Upgrade Guide

Sony A7R→Sony A9

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

You own

Sony

A7R

£349

2013

→

Upgrade to

Sony

£1999 (+£1,650)

2017

✅

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 A9

↑

Weather sealing

Added — fully sealed body
↑

Stabilisation

IBIS added — significant for handheld and video
↑

Burst rate

20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) vs 4fps
↑

Battery life

~650 shots (CIPA) vs ~340 shots (CIPA)
↑

Generation

4 years newer (2017 vs 2013)

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7R	A9
Price	£349	£1,999
Released	2013	2017	↑
Sensor	36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF)	24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution	36MP	24MP	↓
Video	1080p/60p	4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus	Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor)	693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking
Stabilisation	None	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops
Burst Rate	4fps	20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)	↑
Battery Life	~340 shots (CIPA)	~650 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	465g (with battery and card)	673g (with battery and card)	↓
Weather Sealed	No	Yes	↑
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)
Screen	3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch)	3.0" tilting touchscreen
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-I slot	Dual SD UHS-II slots

Compare side-by-side

See A7R and A9 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

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Other upgrades from the A7R

Camera family history