Introduction
Although the Sony A7 III is a professional mirrorless camera and the Nikon D750 is a semi-professional DSLR camera, given the body differences, both cameras are very similar to each other in many aspects, starting from the popularity, reliability and the strong performance that you get in a return.
At a glance, I’m unable and I’m sure that you are unable as well, to give the most precise answer to the question ” Which camera can be considered as better”, right?
Hence, I’d suggest you dig deeper in order to have a better insight of both cameras, so, after I explain each camera’s pros and cons, you’d have a better clue of their capabilities and be able to make an own conclusion!
Ready? Let’s get started!
Head To Head Comparison
Sony A7 III
The Sony A7 III features a beautiful, all-black colored body that is fairly compact as well like most of the cameras of this type. It measures 3.9 x 5.0 x 2.5″, weighs around 1.4 pounds without a lens and given these specs, the Sony A7 III is very lightweight and therefore, comfortable to hold. As an added comfort, it’s refined, textured grip does also contribute a lot since your hands will have a natural placement which by default means that the camera will sit steadily in your hands and feel comfortable to shoot with.
In addition, this camera has an excellent build as well. The reason behind this is the use of a magnesium alloy material and the inclusion of weather-sealing which makes this model be strong enough to withstand daily use and promise you a freedom so that you can shoot in dusty and rainy conditions without affecting the performance!
When it comes to the control layout, the A7 III’s buttons are indeed well-organized. Namely, the top plate holds hot shoe on the center, single Mode dial and Control dial on the right, two customizable C1 and C2 buttons that sit above them, and a shutter release button with an On/Off switch located on the grip, while the left side remain completely free of buttons.
On the rear, the top-left side employs yet one more customizable, C3 button that sit next to a Menu button, whereas stretching from the top-right and all the way down to the bottom, there are multiple buttons of which the most notable is the AF-On, the Fn button and the selector joystick which will help you have an easy navigation between menus.
Moreover, the viewfinder sits on the usual, top-center position and interestingly, although it measures only 0.5″, it is very bright due to the fact that it is of an XGA OLED type, covers up to 100% of the field, has 2,358k-dots and a magnification of 0.78. Once you start shooting through it, I’m sure that you will be satisfied because of the crispness of the viewfinder and because your site will remain clear which is essential for shooting subjects!
In the center, there’s a tilting, 3″ touchscreen with a resolution of 921k-dots, which does not only output visuals of exceptional clarity, but it also remains bright enough even if you shoot under bright daylight! Even though it isn’t an example of a true vari-angle screen, considering the fact that it can tilt up and down, it means that you will have an option to shoot from different angles which can surely be considered as an advantage in comparison to fixed screens, right?
Moreover, the connectivity options are composed of 3.5mm microphone input and headphone jack, single micro HDMI port and two USB ports of which one is of a USB-C type whereas, the other is micro, and has a built-in support for NFC, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which means that you will have multiple options through which you can transmit your captured photos and videos!
In terms of the performance, the Sony A7 III combines a 24.2MP BSI Full-Frame image sensor, 693 phase-detection AF system with 425 contrast AF-points, ISO range of 100-51,200 which can be expanded up to 50-204,800, continuous shooting speed of 10 fps and a BIONZ X image processor that minimizes the occurrences of noise while boosting the image clarity as much as possible!
The A7 III produces images of stunning quality and the definition of the details is indeed strong, especially if you pair it with a wide angle lens.
Starting from ISO 100, and all the way up to ISO 6400, have an excellent color accuracy, and the overall image qualiy looks pleasing for the viewer and the photographer. At ISO 12,800 you will start to notice some smudginess but still, images can be considered as more than usable. Starting from ISO 25,600 and beyond, noise starts to increase in conjunction with the level of the ISO setting, and clearly, I wouldn’t recommend you to push the limits of the camera because results at the highest level make the images unusable!
Also, RAW format images handle completely fine even at ISO 51,200, and as a matter of fact, details are more preserved than the JPGs shot at this level, however, at the highest ISO levels noise becomes more prominent and it decreases the overall image quality, so, I’d suggest you avoid setting the ISO range beyond ISO 51,200.
Finally, the A7 III is armed with Dual Pixel AF, and what does this really mean? Well, you’ll be able to record nearly flawless videos at up to 4K quality at 24/30 fps, 1080p videos at 24/30/60 fps, and even take advantage of the internal, slow-motion option that lets you record videos at 60/100Mbps/120fps!
The footage is indeed strong and I really think that you will like to record videos as well aside from the camera’s primary purpose which is to capture photos!
Sony A7 III Sample Images:
Related: Fuji X-T3 vs Sony A7 III
Nikon D750
The Nikon D750 sports an attractive, all-black body with bold red accent that stretches on the top part of the grip, giving the camera an even more eye-catching appearance while signifying the Nikon’s style. It’s a DSLR that costs just under $2,000, and it has a lot to offer in return.
The D750 is solid as well, since the manufacturer has utilized a combination of magnesium alloy and polycarbonate material and added a weather-sealing which significantly improves and strengthens the body of the camera so that you can shoot under tough weather conditions and environments without having issues at all!
Furthermore, this camera feels very comfortable to shoot with although it isn’t as bulky as most of the DSLR full-frame cameras, in fact, it measures 4.4 x 5.5 x 3.1″ and weighs approximately 1.8 pounds, so, as you can see it, is smaller, lighter and by default, more comfortable to hold and handle!
If you take a look at the front, you’ll notice that the grip has a textured-coating which will promise you a stable hold, and you will unlikely feel tired even if you’ve been shooting for a longer period of time.
On the top-left, there’s a Mode dial, a hot shoe sitting at the center, while on the right, you can find an Information LCD screen, a dedicated Metering Mode, Exposure Compensation button, Movie-Record Button and a shutter release button with an On/Off power switch.
If you view from the rear, you will surely notice that Nikon has organized the control layout pretty nicely. Starting from the top-left, a row of buttons are stretching all the way to the bottom, and the same happens on the right, however, the amount of buttons isn’t as much as it is on the left-handed side.
At the top-center, there’s an optical, pentaprism viewfinder that covers up to 100% of the field, has a magnification ratio of 0.70x, and what’s also cool is that it is bright enough to offer you a convenient view and help you lock onto a specific target easily and effectively, which by default means that the results are going to be nothing but superb!
A fairly large, 3.2″ 1,229k-dot LCD screen mounted on a hinge with the intention to provide you a chance to shoot from awkward angles, however, even though it produces excellent visuals, it lacks touch support which I don’t really consider as a remark, but clearly, I think that Nikon could have done a better job here!
When it comes to the connection options, the D750 packs n HDMI Type-C port, single USB port, built-in stereo microphone, mono speaker, external microphone and headphone port, as well as a built-in Wi-Fi. In this point, the Sony A7 III receives more credits because aside from being a Wi-Fi-enabled camera, it also let’s you transfer your photos via Bluetooth and NFC.
Speaking of the performance, the D750 comes equipped with a 24.3MP CMOS sensor, runs on an EXPEED 4 image processor that ensures high processing speeds along with photos filled with strong clarity and low noise throughout the ISO range of 100-12,800 which is expandable to 50-51,200, and let’s not forget its burst shooting speed of 6.5 fps and its impressive 51-point AF system with 15 cross-type sensors!
In practice, this model performs really well under low ISO settings. At ISO 450, noise is virtually non-existent, and the image quality is indeed great, whereas, if you reach at ISO 4000, noise starts to appear more, but fortunately, images are usable and are filled with strong level of details and color accuracy! At ISO 6400 and beyond, noise increases simultaneously as you’re increasing the ISO sensitivity, and at the highest levels, there isn’t a single camera that does not offer images with blurry outcome. Therefore, try to avoid reaching the highest ISO settings
Aside from shooting JPGs, you can also opt to shoot RAW format images, which look excellent even at ISO 12,800, however, going beyond ISO 12,800 may also lead to poor results, although details are more preserved in comparison to JPGs.
The best part is that there are many different lenses for the Nikon D750. Most people use it for wide-angle photography, and we wrote a buying guide on that if you’re interested.
Last but not least, the D750 is quite good for recording videos as well, because you will be given a chance to record 1080p videos at 24/25/30/50/60 fps, and although it lacks 4K capability, still, for casual purposes, the D750 will satisfy you without any doubt, although the Sony A7 III is better at this point.
Nikon D750 Sample Images:
Related: Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony A7 III
Sony A7 III vs Nikon D750 Feature Comparison
| Sony A7 III | Nikon D750 | |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
| Megapixels | 24.2 | 24.3 |
| ISO Range | 100-51,200;50-204,800 | 100-12,800 ;50-51,200 |
| Flip-Out Screen | Yes | Yes |
| AF Points | 693 AF Points | 51 AF Points |
| Viewfinder | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | No |
| Video Recording | Yes | Yes |
| Sensor Size | Full-Frame | Full-Frame |
Related: Sony A7 III vs Nikon D850
Conclusion
Since we have reached the part where I have to bring the final words and announce the winner after such an intense battle, there yet one more thing that should be done, and that’s making a head to head comparison of the key aspects regarding both cameras.
For example, the A7 III outputs a better performance and more convenient experience for Street photography and Portrait photography due to its image stabilization and ergonomics, even though the D750 isn’t bad at all, whereas for Sports photography, the result is very similar, however, once again the A7 III shows itself as better thanks to its faster continuous shooting and shutter speed.
The result of landscape photography is nothing more than a tie, while for Daily photography, once again, goes in favor of the A7 III.
The areas where the D750 is better than its opponent can be seen at the battery life ( ~1230 vs ~610 shots), the larger display, and the built-in flash.
On the contrary, the Sony A7 III holds 642 more focus points, has 300% higher max ISO ( 51,200 vs 12,800), built-in image stabilization, touch-enabled screen, faster burst shooting speed ( 10 vs 6.5 fps), faster mechanical shutter speed ( 1/8000s vs 1/4000s), and it supports Bluetooth/NFC and Wi-Fi!
Therefore, I’d recommend you to choose the Sony A7 III because it is versatile, has multiple connection options and is a better, all-round choice!
Camera Tester & Reviewer
I spend most of my time taking photos & videos of everything in sight. Yes, I am a stock photographer and I’ve probably taken more than 700,000 photos so far.
Related: Sony A7 III vs Canon 5D Mark IV
Camera Tester & Reviewer
I spend most of my time taking photos & videos of everything in sight. Yes, I am a stock photographer and I’ve probably taken more than 700,000 photos so far.
