Nikon D800 vs Sony A6500

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Nikon D800 vs Sony A6500

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35mm 861.6mm²
36.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D800 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D800.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A6500 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A6500 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A6500.
Compare Sony A6500 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A6500 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D810
Compare D800 vs D810

Succeeded by the Sony A6600
Compare A6500 vs A6600

Compare NIKON D810 vs SONY A6600

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Differences

Nikon D800 advantages over Sony A6500

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.88 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.30 vs 1.3 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
D800 test data on DxO Mark A6500 test data on DxO Mark

2,853 vs 1,405 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

900 vs 350 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
More pixels
36.3 vs 24.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A6500 advantages over Nikon D800

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
53 mm vs 81 mm
Thinner
Newer
8 years vs 13 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
453g vs 1008g
Lighter weight
Faster JPEG shooting
11.1 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
231 vs 54 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.1 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
110 vs 18 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D800 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6500 User Reviews

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Kit with 18-135mm lens

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Review Excerpt

Rugged build; Excellent controls; Extremely high resolution; Dual cards; Surprising high ISO performance.
Very large files; Slower frame rate; Custom white balance gives a greenish tint; Battery life lower than D700.
Read our Nikon D800 Review

Comfortable, premium body with good controls; Touch-screen for subject selection; Hybrid image stabilization system; Excellent image quality; Better high ISO JPEGs than the A6300; Extremely fast 11.1 fps burst capture; Very deep buffers for raw and JPEG alike; 4K video capture with no pixel binning
Pricey for an APS-C camera; JPEG colors aren't the most accurate; Very slow buffer clearing; Laggy touch-pad AF function; Poorly-placed movie button; No headphone jack; Mediocre battery life
Read our Sony A6500 Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 5D Mark III

Nikon D800

Canon 5D Mark III

$1850
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$2079
35mm

Bigger pixels
More cross-type AF points

Compare Nikon D800 vs Canon 5D Mark III

Sony A6500

Canon 5D Mark III

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$2079
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony A6500 vs Canon 5D Mark III

Compared to Nikon D800E

Nikon D800

Nikon D800E

$1850
35mm

Has anti-aliasing filter

$2212
35mm

Lacks anti-aliasing filter

Compare Nikon D800 vs Nikon D800E

Sony A6500

Nikon D800E

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2212
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony A6500 vs Nikon D800E

Compared to Nikon D810

Nikon D800

Nikon D810

$1850
35mm

Fast startup
Has anti-aliasing filter

$2246
35mm

Longer stills battery life
Lacks anti-aliasing filter

Compare Nikon D800 vs Nikon D810

Sony A6500

Nikon D810

$1198
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2246
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony A6500 vs Nikon D810

Compared to Fujifilm X-Pro2

Nikon D800

Fujifilm X-Pro2

$1850
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$1300
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Nikon D800 vs Fujifilm X-Pro2

Sony A6500

Fujifilm X-Pro2

$1198
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

$1300
APS-C

Higher max flash sync
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A6500 vs Fujifilm X-Pro2

Compared to Sony A6300

Nikon D800

Sony A6300

$1850
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$748
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Nikon D800 vs Sony A6300

Sony A6500

Sony A6300

$1198
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

$748
APS-C

Less expensive

Compare Sony A6500 vs Sony A6300

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