Nikon S6500
- 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 25-300mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
- 250g - 95 x 58 x 26mm
- Launched January 2013
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
92 Imaging
40 Features
51 Overall
44
Nikon S6500 overview
Nikon S6500 is Nikon's Small Sensor Superzoom camera first revealed on January of 2013. It includes a 16 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a peak resolution of 4608 x 3456.
The S6500 is ranked #68 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and all-around #550 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. You can test our Smart camera search to get camera listings based on your custom requirements.
Here is a graph of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.
Nikon S6500 family
The Nikon S6500 comes with a history of related cameras. Underneath, you can look at all earlier and most recent models alongside main specs.
F2.8-5.916MP1/2.3"2013
Nikon S6500 Gallery
You can view the S6500 from several angles in the gallery here.
Nikon S6500 Pros and Cons
Here is a collection of good and bad points of the Nikon S6500 based on aspects which are generally seen as important in a camera.
Nikon S6500 Sensor features
The sensor dimension in the Nikon S6500 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter can easily lead to cropping.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsThe BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 16 megapixels and features a native ISO range of 100 - 3200. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not saved so you have less room to maneuver in post.
The graphic underneath shows the S6500's sensor size compared to other common sizes. The S6500 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is showcased in green.
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideTo get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.
Nikon S6500 dimensions
Nikon S6500 is 0.55 lbs (250 grams or 8.82 oz) and features external measurements of 95mm x 58mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 1.0"). The weight of general Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 grams so the Nikon S6500 is lighter compared to various rivals.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthHere is a picture of the Nikon S6500 beside a soda so you can have a feel for its size.
The top view just below will provide the button layout on the S6500.
Nikon S6500 Lens features
The S6500 has got a built-in lens giving a focal range of 25-300mm making it a 12.0 x zoom which is not at all very good however it will surely be helpful in a few conditions.
At it's widest 25mm, the lens offers an aperture of f2.8 which will be somewhat sluggish and not great in low light conditions and you will probably find it hard to capture good bokeh. You might also have to up your ISO setting which results in noisy photographs. On the long end, 300mm is fantastic zoom and comes at f5.9 making it quite sluggish and you may have to use slow shutter speeds.
Nikon S6500 Connectivity
The S6500 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- HDMI Yes
- GPS Yes
Cameras with NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly by smartphones. You will be able to transfer photos and usually change camera settings without connecting straight with the camera.
Many apps also stream a Liveview and press the shutter in case you aren't close to the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it can be hooked up to an external monitor. A lot of cameras enable you to charge the battery through the USB socket.
Nikon S6500 Video features
The highest video resolution in the Nikon S6500 is 1920 x 1080 and it can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p resolution gives a great balance in quality and file size but FULL HD won't leave you with much room to downsample. The body doesn't include a mic and headphone socket so you have zero control over your audio. It is probably best to have a look at an alternative model if you want decent audio in your video clips.
Nikon S6500 Weather Sealing
There is no weather proofing in the Nikon S6500 so you have to be cautious in wet or dusty situations.
Nikon S6500 Display and Viewfinder
The Nikon S6500 includes a 3" fixed screen with a resolution of 460k dots.
Please note that the screen offers no touch support.
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modesThe View Finder specs regarding Nikon S6500 are as follows:
- ViewFinder None
Viewfinders are really useful in sunny outdoor situations which can easily make the camera display washed out and very difficult to view.
Nikon S6500 Shutter features
Nikon S6500 continuous shooting rate is 10.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.
Nikon S6500 Flash and Hot shoe features
Nikon S6500 includes just built in flash with no external flash ability.
Nikon S6500 Autofocus features
Nikon S6500 includes only Contrast Detect AF and is missing Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier and exact compared to Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera includes Face detect which can be helpful for people photography.
It also comes with Tracking AF for subjects on the move. Nikon S6500 has manual focus if required in low light scenarios or you need to have more accurate focus control.
Nikon S6500 Battery life
The typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR has got the highest (600) battery life in this class of cameras.
Here is a collection of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras with the best battery life:
Nikon S6500 for specific types of photography
The following illustration presents a overview of the Nikon S6500 for specific types of photography. To find out more, check out the specific section underneath.
Nikon S6500 Portrait photography information
The Nikon S6500 gets a points tally of 44 which is bad, and means the camera is not really appropriate to use for portrait images. Shooting portrait images favors greatly towards sensor specs, support for RAW files plus the capability to work with external lighting.
Nikon S6500 Street photography advice
Having a above average points total of 62, the Nikon S6500 is a fine pick to use in street photography. A good street photography camera provides a good balance of image quality and portability.
Nikon S6500 Sports photography advice
A average sports photography rating of 50 means the Nikon S6500 is fairly acceptable for taking pictures of sports. A camera needs to have good autofocus plus continuous shooting for sports photography.
Nikon S6500 Travel photography advice
Weight is very critical in buying a camera for travel. Over-all, the Nikon S6500 gets a very good 69 for a travelling camera which makes it a good choice to purchase for your holidays.
Nikon S6500 Landscape photography highlights
For anybody planning to buy a camera for landscape photographs, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Nikon S6500 at it's modest score of 50 for a landscape camera is relatively suited compared to its competitors.
Vlogging with Nikon S6500
A vlogging camera should really come with a moving screen, microphone port and preferably IBIS. Considering all things, the Nikon S6500 is not really appropriate for vlogging as it comes to a bad rating of 34.
Nikon S6500 Alternatives
If you are looking for alternatives to the S6500, here is a range of the top rated cameras which fall under the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.
The chart followed below shows you an overview of the S6500 versus it's top scoring competitors shown above.
Here are a few more cameras you might see as alternate options. To see a full comparison, go to the "compare" link.