Upgrade Guide
Sony A7→Sony A7R III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7R III
-
Resolution42MP vs 24MP (+18MP)
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Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Burst rate10fps with AF/AE tracking vs 5fps
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Battery life~650 shots (CIPA) vs ~340 shots (CIPA)
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Generation4 years newer (2017 vs 2013)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 | A7R III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | ||
| Landscape | — | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +3.0 | ||
| Wedding | — | ||
| Sports | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7 | A7R III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £299 | £1,799 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2017 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 42MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p | |
| Autofocus | 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF | |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 474g (with battery and card) | 650g body only | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) |
Compare side-by-side
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Other upgrades from the A7
Camera family history