Upgrade Guide
Sony RX1R II→Sony A99 II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
→
Strong upgrade
The A99 II improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most RX1R II owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A99 II
-
Burst rate12fps with AF/AE tracking vs 5fps (2.5fps with AF-S per frame)
-
Battery life~490 shots (CIPA) vs ~220 shots (CIPA)
-
Generation1 year newer (2016 vs 2015)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (42MP)
-
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 | RX1R II | A99 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.1 | ||
| Street | -2.2 | ||
| Travel | -1.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.4 | ||
| Documentary | +0.6 | ||
| Landscape | +0.8 | ||
| Casual | -0.4 | ||
| Food | +0.3 | ||
| Macro | +0.5 | ||
| Architecture | +1.0 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.6 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | RX1R II | A99 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £623 used | £749 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2016 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP full-frame CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame sensor | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 42MP | |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 (XAVC S) | 4K/30p full-pixel readout, 1080p/120, S-Log2 / S-Log3 | |
| Autofocus | 399-point phase-detect + 25-point contrast hybrid AF, Eye AF | 79-point Hybrid Cross phase-detect AF (dedicated sensor + 399-point on-sensor), Eye AF | |
| Stabilisation | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | 4.5-stop 5-axis sensor-shift | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps (2.5fps with AF-S per frame) | 12fps with AF/AE tracking | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~490 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 507g (with battery and card) | 849g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | Pop-up OLED EVF, 2.36M dots | OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78x | |
| Screen | 3.0" LCD, 1.23M dots, tilts 109° up / 41° down | 3.0" three-way tilting / swivel LCD, 1.23M dots | |
| Mount | Fixed Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 | Sony A-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / Memory Stick slot | Dual slots: SD / Memory Stick + SD |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See RX1R II and A99 II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A99 II against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the RX1R II
Related buying guides
Camera family history