Today, I want to take a look at how Sony’s a7CR and a7C II compare, for the many photographers who may be trying to choose between these two lightweight, full-frame cameras! They are strikingly similar cameras in almost every way – except that the a7CR has a 61.0 megapixel sensor, while the a7C II has a 33.0 megapixel sensor. The rest of the differences flow from that.
Sony a7CR vs Sony a7C II Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Sony a7CR | Sony a7C II |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | August 2023 | August 2023 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | BSI CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Image Processor | BIONZ XR | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 61.0 MP | 33.0 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 9504×6336 | 7008×4672 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.7 x 23.8 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 3.76µ | 5.12µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 32,000 | ISO 51,200 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 50-102,400 | ISO 50-204,800 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | Yes | No |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/8000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 8 FPS | 10 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 7 FPS | 10 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | Compressed 12-bit raw at 8 FPS (uncompressed 14-bit raw is available at 7 FPS) | Compressed 12-bit raw at 10 FPS (uncompressed 14-bit raw is available at 8 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 36 frames (8 FPS) | 44 frames (10 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition |
| Autofocus Points | 693 | 759 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -4 EV | -4 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/160 | 1/160 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | No |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 10 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 10 bits | 10 bits |
| Raw Video | No | No |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 60 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 120 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | 1.24x crop at 4K 60p (4K 30p has no additional crop) | 1.5x crop at 4K 60p (4K 30p has no additional crop) |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:2 | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 780 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 1 | 1 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-II) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.0 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 1.04 million dots | 1.04 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Fully Articulating | Fully Articulating |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x | 0.70x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 2.36 million dots | 2.36 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | No |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | NP-FZ100 | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 490 frames | 530 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 530 frames | 560 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 515 g (1.14 lbs.) | 514 g (1.13 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 124 x 71 x 63 mm (4.9 x 2.8 x 2.5″) | 124 x 71 x 63 mm (4.9 x 2.8 x 2.5″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $3000 (Check Current Price) | $2200 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Sony a7CR Used Prices | Sony a7C II Used Prices |
As you can see, there are far more similarities than differences! Considering that the Sony a7C II is $800 less expensive, my basic recommendation is to get it instead of the a7CR, unless you see yourself making huge prints or cropping extensively.
In fact, other than resolution, the differences actually favor the cheaper a7C II. It has a faster frame rate, a bigger buffer, and a longer battery life than the a7CR. Granted, these differences aren’t very large, but they do make this decision easy if you don’t need 61 megapixels.
Simply put, the Sony a7CR is more specialized. You’re spending extra cash to get an ultra-light, super high-resolution camera – one of the lightest on the market to have such a high pixel count. And if 61 megapixels isn’t enough, the a7CR’s high-resolution sensor-shift mode lets you take photos with a whopping 240 megapixels, although it works best on nonmoving scenes. All of this comes at a cost. Along with the camera itself being more expensive, you’ll need to pair the Sony a7CR with some of Sony’s sharpest lenses (which tend to be heavier and more expensive) and a top-notch tripod if you want to take advantage of the more detailed sensor.
Meanwhile, the Sony a7C II is the way to go if you need an ultra-light, versatile camera and 33 megapixels is enough for you. In my experience, few photographers need more resolution than that, especially with today’s high-quality upsampling algorithms. Big prints are no problem at 33 MP so long as you use good technique in the field and don’t crop extensively.
I hope that gives you a good understanding of how the two cameras measure up. Basically, it comes down to whether you’re willing to pay $800 more to get 61 megapixels. Almost everything else is identical on the two cameras, and the few remaining differences are actually slightly in favor of the a7C II. Based on the type of photography you do, you probably already know whether 61 MP will be useful or overkill, so don’t agonize over this decision any further!
