Upgrade Guide
Sony A7S II→Sony A5000
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the A7S II. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the A5000
-
Resolution20MP vs 12MP (+8MP)
Unchanged or similar
-
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 | A7S II | A5000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.5 | ||
| Street | +1.2 | ||
| Travel | +0.9 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -3.0 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -2.3 | ||
| Sports & Action | -2.1 | ||
| Landscape | -0.3 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.4 | ||
| Casual | +0.7 | ||
| Food | — | ||
| Macro | -0.1 | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Astrophotography | -2.0 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7S II | A5000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £341 used | £78 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2014 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS | 20.1MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 | Full HD 1080 (60i / 25p AVCHD), 1440×1080/30p MP4 | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 169 points; limited by modern standards | 25-point contrast AF with face detection | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps continuous | 3.5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 584g (body only) | 269g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | None (rear screen only) | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.0" 180° flip-up LCD, 460k dots | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-I slots | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7S II and A5000 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 A5000 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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