At the end of this article, you’ll be able to decide between Sony a7III Vs a7RII, which is better for you. The Sony Alpha (a) series features some of the best mirrorless cameras you can possibly find out there. It’s no surprise that you’re stuck between options.
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In this article, we would be looking at the features (both common and unique), the pros, the cons, and what people are saying about these two cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII.
As you can see from all we have to talk about, this is going to be quite a long article. However, if you do not have the time to read through the whole article, here’s a brief overview that you helped you make an informed decision:
Table of Contents
Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Comparison Overview
Both of these cameras have very similar features. Although released in different times, you can see that Sony tried to make something similar but for a different purpose. The Sony a7III is the newer of the two cameras, and as such, it comes with some improvements in technology and some additional features that the Sony a7RII does not have.
You can see this in things like built-in Bluetooth, continuous shooting rate, and touchscreen feature. However, what the Sony a7RII lacks in aesthetics and innovation, it makes up for in sheer power. This camera comes with a staggering 42 Megapixels. You can zoom an atom of a picture taken by this camera without it getting pixelated.
Looking at the price to performance ratio of these two cameras, we have to say they’re pretty decent. While these cameras might not be the most affordable out there, they are still good enough for their prices. The Sony a7RII is the more affordable one because it’s older.
Finally, choosing between Sony a7III Vs a7RII is down to what you want to use it for. To summarize, pick the Sony a7III if for video and action shots, pick the Sony a7RII for still photos.
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Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Comparison of Key Features
Sony a7III |
Sony a7RII | |
| Announcement Date | 27th February, 2018. | 10th June, 2015. |
| Maximum Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels. | 42 Megapixels. |
| ISO | 100 – 51200 (expands to 50-204800) | 100 – 25600 (expands to 50-102400) |
| Continuous Shooting Rate | 10 Frames Per Second | 5 Frames Per Second |
| Maximum Video Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 3840 x 2160 |
| Weight | 650g | 625g |
| Touchscreen | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 610 shots | 290 shots |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| Storage Slot | 2 | 1 |
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Sony a7III Vs a7RII – What Situations Are Each of Them Best For?
Sony a7III |
Sony a7RII |
| If you’re looking a flagship product from Sony, then this is one camera that you need to be looking at. Yes, it’s not the most affordable out there. But you cannot get this type of quality at lower prices. If you’re a professional photographer, or you’re looking to go professional, this is something to think about investing in. | This is also a flagship product. However, it was released three years before the Sony a7III. Because it’s older, this camera is more affordable than the Sony a7III. If you’re looking for a way to get into the Sony ecosystem, but you don’t have money for the newer cameras, this is a good way to go in. As you can see, this camera is so good that it can still compare to some of Sony’s newer products. |
| If you shoot video, or you take action photos, then this is the camera you want. This is for one reason- the continuous shooting rate. Capturing 10 frames per second, this camera is a very good sports or wildlife camera. It’s also good for video recordings of any kind. | If you take still photos, this is the camera you want. The first reason is because of its sensor resolution of 42 megapixels. This is especially great for photos you want to make large prints. No matter how large you make images captured by this camera, they remain clear. |
| Because both of these cameras are mirrorless, they are pretty lightweight and portable. While this is mainly a pro, the weight distribution might become a problem if you have heavy lenses. | The same thing applies here. This is really good for traveling, or for capturing small events. However, if you intend using it for hardcore stuff with extra lenses, the weight can be a bit lopsided. |
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Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Features Common to Both Cameras
These are two different cameras. However, because they belong to the same series, although released three years apart, they have a lot of similar features. In this section of this Sony a7III Vs a7RII comparison article, we would be looking at all the features that these two cameras share.
Without further ado, let’s look at all of these features that these two cameras possess:
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They’re Both Mirrorless Cameras
The first and biggest similarity we see between these two cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII is that they’re both mirrorless cameras. Mirrorless cameras have been in existences for more than a decade now, the first one being released in 2004.
After a few years, Sony decided to join this growing industry. Being that Sony was already a well-established and trusted brand, this made mirrorless cameras all the more commercial. A lot of photographers began switching from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras for various reasons, all of which we would soon look at.
A lot of new manufacturers saw mirrorless cameras as an opportunity to get into the digital camera industry, without having to compete with Nikon and Canon, and they took that opportunity. This is why you have a lot of new manufacturers making really affordable mirrorless cameras.
This is the first reason why we prefer mirrorless cameras to DSLRs. With mirrorless cameras, you’re provided with a lot of options you can choose from. A lot of different brands are creating really quality stuff, across all price ranges. On the other hand, with DSLRs, it’s usually a choice between Nikon or Canon.
In fact, if you’re looking for a mirrorless camera, you might have to look at several different, better, options, before looking at Canon and Nikon mirrorless cameras.
Apart from the fact that you have a lot of options available, as the technology gets better, mirrorless cameras get more affordable. Mirrorless cameras depend a lot on electronic and software features, DSLRs depend more on mechanical features. Electronic features can be mass-produced to be equally effective, but a lot more affordable, than mechanical features.
What Are Mirrorless Cameras?
We’ve talked a bit about the history of mirrorless cameras. However, we haven’t really looked at how these cameras actually work. To understand that, we have to first look at how DSLRs work.
In a DSLR, the light outside the camera gets into the camera through the camera’s lens. When the shutter is closed, the light hits a mirror inside the camera. This mirror then parts this light into two. The fist part is sent upwards. It then straightens horizontally by bouncing of a prism, then goes to the optical viewfinder. The second part of the light is sent downwards to a specific sensor that is responsible for autofocus.
When the shutter button is clicked and the shutter opens, the mirror completely flips upwards, allowing light to hit the film, directly. This movement of the mirror is what causing the famous “click” of the DSLR camera.
In mirrorless cameras, there is no mirror, obviously. There is also no prism, and no autofocus sensor. Finally, instead of an optical viewfinder, you have an LCD screen, or an electronic viewfinder.
How Does It Work?
Well, light passes through the camera’s lens and hits an electronic sensor directly. This electronic sensor then converts that light to a digital image and then transmits that image to the LCD screen, or the electronic viewfinder.
So, while the optical viewfinder on the DSLR sees raw light, the electronic viewfinder sees a digital image. We would be discussing the benefits of the electronic viewfinder later in this article.
Because mirrorless cameras do not have to fit all these mechanical parts into them, they are a lot smaller and portable than DSLRs, although producing the same quality.
Advantages Mirrorless Cameras Have Over DSLRs
Now that we’ve looked at how mirrorless cameras and DSLRs work, let’s now look at the advantages that mirrorless cameras have over DSLRs. This will also give you information to consider, if you are unsure whether to get yourself a mirrorless camera.
They’re More Portable
Just like we have mentioned earlier, mirrorless cameras do not have any mechanical parts. This means that they can be made a lot smaller and more compact than DSLRs.
If you’re a travel photographer, a vlogger, a photographer who covers events, or just generally someone who prefers a smaller kit, then you want a mirrorless camera.
Although there are compact cameras that are a lot smaller than both mirrorless and DSLRs, they cannot compare in quality. With mirrorless cameras, you get the same quality, in a smaller package.
Continuous Shooting
Because of the many moving parts in the DSLR, it is difficult for that camera to have very sharp continuous shooting speeds. Continuous shooting rate basically refers to how many pictures your camera can capture in a second.
When you factor in the time it takes for the mirror to flip, you can see why it’s difficult for DSLR cameras. On the other hand, because mirrorless cameras don’t have any moving parts, you can get a pro mirrorless camera that is capable of shooting 20 frames per second, which is just ridiculous. This is very high, especially looking at the fact that some of the best DSLRs can only shoot as much as 14 frames per second.
Video Shooting
This one is something that mirrorless cameras kind of stole from DSLRs, after a while. Before mirrorless cameras DSLRs where adored for video shooting. They have an array of accessories and lenses to choose from, they shoot HD video, they have long-lasting batteries.
So, what changed? Two words- 4K Video.
AS the world moves forward, everyone wants to be able to capture clearer videos. Now, we’re not saying that DSLRs don’t shoot 4K video, they do. However, you can only find this feature on the best DSLRs, whereas, you can find it on budget mirrorless cameras.
You can see this in these two cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII. Although released as far back as 2015, the Sony a7RII has the ability to shoot 4K video. Check the DSLR cameras released around the same time, for the same price, and you would find out that many of them cannot shoot 4K video.
Also, the advantage that DSLRs had with accessories and lenses was reduced drastically, when Sony got into the market. Sony has been making some really good accessories and lens kits for mirrorless cameras, making them really comfortable and a good option for video shooting.
Another thing that mirrorless cameras have going for them when it comes to video shooting is a live preview using the viewfinder. While the DSLR can show you, a live preview using the LCD screen, it is difficult to use that when the sun is bright.
Finally, mirrorless cameras have really good processing powers. This is because, they focus more on the software side of things, than the hardware. This processing power is what enables them to shoot heavy data like 4K video, panoramas, slow-motion videos, and so on.
Reasons Not To Throwaway Your DSLR Just Yet
Now, we’ve talked about all the really cool features that mirrorless cameras possess, most of which you can see evident in these two cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII. However, it would be unfair if you leave you with that lop-sided information.
As much as mirrorless cameras are great, they still seriously lack one thing, and it’s important we point out what it is:
Battery Life
To make the mirrorless camera as small and compact as possible, a lot of things had to be cut down on, including the battery size. Now, if you know anything about batteries, you’ll definitely know that the bigger, the better.
Added to this reduction in battery size, and capacity, mirrorless cameras depend on power for a lot of its features. For one, with a mirrorless camera, the image sensor has to be on all the time, for you to be able to preview your shot through the LCD or the electronic viewfinder. This takes a lot of power.
Also, the LCD or the electronic viewfinder which is used to preview these shots, also consume a lot of power. All these factors combine together to give mirrorless cameras what can be described as miserable batteries.
And this is something which is clearly evident in these two cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII. The better of them can take just 610 shots per full charge. Now, add the running time of the electronic viewfinder and LCD screen to this, and it reduces drastically. To find out just how bad this is, look at DSLRs in the same price range. You can hardly find a DSLR that shoots less than a thousand shots per full charge, even for half the price of this mirrorless camera.
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Electronic Viewfinders
Still in relation to being mirrorless cameras, both of these cameras come with electronic viewfinders. While you can only find electronic viewfinders on a mirrorless camera, not all mirrorless cameras come with electronic viewfinders.
Electronic viewfinders differ from optical viewfinders because they show you digital images, while optical viewfinders show you raw light. Whenever mirrorless cameras and DSLRs are being compared, electronic viewfinders and optical viewfinders are also usually compared.
We’ve already mentioned the main difference between these two viewfinders, but what does that actually turn out as?
Well, in our opinion, electronic viewfinders carry more benefits than optical viewfinders. The main benefit is the fact that you get a live preview of your image, rather than just the field of view of the camera.
With electronic viewfinders, you can see things like focus, exposure and ISO, before actually hitting the shutter button. Basically, what you’re seeing is exactly how the image is going to turn out. This helps you, especially if you’re a beginner who doesn’t know about all the settings. With an electronic viewfinder, you can try out a lot of settings, get the right one, before even taking the shot.
When compared to LCD screens, viewfinders work really well, especially under the sun. We’re sure you already know how difficult it is to use a screen when the sun is out, especially if the screen is not very bright. With a viewfinder, you don’t have any of those issues.
If you do not still understand the difference between optical viewfinders and electronic viewfinders, check out the video below. It’s also good if you understand but just want some more explanation:
Wireless Connectivity
Both of these cameras come with wireless connectivity. Looking at the times we live in, this is a very important feature. With wireless connectivity, your camera is able to communicate and transfer files to other devices, over the internet.
On top of this, these two cameras come with an added feature called NFC (Near Field Communication). With this feature, your camera is able to connect, automatically, to compatible devices. This connection happens once the compatible device that has been paired with the camera is close to the camera.
A lot of people use this feature to connect their camera to their smartphone. Once connected, you can then use your smartphone as a remote control for your camera. If you already use your smartphone to control most of your other devices, this is very easy and comfortable.
Because the main point of this article is Sony a7III Vs a7RII, we have to point out that there is one difference between these two cameras, when it comes to wireless connectivity. And that is that one of them comes with built-in Bluetooth, while the other does not.
Sony a7III |
Sony a7RII |
| Built-in Bluetooth | No built-in Bluetooth. |
There are a lot of devices that come are Bluetooth enabled. Therefore, with a Bluetooth enabled camera, it will make transferring files to those devices, a lot easier.
Image Stabilization
Have you ever recorded video and gotten those slight shakes and blurriness as a result of subtle camera movements? Then you’ve used a camera that does not come with this feature. Image stabilization refers to a group of techniques applied by the camera to keep the sensor stable even after subtle camera movements. Keeping the sensor stable will, in turn, keep the image stable.
This is really important when you’re taking video, especially if you cover events and have to move around, as opposed to simply keeping the camera on a tripod. It also comes into play when taking photos, if your camera has a slow shutter speed. However, these two cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII, have fast shutter speeds so it doesn’t affect their photos, just videos.
One thing you must know, however, is that there is so much that image stabilization can do. Because the sensor also has to know when there is an actual movement of the camera, it only keeps still when the movements are very subtle. So, if you’re walking and vlogging, just image stabilization, might not give you the completely still video you want.
Articulating Screens
Both of these cameras come with articulating/tilting LCD screens. Although these do not go all the way so you can use them as selfie screens, they do tilt to a fair degree. This tilt enables you to take shots at awkward angles, using the screen as your viewfinder.
RAW Support
Another similarity that these two cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII share is that they both allow you to save your images RAW. RAW is the image saving format that every digital camera eventually captures at first. However, many cameras do not support saving the image in this format, so they edit the image, compress it, convert it to JPEG, before saving.
This process that the image goes through from shooting to saving in JPEG reduces the amount of information in the image, thereby, reducing the quality. This is why people prefer to save the image RAW, edit it however they feel like, before converting it to JPEG. This process leaves a lot more information on the image for the photographer to work with, while editing.
One thing you have to know, though, is that RAW images are very large. If you’re shooting RAW, you always have to check the space on your memory card.
External Microphone And Headphone Jack
There are two things that are necessary when recording video with your camera- an input device to get better quality audio, and an output device to monitor said audio. The input device is the microphone, while the output device is the headphone.
Both of these cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII, come with ports that enable you connect these two devices. With these cameras, you can record videos and rest assured that the audio quality will come out top-notch.
Face Detection Focus
This feature is quite straightforward. The camera notices a face in the frame and focuses on it. This comes in handy when you’re taking portrait photos.
Environmental Sealing
With environmental sealing, you can use either of these cameras, even when the weather is not very friendly. To achieve this, the frames of these cameras are made with magnesium alloy.
This makes these frames resistant to both dust and moisture. So, if it’s drizzling, or it’s windy, your camera is totally safe. However, these cameras are not water-resistant. Therefore, once the rains start pouring down, you might want to look for shelter. Also, do not drop either of these cameras- Sony a7III Vs a7RII, in a pool of water. They will damage.
AE Bracketing
If you’re into photography, we’re sure that you’re already well-aware how powerful exposure is. More often than not, the presence of the right exposure makes a good photo, and the absence, the opposite. With that knowledge, you will realize just how important this feature is.
To get the right exposure setting for a particular image, people often do something called “exposure bracketing”. Exposure bracketing simply means, taking multiple pictures of the same scene, using different exposure settings, in order to find the right one. Exposure bracketing involves 3 or more pictures with one being underexposed. One is underexposed, the second is correctly exposed, and the last is overexposed. All of them are usually equally spaced.
Auto exposure bracketing is simply, your camera doing the job for you. You set the different exposure settings you want, click the shutter button, and the same image is taken with the different exposure settings. This makes the whole process a lot easier and faster.
When you’re not sure what exposure is right for a particular image, this is really helpful. It’s also used to create HDR images. HDR images basically take all the shots with the different exposure settings and combine them into one image, making it perfectly exposed.
Support For Use Of UHS Memory Cards
UHS simply means “Ultra High Speed”. It refers to memory cards that can read and transfer files in Ultra High Speeds. Both of these cameras allow you to use UHS memory cards. However, there is a slight difference in these two cameras:
Sony a7III |
Sony a7RII |
| UHS-II | UHS-I |
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Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Features Unique To Each Of These Cameras
In this section of this Sony a7III Vs a7RII comparison article, we will be looking at the features that either of these cameras have that the other doesn’t. First, let’s look at:
Features Unique To The Sony a7III
Touchscreen
The LCD screen on the Sony a7III comes with a touchscreen feature. With this feature, you can interact and communicate with your camera just like you would with your smartphone. Your navigation through the camera’s settings and menus becomes a lot easier and more hassle-free.
Maximum ISO
When shooting in the dark, the ISO of your camera becomes, all the more, important. ISO basically refers to the light sensitivity of your camera. The higher the ISO, the more light gets into your camera, the brighter your pictures come out.
The maximum ISO on this camera is 51,200. While you may never have use for ISO this high, it is good to know that you have a very wide ISO range to choose from, if the need ever arises.
Second Storage Slot
While all cameras come with storage slots, some cameras come with two, like this camera. With 2 storage slots, you get more storage flexibility. Also, this ensures that you don’t end up trapped in a case where one of your storage cards gets faulty during a shoot.
Features Unique To The Sony a7RII
Maximum Sensor Resolution of 42 Megapixels
The first thing we have to get out of the way is that the camera with the higher megapixels, is not always the better camera. Yes, the sensor resolution of a camera does a lot to determine the quality of photos taken by the camera, but that’s not all there is to it.
It does have a lot of benefits, though, but it also has a few setbacks. The first benefit about this is that you get photos with more pixels. Images with more pixels contain a lot more information. Because of that, they’re a lot clearer.
Also, with more information and more pixels, you can produce really large prints of an image. If the megapixels of a camera are not a lot, the bigger the print gets, the more pixelated the image becomes. You can see the effect of pixelating by zooming into your image by a very large percentage.
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Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Unique Pros
Sony a7III
Better Continuous Shooting Rate
Good continuous shooting is something that mirrorless cameras have been known for, and the Sony a7III is no different. With this camera, you can get up to 10 frames per second, which is five more than you can get with the Sony a7RII.
With this, you can get good action images like wildlife images, sports images, and so on. Also, you get great video that doesn’t buffer at any point. If you take action photos, then we advise you choose the Sony a7III, over the Sony a7RII, simply because of this one feature.
Other pros include:
- Built-in Bluetooth connectivity.
- The LCD has a touchscreen feature for easier navigation.
- It comes with 2 storage slots for more storage flexibility.
- Has a higher dynamic range.
Sony a7RII
- This camera has a higher maximum sensor resolution.
- It has a higher LCD sensor resolution.
- The Sony a7RII is 25g lighter than the Sony a7II.
- It is slightly more affordable than the Sony a7II.
Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Unique Cons
Sony a7III
- Only 24 Megapixels, which is 18 less than the Sony a7RII.
- It is slightly more expensive than the Sony a7RII.
Sony a7RII
- It only comes with one storage slot.
- It does not have built-in Bluetooth.
- There is no touchscreen feature on this camera.
- It only has a continuous shooting rate of 5.0 frames per second.
Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Common Pros
Sony a7III |
Sony a7RII | |
| Better Connectivity | Both of these cameras come with wireless connection. This makes it a lot easier to transfer files from your camera to other devices, on even over the internet. Added to that, this camera comes with built-in Bluetooth. | Same as the Sony a7III. However, this does not come with Bluetooth. |
| Stable and balanced images | This camera comes with image stabilization technology. This technology is what keeps the camera’s lens stable when the camera subtly moves. Because of this, your images and videos are void of blurriness caused as a result of those subtle movements. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| Great image framing and live preview | With this camera’s electronic viewfinder, you get really good image framing. Also, you get a live preview of what your image will look like. This makes it easy to get all the settings right on one shot. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| Good audio recording and monitoring. | Both of these cameras come with two ports: one for a headphone, the other for an external microphone. With these devices, you can record high-quality audio, and monitor this audio, right as it goes in. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| Great image quality | Both of these cameras support saving images in their RAW format. This enables them save the pictures clearer and come out with better quality. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| Environmental Sealing | With this feature, you can shoot outside, even in tough weather conditions. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| Get the Sony a7III now! | Get the Sony a7RII now! |
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| Get the Sony a7III now! | Get the Sony a7RII now! |
Sony a7III Vs a7RII – Common Cons
Sony a7III |
Sony a7RII | |
| No internal flash | Neither of these cameras come with an internal flash. This is quite sad as it means that you have to carry an external flash, wherever you go. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| No GPS | Neither of these cameras come with a GPS. That means, you cannot track your camera wherever it is, neither can you geotag your photos, which is a really cool photo. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| Time-lapse recording, only with optional app | If you really like time-lapses, then it’s a bit sad to know that neither of these cameras do time-lapses straight out of the box. To use this feature, you have to install an app on your camera. | Same as the Sony a7III. |
| Poor battery life | This is something that is normal with mirrorless cameras, and both of these cameras are no different. This camera is slightly better, though, able to take 610 shots per full charge. | This camera is worse than the Sony a7III, with only 290 shots per full charge. |
Sony a7III Vs a7RII – General Feeling Amongst Users
Sony a7III |
Sony a7RII |
| People who picked up this camera really liked it. The a7 series features some really nice professional cameras and this one is no exception. Although it’s not affordable, this camera certainly does the job. People who were able to afford it, definitely got value for money with this camera. | People who picked this up also got value for money. Being that the camera is a bit old now, it was slightly more affordable to pick up than the Sony a7III. Whether or not this is still good enough for you this year, depends entirely on your needs. For all the people who bought it, it did the job nicely. |
| Because this camera had just 24 Megapixels, the images didn’t have a lot of noise, even with high ISO levels. | This camera has megapixels. While this was really nice for people who printed really large prints, it wasn’t good for low-light photographers. With high ISO settings, images produced by this camera produced a lot of noise. |
| With the touchscreen feature on this camera, its users found it very easy to use and navigate. Also, one really nice feature with the touchscreen is that you can use it to focus on any part of the frame. This, alongside it’s easy to navigate menu system, makes this a joy to use. | A lot of people consider this as one of the best mirrorless cameras out there, when it comes to taking pictures. One sector they don’t feel it’s so good, though, is sports photography, because of the number of frames per second. Apart from that, it’s simply a beauty! |
| Get the Sony a7III now! | Get the Sony a7RII now! |
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| Get the Sony a7III now! | Get the Sony a7RII now! |
Sony a7III Vs a7RII – What Do We Think?
Honestly, there isn’t much to be said here. Choosing between Sony a7III Vs a7RII comes down to what exactly you want to use it for. For us, we do not think that one is overall better than the other. Both features are evenly matched, just different, and for different uses.
If you shoot videos, or action photos, the Sony a7III is better. On the other hand, if you take still photos, then the Sony a7RII is the better option for you. If you do a bit of both, and can afford it, get both of them.
| Sony a7III | Sony a7RII |
| Get the Sony a7III now! | Get the Sony a7RII now! |
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