A7Rvs A7S III
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
Who should buy what
A7R (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
A7S III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; the a7r is the most affordable; only the a7s iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R (2013) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 36.4MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | None | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Street | — |
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