Z50vs A7 III
VS
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Beginner, Travel, Everyday — Z50 (2019): Nikon's Z system at its most accessible.
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.
Who should buy what
Z50 (2019)
- Nikon DSLR users wanting a lighter mirrorless
- First-time enthusiast camera buyers
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
Quick take: The a7 iii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the z50 is the most affordable; only the a7 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z50 (2019) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K 30fps (1.5× crop), 1080p 120fps | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | 209-point phase-detect hybrid AF | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 300 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 397g (body only) | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 126.5 × 93.5 × 60.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.68× 2.36M-dot | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" downward-tilting touchscreen, 1.04M-dot | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-Mount (DX) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB, Micro HDMI | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z50 | A7 III |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — |
More comparisons with Z50
Camera family history