Sony
A7S III 2020
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
£3389
new today at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
A7S III vs A9 II
Quick take: The A9 II has the highest resolution at 24MP; the A7S 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.
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?
A7S III — Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking: 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.
A9 II — Professional Sports, Wildlife & Photojournalism: The A9 II polished the A9's groundbreaking formula — 20fps blackout-free, improved subject tracking, and a LAN port made it the professional sports standard.
Who should buy what
A7S III (2020)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
A9 II (2019)
is the right camera for you if…
- Sports photographers who need 20fps with reliable eye and body tracking
- Photojournalists who need LAN transfer and instant wireless file delivery
- Wildlife photographers who want the fastest Sony AF in a proven body
- A9 owners who need the improved ergonomics, weather sealing, and Ethernet
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A7S IIISony · 2020 | A9 IISony · 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,389 | £1,766 usedBest |
| Sensor | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 12.1MP | 24.2MPBest |
| Video | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition | 693 phase-detect + 425 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5.5-stop IBIS | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical | 20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE)Best |
| Battery Life | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recordingBest | ~500 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 699g (with battery and card) | 678g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 128.9 × 96.4 × 77.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet (LAN), HDMI |
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
A7S III
A9 II
Portrait
7.5/10
7.6/10
Street
6.2/10
6.1/10
Travel
6.0/10
5.9/10
Wedding & Events
7.5/10
7.5/10
Vlogging & Video
5.9/10
—
Filmmaking
8.2/10
6.7/10
Documentary
7.7/10
6.9/10
Sports & Action
7.4/10
8.3/10
Landscape
5.5/10
6.1/10
Wildlife
7.5/10
8.2/10
Casual
4.9/10
4.7/10
Food
6.8/10
6.8/10
Macro
5.8/10
5.9/10
Architecture
5.5/10
6.1/10
Astrophotography
7.8/10
7.2/10
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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