Upgrade Guide

Sony A5100→Sony A7R II

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A5100

£200

2014

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7R II

£799 (+£599)

2015

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A5100. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A7R II

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A5100	A7R II
Price	£200	£799
Released	2014	2015	↑
Sensor	24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS	42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R
Resolution	24MP	42MP	↑
Video	1080p/60p	4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p
Autofocus	Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection	399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection
Stabilisation	None	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS)
Burst Rate	6fps	5fps	↓
Battery Life	~400 shots (CIPA)	~290 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	224g (body only)	625g (with battery and card)	↓
Weather Sealed	No	Yes	↑
Viewfinder	None	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification
Screen	3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots	3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch)
Mount	Sony E-mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot	Single SD UHS-I slot

Compare side-by-side

See A5100 and A7R II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R II against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A5100

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Camera family history