A7 Vvs A7R III
VS
Sony
A7R III (2017)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
View A7R III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Portrait, Wedding, Travel, Video — A7 V (2024): The definitive full-frame mirrorless. Hard to argue for anything else at this price.
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
A7 V (2024)
- A7 III or A7 IV owners ready for a meaningful upgrade
- Photographers who want one camera to cover everything
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 a7r iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 V (2024) | A7R III (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI-CMOS 35mm, partially stacked | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 33.0MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 4K 60fps 10-bit | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition (human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle) | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 20fps electronic | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 760 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 514g (body only) | 650g body only |
| Dimensions | 131.3 × 96.4 × 70.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.90× 9.44M-dot | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.44M-dot | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | Sony E-Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type A | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 V | A7R III |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with A7 V
Camera family history