Upgrade Guide

Sony A9→Sony A7R

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

You own

Sony

£1999

2017

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7R

£349 (-£1,650)

2013

⚖️

Situational

One clear hardware improvement over the A9. 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	A7R
Price	£1,999	£349
Released	2017	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 + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking	Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor)
Stabilisation	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops	None
Burst Rate	20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)	4fps	↓
Battery Life	~650 shots (CIPA)	~340 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	673g (with battery and card)	465g (with battery and card)	↑
Weather Sealed	Yes	No	↓
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)	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 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 A9

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Camera family history