Upgrade Guide
Sony A7S II→Sony A7R II
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 A7R II
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Resolution42MP vs 12MP (+30MP)
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 | A7R II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.3 | ||
| Street | +0.5 | ||
| Travel | +0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.1 | ||
| Filmmaking | -0.3 | ||
| Documentary | +0.3 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.6 | ||
| Landscape | +1.4 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.1 | ||
| Casual | +0.4 | ||
| Food | +1.2 | ||
| Macro | +1.0 | ||
| Architecture | +1.6 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.8 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7S II | A7R II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £799 | |
| Released | 2015 | 2015 | |
| Sensor | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 42MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 169 points; limited by modern standards | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps continuous | 5fps | |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 584g (body only) | 625g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-I slots | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7S II 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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