Sony a7RIII DxOmark Review: Outstanding Image Quality (100 Points)

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DxOMark published their Sony a7RIII sensor review and test results – Sony a7RIII’s 42.4Mp full-frame CMOS sensor achieved an excellent overall DxOMark sensor score of 100 points (the same as the Nikon D850), with a combination of 26 bits color depth, 14.7 EV dynamic range, and 3523 ISO low-light score.

The Nikon D850, Sony A7R III, and A7R II sensors occupy the third, fourth, and fifth slots in our scoring hierarchy. They are beaten only by the medium-format sensors in the Hasselblad X1D-50C (102 Points) and the Pentax 645Z (101 Points), which take the first and second slots, respectively.

Conclusion from DxOMark:

It’s clear that the Sony A7R III has a high-performing sensor that’s capable of capturing images with a broad range of color and tone, while keeping noise well under control.

However, comparing the A7R III sensor to the Nikon D850’s reveals the advantage that the Nikon camera’s lower minimum sensitivity (ISO) value brings. Photographers who predominantly shoot in bright light or capture motionless subjects with the camera on a tripod will record the most information, be it color, tone, or detail with the Nikon D850 set to ISO 32. However, if they require values above that, the Sony A7R III sensor produces marginally better images.

Sony’s in-body 5-axis image stabilization system is widely respected, and if it achieves the 5.5 EV shutter speed compensation in the A7R III that the company claims, it would enable the camera to capture images at ISO 100 instead of at ISO 3200 (provided the subject is stationary).

Sony a7RIII: $3,198 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama

Nikon D850: $3,296.95 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama

$500 off on Sony a7RII: $2,398 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama.

You can read the full review at DxOMark.