Qvs A7S III
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street, Travel & Fine Art Photography — Q (2015): The camera that redefined luxury compact photography — a full-frame sensor, the finest 28mm compact lens available, and a shooting feel that is uniquely Leica.
Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
Who should buy what
Q (2015)
- Street and documentary photographers who want a full-frame fixed-lens camera with iconic character
- Travel photographers who want the finest compact image quality available
- Leica enthusiasts who want an autofocus alternative to the M system
- Photographers who value build quality and shooting experience as much as spec sheets
A7S III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
Quick take: The q has the highest resolution at 24mp; the q is the most affordable; only the a7s iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Q (2015) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 49 AF fields, face detection | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | None | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 640g (with battery and card) | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.0 × 93.5mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.68M dots, 0.68× magnification | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Fixed Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Q | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Q
Camera family history