Sony A6500 Hands-On Field Test in Austin, Texas

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Well done, guys. It's very clear that the Sony "perks" didn't rob you of your journalistic integrity. This is a well balanced look at a camera that maybe should have come out six months to a year later with deeper refinements. This is the Sony way, though, for good or bad.

[@justinholding02]

Dustin Abbott well said. It's programmed obsolescence, Apple style

[@chirag4]

Hi Dustin, . . . I will skip the next A6700 and wait for the A6900 . . . . . ROFL . . probably I will never buy a Sony in this lifetime

[@AMAStudios]

+Move_I_Got_This Yea but the upgrades don't come out every couple of months and they're not cutting down on features for future upgrades like sony/apple.

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

That was annoying.

[@sylnyc2705]

Thank you for shooting your video with the product you're actually talking about. Thank you much (esp. for 4K option). Job well done.

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

Best test photos that you guys have used/featured to date... BRAVO, fellow Canadians!

[@tallaganda83]

Hands down the best reviews on KZbin

[@kabayansangpresiden]

always love your reviews, very throughly and detail, and i love how you tell how you feel using the camera instead of just informing the specs and performance.

[@ShigeruKai]

Hi Chris and Jordan. Tanks for your great and honest review - as always. I have just got my pre-ordered A6500 today in Germany. I share a lot of your findings and opinions so far. I've only tried it for a few minutes in bad lighting. Yes, the touch screen could be more responsive but I think it's a great addition. Contrary to your findings the tracking in movie-mode works really great in my opinion. Just put Center-Lock-On AF on a custom key and chose your subject. It will stick on it like glue. You can then change your subject by tapping the touch screen. Thus you can keep on changing and chasing various subjects. I don't know if it does as well as the 80D, but I really love this function. So much better than A6300 in usability. A6500 and the E PZ 18-105 are a great combo, by the way. Thanks again for your efforts!

[@theosphilusthistler712]

you guys always get some worthwhile shots, not always the case with reviewers.

[@AkwaArifin]

Hahaha Jordan looks like you forgot to zipped you pants at 8:06 .

[@maheshg212]

oh details.....

[@davidhunternyc1]

Too funny... I didn't notice it but then I watched the replay. Good eye.

[@bubuli]

akshully that was added in post :-P

[@damaster692]

Wait a minute what was going on just before you guys started recording? you notice the guy at 8:11 taste his lips like if he just had desert or something.

[@AF_Gulfstream]

Meat Gazer! J/k awesome eye!!

[@cweb1988]

man. Your shots are really good. Captures the action so good.

[@scb2scb2]

I like your reviews and most of the better reviewers seem to follow the same logic. What i don't really understand is why all focus on 1 or 2 features to decide if to upgrade or not. I own all 3 of these camera's soon and to me the differences between them come in small steps but many of them. Sure in this case IBIS is the biggie and touchscreen for most the second but there are about 20? other updates from bluetooth gps, image from video, better grip. better dial, better buttons, extra button, better heat control, buffer depth, no locking when preview etc etc that add all up to the value for a update. Not saying the review is bad but for owners these small things add up and just like with your phone they add up quickly over multiple versions the 6500 probably has close to 50 changes compared to the 6000.

[@HughWalker]

Great reviews, I like the honesty of your reporting .

[@scdobserver835]

Finally you posted the review of this camera! We saw you in Max' video and the other guy whose name I can't remember...

[@ChrisProuse]

Great review guys! Thanks for sharing! 17:07 - if The Camera Store is selling the a6500 for $400, I'll take two ;)

[@sush2142]

Chris Prouse Me three.

[@ChrisProuse]

Harry Neary Thanks Harry! Would love to shoot in s-log though... I'm finding the GX85's a tricky camera to film with outdoors and protect the highlights.

[@dslrlearner5890]

Ooops... accidentally releasing the vendor price... LOL

[@kaisharperwez9460]

I like your genuine comments,therefore I always watch your videos to know about camer gears.

[@thephotovideoshow]

I've come to the conclusion that the darker screen in 4K on the A6500 has to be the extra touch layer for the AF. That's the only real answer unless they have purposely reduced screen brightness to accommodate the extra moving parts i.e. sensor stabilization. Anyway, great meeting you guys. Great review as always! Hope to see you at the next one!

[@TheCameraStoreTV]

I think it's another measure to keep the overheating under control. The A5100 has a much brighter touch screen than this. Great meeting you as well Mark! Jordan @ TCSTV

[@Randuski]

You got some really awesome shots of those skaters. Really nice work 👍

[@niccollsvideo]

Thanks man! It was a lot of fun to do, and is definitely not my forte. It's always fun to shoot something beyond your comfort zone. Chris @ TCSTV

[@JohnRobertsTV]

Great and honest review. I did sense a bit of under-enthusiasm in Chris's ending wrap up, but I do appreciate Sony keep pushing innovation forward, even if for most photography it's not really worth upgrading from an A6300. I like the idea of new cameras with new features coming out, even if they're not completely perfected.

[@daverigley9283]

Thanks for replying to my mail you guys are so busy and yes your the best on the tube thats for shure can't wait to see what you think of the EM1 MK 2 regards Dave

[@EverythingFilmmaking]

Curious to what lens was used on the 6500 for the tracking test on the face..Native lens will do way better for that..Could be why it didn't do to well.

[@albertomartin70]

Did you notice that the cameras with the bigger lens stay more time recording? That is because the lens help to dissipate more heat. Test them again with the same lens at the same time

[@allenkvextreme]

should i sell my sony a6300 body and the 3 lenses of the aps-c equivalent to $2500? and pay about 2000 to get the sony a7rii or get the a6500 instead of my a6300? i just need the extra ISO and I do mostly video

[@travisbroyles13]

This camera consistently blows me away

[@Emilioh888]

Wow! I'm really impressed with the video quality. The dynamic range is outstanding ! Great low light, ibis and less rolling shutter...It looks like a winner for video. If only the colors were a little bit better...

[@RayOrtega]

Does Sony have a history of fixing issues like the touchscreen with firmware updates? Any reason to think they might do that with the 6500?

[@rhotov]

A6500 has a new metering mode: highlight, which is first introduced into the ILCE and ILCA series of Sony cameras.

[@jeanrios7592]

I was waiting for this analysis.

[@EvulDali]

You should also try and see if increased heat is gonna wreck the sensor high ISO performance. There is a chance that if they get that how you get a ton of noise.

[@v3zMedia]

Hey Chris! Do you mind telling me what lens Jordan used on the a6500 to shoot the actual video? At around the 0:40 mark.

[@TheCameraStoreTV]

+v3z I shot that sequence (and nearly the entire rest of the video), on the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 with a Sigma MC-11 adapter. Jordan @ TCSTV

[@v3zMedia]

Nice! thanks for the response sir

[@zakiradi450]

Over the last week i have seen almost all video reviews uploaded for a6500; this one is the best one and am not surprised. Great Clicks and really well shot. At 5:18 though, Chris your face does look odd w.r.t your body, camera is too close to you? Will see your XT2 review again; can't remember if that one overheats in 4k. For some reason Fuji cameras are too expensive in India while Sony are the same price as in US/Japan.

[@JeffSereno]

Glad to see that the overheating issue has been addressed. I don't mind the unit getting too hot - I won't often shoot in seriously hot environments anyway, but at least I have the option now.

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

That was not the issue with overheating...

[@needspractice]

Ok everyone, thank you so much for helping me decide on the Sony RX100 V. I bought it and should be getting it in the mail today. This is going to by my main family shooter for on the go, and my do it all camera and video shooting for on the quick, restaurants, random parks, just my all around go to camera. However, I am looking for VIDEO now. I was looking hard at the X53 and X100, but then I go to thinking that if I am going to spend that kind of money on a video camera, why not just buy a super high quality camera that can record video too! Get two for one. I am sure lots of people have done this. I am liking 4K high quality, and the ability to shoot for long periods of time with it, without heating problems. The RX100 V will be great for that short term shot for sure, but if I want something longer I will need the video camera or camera that is video as well. Thus is why I am here. My main question is should I buy the a6500 or the a99ii? I watched a video on KZbin and the a99ii looks like it blew the a6500 out of the water as far as video quality. The a6500 does seem good though. I have just heard that the mount system is better on the a6500 and will be supported for longer and with more lens as opposed to the A mount of the a99ii. I am also thinking that if I want that perfect family shot I could always bring out the big guns of the a99ii or a6500 and take the shot when we have time, record longer videos and just have a really nice camera and video camera as well. I mean am I crazy for thinking this way? Should I just buy the x53 for videos and keep the RX100 for Stills? Please let me know what you guys think because you have been very helpful, but I am thinking of having this setup for my new family for years and years to come: RX100 V a99ii And one of these lens unless you recommend better: Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA lens or Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

[@ifnotjames7398]

I was ready to buy a Panasonic g85 until I started reading about the a6500. It seems like the faster autofocus in video is worth the extra cash. I'm hoping prices come down a bit when more places have them in stock.

[@concretesnowman]

DUUUUUDE, YURYEEEEEVVVV MADE AN APPEARANCE!!

[@dsrtfitphotography4310]

Sony needs to do something about the LCD screen in the back, it is hard to see in bright sunlight at least in my a6000

[@JeremyY]

Excellent review. Thanks for putting it together.

[@JohnyTechReview]

Great review as always guys. Would love to see you guys add a but of info graphic esp when you shoting on the camera you're using. At 12 min Jordan is talking in a dim street light area but the color rendition is still pretty nice. Would love to see what ISO it was throughout various shot :). Anyway love you guys!

[@DavidDatura]

Another great 'matter of fact' review by this channel. To be honest I thought the a6500 would be bigger improvement over the a6300 than it turned out to be.

[@guardianobserver6593]

It's really an APS-C camera designed to sell full frame lenses as Sony has done very little to expand their APS-C lens lineup. So it's likely many users will be attaching big lenses to a small camera, negating much of the compact benefit. I was surprised at how little improvement there was in still-image quality over the A6000. Seems technology has stalled a bit in high ISO performance for APS-C sensors.

[@stilllife-artandthephotogr3494]

Excellent review as always, many thanks. A friend of mine has the A6300 with Zeiss 16-70mm lens and is delighted with it. Having used it, I think I prefer the more traditional SLR-type ergonomic design. No question about the image quality however.

[@sandeepvk]

what happened to 6400 ? IS this the way camera manufacturer show that you got a double upgrade- when actually its the same deal and double deal(price)

[@quite1enough]

Does Max Yuryev had review copies provided by Sony? If so, that explains lack of overheating issues in Max's tests.

[@Beardbrand]

damn, wish I knew y'all were in town. I would have crashed your shoot. 😀

[@1337cyborg]

The biggest questions that I have about the over-heating test is: what brand of cards were used in the cameras? And What were the rated read/write speed of the cards?

[@TMRacingVideos]

I'm curious about the 120 fps video. The Sony press release mentioned a "full pixel readout" for 1080p120. Does it now look as clean as 1080p60, even when slowed down? Also the S & Q settings. Previously if you wanted to shoot time lapses you had to seperately purchase an app from Sony, are there any pros and cons of S & Q vs the Time Lapse App?

[@kh.g4049]

Why was the test done in direct sunshine on top of a hot rock?

[@TheCameraStoreTV]

Simply to push the cameras in a difficult situation. If they can handle this, they can handle regular use in a normal situation. Overall we were pleased with the improvement Sony has implemented as the A6300 overheating was frustrating. Chris@TCSTV

[@longrider9551]

very unfair unless you do that for all the 4k cameras you test

[@GloomGaiGar]

sony is the only one notorious for overheating

[@WorldofThaiFood]

Makes perfect sense for those of us that shoot for hours on end in tropical and sub-tropical climates - and depend on cameras to function under direct sunlight. In fact, I'd say this sort of test should be standard in more reviews.

[@BLITZCREEG]

If i am only shooting on sony lenses (18-100) is the image stabilizer that big of a deal? i will eventually get a motorized gimble for now i have a normal non motor one. And you said you CANT turn off the over heating on the a6300 but ive seen other reviews that say you can ? i know its added firmware right ? Please get back to me because i am about to pull the trigger ! thank you for the reviews.

[@DadadaPopo-jz8nq]

Thank for the great test. I'm looking forword to watching the test for Sony A99 mark 2~

[@LEXPIX]

Had potential, bu the limited touch screen options and the lack of headphone jack does cripple this otherwise awesome, lightweight video camera.

[@pipotube2]

Leaving 4k on the side, which is the best camera? on the 6000 series....

[@visualsciencelabkirktuck3834]

Jordan, Re: the headphone jack; if you are using an HDMI monitor with this camera you get audio out into the monitor and most of the monitors have headphone jacks. Even the inexpensive Aputure VS2 Fine HD gives you on screen audio level display and a headphone jack for monitoring. Makes the A6x00 series useable as ":A" cameras. Best, Kirk Tuck

[@DalZurk]

Awesome overview of the camera, thanks!

[@benwelles2160]

I know I would like to see some more video centric reviews. Aside from the fs7 review the last video camera review was the Sony ax100 I think. I'd love to see Jordan review some of the 1 inch sony pro camcorders or especially the JVC LS300. Or maybe a quick after dark episode educating beginners on the differences between dslr/mirrorless video and the more professional dedicated video cameras, I know that would be helpful for myself. Thanks!

[@AnthonyDooley]

For sports, I actually shoot a lot of Figure Skating (my wife is a coach), and in that environment, I have to wonder about the touch screen for the auto focus may be really nice... even with the limitations. I think in that environment you have some predictability in the event of figuring where the skater will be located. Then with that predictability, even with a lag on the touchscreen, I might find it useful. Time will tell.

[@bogrunberger]

Great review. Thank you for that. When can we expect a review of the new Olympus E-M1 II?

[@wonderwall135]

do you think there will be a firmware update for the touch screen?

[@GloomGaiGar]

with Sony? No lol

[@ToastedSynapseGaming]

Another person that went to the Sony event. Same question from me (sorry), but I really want to know: Now that we have Touch AF, does that change the fact that the Screen goes black when a HDMI jack is plugged in at 4k?

[@dwightsmith7703]

A6500 or the 7AII really thinking wich on i should chose i cone from a Canon rebel 6i (canon 760)

[@Sinpelopantene]

Hey Jordan, thanks for sharing your knowledge. If you had to buy one evil camera right now with a 1300$ budget, which one would you buy? Mainly for still photos and good video occasionally.thanks.

[@paristo]

Chris says that camera tracks beautifully but then requires to move AF point and it ain't fast enough? The tracking is specially the feature where camera locks on target and then follows it across the frame by selecting AF points top of the target position, this way giving a leave for framing as operator doesn't need to track target so accurately by trying to keep AF point top of the target itself. (if doing usual mistake calling "Tracking" as focusing... that is just that, a mistake as Focusing is about moving focus plane backward and forward regardless what position target is in the frame).

[@CoNMaN-bw1nj]

So you mentioned it not being a huge improvement over the 6300. More like a 6300s. But what about someone who still has the 6000? Do you think it's a recommendation for someone who mostly shoots stills, and very little video?

[@Its__Cole]

So what would you say ? a6500 or 80D? What do you personally find yourself using more and what do you legitimately prefer?

[@archie2473]

is there a plan of Sony to change the body design?

[@keithvlogs1]

Thanks for the great review guys, However one constructive criticism is ... I wish you had done some fast moving sports shots, because really that is one of the aspect where this camera is meant to shine :(. Maybe with the next one? cheers.

[@tenzin7519]

what's the price of Sony @1500 lenses sir. really wanted to know about it's prices

[@Blackriver69]

Curious why the lack of a headphone jack makes it a "B" camera for you? My first option for recording audio is always an external recorder (Zoom H5 usually). I do a lot of 2 and 3 camera setups so frankly the lack of headphone jack is pretty much a non factor for me.

[@LaCasaGrande32]

hello, I have a question I have a sigma 70-200 2.8 for my nikon D3400 and I am planing to buy the new sony a6500 would my sigma lens work on the sony with an adapter? and what adapter would it be?

[@LaCasaGrande32]

and the oss on the Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens would affect the image or video do that the camera has also image stabilization?

[@c.ancharaz]

Do you feel the need to have a screen protector on the screen?

[@daverigley9283]

Hi Chris thanks for the superb vidio report as usual I was hopping that you would be reporting on the EM1 mk 2 as I am may be keen to get this but I would like to see your opinion first as I can always trust you guys to tell it as it comes thanks Dave

[@niccollsvideo]

It's coming soon for sure! I really appreciate that you trust us Dave, it means a lot to us. Chris@TCSTV

[@Tesla3001]

you'll notice max's camera that lasted longest also has the biggest lens which acts as a large heat sink helping to absorb more heat and radiate to atmosphere. just a thought :)

[@kriswebster6975]

When does it come out!?

[@AndrewCrazyhero]

Anybody know a solution how to connect headphones to Sony a6500?

[@atbmedia]

Is there a way to monitor the audio levels on screen?

[@arielalaggia]

HOLA DESDE ARGENTINA: NECESITO SABER SI ES POSIBLE CONECTAR UNOS AURICULARES BLUETOOTH EN LA SONY A6500 PARA MINITOREAR EL SONIDO YA QUE NO POSEE JACK DE SALIDA.

[@djumpfarda]

Is the a6000 to a6500 the same as iPhone 6 to iPhone 7 when it comes to specs?

[@AlexK-ei7yh]

i have a technical question regarding external microphones. is it possible to use some splitter cable when connecting a mic to the camera, so that you can plug in headphones to the extra end of the cable? or perhaps there are some external microphones that support headphone monitoring directly?

[@jimbogregs1]

Great review, thanks very much.

[@thegagankhaira]

Should I buy Sony a6500 or Canon 80D? I am looking to do some photography but later on would switch it for recording videos. Like you said a6500 produces best images but which one has better features for recording videos? COnsidering headphone jack, 4k videos and battery issues

[@gabrielbunting9009]

I'm looking for a camera that supports 24fps for video and has a mic jack but still takes good picture that's not to pricey I've looked at the Fuji X30 would that be good?

[@erickyanez7866]

Nice honest review.

[@AfifFaiq]

Hi. I'm currently using Sony a7ii. But coming from a GH4 as my first camera, i really miss the 4k video and the slow motion of 96fps. Eversince i sold my gh4 i've miss the video capabilites but i dont miss the stills on the Gh4 as it is mediocre. Now the question is it a good idea to sell my A7ii and get the A6500?

[@Ram271989]

What is the crop factor when filming in 4k?

[@theSUBVERSIVE]

At times, more so at ISO 1600 and higher, the colors looks kind of dull. The screen getting even darker for 4K is kind of troublesome because a lot of times you can't simply use the EVF and if a normal screen with normal brightness is already difficult to see in sunlight, an even dimmer screen will simply be black. The buffer and IBIS seem like a nice addition but for anyone wanting reliable shooting, more so those that need to shoot longer, to depend on luck if your camera will hold less than 30 min or even 1hr is not something I would be willing to bet on. Plus, although IBIS opens up for more 3rd party and MF legacy lenses, if Sony is trying to step up the price and target public, they should launch APS-C lenses as well, which is something that Sony has simply abandoned in the past few years. I wished you guys had compared the X-T2 together in that mini-AF test, I've seen in some videos that the X-T2 keeps tracks better than the A6300.

[@TheTaytoni]

at what point will mirrorless cameras do great in wildlife and birds in flight?

[@voikzz2622]

fuji xt2 or sony a6500?? what do you think ?

[@dyeless]

sony can't beat fuji build quality and lens quality for crop sensor their size. One thing releasing a new camera in 8 month and other thing having poor consistency in performance from one copy to other.

[@BF4pawntard]

Fuji all the way . As said build quality is awesome on the body and the lenses is rock solid .Its all made in japan and with constant firmware updates from fuji improve little things now and then . If you want improvment with a sony you have to buy a new camera every 6 months .

[@voikzz2622]

is it confirmed that we will get flog internally ? and maybe 120 fps 1080p? these are for me the biggest drawbacks

[@dyeless]

Next Generation New firmware coming up this month but I don't think they will add 120fps. As for flog I personally don't care because image coming straight out of the camera is way better then 80% video maker can simulate in post. There is feature to control your shadows and highlights before recording.

[@asarhaddon449]

Sony 6500 touchscreen is not good but at least there is touchscreen Fuji Xt-2, No touchscreen Sony A6500 has impressive Ibis Fuji XT-2, No Ibis other than this A6500 4K video capacity is better than Xt-2 (more detail and s log3 flexibility :) ) Body Fuji has better body But the body is too big for the mirrorless (in my opinion) Lenses There are many options at sony Aps-c lenses, FF lenses, Canon lenses (with adapter and Coming soon nikon lenses :) in short many options :)

[@vitamincisgoodforme]

I want a small cam predominantly for stills - would the a6000 be fine compared to this? or is the a6500 a lot better for stills?

[@JeremyGalloway]

the image quality will be similar, and resolution will be the same. I think you'll get better noise performance on the a6500, and a better shooting experience overall, since it has a larger grip, can shoot more images in burst mode, and has IBIS. But those are all just accessories; the actual image will still be great on the a6000 as well!

[@marianna93b]

@TheCameraStoreTV my sony a6500 produces a lot of noise at ISO 320 and above.... Is this normal?

[@justinholding02]

Great review as usual guys ;-)

[@jjsmithlago1234]

I'm looking for a small form factor camera I can use for KZbin AND take on my travel to take stock photos. Would this be better than a Black Magic Pocket?

[@juhva]

Why Sony doesn't disable touchscreen when you use viewfinder? Or so they should have implemented it.

[@niccollsvideo]

juhva You certainly can disable the touch screen and in fact after a day I turned it off as well. Its just a shame to have a new feature that ends up getting turned off. CHRIS@TCSTV

[@ReviewnRants74]

What's the best video autofocus, lowlight, and small size (gimbal use) camera out there?

[@NattapolPhorueng]

Could you please help test with Metabone speed booster ? with in camera stabilizer (non stabilizer lens)

[@JoeCnNd]

question.... I use Just for men beard dye. I noticed your beard looks lighter do you use it?

[@niccollsvideo]

Nope, in fact I just found three grey hairs in my beard the other day. My half Japanese heritage just seems to throw red hair in to the mix. Chris @ TCSTV

[@_noahrh]

When was this video filmed? I was just in Austin three days ago and it was nice and cool! I've been watching all of your videos from recent cameras, trying to decide on what to get. Thanks for your work!

[@TheCameraStoreTV]

This was filmed Nov. 15-18. It was pretty toasty then!

[@ParadoxdesignsOrg]

It shoots beautifully... love the size of it, I think I'm just about done with the concept of DSLR's. they are just too darn big.

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

WHOUW - B-B-B-Beautiful stills - both the B&W , and the coloured ones - fine time in youre guy´s company - as usual ,- :)

[@nickymill_]

Wow surprised to see max on here

[@TheZicoWay]

Great review guys! Would recommend this as an upgrade from the canon G7X for shooting daily videos for its price then? If not, is there any other models you will recommend?

[@MrThepilvi2]

does this camera have overheating?

[@gestaltmusic4052]

what lense that you're using in 3:41 ?

[@samsargdong1135]

Very interesting review As always high degree of sincerity at the time of explaining the pros and cons of the camera.Bye!