A7Rvs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
Who should buy what
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
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; the a7r is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R (2013) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 36.4MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | None | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
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