Upgrade Guide
Sony A7S II→Sony A7S III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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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 A7S III
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StabilisationImproved — 5.5-stop IBIS
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Burst rate10fps mechanical vs 5fps continuous
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Battery life~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording vs ~370 shots (CIPA)
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Generation5 years newer (2020 vs 2015)
Unchanged or similar
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ResolutionSimilar (12MP)
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 | A7S II | A7S III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.7 | ||
| Street | +0.9 | ||
| Travel | +0.8 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.9 | ||
| Filmmaking | +2.0 | ||
| Documentary | +1.9 | ||
| Sports & Action | +2.2 | ||
| Landscape | +0.5 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.9 | ||
| Casual | +1.4 | ||
| Food | +1.6 | ||
| Macro | +1.0 | ||
| Architecture | +0.7 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.0 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7S II | A7S III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £2,999 | |
| Released | 2015 | 2020 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 12MP | |
| Video | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 169 points; limited by modern standards | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) | 5.5-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps continuous | 10fps mechanical | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording | ↑ |
| Weight | 584g (body only) | 699g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-I slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
Compare side-by-side
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