Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R IV→Sony A7S III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
→
Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7R IV. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7S III
-
StabilisationImproved — 5.5-stop IBIS
-
Generation1 year newer (2020 vs 2019)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution12MP (down from 61MP — optimised for low light)
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 IV | A7S III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.6 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Travel | -0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.3 | ||
| Filmmaking | +1.8 | ||
| Documentary | +0.8 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Landscape | -2.4 | ||
| Wildlife | -0.2 | ||
| Casual | +0.1 | ||
| Food | -0.6 | ||
| Macro | -0.7 | ||
| Architecture | -2.6 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.9 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R IV | A7S III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £2,999 | |
| Released | 2019 | 2020 | ↑ |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS 35mm | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) | |
| Resolution | 61MP | 12MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K 30fps | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p | |
| Autofocus | 567-point phase-detect, real-time tracking | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | 5.5-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 10fps mechanical | |
| Battery Life | 670 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording | ↓ |
| Weight | 665g (body only) | 699g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.44M-dot | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots | |
| Mount | Sony E-Mount | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7R IV and A7S 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 A7S III against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A7R IV
Related buying guides
Camera family history