Z50vs A7R III

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Nikon Z50 Nikon Z50 (2019) Starting from £499 new Best for Beginner, travel, everyday View Z50
VS
Sony A7R III Sony A7R III (2017) Starting from £1799 new Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography View A7R III

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?

Beginner, Travel, Everyday — Z50 (2019): Nikon's Z system at its most accessible.

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.

↓ Full specifications below

Z50 (2019)

  • Nikon DSLR users wanting a lighter mirrorless
  • First-time enthusiast camera buyers

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 a7r iii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the z50 is the most affordable; only the a7r iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Z50 (2019)A7R III (2017)
Price £499 £1,799
Sensor APS-C CMOS 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS
Resolution 20.9MP 42.4MP
Video 4K 30fps (1.5× crop), 1080p 120fps 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p
Autofocus 209-point phase-detect hybrid AF 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF
Stabilisation None 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops
Burst Rate 11fps 10fps with AF/AE tracking
Battery Life 300 shots (CIPA) ~650 shots (CIPA)
Weight 397g (body only) 650g body only
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, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification
Screen 3.2" downward-tilting touchscreen, 1.04M-dot 3.0" touchscreen, tilting
Mount Nikon Z-Mount (DX) Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-I Dual SD slots (one UHS-II)
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB, Micro HDMI USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack
Genre Z50A7R III
Landscape
9.0
Portrait
9.0
Vlogging & Video
7.0
Wedding
7.0
Street
7.0
Sports
4.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side Z50 prices → A7R III prices →

More comparisons with Z50

Camera family history