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X-E3 vs A7
Quick take: The A7 is the most affordable; only the A7 is weather sealed.
Where the X-E3 wins
- Price: £150 used
- Burst Rate: 8fps (electronic shutter up to 14fps)
- Battery Life: ~350 shots (CIPA)
- Weight: 337g (body only)
- Street: 7.4 vs 6.2
Where the A7 wins
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Portrait: 6.6 vs 6.1
- Wedding & Events: 5.3 vs 4.5
- Documentary: 5.6 vs 4.9
- Landscape: 5.8 vs 4.6
16 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
X-E3 — Street & Travel: The X-E3 is the lightest Fujifilm interchangeable-lens camera with the 24.3MP X-Trans III sensor. Its slim, compact body appeals to street photographers who find the X-T line too bulky. The touchscreen joystick and Bluetooth connection are welcome additions. 4K is technically available but limited to 15fps — this is a stills-first camera. An excellent compact travel camera at used-market prices.
A7 — Camera History & Full-Frame Introduction: The camera that changed photography — the world's first compact full-frame mirrorless, the A7 launched a product family that redefined what was possible.
Who should buy what
X-E3 (2017)
is the right camera for you if…
- Street photographers who want Fujifilm colours
- Travel photographers prioritising size
- Minimalist camera users
A7 (2013)
is the right camera for you if…
- Photographers interested in the camera that launched the full-frame mirrorless era
- Budget-conscious buyers who want to experience full-frame image quality at minimal cost
- Sony FE system users who want the original A7 for sentimental or historical value
- Those adapting vintage lenses who want full-frame with phase-detect AF at low cost
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | X-E3Fujifilm · 2017 | A7Sony · 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £150 usedBest | £151 used |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III | 24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF, face detection | 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 8fps (electronic shutter up to 14fps)Best | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA)Best | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 337g (body only)Best | 474g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 121.3 × 73.9 × 42.7mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.62× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen (fixed), 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Fujifilm X-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
X-E3
A7
Portrait
6.1/10
6.6/10
Street
7.4/10
6.2/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
4.5/10
5.3/10
Filmmaking
4.5/10
—
Documentary
4.9/10
5.6/10
Sports & Action
6.3/10
5.8/10
Landscape
4.6/10
5.8/10
Wildlife
6.5/10
6.5/10
Casual
5.0/10
3.9/10
Food
4.9/10
5.7/10
Macro
5.2/10
5.0/10
Architecture
4.7/10
5.6/10
Astrophotography
4.6/10
5.6/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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