Z30vs A7R II
Sony
A7R II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Portrait, landscape & studio photography
View A7R II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Everyday Video — Z30 (2022): Nikon's lightest Z-mount body — no fuss, excellent subject tracking, and a flip screen for creators.
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
Z30 (2022)
- Vloggers and content creators who don't need an EVF
- Beginners entering the Nikon Z system at the lowest price point
- Streamers who want a compact interchangeable-lens camera for desk use
- Travel and lifestyle shooters who want a compact APS-C Z body
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 z30 is the most affordable; only the a7r ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z30 (2022) | A7R II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £479 | £799 |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 4K/60p (with crop), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 209 points, subject tracking (human/animal/vehicle) | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~300 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 405g body only | 625g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 127.5 × 73.5 × 59.5mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input, micro HDMI | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z30 | A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history