A7 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?
Travel, Portrait — A7 II (2014): The camera that proved full-frame IBIS was possible in a compact body.
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
A7 II (2014)
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want full-frame on a budget
- Film shooters adapting vintage lenses (IBIS helps enormously)
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 a7 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 II (2014) | A7R II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £549 | £799 |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 1080p 60fps | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 117-point phase-detect hybrid AF | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 5fps |
| Battery Life | 350 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 599g (body only) | 625g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.7 × 59.7mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.71× 2.36M-dot | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.23M-dot | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Sony E-Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | SD / Memory Stick Pro Duo | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, NFC, Micro USB, Micro HDMI | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 II | A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| 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