I Switched Back to the a7R III

A couple of weeks ago I turned in my Sony a7R IV and went back to the previous generation a7R III.

After six months of owning the newer a7R IV, I was curious to know if going back to the previous model would be disruptive in any way to my bird photography work. Had I gotten so used to any of the new features or the new design that I would hate it, therefore justifying the $1,000 price difference?

To test this, I also made it a point to not refresh my memory with any spec sheets. I wanted a pure real-world take on its performances and my results, so this video does not dive into direct comparisons or “test” photos. I did have some preconceived ideas on what I thought I’d be bothered by (or not bothered by), but it was interesting to see all that really mattered in the end.

My conclusion to this little experiment is that if you aren’t overly interested, or at least interested enough to spend an extra $1,000, in the noticeable changes that the a7R IV brought — more megapixels for cropping, a more lifelike electronic viewfinder, a quieter shutter — then the a7R III is still a fantastic option for bird photographers. It’s a 2020 flagship-caliber camera; it just so happens that an a7R IV exists now as well.

Ryan Mense's picture

Ryan Mense is a wildlife cameraperson specializing in birds. Alongside gear reviews and news, Ryan heads selection for the Fstoppers Photo of the Day.

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8 Comments

I cannot express how happy for you I am, Ryan.

Also, the world is crying out for a "why I ordered pizza in preference to pasta" article.

Yes, it is wonderfully fun and instructive always to be in the mode of "if my photos aren't all they can be, it's me." It is the process, the path. A fun camera adds to the enjoyment. Happy viewing everyone, and have fun along the way.

I switched back to tap water from bottled water... and never looked back.

Thanks. I was almost upgrading from A7Rm3 to the m4. Now I know it would probably be a disappointment. I kind of downgraded to the A7m3 because autofocus is better. So maybe less resolution is better for auto focus.

Ughh, the feathertones are awful. Dead giveaway you’re shooting with a Sony.

Those are some pretty wonderful images. I know that Crane is not really doing a vertical jump to slam-dunk a ball, but it makes me happy looking at the image.

thats all most these internet shows do is switch from one system to another when in real life that means nothing at all; this is just another internet show to get views and money and thats it. almost all real life photographers keep their system for very long time and very very few switch companies at all; just more internet hype

I switched from looking over my shoulder to a rear view mirror. Then I switched again to a rear facing camera. And I never looked back.