A7R IIvs RX100 VI
Sony
A7R II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Portrait, landscape & studio photography
View A7R II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you 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.
Travel & Vlogging — RX100 VI (2018): The RX100 VI trades fast apertures for a remarkable 24-200mm zoom range — giving it more versatility than any previous model. 4K/30p, 24fps burst, a pop-up EVF, and an articulating screen round out an exceptional compact package. Variable aperture limits low-light performance at the long end, but for travel and events where reach matters, there is no practical alternative at this size.
Who should buy what
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
RX100 VI (2018)
- Travel photographers who need versatile reach in a pocketable body
- Vloggers and content creators who need 4K and an articulating screen
- Event photographers who want discreet, capable wide-to-tele coverage
- Wildlife and sports enthusiasts who want a compact travel option
Quick take: The a7r ii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the rx100 vi is the most affordable; only the a7r ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R II (2015) | RX100 VI (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £700 |
| Sensor | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | 20.1MP 1-inch BSI Stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 42.4MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p, 960fps HFR |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | Fast Hybrid AF, 315 phase-detect points, Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 24fps |
| Battery Life | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ~240 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 625g (with battery and card) | 301g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | Pop-up EVF, 2.35M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD / Memory Stick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R II | RX100 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A7R II
Camera family history