Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R II→Sony A9 II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
→
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 A9 II
-
Burst rate20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE) vs 5fps
-
Battery life~500 shots (CIPA) vs ~290 shots (CIPA)
-
Generation4 years newer (2019 vs 2015)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution24MP (down from 42MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R II | A9 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | ||
| Landscape | -2.0 | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -3.0 | ||
| Sports & Action | +5.0 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R II | A9 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £3,299 | |
| Released | 2015 | 2019 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 24MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p | |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | 693 phase-detect + 425 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ~500 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 625g (with battery and card) | 678g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame 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 A9 II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A9 II against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A7R II
Related buying guides
Camera family history