A7R IIvs ZV-1 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, 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.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt pocket.
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
ZV-1 II (2023)
- Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
- Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
- ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
- Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses
Quick take: The a7r ii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the zv-1 ii is the most affordable; only the a7r ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R II (2015) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £649 |
| Sensor | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 42.4MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 625g (with battery and card) | 292g |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | None |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R II | ZV-1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — |
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