Nikon Zfcvs A7R III
Nikon
Nikon Zfc (2021)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Lifestyle, street & casual shooters
View Nikon Zfc
VS
Sony
A7R III (2017)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
View A7R III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Lifestyle, Street & Casual Shooters — Nikon Zfc (2021): Nikon's most beautiful camera — FM2-inspired dials and styling wrapped around a capable modern sensor with Z-mount access.
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
Nikon Zfc (2021)
- Photographers who want APS-C Z quality in a retro film-camera aesthetic
- Beginners and enthusiasts attracted to tactile dial controls
- Street and travel photographers who want a compact, stylish Z body
- Anyone who wants the Nikon Z system entry point with a distinctive look
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 nikon zfc is the most affordable; only the a7r iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Zfc (2021) | A7R III (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (slight crop), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase/contrast AF with subject detection | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | None (lens-based only) | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 300 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 445g body only | 650g body only |
| Dimensions | 134.5 × 93.5 × 43.5mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.39" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-I SD | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Zfc | A7R III |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with Nikon Zfc
Camera family history