Nikon D7100 vs Sony A7 III

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Nikon D7100 vs Sony A7 III

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APS-C 366.6mm²
24.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D7100 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D7100.

35mm 847.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7 III.
Compare Sony A7 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D7200
Compare D7100 vs D7200

Succeeded by the Sony A7 IV
Compare A7 III vs A7 IV

Compare NIKON D7200 vs SONY A7 IV

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Differences

Nikon D7100 advantages over Sony A7 III

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$849 vs $1498
Save money for lenses or accessories
Fast startup
~0.30 vs 1.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

950 vs 710 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
158 mm vs 70 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos

Sony A7 III advantages over Nikon D7100

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 5.93 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark D7100 test data on DxO Mark

3,730 vs 1,256 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Newer
7 years vs 12 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
9.9 fps vs 5.8 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
163 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.7 fps vs 5.3 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
33 vs 5 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
204800 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D7100 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 III User Reviews

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Buy the Nikon D7100

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-105mm Lens
Kit with 18-140mm Lens

All D7100 Deals

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Buy the Sony A7 III

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 28-70mm Lens

All A7 III Deals

Review Excerpt

Solid, ergonomic body design; Stunning, highly detailed photos, thanks to 24.1MP sensor upgrade and removal of optical low-pass filter; Cool 1.3x crop mode extends reach to nearly 2x the full-frame equivalent; Records Full 1080p HD video at up to 30fps with full-time AF; Many pro-level features packed into a consumer-friendly body at reasonable price.
Shallow buffer that hampers continuous burst shooting; AF slightly slower than average for its class; No real-time aperture control while in Movie mode (among other quirks); More noticeable moire patterns and aliasing artifacts (but only found when shooting fabrics with strong, distinct patterns).
Read our Nikon D7100 Review

New 24MP sensor offers excellent image quality; Outstanding high ISO performance and dynamic range; Improved JPEG colors; Improved build quality; Fast autofocus; Excellent 4K video; Very good battery life.
Buffer clearing can be slow even with fast UHS-II cards; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No losslessly compressed RAW option; Dedicated battery charger not included; Menus are still confusing; No built-in flash.
Read our Sony A7 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 70D

Nikon D7100

Canon 70D

$690
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$1149
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Canon 70D

Sony A7 III

Canon 70D

$1648
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1149
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 III vs Canon 70D

Compared to Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

$690
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Pentax K-3

Sony A7 III

Pentax K-3

$1648
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 III vs Pentax K-3

Compared to Nikon D5300

Nikon D7100

Nikon D5300

$690
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Nikon D5300

Sony A7 III

Nikon D5300

$1648
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$549
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon D5300

Compared to Sony A7 II

Nikon D7100

Sony A7 II

$690
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$1148
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Sony A7 II

Sony A7 III

Sony A7 II

$1648
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$1148
35mm

In-camera panoramas

Compare Sony A7 III vs Sony A7 II

Compared to Nikon Z6

Nikon D7100

Nikon Z6

$690
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$1396
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Nikon Z6

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6

$1648
35mm

Less expensive
NFC

$1396
35mm

Top deck display
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6

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