A7vs A7 III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Camera History & Full-Frame Introduction — A7 (2013): The camera that changed photography — the world's first compact full-frame mirrorless, the A7 launched a product family that redefined what was possible.
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.
Who should buy what
A7 (2013)
- Photographers interested in the camera that launched the full-frame mirrorless era
- Budget-conscious buyers who want to experience full-frame image quality at minimal cost
- Sony FE system users who want the original A7 for sentimental or historical value
- Those adapting vintage lenses who want full-frame with phase-detect AF at low cost
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
Quick take: The a7 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a7 is the most affordable; only the a7 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 (2013) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £299 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 474g (with battery and card) | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 | A7 III |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| 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