Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R III→Sony A7R
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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The A7R offers little measurable spec improvement over the A7R III. Spend the money on glass instead.
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution36MP (down from 42MP — optimised for low light)
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
-
StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R III | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | ||
| Portrait | -2.0 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -3.0 | ||
| Wedding | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports | — | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R III | A7R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £349 | |
| Released | 2017 | 2013 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 36MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops | None | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 4fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~650 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 650g body only | 465g (with battery and card) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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