Upgrade Guide
Sony A7R→Sony FX3
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
→
Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7R. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the FX3
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
-
Burst rate10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic vs 4fps
-
Battery life~640 shots (CIPA) vs ~340 shots (CIPA)
-
Generation8 years newer (2021 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution12MP (down from 36MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R | FX3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Architecture | — | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +5.0 | ||
| Low Light | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Wedding | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7R | FX3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £3,799 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2021 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) | |
| Resolution | 36MP | 12MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) | |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 465g (with battery and card) | 715g body only (with XLR handle) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | None — monitor/external EVF use only | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7R and FX3 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 FX3 against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A7R
Related buying guides
Camera family history