Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R III→Sony A7 II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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The A7 II offers little measurable spec improvement over the A7R III. Spend the money on glass instead.
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution24MP (down from 42MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R III | A7 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Wedding | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R III | A7 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £549 | |
| Released | 2017 | 2014 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 24MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p | 1080p 60fps | |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF | 117-point phase-detect hybrid AF | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~650 shots (CIPA) | 350 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 650g body only | 599g (body only) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF 0.71× 2.36M-dot | |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.23M-dot | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) | SD / Memory Stick Pro Duo |
Compare side-by-side
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