Sony Alpha A6500 Camera

Sony in the mirrorless camera business

Sony acquired Konica Minolta in 2006 and used their technological steps to follow up with a series called 'Sony α' often transliterated as Sony Alpha. The Sony Alpha portion of their business started with DSLRs and later added another interesting camera type called a Mirrorless Camera, meaning there isn't an optical viewfinder so you see a preview directly on the screen instead. With the added benefit of being a lot more compact as the mirror takes up quite a bit of space. Also, mirrorless cameras reduce the shake caused by the mirror flipping when you click after framing a shot. These are also better for video and overall perform faster as there isn't a moving part inside. Perhaps for video though the mirrorless cameras work better as the DSLRs can’t use phase detection with the mirror up while recording video so they have to use the slower, less accurate, contrast-detection focus method. This can lead to the familiar blurry look in the middle of a video when the camera starts hunting for the right focus.

General features

The Sony Alpha A6500 released in October 2016 is an upgrade of the A6300 which came out only a few months before, using the successful parts from that the A6500 has had some things added to up the level. From the outside, it is still very similar to its predecessor which is fair as the people using that will be ready to upgrade without having to learn the feel of a new design. Shooting video at 6K using the entire sensor and later scaling it down to 4K as a way to maximise quality while making use of the XAVC-S codec which has a 100Mbps rate.

Aside from the video, the image shooting abilities are just as good too, at 24.20 MP it takes clean crisp images. The ISO is also more than ample and functions well, with a hint of noise at the highest ends. Sony has also included the 5-axis in-body image stabilization system which is very helpful in making shots less shakey especially if you are walking or in a vehicle. This is combined with Log Gamma mode, 120fps HD recording and enhanced zebra patterning to keep a tight eye on exposure. You also benefit from a 425-phase-detect-point focusing system for rapid focus and a 2.36-million-dot OLED screen viewfinder, with 11fps burst shooting at full resolution, all inside a dust and moisture resistant body.

LSI chip

With the faster large-scale integration (LSI) chip and an improved processing algorithm enhancing the Sony Alpha A6500's ability to shoot in lower light without there being too much noise at higher ISOs. In terms of image quality, it is a great camera for stills the quality of JPEGs straight out of the camera is very good, with images displaying good levels of sharpness and contrast. While the A6500's DRO system does well to make the shadow areas pop a little more making the images more suitable for immediate use.

Other features

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi and NFC, so it works with Sony's suite of PlayMemories Camera Apps, including Smart Remote Control and you can also control the A6500 via a connected computer allowing you to change the camera's settings or even recording images to both the camera and computer. The A6500 adds Bluetooth 4.1 and can geotag images with GPS location info from your smartphone. The port connectivity has a Multi Micro USB 2.0 terminal, a Micro HDMI (Type-D) connector, Multi-Interface hot shoe and a 3.5mm external mic jack (the A6500 does include a built-in stereo microphone). The Multi USB terminal also supports an optional RM-VPR1 wired remote control and tethered remote shooting from a Windows or Mac computer running Sony's Remote Camera Control utility. The A6500 doesn't include a headphone jack nor a vertical grip connector. The battery life isn't great given the big screen and processing power, you may want to keep some extra charged batteries with you if you plan to have a longer session; especially if you plan to shoot Ultra HD movies which drain the battery at about 1% per minute of video.

Sony is known for its quality of production, the Alpha series is no different. A line that has great features, build and finish. Given the brand and level of product, the Alpha A6500 is from a high price point.