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Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7 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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Pentax Q7

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Pentax Q7
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Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing A7R III and Q7, two Mirrorless cameras from Sony and Pentax. Sony Alpha A7R III is a Pro Mirrorless class camera and Pentax Q7 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless class camera.

Sony A7R III was introduced to the market in October 2017 and Pentax Q7 was launched in August 2013. As you can see, Q7 is 4 years older than A7R III. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7 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
  • 3.00" 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

Pentax Q7 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-08-08
  • 12MP - 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Pentax Q Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 200g. 102 x 58 x 34 mm
  • Replaced Pentax Q10 Compare

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 Pentax Q7

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7R III over Pentax Q7
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Optical (Optional) Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
42 MP vs 12 MP 250% more pixels
Max ISO
32.000 vs 12.800 150% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution
1.440k dots vs 460k dots 213% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 5.0fps 5 fps faster
Battery Life
650 shots vs 250 shots 400 more frames with a single charge
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
Sensor Pixel Area
20.43µm2 vs 3.46µm2 490% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Pixel Shift High-Res Mode
Yes (169. 6) vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift
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
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
USB Version
USB 3.1 Gen 1(5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
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
CHECK A7R III PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax Q7 over Sony Alpha A7R III
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Weight
200 g vs 657 g 457 g lighter
CHECK Q7 PRICE

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7R III and Pentax Q7
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7R III and Pentax Q7
Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7 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). Pentax Q7 has external dimensions of 102 x 58 x 34 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.34″) and weighs 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Sony A7R III and the Pentax Q7. Pentax Q7 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 25mm narrower, 38mm shorter and 40mm thinner than Sony A7R III.

Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Pentax Q7 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7.

Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Pentax Q7 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7.
Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the the Pentax Q7 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax Q7 is significantly lighter (457g ) than the Sony A7R III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Sony A7R III has a Full frame sensor and Pentax Q7 has a smaller 1/1.7-inch sensor, Pentax Q7's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Sony A7R III lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7R III
Q7
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7R III
Q7
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

With its weather-sealed body, we believe that the A7R III has a big advantage over the Q7 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

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 Pentax Q7 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7R III.


Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7: 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, Pentax Q7 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Sony A7R III's sensor provides 30MP more than Pentax Q7'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 moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A7R III and Q7 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7 Cameras


As seen above, Sony A7R III has a 20.8x Larger sensor area than Pentax Q7. 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.

Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Sony A7R III has an advantage over the Pentax Q7. There are 191 lenses for the Sony A7R III's Sony E mount, but on the other hand, there are only 8 lenses for the Pentax Q7's Pentax Q lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7 have Sensor-based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies. A7R III's built-in Image stabilization system is effective for compensating vibration up to 5.0-stops according to CIPA standards.

Lens Type # of Sony A7R III Lenses # of Pentax Q7 Lenses
Standard Zoom 19 (14 Full Frame) 1
Standard Prime 34 (21 Full Frame) 2
Wideangle Zoom 14 (11 Full Frame) 1
Wideangle Prime 57 (39 Full Frame) 1
Telephoto Zoom 17 (15 Full Frame) 1
Telephoto Prime 26 (20 Full Frame) 1
SuperZoom 10 (2 Full Frame) n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 (0 Full Frame) 1
Macro Prime 9 (8 Full Frame) n/a
Perspective Control Prime 2 (2 Full Frame) n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 191 (132 Full Frame) 8

What types of Photography are Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7R III and Pentax Q7 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

GOOD

Pentax Q7 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Pentax Q7 for Street Photography

GOOD
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
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Pentax Q7 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Pentax Q7 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
200g
Medium size Body
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Pentax Q7 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
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A7R III vs Pentax Q7: 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 Pentax Q7, 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 A7R III and Pentax Q7 scores compare:

Sony A7R III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #12 out of 111 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #13 out of 1260 in all Cameras
Pentax Q7
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #89 out of 135 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #405 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Sony A7R III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Pentax Q7 in all criteria except one: Portability. Pentax Q7 is significantly smaller than Sony A7R III. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Pentax Q7. Otherwise, Sony A7R III is the better camera overall.

Sony A7R III
Sony A7R III
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Pentax Q7
Pentax Q7
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Pentax Q7 vs Sony A7R III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7R III Pentax Q7
Brand Sony Pentax
Announced 2017-10-25 2013-08-08
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size Full frame 1/1.7-inch
Dimensions 35.9 x 24 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 861.60mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 42 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 7952 x 5304 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 32,000 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Pentax Q
Number of Available Lenses 191 8
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,440k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (optional)
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 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 4.90 m (ISO100/m)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 5.0 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 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 657g 200g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74mm 102 x 58 x 34mm
Battery Life 650 shots 250 shots
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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