Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R→Sony A7R II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The A7R II improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7R owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A7R II
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Resolution42MP vs 36MP (+6MP)
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StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Generation2 years newer (2015 vs 2013)
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 | A7R II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.3 | ||
| Street | +0.1 | ||
| Travel | -0.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.1 | ||
| Documentary | +1.2 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.3 | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.3 | ||
| Casual | +0.2 | ||
| Food | +0.8 | ||
| Macro | +0.8 | ||
| Architecture | +0.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.6 | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R | A7R II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £420 used | |
| Released | 2013 | 2015 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | |
| Resolution | 36MP | 42MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 5fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 625g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7R and A7R II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R II against your specific genres — not just specs.
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