Z7 IIvs 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?
Landscape & Studio / High-Resolution — Z7 II (2020): The Z7 II is a landscape and studio camera first, everything else second. 45.7MP with weather sealing and dual card slots is a compelling package. If you need resolution, it delivers. If you don't, the Z6 II is the smarter buy.
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
Z7 II (2020)
- Landscape photographers who print large or need to crop significantly
- Studio and commercial photographers requiring maximum resolution
- Architecture photographers where detail is non-negotiable
- Fine-art photographers who shoot primarily from a tripod
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 z7 ii has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a7r ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z7 II (2020) | A7R II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,699 | £799 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 493 points, Eye AF, subject tracking | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 705g (body, battery, card) | 625g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z7 II | A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Z7 II
Camera family history