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Sony A65

 
Sony SLT-A65 front
 
  • 24MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Bump to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 622g - 132 x 97 x 81mm
  • Introduced November 2011
  • Replacement is Sony A68
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
64
Imaging
64
Features
85
Overall
72

Sony A65 summary

Sony A65 is Sony's Entry-Level DSLR digital camera initially announced on November of 2011. It features a 24 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C sized sensor and has a full resolution of 6000 x 4000.

Sony introduced the newer Sony A68 (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to replace this model.

The A65 is rated #11 out of 80 in Entry-Level DSLR cameras & overall #149 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please test our Advanced camera finder to get camera ratings based on your personalized requirements.

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Below is a graph of various factors used in the rating system.

Sony A65 history

The Sony A65 is part of a family of digital cameras. You can read the detailed range underneath.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Sony-SLT-A68 front thumbnailSony A68
A65 vs A68
24MPAPS-C8.0 fps2015
Sony-SLT-A58 front thumbnailSony A58
A65 vs A58
20MPAPS-C8.0 fps2013
Sony Japan Introduces 5G Transmitter for Alpha Cameras
Sony-SLT-A57 front thumbnailSony A57
A65 vs A57
16MPAPS-C12.0 fps2012
Sony-SLT-A37 front thumbnailSony A37
A65 vs A37
16MPAPS-C6.0 fps2012
Sony-SLT-A65 front thumbnailSony A6524MPAPS-C10.0 fps2011
Sony-SLT-A35 front thumbnailSony A35
A65 vs A35
16MPAPS-C6.0 fps2011
Jaw-Dropping Space Capture Exposes Earth's Mesmerizing Golden Luminescence
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A580 front thumbnailSony A580
A65 vs A580
16MPAPS-C7.0 fps2011
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A560 front thumbnailSony A560
A65 vs A560
14MPAPS-C5.0 fps2010
Sony-SLT-A55 front thumbnailSony A55
A65 vs A55
16MPAPS-C10.0 fps2010
Sony-SLT-A33 front thumbnailSony A33
A65 vs A33
14MPAPS-C7.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A390 front thumbnailSony A390
A65 vs A390
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2010
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Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A290 front thumbnailSony A290
A65 vs A290
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A450 front thumbnailSony A450
A65 vs A450
14MPAPS-C7.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A550 front thumbnailSony A550
A65 vs A550
14MPAPS-C7.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A500 front thumbnailSony A500
A65 vs A500
12MPAPS-C5.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A380 front thumbnailSony A380
A65 vs A380
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A330 front thumbnailSony A330
A65 vs A330
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A230 front thumbnailSony A230
A65 vs A230
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A200 front thumbnailSony A200
A65 vs A200
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
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Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A350 front thumbnailSony A350
A65 vs A350
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A300 front thumbnailSony A300
A65 vs A300
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A100 front thumbnailSony A100
A65 vs A100
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2006

Sony A65 Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of positives and negatives of the Sony A65 based on features which are often regarded as necessary in a digital camera.

built-in flash
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
comes with face detection focusing
comes with tracking autofocus
decent megapixels (24MP)
delivers RAW files
display is selfie friendly
great minimum ISO (100)
has external microphone support
has HDMI out
has phase detect AF
high resolution screen (921 k dots)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
screen articulates
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
you can focus manually
missing headphone support
missing Timelapse function
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Sony A65 Sensor details

The Sony A65 houses the Bionz chip. The spec of the sensor in the Sony A65 is 23.5mm x 15.6mm (APS-C). The 367 mm² sensor is able to capture 6000 x 4000 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. The camera comes with Image Stabilization (Sensor based). Optical stabilization is superior than digital stabilization as the latter can lead to cropping.

OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus

The CMOS sensor has 24MP and includes a standard ISO range of 100 - 12800. This ISO can be increased digitally to a high of 25600. RAW files are supported so the user has wider margin for error.

The graphic underneath illustrates the A65's sensor dimensions when compared to other popular sizes. The A65 sensor has a crop factor of 1.5 and is shown in green.

Sony SLT-A65 sensor size Europe Approves Revolutionary AI Legislation

To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony A65 dimensions

Sony A65 weighs 1.37 lbs (622 grams or 21.94 ounces) & the over all size of the camera is 132mm x 97mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2"). The weight of average Entry-Level DSLR camera is 540 grams so the Sony A65 is heavier compared with other competitors.

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Underneath is a picture of the Sony A65 beside a softdrink so you can get a sense of its scale.

Sony SLT-A65 dimensions scale

The top view just below will illustrate the button layout on the A65.

Sony SLT-A65 topview buttons dials

Sony A65 Lens specs

The A65 uses the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount and has 145 lenses on the market today. Below is a small number of the lenses we have in our collection which will work with the A65.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Sigma-30mm-F1.4-EX-DC-HSM-Sony-Alpha lensSigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC HSM30mmf/1.4 430g
Sony-70-400mm-F4-5.6-G-SSM lensSony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM70-400mmf/4.0-5.6 1490g
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Tamron-SP-90mm-F2.8-Di-VC-USD-1-1-Macro-Sony-Alpha lensTamron SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD 1-1 Macro90mmf/2.8 550g
Sony-DT-16-50mm-F2.8-SSM lensSony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM16-50mmf/2.8 577g
Tamron-SP-AF-200-500mm-F5-6.3-Di-LD-IF-Sony-Alpha lensTamron SP AF 200-500mm F5-6.3 Di LD IF200-500mmf/5.0-6.3 1237g
Tamron-18-200mm-F3.5-6.3-Di-II-VC-Sony-Alpha lensTamron 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC18-200mmf/3.5-5.6 400g
OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
Tamron-18-270mm-F3.5-6.3-Di-II-PZD-Sony-Alpha lensTamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II PZD18-270mmf/3.5-6.3 450g
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Sony A65 Connectivity

The A65 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes
  • GPS Yes

Digital cameras that come with NFC and / or Bluetooth support can be used wirelessly with smartphones. You can easily send images and oftentimes alter camera settings with no need to connect straight to the camera.

Some applications even provide a Liveview and release the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI port, it can be attached to an external display. Nearly all cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack with the USB port.

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Sony A65 Video specs

The highest possible video resolution in the Sony A65 is 1920 x 1080 and you can capture in MPEG-4, AVCHD and H.264 file format. 1080p resolution offers a decent balance for video quality and file sizes but 1080p is not going to give you any room to downsample. While the camera contains a microphone port, it is missing a headphone port so you won't have the capability to keep an eye on your audio levels.

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Sony A65 Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing on the Sony A65 so you need to be careful in wet or dusty situations.

Sony A65 Screen and Viewfinder

The Sony A65 features a 3" fully articulated display screen boasting a resolution of 921k dots.

It features a selfie friendly screen to take self portraits and group shots when required. Please be aware that the display has no touch support.

Sony SLT-A65 screen and viewfinder Kodak's Tri-X Black-and-White Film Now 30% Cheaper

The View Finder specs for Sony A65 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 2,359k dots
  • Coverage 100 percent
  • Magnification 0.73x

Viewfinders can be really beneficial for sunny outdoor situations which can easily make the camera screen washed out and difficult to see.

Sony A65 Shutter specs

Sony A65 continuous shooting rate is 10.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.

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Sony A65 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Sony A65 comes with both integrated flash as well as external flash support. The max flash sync is 1/160 seconds.

Sony A65 Autofocusing specs

Sony A65 comes with both Phase Detect Autofocus as well as Contrast Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier and accurate compared with Contrast Detect focusing. The camera features Face detection making it useful for portrait photography.

The Sensor features 15 focus points to select from. It also boasts Tracking Autofocus for moving subjects. Sony A65 boasts manual focus in case it is needed for low light situations or you need more exact focus control.

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Sony A65 Battery life

The battery life (NP-FM500H) on the Sony A65 is built to last for 560 clicks as per the CIPA standards making it on par with it's competition. The average Entry-Level DSLR camera battery life is 589. Pentax K-x comes with the best (1900) battery life for this range of cameras.

Below is a number of Entry-Level DSLR cameras having the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Canon-EOS-Rebel-SL3 front thumbnailCanon SL3
A65 vs SL3
1070 yesnoyes

Sony A65 for various categories of photography

The following diagram gives a outline of the Sony A65 for various categories of photography. To read more, scroll to the specific paragraph underneath.

Sony A65 Portrait photography highlights

The Sony A65 gets a score of 78 which is fantastic, meaning that it is a tremendous fit to use for portrait photos. Taking portrait photos leans heavily to sensor resolution, support for RAW photos along with the option to work with off-camera flash.

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manual focus
good MP (24MP)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
comes with face detection autofocus
saves RAW files

Sony A65 Street photography information

Getting a excellent points tally of 77, the Sony A65 is a outstanding option to use in street photography. A very good street photography camera has a fine balance of picture quality plus portability.

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screen articulates
image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats

Sony A65 Sports photography highlights

A terrific sports photography rating of 82 suggests the Sony A65 is a superb pick for taking photos of sports. A camera must have very good focusing and shutter speeds for sports photography.

OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (24 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
offers tracking autofocus
sensor has phase detect auto focus

Sony A65 as a Travel photography camera

Weight is extremely important in buying a travel camera. Over-all, the Sony A65 gets a nice 68 for a travelling camera which makes it a good pick to take on your vacations.

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sensor resolution is decent (24 megapixels)
flash built-in
selfie friendly screen
lack of Timelapse mode

Sony A65 Landscape photography info

For anybody who is planning to pick a camera for landscape pictures, the most vital aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony A65 at it's very good rating of 75 for a landscape camera is a good fit within the current market.

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you can focus manually
switch lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
nice screen size (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (24 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
missing Timelapse mode

Sony A65 Vlogging details

A vlogging camera preferably should have a moving display screen, mic port and ideally IBIS. Taking everything into account, the Sony A65 is a great pick for vlogging as it receives a impressive rating of 78.

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selfie friendly screen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
comes with face detection focusing
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
comes with external mic port

Sony A65 Alternatives

If you need alternatives to the A65, here is a list of the highest rated cameras which fall into the class of Entry-Level DSLR.

The line chart followed below will give you an overview of the A65 vs it's highest rated rivals suggested earlier.

There are more cameras you might consider as alternate options. To go through a full comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Sony
Model
Sony SLT-A65
Type
Entry-Level DSLR
Introduced
2011-11-15
Physical type
Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Chip
Bionz
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area
366.6mm²
Sensor resolution
24MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
6000 x 4000
RAW support
Maximum native ISO
12800
Maximum enhanced ISO
25600
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points
15
Cross focus points
3
Lens
Lens mount
Sony/Minolta Alpha
Amount of lenses
143
Focal length multiplier
1.5
Screen
Screen type
Fully Articulated
Screen size
3 inch
Resolution of screen
921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,359k dots
Viewfinder coverage
100 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.73x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
74
DXO Color Depth score
23.4
DXO Dynamic range score
12.6
DXO Low light score
717
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30 seconds
Fastest shutter speed
1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter rate
10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
10.00 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize
1/160 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60, 24 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 640 x 424 (29.97 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video file format
MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
622 gr (1.37 pounds)
Physical dimensions
132 x 97 x 81mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2")
Other
Battery life
560 photographs
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery model
NP-FM500H
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
1
Launch pricing
$700