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Nikon D700 vs Sony A7R III

The Nikon D700 and the Sony Alpha A7R III are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2008 and October 2017. The D700 is a DSLR, while the A7R III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 12.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 42.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Nikon D700
versus
Sony A7R III
Nikon D700   Sony A7R III
Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
12.1 MP – Full Frame sensor 42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600) ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder (3686k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots 3.0" LCD – 1440k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
1000 shots per battery charge650 shots per battery charge
147 x 123 x 77 mm, 1074 g 127 x 96 x 74 mm, 650 g
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Check A7R III offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D700 and the Sony Alpha A7R III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D700 and the Sony A7R III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Nikon D700 vs Sony A7R III
Compare D700 versus A7R III top
Comparison D700 or A7R III rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7R III is considerably smaller (33 percent) than the Nikon D700. Moreover, the A7R III is substantially lighter (39 percent) than the D700. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D700) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7R III). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7R III, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the D700 gets 1000 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3e battery, while the A7R III can take 650 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A7R III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D700 147 mm 123 mm 77 mm 1074 g 1000 Y Jul 2008 2,999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5D 152 mm 113 mm 75 mm 895 g 400 Y Aug 2005 3,299ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D3 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1300 g 4300 Y Aug 2007 4,999ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D3S 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1240 g 4200 Y Oct 2009 5,199ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D3X 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1260 g 4400 Y Dec 2008 7,999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D300 147 mm 114 mm 74 mm 925 g 1000 Y Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D300S 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 938 g 950 Y Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D800 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 1000 g 900 Y Feb 2012 2,999ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D800E 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 1000 g 900 Y Feb 2012 3,299ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D810 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 980 g 1200 Y Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon Df 144 mm 110 mm 67 mm 760 g 1400 Y Nov 2013 2,749ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7R II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 625 g 290 Y Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A7R IV 129 mm 96 mm 78 mm 665 g 670 Y Jul 2019 3,499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D700 was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the A7R III at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Nikon D700 and Sony A7R III sensor measures

With 42.2MP, the A7R III offers a higher resolution than the D700 (12.1MP), but the A7R III has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 8.43μm for the D700). Yet, the A7R III is a much more recent model (by 9 years and 3 months) than the D700, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7R III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7R III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7R III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 39.8 x 26.5 inches or 101 x 67.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 31.8 x 21.2 inches or 80.8 x 53.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 26.5 x 17.7 inches or 67.3 x 44.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D700 are 21.3 x 14.2 inches or 54.1 x 36 cm for good quality, 17 x 11.3 inches or 43.2 x 28.8 cm for very good quality, and 14.2 x 9.4 inches or 36 x 24 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A7R III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the D700, the A7R III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Nikon D700 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7R III are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the D700 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7R III uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

D700 versus A7R III MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7R III offers substantially better image quality than the D700 (overall score 20 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.5 bits higher color depth, 2.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.6 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon D700 Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832none23.512.2230380
2.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
3.
 
Canon 5D Full Frame 12.7 4368 2912none22.911.1136871
4.
 
Nikon D3 Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832none23.512.2229081
5.
 
Nikon D3S Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832720/24p23.512.0325382
6.
 
Nikon D3X Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none24.713.7199288
7.
 
Nikon D300 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848none22.112.067967
8.
 
Nikon D300S APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.512.278770
9.
 
Nikon D800 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/30p25.314.4285395
10.
 
Nikon D800E Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/30p25.614.3297996
11.
 
Nikon D810 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.714.8285397
12.
 
Nikon Df Full Frame 16.2 4928 3280none24.613.1327989
13.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
14.
 
Sony A7R II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.013.9343498
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
16.
 
Sony A7R IV Full Frame 60.2 9504 63364K/30p26.014.8334499
17.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The A7R III indeed provides for movie recording, while the D700 does not. The highest resolution format that the A7R III can use is 4K/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7R III has an electronic viewfinder (3686k dots), while the D700 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A7R III offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D700 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A7R III has a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.72x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D700 and Sony A7R III in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon D700optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
2.
 
Sony A7R III3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
3.
 
Canon 5Doptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n n
4.
 
Nikon D3optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
5.
 
Nikon D3Soptical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
6.
 
Nikon D3Xoptical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
7.
 
Nikon D300optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D300Soptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon D800optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s Y n
10.
 
Nikon D800Eoptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s Y n
11.
 
Nikon D810optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
12.
 
Nikon Dfoptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s n n
13.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7R II2400 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA3686 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A7R IV5760 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D700 has one, while the A7R III does not. While the built-in flash of the D700 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A7R III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon D700 and the Sony A7R III both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The D700 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the A7R III uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A7R III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D700 only has one slot.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D700 and Sony Alpha A7R III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon D700Y- / ---mini2.0---
2.
 
Sony A7R IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
3.
 
Canon 5DY- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Nikon D3Y- / ---mini2.0---
5.
 
Nikon D3SYstereo / ---mini2.0---
6.
 
Nikon D3XY- / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Nikon D300Y- / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D300SYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Nikon D800Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
10.
 
Nikon D800EYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
11.
 
Nikon D810Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0Y--
12.
 
Nikon DfY- / ---mini2.0---
13.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
14.
 
Sony A7R IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
16.
 
Sony A7R IVYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
17.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY

It is notable that the A7R III offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D700 does not provide wifi capability.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the D700 and the A7R III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D700 was replaced by the Nikon D800, while the A7R III was followed by the Sony A7R IV. Further information on the features and operation of the D700 and A7R III can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D700 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7R III Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D700 or the Sony A7R III – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Advantages of the Nikon D700:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1000 versus 650) on a single battery charge.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2008).

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Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A7R III:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 12.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 87%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (20 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.5 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.5 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.6 stops ISO advantage).
  • Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.72x).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 922k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 147x123mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 424g or 39 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More modern: Reflects 9 years and 3 months of technical progress since the D700 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7R III is the clear winner of the contest (28 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

D700 06:28 A7R III

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D700 and the Sony A7R III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D700 or the A7R III. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D700..89/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2008 2,999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5D..88/100..+ +o.. Aug 2005 3,299ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D3......+ +5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 4,999ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D3S5/5....89/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2009 5,199ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D3X......86/1004/55/5 Dec 2008 7,999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D300..+ +..+ +5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D300S5/5+ +..82/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D8005/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Feb 2012 2,999ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D800E......84/1005/55/5 Feb 2012 3,299ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D8105/5..5/586/1005/54.5/5 Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon Df4/5....81/1004/54/5 Nov 2013 2,749ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7R II5/5+ +5/590/1005/55/5 Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIA..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A7R IV5/5+4.5/591/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2019 3,499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Nikon D700 vs Sony A7R III

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Nikon D700 Sony A7R III
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date July 2008 October 2017
    Launch Price USD 2,999 USD 3,199
    Sensor Specs Nikon D700 Sony A7R III
    Sensor Technology CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 36.0 x 23.9 mm 35.9 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 860.4 mm2 861.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.2 mm 43.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12.1 Megapixels 42.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4256 x 2832 pixels 7952 x 5304 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 8.43 μm 4.52 μm
    Pixel Density 1.40 MP/cm2 4.90 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability no Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 32,000 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 50 - 102,400 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 80 100
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.5 26.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.2 14.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 2303 3523
    Screen Specs Nikon D700 Sony A7R III
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.72x 0.78x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3686k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 922k dots 1440k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Nikon D700 Sony A7R III
    Focus System Phase-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations500 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterno E-ShutterYES
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs Nikon D700 Sony A7R III
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.1
    HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Nikon D700 Sony A7R III
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL3e Sony NP-FZ100
    Battery Life (CIPA)1000 shots per charge650 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 147 x 123 x 77 mm
    (5.8 x 4.8 x 3.0 in)
    127 x 96 x 74 mm
    (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9 in)
    Camera Weight 1074 g (37.9 oz) 650 g (22.9 oz)
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    Check A7R III offers at
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