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Sony A7R III vs Sony RX100 V 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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Sony RX100 V

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) Stacked BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony RX100 V
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Sony A7R III vs Sony RX100 V Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Sony cameras 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 Sony RX100 V, which was introduced in October 2016 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 20.0MP 1″ sensor. There is 13 months difference between A7R III and RX100 V so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger A7R III, especially in sensor tech.

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 the Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V 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

Sony RX100 V Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-10-06
  • 20MP - 1″ Stacked BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80 - 25600)
  • 24-70 mm F1.8-2.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 24.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 1000fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 299g. 102 x 58 x 41 mm
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V

Sony RX100 V was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI vs Sony Alpha A7R III

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V compare 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 A7R III over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.78x vs 0.59x Larger Viewfinder
Sensor Resolution
42 MP vs 20 MP 110% more pixels
Max ISO
32.000 vs 12.800 150% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
425 vs 315 110 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.440k dots vs 1.229k dots 17% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
650 shots vs 220 shots 430 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
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs With optional app creative shooting
Viewfinder Resolution
3686.4k dot vs 2359k dot 56% higher resolution
Color Depth
26.0 vs 22.8 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
14.7 vs 12.4 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
3523 vs 586 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
20.43µm2 vs 5.82µm2 251% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
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
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
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
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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V over Sony Alpha A7R III
Stacked Sensor
Yes vs No High sensor read out speed and less rolling shutter
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Tiltable Flash
Yes vs No Bounce built-in flash off the ceiling
Continuous Shooting
24.0fps vs 10.0fps 14 fps faster
Weight
299 g vs 657 g 358 g lighter
Built-in ND Filter
3.0-stops vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
CHECK RX100 V PRICE

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7R III and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
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
42 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
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
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Webcam Function
Yes vs Yes Use your camera as a Webcam
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7R III and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V
Sony A7R III vs Sony RX100 V: 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 Sony RX100 V 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). Sony RX100 V has external dimensions of 102 x 58 x 41 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.61″) and weighs 299 g (0.66 lb / 10.55 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Sony A7R III and the Sony RX100 V. Sony RX100 V is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 25mm narrower, 38mm shorter and 33mm thinner than Sony A7R III. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Sony RX100 V 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 Sony RX100 V Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Sony RX100 V Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V.

Sony A7R III vs Sony RX100 V Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Sony RX100 V Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V.
Sony A7R III vs Sony RX100 V Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Sony RX100 V Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX100 V is significantly lighter (358g ) 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 the A7R III has a big advantage over the RX100 V which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

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 A7R III vs Sony RX100 V: 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, Sony RX100 V has a 20.0MP 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Sony A7R III's sensor provides 22MP more than Sony RX100 V'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 RX100 V sensor size comparison.

Sony A7R III vs Sony RX100 V Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V Cameras


As seen above, Sony A7R III has a 7.4x Larger sensor area than Sony RX100 V. 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.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark 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. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, A7R III has scored 100, 30 points higher than RX100 V.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7R III 100 26.0 bits 14.7 Evs 3523 ISO
Sony RX100 V 70 22.8 bits 12.4 Evs 586 ISO
What types of Photography are Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7R III and Sony RX100 V 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

Sony RX100 V 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

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony RX100 V for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Street Photography
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony RX100 V 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

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Sports Photography
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 24.0fps
315 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
70 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony RX100 V for Daily Photography

GOOD
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
299g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Body Thickness 41mm
2.9X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Sony RX100 V for Landscape Photography

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

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A7R III vs Sony RX100 V: 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 Sony RX100 V, 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 Sony RX100 V scores compare:

Sony A7R III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #10 out of 117 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #12 out of 1275 in all Cameras
Sony RX100 V
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #32 out of 64 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #294 out of 1275 in all Cameras

Sony A7R III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony RX100 V in all criteria except one: Portability. Sony RX100 V is significantly smaller than Sony A7R III. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Sony RX100 V. Otherwise, Sony A7R III is the better camera overall.

Sony A7R III
Sony A7R III
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Sony RX100 V
Sony RX100 V
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Sony RX100 V vs Sony A7R III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7R III Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2017-10-25 2016-10-06
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS Stacked BSI-CMOS
Size Full frame 1″
Dimensions 35.9 x 24 mm 13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area 861.60mm2 116.16mm2
Megapixels 42 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 7952 x 5304 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 32,000 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 125 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 ISO 80 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 425 315
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 24-70 mm (2.9x)
Max Aperture no lens F1.8-2.8
Macro Focus Range no lens 5cm
Screen
Type Tilting Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,440k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 3,686k dots 2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.59x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter n/a 1/32000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 10.20 m (at Auto ISO)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 24.0 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 MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 657g 299g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74mm 102 x 58 x 41mm
Battery Life 650 shots 220 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 100 70
DxO Color Depth 26.0 22.8
DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 12.4
DxO Low Light ISO 3523 586
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