A7 Vvs A7R
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Portrait, Wedding, Travel, Video — A7 V (2024): The definitive full-frame mirrorless. Hard to argue for anything else at this price.
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
A7 V (2024)
- A7 III or A7 IV owners ready for a meaningful upgrade
- Photographers who want one camera to cover everything
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 a7 v is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 V (2024) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £349 |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI-CMOS 35mm, partially stacked | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 33.0MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 4K 60fps 10-bit | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition (human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle) | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops | None |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 20fps electronic | 4fps |
| Battery Life | 760 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 514g (body only) | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 131.3 × 96.4 × 70.0mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.90× 9.44M-dot | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.44M-dot | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | Sony E-Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type A | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 V | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Architecture | — |
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