Sony a7 III vs Sony NEX-7

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7 III and Sony NEX-7. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

Sony a7 III were released 2018 and Sony NEX-7 was released 2011. That is a 7 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a7 III 2018
Sony NEX-7 2011

Type of camera

Both these cameras are Mirrorless cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7 III has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Sony NEX-7 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a7 III 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Sony NEX-7 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)

Resolution

Both these cameras have the exact same resolution. Sony a7 III has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony NEX-7 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a7 III 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000
Sony NEX-7 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000

ISO range

Sony a7 III has a larger ISO-range than Sony NEX-7. Sony a7 III has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Sony NEX-7 has 100 to 16000.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a7 III 100-51200
Sony NEX-7 100-16000

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a7 III
Lens compatibility chart for Sony NEX-7

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7 III can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Sony NEX-7 can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a7 III 10
Sony NEX-7 10

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a7 III and Sony NEX-7 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a7 III weighs 650 gr (equal to 1.43 lb) which is 62% heavier than Sony NEX-7 and its 400 gr (or 0.88 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a7 III 650 gr
1.43 lb
Sony NEX-7 400 gr
0.88 lb

Sony a7 III vs Sony NEX-7 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7 III and Sony NEX-7, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Name Sony a7 III Sony NEX-7
Manufacturer Sony Sony
Release Date and Price
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Release Year 2018 2011
Release Date 2018-02-27 2011-08-24
MSRP 1999 USD 699 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Camera Type Mirrorless Mirrorless
Sensor
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels 24 MP 24 MP
Image Processor Bionz X Bionz
Image
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
ISO Range 100 - 51200 100 - 16000
White Balance Presets 11 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 5 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
LiveView
Focus Points 693 25
Lens Mount Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier Full frame
No multiplier
Example:
24 mm remains 24 mm
50 mm remains 50 mm
100 mm remains 100 mm
200 mm remains 200 mm
APS-C Sensor (1.5x)
1.5x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 36 mm
50 mm becomes 75 mm
100 mm becomes 150 mm
200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Articulated LCD Tilting Tilting
Screen size 3” 3”
Screen dots 921600 921000
Touch screen Yes No
Screen type N/A N/A
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution 2359296 N/A
Photography features
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Frames per second 10 fps 10 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash No Yes
Built-in Flash Range N/A 6 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No No
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Highlight Weighted
Spot
Average
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
H.264
XAVC-S
AVCHD
MPEG4
AVCHD
Video resolution 1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
1440 x 1080
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes No
Headphone Port Yes No
Wireless Yes
Built-in (with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app)
Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control Wired Yes (InfraRed (optional))
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a7 III
Sony NEX-7
Enviromentally sealed Yes No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery and charger
Lithium-Ion NP-FW50 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 710 shots 430 shots
Width 127 mm 120 mm
Height 96 mm 67 mm
Depth 74 mm 43 mm
Weight 650 gram 400 gram