Sony a7R II vs Sony a37

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7R II and Sony a37. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7R II has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Sony a37 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)

Resolution

Sony a7R II has a 42 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a37 has 16 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a7R II has a 163 % larger resolution than Sony a37. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 25600.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a7R II
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a37

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7R II can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Sony a37 can shoot up to 5,5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a7R II and Sony a37 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a7R II weighs 625 gr (equal to 1.38 lb) which is 24% heavier than Sony a37 and its 506 gr (or 1.12 lb).

Sony a7R II vs Sony a37 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7R II and Sony a37, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Name	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Manufacturer	Sony	Sony
Release Date and Price	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Release Year	2015	2012
Release Date	2015-06-10	2012-05-17
MSRP	3199 USD	599 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Camera Type	Mirrorless	SLT
Sensor	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Sensor Size	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	7952 x 5304 pixels	4912 x 3264 pixels
Megapixels	42 MP	16 MP
Image Processor	Bionz X	Bionz
Image	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
ISO Range	100 - 25600	100 - 25600
White Balance Presets	10	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift (5-axis))	Yes (Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	4.5 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	399	15
Lens Mount	Sony E See Compatible Lenses	Sony A See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Tilting
Screen size	3”	2.6”
Screen dots	1228800	230400
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	TFT LCD	N/A
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.78x	1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Frames per second	5 fps	5,5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	No
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 XAVC-S AVCHD	MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD
Video resolution	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	Yes
Storage	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	Yes	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)	Yes Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control	Yes (wired or via smartphone)	Yes (Optional)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a7R II	Sony a37
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger	Rechargeable NP-FW50 battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	290 shots	500 shots
Width	127 mm	124 mm
Height	96 mm	92 mm
Depth	60 mm	85 mm
Weight	625 gram	506 gram