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Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III Comparison

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Sony A7 III

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony A7 III
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Sony A7R III

42 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony A7R III
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Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A7 III and A7R III, two Pro Mirrorless cameras by Sony. Sony A7 III was introduced to market in February 2018 and Sony A7R III was launched in October 2017. There is only 4 months difference between A7 III and A7R III so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7 III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-02-27
  • 24MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50 - 204800)
  • Sony E Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 650g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Alpha A7 II Compare

Sony A7R III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-10-25
  • 42MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 32000 ( expands to 50 - 102400)
  • Sony E Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 3686k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 657g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Alpha A7R II Compare

Sony A7 III was replaced by Sony Alpha A7 IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha A7 IV vs Sony Alpha A7 III
Sony Alpha A7 IV vs Sony Alpha A7R III

Sony A7R III was replaced by Sony Alpha A7R IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha A7R IV vs Sony Alpha A7R III
Sony Alpha A7R IV vs Sony Alpha A7 III

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7 III over Sony Alpha A7R III
Max ISO
51.200 vs 32.000 60% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
693 vs 425 268 more focus points
Weight
650 g vs 657 g 7 g lighter
Low Light ISO
3730 vs 3523 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
35.50µm2 vs 20.43µm2 73% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7R III over Sony Alpha A7 III
Max Sensor Resolution
42 MP vs 24 MP 75% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution
1.440k dots vs 922k dots 56% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
650 shots vs 610 shots 40 more frames with a single charge
Viewfinder Resolution
3686.4k dot vs 2360k dot 56% higher resolution
Color Depth
26.0 vs 25.0 higher color depth
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Pixel Shift High-Res Mode
Yes (169. 6) vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
425 points vs none Autofocus with teleconverters

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7 III and Sony Alpha A7R III
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection
Yes vs Yes Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
24 MP vs 42 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 1.440k dots High resolution screens
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs Yes Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Dual-axis Electronic Level
Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Storage Slot
2 vs 2 Extra Storage Slot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Min Focus Sensitivity
EV -3 vs EV -3 Autofocus in very low light
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs UHS-II Read/Write in High Speeds
Webcam Function
Yes vs Yes Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti_flicker
Yes vs Yes Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs Yes Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7 III and Sony Alpha A7R III
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7 III has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 74 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.91″) and weighs 650 g (1.43 lb / 22.93 oz) (including batteries). Sony A7R III has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 74 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.91″) and weighs 657 g (1.45 lb / 23.17 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III. In this case, we can see that Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III have the exact same height, width and thickness.

Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III.

Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III.
Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7 III is 7g lighter than the Sony A7R III but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III have the same Sony E lens mount and Full frame sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7 III
A7R III
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7 III
A7R III
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both A7 III and A7R III have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Both cameras feature Tilting screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels.
Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7 III has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Sony A7R III has a 42.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Sony A7R III's sensor provides 18MP more than Sony A7 III's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Sony A7R III's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A7 III and A7R III sensor size comparison.

Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III Cameras


Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A7R III has a better overall score of 100, 4 points higher compared to A7 III's score of 96.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7 III 96 25.0 bits 14.7 Evs 3730 ISO
Sony A7R III 100 26.0 bits 14.7 Evs 3523 ISO
Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III have the same Sony E lens mount so have 176 native lenses available. All of these lenses cover Full frame sensor.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies. A7 III's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 5.0-stops according to CIPA standards whereas A7R III's IS system is rated upto 5.0-stops.

Lens Type # of Sony A7 III Lenses # of Sony A7R III Lenses
Standard Zoom 16 (11 Full Frame) 16 (11 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 32 (18 Full Frame) 32 (18 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 9 (8 Full Frame) 9 (8 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 54 (37 Full Frame) 54 (37 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 15 (13 Full Frame) 15 (13 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 26 (20 Full Frame) 26 (20 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 10 (2 Full Frame) 10 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 (0 Full Frame) 2 (0 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 9 (8 Full Frame) 9 (8 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 2 (2 Full Frame) 2 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 176 (119 Full Frame) 176 (119 Full Frame)

Here are some of the most popular Sony E Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sony E Mount Lenses for A7 III and A7R III
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Samyang AF 35mm F1.8 FE Lens Samyang AF 35mm F1.8 FE
35mm FF 210gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 G OSS
35mm FF 2115gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 35mm F1.8 Lens Sony FE 35mm F1.8
35mm FF 280gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS Lens Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
35mm FF 602gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Lens Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
35mm FF 780gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Venus Laowa 24mm F14 2x Macro Probe Lens Venus Laowa 24mm F14 2x Macro Probe
35mm FF 474gr MF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
35mm FF 663gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM Lens Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM
35mm FF 524gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A7 III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony A7R III for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7R III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A7R III for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
693 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 610 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
425 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 650 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7R III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
650g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Medium size Body
657g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A7R III for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A7 III and Sony A7R III scores compare:

Sony A7 III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #27 out of 98 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #28 out of 1239 in all Cameras
Sony A7R III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #11 out of 98 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #11 out of 1239 in all Cameras

Sony A7R III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony A7 III in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Sony A7 III. Otherwise, Sony A7R III is the better camera overall.

Sony A7 III
Sony A7 III
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Sony A7R III
Sony A7R III
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Sony A7R III vs Sony A7 III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7 III Sony Alpha A7R III
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2018-02-27 2017-10-25
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.8 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 852.04mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 42 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 7952 x 5304
Max Native Light sensitivity 51,200 ISO 32,000 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 204800 ISO 102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 ISO 50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 693 425
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Sony E
Number of Available Lenses 176 176
Screen
Type Tilting Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 922k dots 1,440k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots 3,686k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.78x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 650g 657g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74mm 127 x 96 x 74mm
Battery Life 610 shots 650 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 96 100
DxO Color Depth 25.0 26.0
DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 14.7
DxO Low Light ISO 3730 3523
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