Upgrade Guide
Sony A7→Sony A7R
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the A7. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the A7R
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Resolution36MP vs 24MP (+12MP)
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 | A7 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.8 | ||
| Street | -0.5 | ||
| Travel | -0.3 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.9 | ||
| Documentary | -0.7 | ||
| Sports & Action | -1.3 | ||
| Landscape | +0.5 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.1 | ||
| Casual | -0.2 | ||
| Food | -0.1 | ||
| Macro | — | ||
| Architecture | +0.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.2 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £151 used | £1,999 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2013 | |
| Sensor | 24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 36MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | No stabilisation | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 4fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) | |
| Weight | 474g (with battery and card) | 465g (with battery and card) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (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 |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7 and A7R next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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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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