Battle of the Full Frames! Sony A7iii vs. Sony A7Riii vs. Sony A9- which camera is best for YOU?

Join long time Sony professional photographer Jason Lanier as he compares the three big Sony Full Frames in the marketplace to help you decide which one works best for you! The Sony A7iii vs. the Sony A7Riii vs. the Sony A9. PLEASE THUMBS UP, SHARE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND SUBSCRIBE!
Jason is very fortunate to be able to own and shoot all three of these cameras and has done so extensively with all of them since there release dates. Jason was one of the pioneers of the Sony mirrorless system when it came out years ago and his experience with these cameras gives him insight that hopefully helps people out there looking to make the best purchasing decision.
*Links to Gear*
*Sony A9- bhpho.to/2oOdnGF
*Sony A7Riii- bhpho.to/2zu1lJu
*Sony A7iii- bhpho.to/2D1xJRb
The timing of this video coincides with the recent price reductions in the Sony A9 and the Sony A7Riii which brings all three cameras closer in price than ever before. Coupled with the recent firmware updates for these cameras it can get difficult to know which one is best for you.
This video does not include the Sony A7Sii because it is the older design for the Sony full frame lineup. This camera does not compete with the others due to the older battery, older design, single card slot etc.
In this video Jason gives examples for all three cameras illustrating his points by using stills and video clips that he's taken all over the world with this cameras. Primary subjects include:
*Key Genres for each camera
*Price
*Speed
*Shutter
*ISO
*Resolution
*File Handling
*Ergonomics
*Features
We hope it helps and invite you to write what you think below. Thanks for watching and as always make sure to subscribe and click on NOTIFICATIONS so you're updated every time a new video is released!!
Thanks for being here,
Jason Lanier Photography

[@micknificent]

After watching this video I came to the conclusion that I need all three of these Sony cameras. Especially the A9.

[@ArvindJuneja]

🤣

[@paolofat52]

AGREED! I have all three .

[@MyBaoNguyen]

Arvind Juneja kzbin.info/aero/PLE_83Oi2UJV8M76TC_ZagAGOQAXIqtXTw

[@cah88]

After watching this video I came to the conclusion I am 5 rings away from being a photographer.

[@josenataliogonzalez3807]

@@paolofat52 If you drop the resolution of the a7Riii down to match the A7 rii and Sony a9. how is the performance? Both in regular and lowlight shooting.

[@jasonn4397]

After a year of owning my A7III (after owning a A7II) I completely agree with everything shared here. While the A9 is my dream camera, my A7III has been more than I could have hoped it to be. Very happy to hear you and Sony are good. Thank you, Jason!

[@DutchAussieProductions]

Thanks for the video Jason. This is by far the best Sony camera video I have ever seen. Your photos and videos are amazing.

[@Lectrosoul]

A9 Price drop because of A9ii imminent announcement! all three are amazing, for the money the a7iii is a beast

[@timryan6395]

Thanks again Jason, this is the best video out there explaining the REAL differences in these platforms. Very helpful. Love your work and your attitude.

[@JCANPetros]

Great job as usual Jason! Good balance of explanation and samples.

[@jinkim917]

This type of review is so non BS. Straight to the point and no verbose crap I find from other comparison reviews. Thx man

[@JasonLanierPhotography]

Jin Kim thank you!

[@11557bexley]

Thank you, great video/info love your work

[@Bodywern]

This must be one of the most informative and user-friendly videos I have ever seen. Thank you!

[@tedmanasa907]

Thanks for making this video, Jason. It was the deciding factor in me keeping my a9 instead of switching to the A7rIII for my trip to Botswana. I print at 50”x30”, and thought I could really use the extra resolution. But your video convinced me that I would lose far more than I would from that switch. I have had my a9 for 2 years to the day (purchased on April 21, 2017) and it has been the most mind blowing object I have ever owned, especially in combination with my 16-35mm/2.8 GM. I’m sticking with the a9 for the long haul.Just added a 100-400mm GM to the kit for Botswana. Thanks.

[@saulmirandaaliaga]

Love this video, Jason. Great work, thank you very much!

[@lastfrontier]

Thank you for the video! I feel really confident in choosing the A9 now. I rented it once and was blown away, but this video confirms my thoughts.

[@holdmyown32]

What do you shoot?

[@lattesweden]

A9 with FW5.0 raises the number of contrast AF points from 25 to 425, so same as A7III.

[@ajalbetjr]

Wait - what? WOAH!! With all the other features mentioned, I MISSED THIS!!! Holy Smokes!! Definitely want the A9, especially now with the $1,000 price drop!!

[@Nauticalimage]

@@ajalbetjr You wont regret it i pad the full price for my A9 but now with this 5.0 update its like i have a brand new camera

[@RickMentore]

Cool review, enhanced by your lengthy hands-on experience in all conditions!

[@Mixedpuppy]

Thank you! That was such a wonderful and honest review! I was in the market and trying to decide.

[@stephent8220]

Love hearing your insight and personal opinions!

[@GilbertTV]

a great honest summary of whats out there ... great video

[@ThomasECahill]

Great information Jason. Thanks!

[@6gwilliams]

Thanks Jason. I jumped and bought the A9 when I recently got the $500 Sony instant rebate and $500 Sony trade-in rebate (same as the now $1000 off). I traded in my A7III and A6500 to bring the price down to few hundred dollars USD to get the A9. I have NO regrets, it was the move to make. The A9 is at a different level of performance and the best camera I have ever used in my 40+ years of pro career (including using the best from Nikon, Canon and Leica). I have already posted some shots as a member in your facebook group that I might NOT have gotten without having the A9. This video is perfectly timed. FYI, I also have an A7RIII. Cheers

[@ericterrill405]

love your work!

[@thundian]

Great video, I really like your presentation, no blah, blah, just real stuff only! I was using A7r3 and A73, sold A73 yesterday and placed an order for A9, it's back ordered for about 7-14 days, can't wait!

[@michaelhains2291]

Thanks Jason, a very timely comparison.

[@lawrencechan1206]

Love your review, Jason.

[@amirnoorani5017]

Awesome review! thanks Jason

[@TrevorMcGrathPhotography]

Love every second of your stuff...I was sure you were going to cry by the end of this video. Over recent videos, you have been shooting with other systems (and that's great) but you have SONY in your heart and are only happy with sony in your hand. I made the switch just three months ago from Canon and it has rejuvenated my passion for photography in SO many ways.

[@vproven]

Outstanding vlog. So informative, direct and to the point. What a breath of fresh air. 👍👍👍

[@JasonLanierPhotography]

Thank you!

[@Pharesm]

Very sensible and detailed comparison! subbed :)

[@rubenamadeo2938]

Nice review, man. Keep it up! ^^ Can you review the color production in portrait for those cameras? Thanks

I'm using a7 and a6000. In next week a7 will come with me to wedding session. All best from Poland!

[@takumi1153]

Any tips for the a6000? I recently just got it

[@disraelphotography]

Great comparison and advice man

[@The22Healer]

Great video! Thanks for the info!

[@didimiorios3781]

Greetings Jason from Puerto Rico. Extraordinary comparison between the 3 best cameras. I have the A6500 and I love it. Thank you for helping me in the discovery of my next camera to buy. I am fascinated by your photos.

[@b.walter6646]

Thanks for an outstanding comparison!

[@DapurFithryOfficial]

Hi Jason. I already have an A7iii and want to buy one more camera between A7Riii or A9 Which one do you think is better? Price doesn't need to be a consideration. thank you 🙏

[@llamarvasquez1803]

Thank you very much for this video! I might go get the A9 now 👍🏻

[@JoseSanchezbze]

great video. how about which cards are better for each camera. I wouldn't want to buy the most expensive for my a73 if I didn't need to.

[@josetanon853]

Your my favorite Sony shooter , love your work Jason Lanier ..

[@Cozy-Station]

Thanks for making this video.

[@BretBihler]

Thanks for this review. Because of your videos about 1.5 yrs. ago I switched from Canon to Sony, and got the 7RIII and love it, as well as 3 GM lens. Love your vids. Keep up the incredible work.... Also because of you I purchased a Roto Light Neo II system!

[@JasonLanierPhotography]

Bret Bihler awesome thank you!!

[@guillermocortez2546]

You are the best!!! thanks for teach and share!!!

[@MultiLasT1Standing]

Hey Jason, excellent work!! Love the info... you provide. I was waiting for you at least to mention the 7SIII, where that stand on the list? Thank you in advance.

[@JasonLanierPhotography]

ཨสའཏสK༏ LEGION it’s not out yet, so I can’t mention it :)

[@motobear383]

Hi Jason, in your humble opinion would you say the A9 would be good for Astro/night photography ? Or would you go with the A7iii. Thank you Chris

[@spadyradio]

Thanks! Really helped me decided. Getting an A9

[@christopherwesten6291]

Thank you so much Jason for releasing this video. I shot sports mainly and i was wondering which body could handle horrible lighting to excellent lighting and it seems like the A9 is the best choice for me. I also shoot those athletes for portraits so the A9 can handle both. Love ya Jason hope to see you at a Workshop sometime soon.

[@brianeliel5756]

Love this + love that your jamming on your Mac Book Pro

[@cenalanier6703]

Best comparison of these 3 cameras! Thank you

[@jeromemisa6642]

That A9 is insane😍tnx jason

[@svanteekholm7334]

Hi Jason, sorry for another gear question - but can you recommend a good fedora?

[@DanNisnisan]

Thanks for the comparison brother. A9 is my next body and placing my a7iii as my second body

[@smitharamgopal1687]

Great videos and still relevant in 2021. Considering the drop in prices due to the A9 ii and A7R iv, would you recommend the A7R iii for portraiture and landscapes photography with vintage lenses? Thank you!

[@nebularish]

I’m glad I went for the A9. I wish you had done this video Before. It could have saved a lot of time researching. I’m happy I made the right decisions and also got it for the discounted price.

[@MaryD321]

Thanks for a very well done review! One thing I was hoping you would address is the less than ideal resolution of the a7iii LCD screen compared to the a7riii. What do you make of it and is it enough to push someone away from the a7iii? Thanks and I've now subscribed to your channel and look forward to watching more.

[@kennethhart4859]

Hi Jason. Great video. I have a Sony A9. I’m trying to decide on a back up camera. I believe a second A9 would be wise. What do you think?

[@Sunflare2012]

Great Video 👌🏻

[@tonyhaltmar5982]

I love, the way that you love the A9! Love ALL of your videos! BIG FAN. THANK YOU, JASON.

[@hawj89]

DUDE!!!! this video is LEGIT incredibly helpful! you're actually speaking english, not tech language. thanks!!

[@sjsphotog]

Jason tells it like it is. He's always been that way

[@barryroberts2474]

Good one mate!

[@isabelladavis1363]

well Jason I invested in the A-9 two days ago and finally had time to upload the 5 upgrade version...MINDBLOWING tracking and I haven't even played with it yet...thanks for the reviews and comparisons between cameras...will continue using the A7Rii for landscapes and deal with the battery life that will work for its needs ...thrilled to have DECENT battery life coming from Nikon D700-750 ...so that's certainly a win...oh I can go on and on but time will tell...thanks again ...cant wait to capture my subjects without worrying about focus issues...

[@ningsun2]

As always Jason , you are the best of all, straight shooter, on the point, no BS. Great artist, educator, of course best pianist:); but above all, you are a great guy with incredible humanity. People don’t understand, you watch the guy’s video, only because you like the guy’s persona! Period.

[@videophoto1436]

Hello Jason, thank you for your comparison. Could you please tell me what is the best lens for A9 I mean best for video?

[@jean-phil]

wow, this is a great comparison, thanks a lot ! what do you think about Canon R5 and R6 ?

[@gaspcreativeltd533]

Jason great video review! one question I have the A7III which I use primarily for video and I had the Canon 5DM3 for my photography. Which I have sold with a few lenses. I have been looking at the A9 because shooting photos with the A7III has left me feeling like my images are not as good as I was getting out of the 5DM3. I think getting used to the difference of the autofocus is a big part of it but there are some downsides like the blackout and the lower-res rear screen. Can you offer any advice on getting used to the focusing and whether this will be better with the A9?

[@drewrobertson6286]

I would love to see you test the Lumix S1 & S1R as well as the Leica SL... thanks for what you do...

[@richardbarakett4163]

As usuel Jason...you are awesome...love you brother!!!

[@dieseldavey]

Thanks Jason much appreciated. 👍

[@MHapha081287]

BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON WHICH CAMERA TO GET AND AFTER WATCHING THIS VIDEO... I SEARCH NO MORE!!! BEST VIDEOS !!!!

[@SkYjAcKeR666]

Still family!! YES Sir!! :) Made my day Jason.

[@JasonLanierPhotography]

Absolutely..:)

[@thajourneyofk.delaiso4268]

Thanks for the video

[@alanrivero7654]

Great video Jasón.

[@HarlemGlobetrotters1]

Great video, as usual. I have the Sony A7iii and looking to purchase an 85mm Sony lens, which should I buy the 85mm 1.8 or the Sony 85mm 1.4 GM, torn between the 2, research says the 85mm 1.8 is a sharper & better focusing lens, pls help! Can’t decide.

[@carlosm9323]

Great explanation thxs

[@sarcofalo]

Thank you Jason!! I have been wondering what camera to get. I ll get the a9 now that is only $ 3500

[@rogersmith1643]

Thanks for the review Jason, I had an A7III last year, and this year upgraded to both an A7RIII and A9...due to the new prices. I love the detail in the A7R for macro and portraiture, and shoot sports with the A9...which as you say is a monster for frames and AF particularly with the firmware update. One comment I will make however (and this took me by surprise as I did not do my research), I photographed 2 night netball sessions (one with the A7R and the next with the A9), the banding issue with the A9 is real and crippling. My night sports shoot with the A7R was much more successful with 10 FPS and ant-flicker producing beautiful shots. The A9 AF trumps it, but all the photos were ruined with severe banding until I set mechanical shutter only and disabled e-front shutter. I might add just switching to mechanical shutter will not stop banding, you have to disable the e-front shutter as well. The problem is I was crippled with 5 FPS. Some people say this issue doesn't exist...I can confirm it definitely does, and the severity will probably depend on the frequency of the lights. The other big factor is your shutter speed, and of course shooting sports requires at least 1/1000 to adequately freeze action, aggravating the banding issue. If you shoot night sports under lights, the A7III or A7RIII will probably be better for you. Be safe and test the A9 under your typical conditions first.

[@markshirley01]

Very helpful information thanks. The A9 is always the camera I've wanted - fast and easy to use - this is what matters to me.

[@hazardstorms226]

Jason- So I am about ready to choose a camera for outdoor and indoor portraiture and I have no investment in lenses- I'd like to know if you recommend the A9 over the DSLRs, or is the A9 your choice just among the Sonys? I see so many photographers are still going strong with cameras like Canon 5DM4. Is there a reason to go with something like that instead?

[@BLISS7]

Thanks for guide bro. It helps me lot to choose 😀. Finally I bought a7iii 😊

[@keithsmathers9815]

Nice video brother!

[@SierraCreative]

Correct me if I’m wrong .. but doesn’t the a9 lack slog and hlg for cinematographers? If so, that’s a big difference for those looking to take advantage of the dynamic range of the sensor.

[@MichaelTheCHOREOGRAPHER]

I am glad have done this video now. I am looking to switch to a full frame mirrorless and I am fancing Sony from canon!

[@NickImberyPhotography]

I plan on stepping up from an A6000 to full frame, either 7iii or 7riii. I scoot mainly landscape photos and am not a professional at this point (low volume shooting). What would you suggest? I love the idea of higher resolution but also like the smaller 24 MP size. Thank you and good video.

[@osirisjackson5443]

Thank you a I learned a lot here.

[@gcnphilly]

Great video as always. I made the switch to the a7iii and also have the a6000. Both are great. One thing I do struggle with as a former Canon shooter is the color science with Sony. It's good but I find Canon had it nailed. Any videos on getting the best color in portraits using the Sony cameras?

[@albertw251]

Great photos Jason!! Good comparison of the cameras. I love my A7iii since downgrading the resolution from A7Riii. For my purposes the A7iii is excellent. With the money saved, I can invest in high end G-Master glass. :-)

[@user-ly7rg3ll4o]

Albert Wong Hi Albert, may I ask what made you prefer the a7iii over the a7Riii?

[@StanleyKowalski.]

you brought different aspects of cameras on table, so it wasnt late comparison video. thanks

[@hwirtwirt4500]

I really enjoy bird and wildlife photography and the most striking, sharp and vibrant images I've see over the past year or so come form the Sony A9. It's outrageously good at capturing images that no other camera can match. A combination of speed, focusing accuracy and color that is just unmatched.

[@AdonisOHoli]

if you want to create short films/music videos, would it be the A9 or the a7iii to go for? and bearing in mind I shoot stills/more so portraits also??

[@KW86.]

Thank you Jason, I can smell A7S 3 coming soon. That's why prices are down?

[@darylnd]

Just picked up the A9, along with Batis 18, 40 and 85 lenses. Tough call between the three bodies but ultimately went with your “if you can only have one” recommendation. Also nice, there was a manufacturers weekend event at my local store, got trade-in on old equipment and additional discounts.

[@333raffles]

Part exchanged A73, rx10 iv, hx99, and pana lx100 for A9 (plus cash!). Now 1 camera to learn and improve on. Thanks, Jason.

[@darrylpanchyson9678]

Hey Jason, how do you shoot group shots? I find that when I'm shooting 7.1 and up.. the focus hunts before acquiring focus (native and adapted).

[@ralphharp449]

Change your focus mode to auto single, not auto continuous. Don't know why but it fixed it for me.

[@treatmasti2022]

I am A6300 user, How much image and video quality difference between A73 and A6300. is there really hues differ... Advanced thank you...

[@ivanlupi5123]

Awesome and practical video. Have been considering switching systems to the a7iii, due to its great high iso performance and eye tracking. My passion are milkyways. Could you tell me how far off in high iso performance the a9 is compared to the a7iii. Just an enthusiast with enough money if the product justifies it. I do have a k1 and love it but that 36 mp sensor does take a big toll on my computer. Sadly ergonomics suck on the A series but would give that up for high iso performance and eye autofocus. Or should I wait for the new a7s body?

[@juhanyman1802]

Great video Jason! I had A7R III earlier, but about a month ago I went for A9 instead. With 5.0 firmware A9 is a beast! Autofocus is just magical and it has enough resolution for just about everything. I really don't miss the R III. Sure it was nice to be able to crop more in post, but for everything else but the resolution A9 trumps it. Only shame is losing the video profiles.

[@creativfilmmedia4246]

Wow nice content!! So the A9 is also good for Videos?

[@user-ly7rg3ll4o]

Hi Jason, can you please tell me why file handling for higher megapixels is harder? I’m undecided between a7iii and a7Riii and i am a new into photography/videography

[@joaomiranda9639]

Hi Jason great video. I have a question and I would like to know your opinion please. The sony a9 II all claim to be ideal for wildlife photography, but it only has 24MP, in wildlife photography you often have to shoot away from the animals and you need to crop the image. With the A9 II, do you want before or after cropping do you still have high image quality? the difference in image quality is significant between the A7R III and A9 II, for wildlife photography, low light, away from the subject, etc. Thanks a lot. Best regards

[@lauriewahlig2819]

Is the auto focus still amazing with canon lens?

[@Noealz]

awesome stuff man - test the fujis =p

[@CamillaI]

Have the A9II now but might get A7iii for video great vlog

[@NicoleSignorCreative]

I love the a7iii for motorsports - I'd love to try the a9, but the price tag scares me! But the a7iii works perfectly for my needs! so great!

[@MaverickChristian]

Occasionally the Sony a9 goes on a serious sale. I waited to buy mine when it cost only about three thousand U.S. dollars (previously it was about four thousand).