Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R→Sony A7S II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The A7S II improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7R owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A7S II
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
-
Generation2 years newer (2015 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution12MP (down from 36MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R | A7S II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +5.0 | ||
| Low Light | — | ||
| Wedding | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R | A7S II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £799 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2015 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS | |
| Resolution | 36MP | 12MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards | |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 5fps continuous | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 584g body only | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
Compare side-by-side
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