Upgrade Guide
Sony A7S→Sony RX100
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The RX100 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7S owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the RX100
-
Resolution20MP vs 12MP (+8MP)
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
-
Burst rate10fps (focus fixed at the first frame) vs 5fps
Unchanged or similar
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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 | RX100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -2.0 | ||
| Street | +0.6 | ||
| Travel | +0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -2.1 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -2.3 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Landscape | -1.1 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Casual | +0.3 | ||
| Food | -1.3 | ||
| Macro | -1.4 | ||
| Architecture | -1.1 | ||
| Astrophotography | -3.4 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7S | RX100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £303 used | £74 used | |
| Released | 2014 | 2012 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 12.2MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 20.2MP 1-inch CMOS | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| 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 | 10fps (focus fixed at the first frame) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 474g (with battery and card) | 240g (with battery and card) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | No viewfinder | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot | Single SD / Memory Stick slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7S and RX100 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 RX100 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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