Upgrade Guide
Sony RX1R→Sony A7R II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The A7R II improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most RX1R owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A7R II
-
Resolution42MP vs 24MP (+18MP)
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Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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Battery life~290 shots (CIPA) vs ~220 shots (CIPA)
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Generation2 years newer (2015 vs 2013)
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 | A7R II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +3.1 | ||
| Street | -0.8 | ||
| Travel | +0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.0 | ||
| Documentary | +2.2 | ||
| Landscape | +2.1 | ||
| Casual | +0.5 | ||
| Food | +2.2 | ||
| Macro | +2.7 | ||
| Architecture | +2.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.3 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | RX1R | A7R II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £427 used | £420 used | |
| Released | 2013 | 2015 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP full-frame CMOS | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 42MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | |
| Autofocus | 25-point contrast-detect AF with face detection | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | |
| Stabilisation | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps (2.5fps with AF-S per frame) | 5fps | |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 482g (with battery and card) | 625g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optional EVF (FDA-EV1MK) or optical finder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | |
| Mount | Fixed Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / Memory Stick slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See RX1R and A7R II 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 A7R II against your specific genres — not just specs.
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