Upgrade Guide
Sony Sony FX5→Sony A7R
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the Sony FX5. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7R
-
Resolution36MP vs 17MP (+20MP)
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Battery life~340 shots (CIPA) vs ~105 min actual recording, ~170 min continuous (LCD)
Unchanged or similar
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StabilisationIBIS not 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 | Sony FX5 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.1 | ||
| Street | +0.4 | ||
| Travel | -0.3 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -2.6 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -3.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | -2.3 | ||
| Landscape | +1.2 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.4 | ||
| Casual | -1.6 | ||
| Food | -1.8 | ||
| Macro | -0.2 | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.3 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Sony FX5 | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,699 | £349 | |
| Released | 2026 | 2013 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 16.6MP full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | |
| Resolution | 17MP | 36MP | ↑ |
| Video | 5K/60p open-gate, 4K/120p, internal RAW/X-OCN, 10-bit Log, triple base ISO | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | AI-powered hybrid phase-detect AF (759 points) with subject tracking | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS with Dynamic Active Mode | No stabilisation | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 4fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~105 min actual recording, ~170 min continuous (LCD) | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 734g (with battery and card) | 465g (with battery and card) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | Optional detachable EVF (DVF-EL1), OLED | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | |
| Screen | Fully articulating touchscreen (4-axis arm) | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | CFexpress Type A + SDXC (dual) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See Sony FX5 and A7R next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R against your specific genres — not just specs.
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