Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R IV→Sony A1 II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7R IV. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A1 II
-
StabilisationImproved — 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS)
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Burst rate30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical vs 10fps
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Generation5 years newer (2024 vs 2019)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution50MP (down from 61MP — optimised for low light)
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 IV | A1 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.9 | ||
| Street | +0.4 | ||
| Travel | +0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.9 | ||
| Filmmaking | +1.8 | ||
| Documentary | +1.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.9 | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.5 | ||
| Casual | +0.5 | ||
| Food | +1.1 | ||
| Macro | +1.6 | ||
| Architecture | +0.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.3 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R IV | A1 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,078 used | £5,699 | |
| Released | 2019 | 2024 | ↑ |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS 35mm | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | |
| Resolution | 61MP | 50MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K 30fps | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 | |
| Autofocus | 567-point phase-detect, real-time tracking | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical | ↑ |
| Battery Life | 670 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 665g (body only) | 743g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.44M-dot | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | |
| Mount | Sony E-Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7R IV and A1 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 A1 II against your specific genres — not just specs.
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