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Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS Comparison

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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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Canon SD980 IS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Canon SD980 IS
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Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A7R III, which was introduced in October 2017 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 42.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Canon SD980 IS, which was introduced in August 2009 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3" sensor. As you can see, SD980 IS is 8 years older than A7R III. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

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 Tilting Screen
  • 3686k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps 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 7R II Compare

Canon SD980 IS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-08-19
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 24-120 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 150g. 100 x 53 x 23 mm
  • Also known as Digital IXUS 200 IS

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 Canon PowerShot SD980 IS / Digital IXUS 200 IS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7R III over Canon PowerShot SD980 IS
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
42 MP vs 12 MP 250% more pixels
Max ISO
32.000 vs 1.600 1900% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
425 vs 9 416 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution
1.440k dots vs 230k dots 526% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/3000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 1.0fps 9 fps faster
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Sensor Pixel Area
20.43µm2 vs 2.34µm2 773% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
425 points vs none Autofocus with teleconverters
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Anti Flicker
Yes vs No Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs No Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SD980 IS over Sony Alpha A7R III
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Weight
150 g vs 657 g 507 g lighter

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7R III and Canon PowerShot SD980 IS
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7R III and Canon PowerShot SD980 IS
Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS: 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 A7R III and Canon SD980 IS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. 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). Canon SD980 IS has external dimensions of 100 x 53 x 23 mm (3.94 x 2.09 x 0.91″) and weighs 150 g (0.33 lb / 5.29 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS. Canon SD980 IS is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 27mm narrower, 43mm shorter and 51mm thinner than Sony A7R III. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon SD980 IS has a built-in lens but Sony A7R III doesn't. Once you put a lens on A7R III, its thickness will increase significantly.

Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS.

Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon SD980 IS is significantly lighter (507g ) than the Sony A7R III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on A7R III, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that A7R III has a big advantage over SD980 IS which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.

On the other hand, Sony A7R III features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Canon SD980 IS has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7R III.
Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7R III has a 42.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Canon SD980 IS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor.

Sony A7R III's sensor provides 30MP more than Canon SD980 IS'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.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Sony A7R III's sensor lacks 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 A7R III and SD980 IS sensor size comparison.

Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS Cameras


As seen above, Sony A7R III has a 30.7x Larger sensor area than Canon SD980 IS. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7R III and Canon SD980 IS 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 A7R III for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon SD980 IS for Portrait Photography

POOR
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
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon SD980 IS for Street Photography

AVERAGE
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
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon SD980 IS for Sports Photography

POOR
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
425 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 650 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3000s
120 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon SD980 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
657g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details
Compact Body
150g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Canon SD980 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A7R III vs Canon SD980 IS: 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 A7R III and Canon SD980 IS, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 A7R III and Canon SD980 IS scores compare:

Sony A7R III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #4 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #4 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Canon SD980 IS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #267 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #874 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony A7R III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SD980 IS in all criteria except one: Portability. Canon SD980 IS is significantly smaller than Sony A7R III. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon SD980 IS. Otherwise, Sony A7R III is the better camera overall.

Sony A7R III
Sony A7R III
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Canon SD980 IS
Canon SD980 IS
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Canon SD980 IS vs Sony A7R III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7R III Canon PowerShot SD980 IS
Brand Sony Canon
Announced 2017-10-25 2009-08-19
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CCD
Size Full frame 1/2.3"
Dimensions 35.9 x 24 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 861.60mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 42 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 7952 x 5304 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 32,000 ISO 1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 80 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 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 425 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 24-120 mm (5×)
Max Aperture no lens F2.8-5.9
Macro Focus Range no lens 3cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3 3"
Resolution 1,440k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder Resolution 3,686k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/3000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 6.50 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 657g 150g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74mm 100 x 53 x 23mm
Battery Life 650 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 100 not tested
DxO Color Depth 26.0 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 3523 not tested
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