Sony
A7R III 2017
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
£1799
list price · used from £668 at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
A7R III vs FX3
Quick take: The A7R III has the highest resolution at 42MP; the A7R III is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Sony
FX3 2021
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
£2999
new today at Wex Photo Video
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
A7R III — Landscape, Studio & Commercial Photography: The camera that converted professionals to mirrorless — 42MP, IBIS, and 10fps in a body that still competes today.
FX3 — Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking: The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
Who should buy what
A7R III (2017)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
FX3 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A7R IIISony · 2017 | FX3Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799Best | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 42.4MPBest | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~650 shots (CIPA)Best | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 650g (body only)Best | 715g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
A7R III
FX3
Portrait
7.8/10
5.7/10
Street
6.1/10
4.3/10
Travel
6.1/10
5.5/10
Wedding & Events
7.5/10
6.0/10
Filmmaking
6.3/10
9.1/10
Documentary
6.7/10
8.0/10
Sports & Action
7.3/10
5.5/10
Landscape
7.4/10
4.7/10
Wildlife
7.6/10
5.8/10
Casual
4.7/10
4.9/10
Food
7.0/10
6.7/10
Macro
6.2/10
5.5/10
Architecture
7.5/10
5.2/10
Astrophotography
7.0/10
6.7/10
Vlogging & Video
—
6.1/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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