A7 IVvs 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?
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid 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 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable 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 a7r ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 IV (2021) | A7R II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,299 | £799 |
| Sensor | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 33.0MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 659g body only | 625g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 IV | A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | — |
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