BFvs A7R
Sigma
BF (2025)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Photographers who want to strip back every distraction
View BF
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Photographers Who Want To Strip Back Every Distraction — BF (2025): The most radical camera in years — no dials, no buttons, just a flat aluminium body and total creative minimalism.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
Who should buy what
BF (2025)
- Photographers who find camera menus and dials a distraction from the creative process
- L-mount system users who want the lightest, most minimal full-frame body available
- Design enthusiasts who value the object quality and philosophy as much as the output
- Sigma fp/fp L users ready for a more radical step toward minimal photography
A7R (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; the a7r is the most affordable; only the bf is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | BF (2025) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £349 |
| Sensor | 24MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 24.0MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF — face and eye detection | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 7 stops | None |
| Burst Rate | 9fps electronic | 4fps |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g body only | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 127.0 × 75.0 × 45.0mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.75× 3.68M-dot | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.15" fully articulating touchscreen — primary interface | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | L-mount (Leica/Panasonic/Sigma) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | BF | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
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