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Upgrade Guide

Sony A7Sony A7R II

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

A7
You own
Sony
A7
£299
2013
View on GearFrame →
A7R II
Upgrade to
Sony
A7R II
£799 (+£500)
2015
View on GearFrame →
Strong upgrade
The A7R II improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A7R II
Suitability by genre
Genre A7 A7R II
Portrait
9.0
9.0
Landscape
9.0
9.0
Travel
7.0
7.0
Street
7.0
Sports & Action
4.0
4.0
Vlogging & Video
4.0
7.0
+3.0
Architecture
9.0
Full spec comparison
Spec A7 A7R II
Price £299 £799
Released 2013 2015
Sensor 24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R
Resolution 24MP 42MP
Video 1080p/60p 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p
Autofocus 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points 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 5fps 5fps
Battery Life ~340 shots (CIPA) ~290 shots (CIPA)
Weight 474g (with battery and card) 625g (with battery and card)
Weather Sealed No Yes
Viewfinder EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification
Screen 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch)
Mount Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-I slot Single SD UHS-I slot
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