A7R IIvs FX3
Sony
A7R II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Portrait, landscape & studio photography
View A7R II
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Portrait, Landscape & Studio Photography — A7R II (2015): The A7R II transformed the A7R series — adding IBIS, 4K video, BSI sensor tech, and phase-detect AF in one generation. A landmark Sony camera.
Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
Who should buy what
A7R II (2015)
- Landscape and architecture photographers who want 42MP with IBIS for handheld shooting
- Portrait and studio photographers who need high resolution with improved AF reliability
- Sony FE system users who want a capable high-resolution body at a used price
- A7R I owners who need the stabilisation, 4K, and improved AF the original lacked
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
Quick take: The a7r ii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the a7r ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R II (2015) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 42.4MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 625g (with battery and card) | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R II | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wedding | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A7R II
Camera family history