Upgrade Guide

Sony A9→Sony A7S III

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

You own

Sony

£1999

2017

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7S III

£2999 (+£1,000)

2020

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A9. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A7S III

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A9	A7S III
Price	£1,999	£2,999
Released	2017	2020	↑
Sensor	24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS	12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated)
Resolution	24MP	12MP	↓
Video	4K/30p, 1080p/120p	4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p
Autofocus	693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking	Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition
Stabilisation	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops	5.5-stop IBIS
Burst Rate	20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)	10fps mechanical	↓
Battery Life	~650 shots (CIPA)	~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording	↓
Weight	673g (with battery and card)	699g (body, battery, card)	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)	OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made
Screen	3.0" tilting touchscreen	3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame 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

See A9 and A7S III next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

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Other upgrades from the A9

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Camera family history