Published: March 4, 2018
The new Sony a7 III shares a lot of DNA with its Sony mirrorless siblings, but how does it compare? Is it “a7II-on-Steroids”, “a7R III-Lite” or “Baby a9”?
Tale of the Tape: Sony a7 III -vs- Sony a7 II
| Camera | SONY A7 III | SONY A7 II |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24 MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor | 24 MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor |
| Processor | BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI | BIONZ X Image Processor (1st Generation) |
| Shutter | 10FPS Electronic / 10FPS Mechanical Shutter | 5 FPS Mechanical Shutter |
| Video | UHD 4K30p Video + HLG & S-Log3 Gamma | Full HD XAVC S Video + S-Log2 Gamma |
| Buffer | 89 Shot RAW Buffer | 50 Shot RAW Buffer |
| Phase-Detect Auto Focus | 693 Phase-Detect AF Points | 117 Phase-Detect AF Points |
| Contrast Auto Focus | 425 Contrast AF Points | 25 Contrast AF Points |
| Hybrid AF for Video | YES | NO |
| Dynamic Range | 15 Stop Dynamic Range | 14 Stop Dynamic Range |
| Anti-Aliasing Filter | ??? | YES |
| Pixel Shift | NO | NO |
| Joystick & Touch Focus | YES | NO |
| EVF | 2.36m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF | 2.36m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF |
| LCD | 922k-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen | 1.22m-Dot 3.0″ Tilting LCD |
| Sensitivity | 100-51200 (Ext: 50-204800) | 100-25600 (Ext: 50-25600) |
| Metering Range | EV -3.0 – EV 20.0 | EV -1.0 – EV 20.0 |
| Connectivity | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth |
| Card Slots | Dual SD Slots | Single SD Slot |
| Ports | USB 3.1 Type-C Port | USB 2.0 Port |
| Battery | Sony NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion Battery | Sony NP-FW50 Lithium-Ion Battery |
| Dimensions: (W x H x D) | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9″ | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4″ |
| Weight | 1.43 lb / 650 g | 1.223 lb / 556 g |
| Price | $1,998 | $1,598 |
Both cameras feature 24 MP Full-Frame CMOS sensors, but a7 III’s new and improved sensor offers 1.5 Stop increase in low light performance due to lower noise in the shadows.
A7 III features a back-illuminated sensor. A7 II does not.
Native ISO gets a 1-stop boost to 51,200 with Extended ISO all the way up to 204,800. A7 III Dynamic Range gets a one-stop boost to 15 Stops.
Both cameras have BIONZ X Image Processors, but a7 III uses the NEWER, FASTER, MORE POWERFUL 2nd Generation BIONZ X Processor introduced with a9 and also used in a7R III.
A Front-End LSI adds much-needed horse-power for faster focus and image processing with a larger 89-shot RAW buffer. Shooting speed is increased from 10FPS with either the Electronic or Mechanical Shutter.
The AF system is greatly improved going from 117 PDAF + 25 AF Contrast Points to a whopping 693 PDAF + 425 Contrast AF Points. A7 III also gets the new streamlined Menu System loaded with added features.
A7 III has Silent Shooting Mode. A7 II does not.
A7 III has Joystick Navigation & Touch Focus. A7 II does not.
A7 III has Hybrid AF for Video. A7 II does not.
A7 III has a two-stop better Metering Sensitivity Range down to EV -3.0 for better low-light AF than a7 II.
A7 III gets an upgrade from Standard HD to 4K UHD and adds S-Log3 Gamma.
A7 III gets an upgrade to Dual Card slots (Slot 1 is UHS-II) and the tethering connection is upgraded from USB 2.0 Port to USB 3.1 Type-C Port for much faster tethering.
Sony a7 III weight has increased from 1.223 lb to 1.43 lb and camera depth from 2.4″ to 2.9″ due to the slightly larger grip required to accommodate the best change of all – the NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion battery offering MUCH longer battery life than the NP-FW50 Lithium-Ion Battery used in a7 Mark I & II cameras.
Tale of the Tape: Sony a7 III -vs- Sony a7R III
| Camera | SONY A7 III | SONY A7R III |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24 MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor | 42.4 MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor |
| Processor | BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI | BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI |
| Shutter | 10FPS Electronic / 10FPS Mechanical Shutter | 10FPS Electronic / 10FPS Mechanical Shutter |
| Video | UHD 4K30p Video + HLG & S-Log3 Gamma | UHD 4K30p Video + HLG & S-Log3 Gamma |
| Buffer | 89 Shot RAW Buffer | 76 Shot RAW Buffer |
| Phase-Detect Auto Focus | 693 Phase-Detect AF Points | 399 Phase-Detect AF Points |
| Contrast Auto Focus | 425 Contrast AF Points | 425 Contrast AF Points |
| Hybrid AF for Video | YES | NO |
| Dynamic Range | 15 Stop Dynamic Range | 15 Stop Dynamic Range |
| Anti-Aliasing Filter | ??? | NO |
| Pixel Shift | NO | YES |
| Joystick & Touch Focus | YES | YES |
| EVF | 2.36m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF | 3.69m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF |
| LCD | 922k-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen | 1.44m-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD |
| Sensitivity | 100-51200 (Ext: 50-204800) | 100-32000 (Ext: 50-102400) |
| Metering Range | EV -3.0 – EV 20.0 | EV -3.0 – EV 20.0 |
| Connectivity | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth |
| Card Slots | Dual SD Slots | Dual SD Slots |
| Ports | USB 3.1 Type-C Port | USB 3.1 Type-C Port & PC Sync Port |
| Battery | Sony NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion Battery | Sony NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion Battery |
| Dimensions: (W x H x D) | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9″ | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9″ |
| Weight | 1.43 lb / 650 g | 1.445 lb / 657 g |
| Price | $1,998 | $3,198 |
The “R” stands for resolution with Sony a7R III topping a7 III resolution 42.4mp vs 24mp allowing it to capture finer detail.
A7R III is the only Sony camera with Pixel-Shift for moire-free images with full RGB readout of each pixel for the highest color fidelity and detail.
A7R III does not have an anti-aliasing filter. Sony does not officially confirm or deny whether a7 III does or does not have an anti-aliasing filter.
A7 III offers a better AF System with 693 Phase-Detect AF Points covering 90% of the sensor. (Both cameras have the same 425 Contrast AF Points).
A7 III has Hybrid AF for Video. A7R III does not.
A7 III dynamic range has been measured as 1/3 stop better than a7R III with 2/3 stop higher native ISO and one additional stop extended ISO.
Sony a7R III has a better 3,686,400-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF and 1,440,000-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD, which improves the shooting experience but does not affect image quality.
Tale of the Tape: Sony a7 III -vs- Sony a9
| Camera | SONY A7 III | SONY A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24 MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor | 24 MP Full-Frame Stacked-CMOS Sensor |
| Processor | BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI | BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI |
| Shutter | 10FPS Electronic / 10FPS Mechanical Shutter | 20FPS Electronic / 5FPS Mechanical Shutter |
| Video | UHD 4K30p Video + HLG & S-Log3 Gamma | UHD 4K30p Video (No S-Log Gamma) |
| Buffer | 89 Shot RAW Buffer | 241 Shot RAW Buffer |
| Phase-Detect Auto Focus | 693 Phase-Detect AF Points | 693 Phase-Detect AF Points |
| Contrast Auto Focus | 425 Contrast AF Points | 25 Contrast AF Points |
| Hybrid AF for Video | YES | NO |
| Dynamic Range | 15 Stop Dynamic Range | 14 Stop Dynamic Range |
| Anti-Aliasing Filter | ??? | YES |
| Pixel Shift | NO | NO |
| Joystick & Touch Focus | YES | YES |
| EVF | 2.36m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF | 3.69m-Dot Blackout-Free Quad-VGA OLED |
| LCD | 922k-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD | 1.44m-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD |
| Sensitivity | 100-51200 (Ext: 50-204800) | 100-51200 (Ext: 50-204800) |
| Metering Range | EV -3.0 – EV 20.0 | EV -3.0 – EV 20.0 |
| Connectivity | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth |
| Card Slots | Dual SD Slots | Dual SD Slots |
| Ports | USB 3.1 Type-C Port | USB 2.0 Port, LAN and PC Sync Terminals |
| Battery | Sony NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion Battery | Sony NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion Battery |
| Dimensions: (W x H x D) | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9″ | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5″ |
| Weight | 1.43 lb / 650 g | 1.481 lb / 673 g |
| Price | $1,998 | $4,498 |
Both cameras feature 24 mp sensors with 693 Phase-Detect AF Points + 425 Contrast AF Points … But they are NOT the same sensor nor do they offer the same AF experience.
Sony a9 stacked sensor design offers much faster readout (approx 4x faster than conventional sensors) which means faster, more responsive AF, an extra stop PDAF sensitivity down to F11, and less “jello” effect and less banding from flickering lights with video and silent electronic shutter,.
Sony a9 offers best-in-class 20 FPS with silent electronic shutter / 5 FPS mechanical shutter while a7 III offers 10 FPS with either electronic or mechanical shutter.
Both cameras have the same native & extended ISO range, but a7 III has one-stop more dynamic range.
A9 does not have an anti-aliasing filter. Sony does not officially confirm or deny whether a7 III does or does not have an anti-aliasing filter.
Sony a7 III has HLG & S-Log3 Gamma. Sony a9 does not.
A7 III has Hybrid AF for Video. A9 does not.
Sony a9 is the only Sony mirrorless camera with a dedicated Shooting Mode Dial.
Sony a9 has LAN and PC Sync Terminals – a7 II does not.
Sony a7 III tethering connection is upgraded from USB 2.0 Port to USB 3.1 Type-C Port for much faster tethering than to a9.
Sony a9 has a better 3,686,400-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF and 1,440,000-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD, which improves the shooting experience but does not affect image quality.
BONUS ROUND
I hadn’t planned to compare a7 III with a7R II, but many of you asked for it…
Tale of the Tape: Sony a7 III -vs- Sony a7R II
| Camera | SONY A7 III | SONY A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24 MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor | 42.4 MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor |
| Processor | BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI | BIONZ X Image Processor (1st Generation) |
| Shutter | 10FPS Electronic / 10FPS Mechanical Shutter | 5 FPS Electronic / 5 FPS Mechanical Shutter |
| Video | UHD 4K30p Video + HLG & S-Log3 Gamma | UHD 4K30p Video & S-Log2 Gamma |
| Buffer | 89 Shot RAW Buffer | 24 Shot JPEG Fine L Buffer |
| Phase-Detect Auto Focus | 693 Phase-Detect AF Points | 399 Phase-Detect AF Points |
| Contrast Auto Focus | 425 Contrast AF Points | 25 Contrast AF Points |
| Hybrid AF for Video | YES | NO |
| Dynamic Range | 15 Stop Dynamic Range | 14 Stop Dynamic Range |
| Anti-Aliasing Filter | ??? | NO |
| Pixel Shift | NO | NO |
| Joystick & Touch Focus | YES | NO |
| EVF | 2.36m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF | 2.36M-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF |
| LCD | 922k-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD | 1.22M-Dot 3.0″ Tilting LCD |
| Sensitivity | 100-51200 (Ext: 50-204800) | 100-25600 (Ext: 50-102400) |
| Metering Range | EV -3.0 – EV 20.0 | EV -3.0 – EV 20.0 |
| Connectivity | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth |
| Card Slots | Dual SD Slots | Single SD Slot |
| Ports | USB 3.1 Type-C Port | USB 2.0 Port |
| Battery | Sony NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion Battery | Sony NP-FW50 Lithium-Ion Battery |
| Dimensions: (W x H x D) | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9″ | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4″ |
| Weight | 1.43 lb / 650 g | 1.38 lb / 625 g |
| Price | $1,998 | $2,398 |
The “R” stands for resolution with Sony a7R II topping a7 III resolution 42.4mp vs 24mp allowing it to capture finer detail.
A7R II does not have an anti-aliasing filter. Sony does not officially confirm or deny whether a7 III does or does not have an anti-aliasing filter.
Dynamic range is at least 1/3 stop better on a7 III than a7R II with one stop higher Native ISO and one additional stop extended ISO all the way up to 204,800.
Both cameras have BIONZ X Image Processors, but a7 III uses the NEWER, FASTER, MORE POWERFUL 2nd Generation BIONZ X Processor introduced with a9 and also used in a7R III.
The addition of a Front-End LSI on a7 III adds much-needed horse-power for faster focus and image processing with a larger 89-shot RAW buffer vs a7R II’s rather anemic 24 Shot JPEG Fine L Buffer. A7 II Shooting speed is increased from 10FPS with Electronic or Mechanical Shutter vs 5 FPS on a7R II.
A7 III offers a much better AF System with 693 Phase-Detect AF Points covering 90% of the sensor + 425 Contrast AF Points compared to a7R III 399 Phase-Detect AF Points covering 60% of the sensor + 25 Contrast AF Points.
A7 III has Joystick Navigation & Touch Focus. A7R II does not.
A7 III has Hybrid AF for Video. A7R II does not.
Thanks to the improved BIONZ X Image Processor & LSI, a7 III offers enhanced Eye AF that’s considerably faster than a7R II.
Both cameras have the same 2,359,296-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF. Sony a7R II has a slightly higher resolution 1,228,800-Dot 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD with – but lacks Touch Focus found on a7 III.
A7 III also gets the new streamlined Menu System loaded with added features.
Both cameras offer 4K UHD, but Sony a7 III gets an upgrade to and S-Log3 Gamma.
A7 III gets an upgrade to Dual Card slots (Slot 1 is UHS-II) and the tethering connection is upgraded from USB 2.0 Port to USB 3.1 Type-C Port for much faster tethering.
Sony a7 III weight has increased slightly from 1.38 lb to 1.43 lb and camera depth from 2.4″ to 2.9″ due to the larger grip required to accommodate the best change of all – the NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion battery offering MUCH longer battery life than the NP-FW50 Lithium-Ion Battery used in a7 Mark I & II cameras.
The Bottom Line:
Lots of great fullframe mirrorless choices from Sony. Pick the one that best meets your budget and needs! Happy shooting!
• Order Sony a7 III from B&H Photo | Amazon | Sony
• Order Sony a7 II from B&H Photo | Amazon | Sony
• Order Sony a7R II from B&H Photo | Amazon | Sony
• Order Sony a7R III from B&H Photo | Amazon | Sony
• Order Sony a9 from B&H Photo | Amazon | Sony
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73 thoughts on “Sony Fullframe Comparison: Sony a7 III -vs- a7 II, a7R II, a7R III & a9”
I have the original A7, it works fine for a hobbyist like me. The baby A9 might be a good upgrade while i convert A7 sensor to infrared.
Sounds like a great plan. I converted one of my original a7R cameras to infrared.
I would still buy a full frame camera Sony camera. Too bad Sony could not have made the a99m2 mirrorless. That would have blown away Canon and Nikon. Nobody would have a camera with 42 megs in a full frame mirrorless body that would give 12 shot per second. Sony take heed and improve the a series to compete with the mirrorless cameras.
Sony already made a Canikon Killer but with 20 FPS – not 12 FPS. It’s called a9.
*crosses fingers a9ii is in a good beefy body like the a99ii, WITH the flip up screen (not those obnoxious side flip huge edge monstrosities people seem to like)*
Sorry, ‘Beefy’ ain’t gonna happen. E-mount sensors must be exactly 18mm from the lens mount.
Hi Brian,
Thanks for the write up. There are reports indicating that A7III also doesn’t have an anti-aliasing filter. Do you have reasons to believe that’s not the case?
Missed that one. It wasn’t in the press briefing, but you are correct.
So that means the A7III *does* have an anti-alias filter, or not?
From what I read it does not.
Generally companies remove the AA filter when the pixel pitch gets small enough that the lens itself will filter out the high frequencies that would cause aliasing.
You can get away with it at 24MP on APS-C, because the pixel pitch is quite fine and most of those cameras will be paired with inexpensive lenses and relatively small apertures (diffraction will reduce the risk of aliasing).
Most full frame cameras without AA filters are 36MP or higher (and it’s still possible to get moiré on the RX1R II, given its lens is sharp at wide apertures: hence its switchable AA filter).
24MP on full frame + sharp, wide-aperture lenses probably isn’t a combination you want.
I would generally agree with you, however I must point out that the 24mp RX1R is a notable and exceptional exception to the rule. In the words of Sean Connery, “Never Say Never”
Good point: I’d forgotten about that one.
Having looked at our test scene results for the RX1R (shot at f/5.6), I’ll amend my statement to:
“24MP on full frame + sharp, wide-aperture lenses isn’t a combination I’d necessarily want.”
Thanks Brian! Thats a very concise and usefull comparison. Taking in account prices the A7iii vs A7Rii is a difficult choice as it make you choose between higher resolution of 7ARii or the new technology that sony implemented on the A7iii
You got it. See the new ‘Bonus Round’.
You are a star! Thanks
Since the A7iii does not use the stacked sensor which A9 uses, can it be inferred that it performs better than A9 for flash / studio work ?
Stacked sensor does not affect studio shooting, but a7 III (and a7R III) have a 10 FPS mechanical shutter that’s compatible with flash. Sony a9’s mechanical shutter tops out at 5 FPS.
Hi Brian,
thanks for the conclusive overview. One remark: You listed the A7II weight as 556 g, which is *without* battery and card. However, all other listed weights are with battery and card included. This makes it look like the gen three models are about 100 g heavier than the second gen, while the actual difference is “just” around 50 g.
Regards,
James
I don’t see that noted in the specs I’m using, but that would make the difference in weight even more negligible.
Thanks Brian, this was much needed info.
You’re welcome.
which of these offer possibility to load Apps ?
Sony a7 Mark I & II cameras are apps cameras, a9 and Mark III are not.
Thank you for sharing this! I am debating switching to mirrorless. What are your thoughts on the converter for the a-mount lenses? I have a Sony Zeiss & a G-series lens that I would love to continue to use.
Hi Lara,
If they are SSM A-mount Zeiss & G lenses they’ll work well for still photography on any of the cameras on this list using Sony LA-EA3 Lens Mount Adapter.
However the 85mm 1.4 ZA and 135mm F1.8 ZA are screw drive which require Sony LA-EA4 for AF which unfortunately has it’s own very limited AF system built-in.
You did not speak to the concern about the ease of hacking an A7RIII when downloading firmware updates. Nor did you speak about the weather sealing problems.
Would it be wiser to wait for an improved A7RIII? I already have an A7RII.
What do you think of the new zoom lens for the A7RIII? Should one wait for a 120 mm lens since I already have a 35 and 85mm Batis? I loved your book!
All cameras use the same firmware update process so there’s no point of comparing what’s the same on each. It’s also a moot point unless you’re looking for website clicks.
A7R III is a HUGE UPGRADE on a7R II. It was announced in October 2017, so I’d expect the next version around 2020…
There are so many new lenses for fullframe E-mount that “new zoom” is a bit vague – but if you mean the FE 24-105 G OSS – it’s excellent.
Though it’s a common focal length for medium format macro, I’ve never seen seen a 120mm lens for 35mm cameras, so my guess would be that you’d be waiting…forever….
Hello Brian, would you recommend the A7III or the A7RIII for portrait photography? How much more is the extra mega pixels needed for this kind of photography?
Thank you!
I’ve always preferred the a7R-Series for portraits.
Picked up the A7II when the new price dropped to $1K a few weeks ago. That’s still a lot of camera for the money. I don’t have (want or need) any AF lenses. Was seduced by the Zeiss Loxia 35/2 for the build, image quality and MF mag on focus. Combined with IBIS it vastly improves the MF experience over the original A7. I also have some M glass and and the 28/2.8 Zeiss Distagon and the 50/1.7 Planar SLR lenses.
If the A7III had the EVF of the A9 I would be tempted. Brian, do you think: The 3.69m-Dot Tru-Finder EVF like that in the A9 is a huge benefit for manual focus? 2. If so, does your crystal ball see that in an a7IIII?
Manual focus is the ONE time that I see actual value of the higher resolution EVF.
In my crystal ball I predict the Roman numeral to follow III will be IV not IIII.
Doh! IV! Of course… I’m going to hold out and hope the better EVF makes its way down the line. A good excuse for a rental this year. Thanks!
Hey Brian great comparison! I’m mostly shoot Astrophotography with the A7II, planning on upgrading to the A7III. Do you think the star eater issue is no longer a problem? I also plan on upgrading due to better low light performance
I didn’t test for stars since I had the camera in Vegas, but one of the big improvements in a7 III (first introduced in a7R III) is less noise in the shadows resulting in deeper, cleaner blacks – much like improvements in recent years in OLED TV technology.
Brian, this is a great post. Thank you so much. I’m a Nikon gal, so all the Sony jargon really confused me and I couldn’t find a good post that talks about it or compares everything. This is great. I’m pretty much sold on getting the A7III. I don’t need the beefiness of the a9 for what I do….yet.
Could you imagine today how the ISO performance will be? (especially against the A7RII, because of a similar price range)
I am not interested in 100% crops, more relevant would be the ISO performance in 6400 on the final image (e.g. 20×30 cm prints). I am thinking about a new camera for astro photography
Astro photography? You definitely want one of the Mark III cameras. The ISO difference in negligible – probably a stop at the most. But the shadows are much cleaner with less noise and deeper blacks which is exactly what you want for Astro.
Excellent article. Thank you. I am curious if there are significant differences in quilty of build/weatherproofing between the a7iii and the A7riii. I understood that the a7 series, especially the first generation, did not have the same level of either to the s and r series. And, are we seeing the end of the s series?
I believe they are the same. You may be thinking way back to the 1st generation models when a7 had a composite front panel instead of alloy used on all other models including a7 II & a7 III
Thanks so much for your great work. I’m waiting for the A7siii. I shoot only video, no photos. Is there anything here you see that is an improvement on the A7sii, that would be good for a video shooter who needs fullframe but worries I’ll be waiting forever for the A7s iii?
There are absolutely things in a7 III that I hope would make their way into the next generation a7S:
First, the new NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion battery is AWESOME! Runs ALL day!
Second, a7 III PDAF allows for Video Hybrid AF
Third, Touch Focus is a huge plus for video.
Finally, HLG Gamma is the Bomb!
Brian, love your work! a7III or a7RII? How important is the higher resolution for landscape, street scenes, antique cars and family photos? Is it worth the a7III larger battery, touch screen, USB 3.1?
You definitely pick up more detail with 42mp than with 24mp, yet I’ve printed 40″x60″ from 24mp Sony sensors and the prints look amazing.
The larger battery alone is a huge reason to upgrade. Touch focus is quite nice for landscapes and architecture and if you tether, you’ll LOVE the speed of the USB 3.1 Type C connection.
Great stuff Brian. Like some others i’m debating between the A7rii vs A7 iii. I do 80% landscapes and 20% portrait and plan to print and sell them. A7rii is only $100 more than the A7 iii right now on BHPhoto, but everyones keep pointing me to the A7 III regardless of the 42mp selling point. Any thoughts?
Either are great cameras, but the Generation III tech is a pretty huge improvement.
It is absolutely pathetic the price difference of the a7iii to the a7riii. For pixel shift and higher MP it doesn’t equate to the massive price gap!!!
Maybe Sony should raise the price on a7 III…
Following on, the a7iii has better dynamic range!? The r3 is a rip off!!
The difference in dynamic range is 1/3 stop. Neither camera is a rip-off. Both cameras blow away Canon by nearly two stops.
Hey Brian thanks for the reply. What i mean is, both cameras are amazing. But they should either raise the price of the A7III or decrease the price of the A7RIII. As of now the price difference makes no sense to me 🙂
Unlike Canon & Nikon, Sony doesn’t believe in crippling the features of their “basic” camera models. Sony’s only goal is that both Sony a7 III and a7R III crush their Canikon competition.
totally agree mate. I dont want them to cripple anything, just lower the price of the r3 which is too high for what it offers in comparison to the A7III lol a 60% increase in price for the R3 is completely unfair.
Sony a7R III is worth every penny when you compare it to D850 and 5DSR.
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I been on the apc_ c crop sensor for awhile using an a6300 and I shoot mainly landscapes sometimes street photography and people, only stills. I’m new to full frame mirrorless. If i’m going to upload pictures to instagram and not print them out do you think the a7rii is a good investment or should I get the a7iii? I can’t afford the a7riii. Also I’m thinking of getting the batis 25mm as an every day walk around lens. Thanks
Sony a7 III has more resolution than you need for Instagram and newer tech than a7R II. Pairing it with Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 is a great combination…
Hi Brian,
Do you happen to know the shutter life of the Sony a7 III? I think the a7R III is rated for 500,000 cycles. Thank you for your time!
I don’t believe there is a published spec for a7 III shutter life.
Hi Brain, Just found this post in Google. I’m the worst at the details in the technology side of photography. I do portrait and product work, in an out of the studio. Occasionally the out-of-studio work requires good low-light capabilities. I’ve been really interested in switching from my giant Canon 5D MkII (so tired of lugging that thing around, plus it’s getting pretty old & beat) to one of these Sony cameras. Wondering what your input might be. You mentioned in a previous comment the A9 tops out at 5 fps. I’m assuming that makes in incompatible with flash/studio lighting?
While it’s a cool feature, 10FPS with flash is by no means a ‘Necessity’ for portrait photography. However, Sony a9 is aimed at sports and wildlife photography – not portraits. A better consideration is that both Sony a7R III & a7 III will out-resolve a9 in terms of sharpness.
I do both photos n videos….
And mconfuse which one should i have…. Sony a7iii or sony a7rii
Either are great cameras, but I’d recommend Mark III over Mark II every time, so go with Sony a7 III
Hey Brian, I have an a77 and am looking to upgrade because my kids are track runners and half my pix are in great focus and half are not. Looking to upgrade for sporting pix. Which would you recommend?
Depends on your budget.
With 20FPS top speed, Sony a9 has the fastest FPS and AF in class.
Sony a7R III is a cheaper option that still offers 10 FPS and AF just a notch below a9 – but at half the price.
Since you mentioned a77, I’m guessing you may not currently have fullframe glass. Make certain you factor in good fullframe glass. Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens is an excellent choice for track & field.
Hi Brian,
Great article. Will definitely be looking at the A7iii in the future when budget and ability permits. I’m currently running an A7ii and the kit lens (28-70) and recently bought a used 70-200 f/4. I’m thinking that I’d like to upgrade the kit lens next, and have read the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 is a good lens for money ($1300 NZD new here and not on the used market), and far superior to the kit lens and Ziess 24-70 (can get for about $900NZD used), and is almost (optically) in the same league as the 24-70GM f/2.8 (though still going for $2800NZD used). Basically the GM is out of my budget, and my ability doesn’t warrant the expense as a hobbyist. But hoping for advice regarding whether the Tamron or Ziess would be a better purchase to replace the kit lens for my A7ii. I mainly shoot landscapes & portraits.
Cheers,
Hayden
Not the FE 24-70 F4 ZA. It’s the only Sony FE lens I do not recommend. A better alternative in that price range would be the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
Hi,
I just need some professional advises on choosing a camera, accessories and lenses. I’ll be shooting landscapes, real estate (interior – low light and outdoor) , products and portrait.
I received some recommendations as below
Camera – A7r iii OR A7 iii
Lenses
For Landscapes and Interior Real Estate Photography:
– Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens
– Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16–35 mm F4 ZA OSS
– Sony SEL1224G 12-24mm f/4-22
For Portrait:
-Standard Sony 50mm 1.8
Accessories:
– GODOX TT685-S Flash
– Manfrotto with Horizontal Column Tripod
– ZHIYUN Crane V2 OR DJI Ronin
What camera and lenses would you recommend?
P.S. I’ll be shooting photos and videos.
Camera choice depends on your budget the number of megapixels you desire. I’m all in Sony a7R III is you can afford it.
Even though lens speed should not be a concern for interiors since you should be locked down on a tripod, yet I’d go with the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM for a totally different reason – it’s by far the SHARPEST wide angle zoom lens ever made!
Sony FE 85mm F1.8 is a MUCH better lens and a more useful focal length for portraits than the FE 50mm 1.8.
For interiors, I’d go with a stand mounted flash – not a speedlight.
In general I’m not a fan of Manfrotto tripods because in most cases they us their own clunky quick-release plate instead of the industry standard Arca Swiss. I’d pick almost any other brand with an Arca Swiss QR. I’m not sure a horizontal column is necessary for interiors.
DJI Ronin-S would be my choice for Sony mirrorless
Hello,
I want to buy new camera. Now I still use SONY ALPHA 100 with APS-C sensor. Reasonable upgrade will be FF sensor BUT…
Now I am in dilema;
SONY ALPHA 7 II or FUJIFILM X-T4 with APS-C sensor ?
I want to have;
– very good Image quality
– camera for Wedding photography/Portrets/Landscape
– very good Video with very good rolling shutter and image stabilisation
– appropriate lens 24-70(or 17-55) with aperture 2.8 with profi performance
What do you think;
Sony 24-105 f4 or FUJINON 17-55 f2.8 (just Quality, not DOF) ?
OR: NIKON Z or CANON R
What will be your decision in my case ?
Kind regards
Andrej Razpotnik
Of the cameras you listed, a7 II hands down – but why not a7 III?
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Wow, awesome article. I’m a Canon shooter and always wanted to try a Sony body but didn’t know enough :-).
This filled in many of the gaps.
Tks!