Sony A7R III vs Canon 6D Mark II
The Sony Alpha A7R III and the Canon EOS 6D Mark II are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2017 and June 2017. The A7R III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the 6D Mark II is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 42.2 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 26 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A7R III and the Canon EOS 6D Mark II? 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.
Body comparison
The physical size and weight of the Sony A7R III and the Canon 6D Mark II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 6D Mark II is notably larger (31 percent) than the Sony A7R III. Moreover, the 6D Mark II is markedly heavier (18 percent) than the A7R III. 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 Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7R III) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (6D Mark II). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony A7R III, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.
Concerning battery life, the A7R III gets 650 shots out of its Sony NP-FZ100 battery, while the 6D Mark II can take 1200 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack. The power pack in the A7R III can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A7R III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Oct 2017 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon 6D Mark II | 144 mm | 111 mm | 75 mm | 765 g | 1200 | Y | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon 5D Mark IV | 151 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 890 g | 900 | Y | Aug 2016 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
4. | Canon 80D | 139 mm | 105 mm | 79 mm | 730 g | 960 | Y | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 6D | 145 mm | 111 mm | 71 mm | 770 g | 1090 | Y | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon Z7 | 134 mm | 101 mm | 67 mm | 675 g | 330 | Y | Aug 2018 | 3,399 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D750 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 78 mm | 750 g | 1230 | Y | Sep 2014 | 2,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D610 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 131 mm | 97 mm | 82 mm | 723 g | 530 | Y | Oct 2022 | 3,899 | amazon.com | |
10. | Sony A1 | 129 mm | 97 mm | 81 mm | 737 g | 530 | Y | Jan 2021 | 6,499 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A7R IIIA | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A7R IVA | 129 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 665 g | 670 | Y | Apr 2021 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A7S III | 127 mm | 97 mm | 81 mm | 699 g | 600 | Y | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 129 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 665 g | 670 | Y | Jul 2019 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A9 | 127 mm | 96 mm | 63 mm | 673 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2017 | 4,499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A7R II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 625 g | 290 | Y | Jun 2015 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 6D Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 38 percent) than the A7R III, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the A7R III offers a higher resolution of 42.2 megapixels, compared with 26 MP of the 6D Mark II. This megapixels advantage translates into a 27 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the A7R III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 5.76μm for the 6D Mark II). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the A7R III is a somewhat more recent model (by 3 months) than the 6D Mark II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. 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 Canon 6D Mark II are 31.2 x 20.8 inches or 79.2 x 52.8 cm for good quality, 25 x 16.6 inches or 63.4 x 42.3 cm for very good quality, and 20.8 x 13.9 inches or 52.8 x 35.2 cm for excellent quality prints.
Unlike the 6D Mark II, 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 Sony Alpha A7R III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 6D Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 40000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.
In terms of underlying technology, the A7R III is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the 6D Mark II uses a 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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the A7R III provides substantially higher image quality than the 6D Mark II, with an overall score that is 15 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.6 bits higher color depth, 2.8 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A7R III | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
2. | Canon 6D Mark II | Full Frame | 26.0 | 6240 | 4160 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 11.9 | 2862 | 85 | |
3. | Canon 5D Mark IV | Full Frame | 30.1 | 6720 | 4480 | 4K/30p | 24.8 | 13.6 | 2995 | 91 | |
4. | Canon 80D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.2 | 1135 | 79 | |
5. | Canon 6D | Full Frame | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 23.8 | 12.1 | 2340 | 82 | |
6. | Nikon Z7 | Full Frame | 45.4 | 8256 | 5504 | 4K/30p | 26.3 | 14.6 | 2668 | 99 | |
7. | Nikon D750 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/60p | 24.8 | 14.5 | 2956 | 93 | |
8. | Nikon D610 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.4 | 2925 | 94 | |
9. | Sony A7R V | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 8k/24p | 26.5 | 14.8 | 3187 | 100 | |
10. | Sony A1 | Full Frame | 49.8 | 8640 | 5760 | 8k/30p | 25.9 | 14.5 | 3163 | 98 | |
11. | Sony A7R IIIA | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
12. | Sony A7R IVA | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.8 | 3344 | 99 | |
13. | Sony A7S III | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/120p | 23.7 | 13.9 | 2520 | 86 | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.8 | 3344 | 99 | |
15. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
16. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
17. | Sony A7R II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 13.9 | 3434 | 98 |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A7R III provides a higher video resolution than the 6D Mark II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.
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 6D Mark II 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 6D Mark II (98%), 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A7R III and Canon 6D Mark II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
# | 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. | Sony A7R III | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
2. | Canon 6D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.5/s | n | n | |
3. | Canon 5D Mark IV | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1620 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 80D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon 6D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.5/s | n | n | |
6. | Nikon Z7 | 3690 | Y | 3.2 / 2100 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
7. | Nikon D750 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D610 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 9440 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
10. | Sony A1 | 9437 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
11. | Sony A7R IIIA | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 2340 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
12. | Sony A7R IVA | 5760 | n | 3.0 / 2340 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Sony A7S III | 9440 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 5760 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A9 | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Sony A7R II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that differentiates the A7R III and the 6D Mark II is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A7R III reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the 6D Mark II offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
The 6D Mark II has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the A7R III does not have a selfie-screen.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 Sony A7R III and the Canon 6D Mark II 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 A7R III writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the 6D Mark II uses SDXC cards. The A7R III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 6D Mark II only has one slot. The A7R III supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the 6D Mark II can use UHS-I cards.
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 Sony Alpha A7R III and Canon EOS 6D Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A7R III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
2. | Canon 6D Mark II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon 5D Mark IV | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Canon 80D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Canon 6D | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
6. | Nikon Z7 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Nikon D750 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D610 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Sony A7R V | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
10. | Sony A1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
11. | Sony A7R IIIA | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony A7R IVA | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A7S III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A7R II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the A7R III has a headphone jack, which is not present on the 6D Mark II This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A7R III (unlike the 6D Mark II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 6D Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.
The 6D Mark II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the A7R III has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A7R III was succeeded by the Sony A7R IV. Further information on the features and operation of the A7R III and 6D Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Sony A7R III Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 6D Mark II Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A7R III or the Canon 6D Mark II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7R III:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (42.2 vs 26MP) with a 27% higher linear resolution.
- 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 (15 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
- Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.6 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (2.8 EV of extra DR).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- 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 98%).
- 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 1040k dots).
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 6.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 144x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 115g or 15 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
- More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 3 months after the 6D Mark II).
Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II:
- 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 a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1200 versus 650) out of a single battery charge.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (38 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2017).
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7R III is the clear winner of the match-up (25 : 9 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A7R III and the Canon 6D Mark II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A7R III or the 6D Mark II. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.
Expert reviews
This is where reviews by experts come in. 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A7R III | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2017 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon 6D Mark II | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon 5D Mark IV | 4.5/5 | + + | 4/5 | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2016 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
4. | Canon 80D | 4/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 6D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon Z7 | 5/5 | + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2018 | 3,399 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D750 | 5/5 | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 2,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D610 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 92/100 | .. | .. | Oct 2022 | 3,899 | amazon.com | |
10. | Sony A1 | 5/5 | o | 4.5/5 | 93/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2021 | 6,499 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A7R IIIA | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A7R IVA | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2021 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A7S III | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7R IV | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2019 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A9 | 5/5 | + + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2017 | 4,499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A7R II | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jun 2015 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Other camera comparisons
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Specifications: Sony A7R III vs Canon 6D Mark II
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 Model | Sony A7R III | Canon 6D Mark II |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | Canon EF mount lenses |
Launch Date | October 2017 | June 2017 |
Launch Price | USD 3,199 | USD 1,999 |
Sensor Specs | Sony A7R III | Canon 6D Mark II |
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 35.9 x 24.0 mm | 35.9 x 24.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 861.6 mm2 | 861.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.2 mm | 43.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 42.2 Megapixels | 26 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 7952 x 5304 pixels | 6240 x 4160 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.52 μm | 5.76 μm |
Pixel Density | 4.90 MP/cm2 | 3.01 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 32,000 ISO | 100 - 40,000 ISO |
ISO Boost | 50 - 102,400 ISO | 50 - 102,400 ISO |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | DIGIC 7 |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 100 | 85 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 26.0 | 24.4 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.7 | 11.9 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 3523 | 2862 |
Screen Specs | Sony A7R III | Canon 6D Mark II |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 98% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | 0.72x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 1440k dots | 1040k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Swivel screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Sony A7R III | Canon 6D Mark II |
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | no Peaking Feature |
Continuous Shooting | 10 shutter flaps/s | 6.5 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 500 000 actuations | 100 000 actuations |
Electronic Shutter | YES | no E-Shutter |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
UHS card support | Single UHS-II | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Sony A7R III | Canon 6D Mark II |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 3.1 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | no Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | Bluetooth built-in |
Geotagging | no internal GPS | GPS built-in |
Body Specs | Sony A7R III | Canon 6D Mark II |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FZ100 | Canon LP-E6N |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 650 shots per charge | 1200 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | no USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
127 x 96 x 74 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9 in) |
144 x 111 x 75 mm (5.7 x 4.4 x 3.0 in) |
Camera Weight | 650 g (22.9 oz) | 765 g (27.0 oz) |
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