Sony RX1R II vs A7R II

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II and the Sony Alpha A7R II are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2015 and June 2015. The RX1R II is a fixed lens compact, while the A7R II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 42.2 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony RX1R II		Sony A7R II
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
35mm f/2.0		Sony E mount lenses
42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor		42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1229k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
220 shots per battery charge		290 shots per battery charge
113 x 65 x 72 mm, 507 g		127 x 96 x 60 mm, 625 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II and the Sony Alpha A7R II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony RX1R II and the Sony A7R II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7R II is considerably larger (66 percent) than the Sony RX1R II. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7R II is splash and dust-proof, while the RX1R II does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX1R II has a lens built in, whereas the A7R II is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the A7R II and their specifications in the Sony FE Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the RX1R II gets 220 shots out of its Sony NP-BX1 battery, while the A7R II can take 290 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D810	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	980 g	1200	Y	Jun 2014	3,299	ebay.com
7.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
8.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
9.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7S	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	489 g	380	Y	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7R II is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the A7R II has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 42.2 megapixels. This implies that the A7R II has a lower pixel density and marginally larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 4.50μm for the RX1R II), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the RX1R II is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the A7R II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The A7R II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The Sony Alpha A7R II offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
2.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
3.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
4.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
6.		Nikon D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
7.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
8.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
9.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
10.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
11.		Sony A7S	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	3702	87
12.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
13.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
14.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A7R II provides a better video resolution than the RX1R II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the RX1R II is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A7R II offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the RX1R II (2400k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony RX1R II and Sony A7R II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
2.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Nikon D810	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
10.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A7S	2400	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
12.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A7R II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the RX1R II and the A7R II write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II and Sony Alpha A7R II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Nikon D810	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
7.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
8.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
9.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A7S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the RX1R II and the A7R II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7R II was replaced by the Sony A7R III, while the RX1R II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the RX1R II and A7R II can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX1R II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7R II Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Sony RX1R II or the Sony A7R II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the A7R II requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (113x65mm vs 127x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the A7R II).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 4 months after the A7R II).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7R II:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.74x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (290 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2015).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7R II is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony RX1R II and the Sony A7R II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the RX1R II and the A7R II in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D810	5/5	..	5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	3,299	ebay.com
7.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
8.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
9.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7S	4/5	..	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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