Upgrade Guide

Sony A9 II→Sony A7R

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

You own

Sony

A9 II

£3299

2019

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7R

£349 (-£2,950)

2013

⚖️

Situational

One clear hardware improvement over the A9 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	A9 II	A7R
Price	£3,299	£349
Released	2019	2013	↓
Sensor	24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS	36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF)
Resolution	24MP	36MP	↑
Video	4K/30p, 1080p/120p	1080p/60p
Autofocus	693 phase-detect + 425 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking	Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor)
Stabilisation	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5.5 stops	None
Burst Rate	20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE)	4fps	↓
Battery Life	~500 shots (CIPA)	~340 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	678g (with battery and card)	465g (with battery and card)	↑
Weather Sealed	Yes	No	↓
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification
Screen	3.0" tilting touchscreen	3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch)
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Dual SD UHS-II slots	Single SD UHS-I slot

Compare side-by-side

See A9 II and A7R next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

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Other upgrades from the A9 II

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Camera family history