A7 IIIvs Sony RX100 VII
Which should you buy?
All-Round Photography & Video — A7 III (2018): Still one of the best all-round cameras money can buy — particularly strong used. The A7 III proved that full-frame doesn't have to mean compromises, and nothing at this price point has meaningfully beaten it.
Travel & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
Who should buy what
A7 III (2018)
- Enthusiast photographers upgrading from APS-C for the first time
- Working photographers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Anyone who shoots in low light regularly
- Hybrid shooters needing both stills and video performance
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- You want serious image quality in a camera small enough to carry absolutely everywhere
- You shoot travel, events, or street photography and want something discreet but genuinely capable
- You need fast burst shooting and reliable autofocus in the most pocketable possible package
Quick take: The a7 iii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the sony rx100 vii is the most affordable; only the a7 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 III (2018) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | ~710 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 565g (body, battery, card) | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
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