Upgrade Guide

Sony A7S II→Sony A7R

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

You own

Sony

A7S II

£799

2015

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7R

£349 (-£450)

2013

⚖️

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

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7S II	A7R
Price	£799	£349
Released	2015	2013	↓
Sensor	12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS	36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF)
Resolution	12MP	36MP	↑
Video	4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3	1080p/60p
Autofocus	169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards	Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor)
Stabilisation	5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS)	None
Burst Rate	5fps continuous	4fps	↓
Battery Life	~370 shots (CIPA)	~340 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	584g body only	465g (with battery and card)	↑
Weather Sealed	Yes	No	↓
Viewfinder	EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification
Screen	3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots	3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, 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

See A7S II and A7R next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A7S II

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