Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R II→Sony A7R III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The A7R III improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7R II owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the A7R III
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Burst rate10fps with AF/AE tracking vs 5fps
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Battery life~650 shots (CIPA) vs ~290 shots (CIPA)
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Generation2 years newer (2017 vs 2015)
Unchanged or similar
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ResolutionSimilar (42MP)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | A7R II | A7R III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.7 | ||
| Street | +0.3 | ||
| Travel | +0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.0 | ||
| Filmmaking | +0.4 | ||
| Documentary | +0.6 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.5 | ||
| Landscape | +1.0 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.9 | ||
| Casual | +0.8 | ||
| Food | +0.6 | ||
| Macro | +0.4 | ||
| Architecture | +1.1 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.0 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R II | A7R III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £420 used | £704 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2017 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 42MP | |
| Video | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p | |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~290 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 625g (with battery and card) | 650g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (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
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7R II and A7R III next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R III against your specific genres — not just specs.
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