A7R IIIvs Sony RX100 VII
Sony
A7R III (2017)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
View A7R III
VS
Sony
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel & versatility
View Sony RX100 VII
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Travel & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
Who should buy what
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
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- Travel photographers who want the most capable 1-inch compact available
- Vloggers who need fast AF and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket body
- Photographers who want a high-quality compact backup to a mirrorless system
- Anyone who wants professional AF performance without carrying a large camera
Quick take: The a7r iii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the sony rx100 vii is the most affordable; only the a7r iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R III (2017) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | 42.4MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | ~650 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 650g body only | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R III | Sony RX100 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding | — | |
| Street | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
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