Z6 IIvs A7R III
Which should you buy?
All-Round Full-Frame Photography — Z6 II (2020): The Z6 II is the Nikon most photographers should buy. It's balanced across every discipline — stills, video, autofocus, weather sealing — without overpaying for megapixels you don't need. The Z-mount glass is superb.
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
Z6 II (2020)
- Nikon DSLR users ready to move to mirrorless
- Photographers who need a reliable all-rounder without specialising
- Video creators wanting 4K/60p in a weather-sealed body
- Enthusiasts who shoot everything from portraits to travel
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 z6 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z6 II (2020) | A7R III (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 24.5MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.5MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 273 points, Eye AF, subject tracking | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 14fps mechanical, 14fps electronic (12-bit RAW) | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 705g (body, battery, card) | 650g body only |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z6 II | A7R III |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Street | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with Z6 II
Camera family history