Upgrade Guide
Sony A7S→Sony RX1
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7S. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the RX1
-
Resolution24MP vs 12MP (+12MP)
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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 | RX1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.3 | ||
| Street | +0.9 | ||
| Travel | -0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.8 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -1.7 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Landscape | -0.7 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Casual | -0.3 | ||
| Food | -0.7 | ||
| Macro | -1.2 | ||
| Architecture | -0.6 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.3 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7S | RX1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £303 used | £336 used | |
| Released | 2014 | 2012 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 12.2MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 24.3MP full-frame CMOS | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p internal, 4K via HDMI (external recorder) | Full HD 1080p/60 | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 25 points | 25-point contrast-detect AF with face detection | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 5fps (2.5fps with AF-S per frame) | |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 474g (with battery and card) | 482g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | Optional EVF (FDA-EV1MK) or optical finder | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Single SD / Memory Stick slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7S and RX1 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 RX1 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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