Leica SL3vs A7R III
Leica
Leica SL3 (2024)
Starting from £6499 new
Best for Professional & luxury hybrid shooters
View Leica SL3
VS
Sony
A7R III (2017)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
View A7R III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional & Luxury Hybrid Shooters — Leica SL3 (2024): Leica's most capable mirrorless — 60MP, 30fps burst, 8K ProRes, and 7.5-stop IBIS with L-mount's growing lens ecosystem.
Landscape, Studio & Commercial Photography — A7R III (2017): The camera that converted professionals to mirrorless — 42MP, IBIS, and 10fps in a body that still competes today.
Who should buy what
Leica SL3 (2024)
- Leica photographers who want autofocus full-frame in the L-mount system
- SL2 owners upgrading to 60MP and improved autofocus performance
- Professionals who want Leica build quality with L-mount lens versatility
- Photographers who want to share lenses across Leica, Sigma, and Lumix bodies
A7R III (2017)
- Landscape and studio photographers who need 42MP resolution at a used-price discount vs A7R IV
- Canon/Nikon DSLR professionals considering a mirrorless switch at a lower investment
- Commercial and product photographers who want full-frame resolution with IBIS for handheld work
- Portrait photographers who want the sharpest possible full-frame files for large print work
Quick take: The leica sl3 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a7r iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica SL3 (2024) | A7R III (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,499 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/60p, Apple ProRes | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | 7.5-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 410 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 875g body only | 650g body only |
| Dimensions | 146.0 × 104.0 × 42.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.78" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | Leica L-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.1, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica SL3 | A7R III |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with Leica SL3
Camera family history