Upgrade Guide

Sony A7R→Sony A7C

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A7R

£349

2013

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7C

£1299 (+£950)

2020

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A7R. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A7C

↑

Stabilisation

IBIS added — significant for handheld and video
↑

Burst rate

10fps with AF/AE tracking vs 4fps
↑

Battery life

~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless vs ~340 shots (CIPA)
↑

Generation

7 years newer (2020 vs 2013)

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7R	A7C
Price	£349	£1,299
Released	2013	2020	↑
Sensor	36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF)	24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS
Resolution	36MP	24MP	↓
Video	1080p/60p	4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3
Autofocus	Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor)	Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF
Stabilisation	None	5-axis IBIS, 5 stops
Burst Rate	4fps	10fps with AF/AE tracking	↑
Battery Life	~340 shots (CIPA)	~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless	↑
Weight	465g (with battery and card)	509g (body, battery, card)	↓
Weather Sealed	No	No
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification	None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF
Screen	3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch)	3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)	Sony E-mount
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-I slot	Single SD UHS-II

Compare side-by-side

See A7R and A7C next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

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Other upgrades from the A7R

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Camera family history