Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R III→Sony Sony A9 III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
→
Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7R III. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the Sony A9 III
-
StabilisationImproved — 8-stop IBIS
-
Burst rate120fps blackout-free electronic vs 10fps with AF/AE tracking
-
Generation6 years newer (2023 vs 2017)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution25MP (down from 42MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R III | Sony A9 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Wedding | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | ||
| Travel | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R III | Sony A9 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £5,999 | |
| Released | 2017 | 2023 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 25MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p | |
| Autofocus | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops | 8-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 120fps blackout-free electronic | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~650 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 650g body only | 703g body only | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7R III and Sony A9 III next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the Sony A9 III against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A7R III