Upgrade Guide
Sony A7S II→Sony Sony A7R V
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7S II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the Sony A7R V
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Resolution61MP vs 12MP (+49MP)
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StabilisationImproved — 8-stop IBIS
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Burst rate10fps mechanical / 7fps electronic vs 5fps continuous
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Battery life530 shots (CIPA) vs ~370 shots (CIPA)
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Generation7 years newer (2022 vs 2015)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7S II | Sony A7R V | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | -2.0 | ||
| Low Light | — | ||
| Wedding | — | ||
| Portrait | +2.0 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports | — | ||
| Landscape | — | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7S II | Sony A7R V | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £3,899 | |
| Released | 2015 | 2022 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS | 61MP full-frame BSI CMOS | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 61MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 | 8K/25p, 4K/60p | |
| Autofocus | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards | AI subject recognition AF, 693-point phase-detect | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) | 8-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps continuous | 10fps mechanical / 7fps electronic | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 584g body only | 723g body only | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.2" multi-angle touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-I slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
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