Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R→Sony A5000
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The A5000 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7R owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A5000
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Battery life~420 shots (CIPA) vs ~340 shots (CIPA)
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Generation1 year newer (2014 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution20MP (down from 36MP — optimised for low light)
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
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 | A5000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.5 | ||
| Street | +0.8 | ||
| Travel | +0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -1.8 | ||
| Documentary | -1.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | -1.4 | ||
| Landscape | -1.6 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.2 | ||
| Casual | +0.6 | ||
| Food | -0.4 | ||
| Macro | -0.3 | ||
| Architecture | -1.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.6 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R | A5000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £78 used | |
| Released | 2013 | 2014 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 20.1MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 36MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | Full HD 1080 (60i / 25p AVCHD), 1440×1080/30p MP4 | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | 25-point contrast AF with face detection | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 3.5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 269g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | None (rear screen only) | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" 180° flip-up LCD, 460k dots | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A5000 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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