Upgrade Guide

Sony A7S→Sony A7R II

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

You own

Sony

A7S

£600

2014

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7R II

£799 (+£199)

2015

✅

Strong upgrade

The A7R II improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7S owners will notice the difference.

What's new in the A7R II

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7S	A7R II
Price	£600	£799
Released	2014	2015	↑
Sensor	12.2MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS	42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R
Resolution	12MP	42MP	↑
Video	1080p/60p internal, 4K via HDMI (external recorder)	4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p
Autofocus	Phase-detect / contrast-detect hybrid AF	399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection
Stabilisation	None	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS)
Burst Rate	5fps	5fps
Battery Life	~370 shots (CIPA)	~290 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	474g (with battery and card)	625g (with battery and card)	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	Electronic, 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 (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot	Single SD UHS-I slot

Compare side-by-side

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

Get a personalised upgrade score

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