Upgrade Guide
Sony A5000→Sony A7R
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A5000. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7R
-
Resolution36MP vs 20MP (+16MP)
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
Unchanged or similar
-
StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | A5000 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.5 | ||
| Street | -0.8 | ||
| Travel | -0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.8 | ||
| Documentary | +1.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.4 | ||
| Landscape | +1.6 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.2 | ||
| Casual | -0.5 | ||
| Food | +0.4 | ||
| Macro | +0.3 | ||
| Architecture | +1.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.6 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A5000 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £154 | £349 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2013 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 20.1MP APS-C CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 36MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080 (60i / 25p AVCHD), 1440×1080/30p MP4 | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | 25-point contrast AF with face detection | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No stabilisation | |
| Burst Rate | 3.5fps | 4fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 269g (with battery) | 465g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | None (rear screen only) | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" 180° flip-up LCD, 460k dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R against your specific genres — not just specs.
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