Lumix S9vs A7R II
Lumix
Lumix S9 (2024)
Starting from £1299 new
Best for Travel photographers, content creators & L-mount entry buyers
View Lumix S9
Sony
A7R II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Portrait, landscape & studio photography
View A7R II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel Photographers, Content Creators & L-Mount Entry Buyers — Lumix S9 (2024): The most compact full-frame camera available — a perfect travel and content creation companion with brilliant colour science.
Portrait, Landscape & Studio Photography — A7R II (2015): The A7R II transformed the A7R series — adding IBIS, 4K video, BSI sensor tech, and phase-detect AF in one generation. A landmark Sony camera.
Who should buy what
Lumix S9 (2024)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact package
- Content creators attracted to Real-time LUT and 10-bit video
- Photographers already in the L-mount ecosystem wanting a lightweight second body
- Lumix S5 II users who want something smaller for travel and casual shooting
A7R II (2015)
- Landscape and architecture photographers who want 42MP with IBIS for handheld shooting
- Portrait and studio photographers who need high resolution with improved AF reliability
- Sony FE system users who want a capable high-resolution body at a used price
- A7R I owners who need the stabilisation, 4K, and improved AF the original lacked
Quick take: The a7r ii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the a7r ii is the most affordable; only the a7r ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Lumix S9 (2024) | A7R II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £799 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF with subject recognition | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 413g (with battery) | 625g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 124.6 × 73.9 × 52.8mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear screen only | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen (touch drag AF) | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Leica L mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Lumix S9 | A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Lumix S9
Camera family history