A7 IIIvs A7R
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
Who should buy what
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
A7R (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; the a7r is the most affordable; only the a7 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 III (2018) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699 | £349 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops | None |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 4fps |
| Battery Life | ~710 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 565g (body, battery, card) | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 III | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history