Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R II→Sony A7R IV
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7R II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7R IV
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Resolution61MP vs 42MP (+19MP)
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Burst rate10fps vs 5fps
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Battery life670 shots (CIPA) vs ~290 shots (CIPA)
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Generation4 years newer (2019 vs 2015)
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 | A7R II | A7R IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.0 | ||
| Street | +0.4 | ||
| Travel | +0.6 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.3 | ||
| Filmmaking | +0.5 | ||
| Documentary | +0.8 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.6 | ||
| Landscape | +1.5 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.0 | ||
| Casual | +0.9 | ||
| Food | +1.0 | ||
| Macro | +0.7 | ||
| Architecture | +1.7 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.9 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R II | A7R IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £420 used | £1,078 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2019 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 61MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | 4K 30fps | |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | 567-point phase-detect, real-time tracking | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~290 shots (CIPA) | 670 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 625g (with battery and card) | 665g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.44M-dot | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7R II and A7R IV next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R IV against your specific genres — not just specs.
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