Upgrade Guide

Sony A7S II→Sony A7R III

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A7S II

£799

2015

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7R III

£1799 (+£1,000)

2017

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A7S II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A7R III

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7S II	A7R III
Price	£799	£1,799
Released	2015	2017	↑
Sensor	12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS	42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS
Resolution	12MP	42MP	↑
Video	4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3	4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p
Autofocus	169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards	399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF
Stabilisation	5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS)	5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops
Burst Rate	5fps continuous	10fps with AF/AE tracking	↑
Battery Life	~370 shots (CIPA)	~650 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	584g body only	650g body only	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification	EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification
Screen	3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots	3.0" touchscreen, tilting
Mount	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Dual SD UHS-I slots	Dual SD slots (one UHS-II)

Compare side-by-side

See A7S II and A7R III next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7R III against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A7S II

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Camera family history