Canon, Nikon or Panisonic camera that has an APS-C or Micro 4/3rds sensor. The advantage starts with 4K video, in body image stabilization and one of the best auto focus systems available. All of this in the smallest interchangeable lens body that makes it super handy to take anywhere with you. This is a true hybrid system and while some cameras might compete in the photography arena, none give you the best of both video and photography. There are a few areas that Sony can improve and these are areas that other big names like Canon and Nikon have the edge. The biggest downer is battery life. While Sony has developed better batteries for the full frame cameras, the A6500 still uses the smaller battery. This was not a deal breaker for me. I just got extra batteries and Keep on shooting. The lens selection is still limited compared to Nikon and Canon. However, this is improving and I have never been in a position in which there was not a lens that would do what I wanted. Finally, there are better menu systems. You might try an A6000 if you are new to SLR cameras. I have one of those as well and after a year of use, I felt comfortable stepping up into the A6500. It is a big jump. Some other highlights of the A6500 is the ability to record at 120 frames per second so that you get buttery smooth slo-mo. You also have access to an App Store to get additional functions added. The A6500 has WiFi and Bluetooth so you can remotely connect to your phone to wirelessly control, upload photos and video or use as a monitor. The A6500 has a high speed shutter speed of 11 frames per second for action photography and a huge buffer so that you can just keep churning out the shots. That’s another feature that most other cameras reserve for there higher end full frame models if they can shoot at that speed. Happy shooting!

I've already snapped the shutter 11,000 times on my first Sony 6500 and have been pleased with the results most of the time (I'm more limited than the 6500 is limiting). I can compare it to a Nikon 7200, which I also use, and I find myself taking the Sony 6500 along with me most of the time. The Nikon has somewhat better focusing under low light circumstances, but the Sony does much better at nailing the focus for objects within 3 feet of the camera, since I don't need to worry about micro focus adjustment of each lens. The Sony has much better video and generally does as well with still images. Manual focusing is a pure joy with the EVF magnification. From a personal preference I would much rather have the 6500's light weight and small size compared to the Nikon 7200. Three other things stand out on the Sony 6500: in camera stabilization, a generous sized buffer, and works well with a wide array of manual focusing lenses. The cons of the 6500 for me: the focusing is not as good and precise as the Sony A7Riii; the writing to the memory card is too slow; RAW files are compressed (not always a big deal, but no option to have uncompressed RAW); Sony lenses' prices are comparatively higher than Canon and Nikon lenses.