A7 iii release date
Sony A7 III: price, specs, release date revealed
Sony has expanded its full-frame Alpha 7 range, introducing the Sony A7 III, price tag £2000, which boasts a new backside-illuminated, 24-megapixel sensor and 4K video recording with S-Log.
Sensor
At the heart of the Sony A7 III is a new 24.2-megapixel, back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor offering 15 stops of dynamic range at low sensitivities. The new Sony camera offers a native ISO range of 100 to 51,200, which you can expand down to ISO 50 or up to ISO 204,800.
The A7 III was long-rumoured to share the same chip as the A9, but Sony has confirmed it’s not the same stacked sensor as in the A9.
The Sony A7 III sensor doesn’t have onboard memory; however, there is a front-end LSI which Sony says doubles the readout speed from the sensor. This should improve autofocus speed and image quality through the application of better noise reduction algorithms.
- Sony A7 III hands-on review
- Sony A7 III vs Sony A7 II: What are the Key Differences?
AF System
Something the A7 III does inherit from the Sony A9, though is its autofocus system.
The Sony A7 III boasts 693 phase detection AF points which provide coverage for 93% of the image area, just like the A9. What’s more, it also features 425 contrast AF points and adds new 4D FOCUS functionality.
New in the A7 III is an Eye AF feature, which works even in continuous AF mode and can be used, Sony says, when your subject is turning around, looking down or obstructed.
Sony says it has also boosted the A7 III’s focusing speed, making it 2x faster in low light. Tracking is also 2x faster than the A7 II.
Continuous Shooting
The Sony A7 III’s speed enhancements are down to a new BIONZ X image processing system that makes the A7 III nearly twice as fast as the A7 II.
This enables the camera to shoot full resolution images at up to 10fps in burst mode for up to 177 JPEGs, 89 compressed raw images or 40 uncompressed raw files.
The Sony A7 III can also shoot up to 8fps continuously in its live view mode.
And while the camera is writing these burst images to your memory card, Sony says you can access key functions and image playback menus.
The revamped processor gives the A7 III a 1.5-stop improvement in image quality, Sony says.
There is also an Anti-flicker mode that enables the A7 III to detect the frequency of the lighting and time the shutter accordingly to reduce its effect on your images.
- Sony A7R III review
Video
The Sony A7 III can record 4K video (3840×2160 pixels) using full pixel readout without pixel binning binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, and then over-samples it to produce high quality 4K footage. Sony adds:
An HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile is available on the α7 III as well, which supports an Instant HDR workflow, allowing HDR (HLG) compatible TV’s to playback beautiful, true-to-life 4K HDR imagery. Further, both S-Log2 and S-Log3 are available for increased colour grading flexibility, as well as Zebra functionality, Gamma Display assist and proxy recording. The camera can also record Full HD at 120 fps at up to 100 Mbpsvi, allowing footage to be reviewed and eventually edited into 4x or 5x slow motion video files in Full HD resolution with AF tracking.
So what does this mean in layman’s terms?
The Sony A7 III can record 4K video (3840×2160 pixels) using full pixel readout without pixel binning.
Pixel binning is surrounded by an incredible amount of complicated explanations, and unfortunately, there’s a good reason why. It is complicated, but let’s try to break down precisely what pixel binning is and why avoiding it is so good.
Before we start, we need to look at the very start of your images journey through the camera, and that starts with the sensor. The pixels on a camera’s sensor should really be called photosites or photoreceptors, we’ve just kind off slipped into calling them pixels.
These sensor pixels are known as photosites, and each is covered by a filter that only lets through one colour, either red, green or blue.
These photosites are laid out in what’s known as a Bayer Pattern that is unless it’s Fuji. In a Bayer pattern, every other pixel is green with alternate red and blue.
Some 50% of the sensor is therefore green, and the rest of the photosites are evenly split between the other two colours.
If this sensor captured image was to be shown directly it wouldn’t look good, so a process called Demosaicing is used to combine the R, G, G, B pixels into a single output pixel.
This selection of output pixels is the final resolution that we see in the final image. But what happens when the image we want is smaller than that produced by the sensor as is the case when we film at 4K or 1080p.
Somewhere along the line, some of those pixels need to be binned. This is where pixel binning comes in. In a full resolution image pixels are gathered, for example in a 2×2 grid (2 green, one blue and one red) and output as a single pixel.
When pixel binning comes into play, a 3×3 grid is output as a single RGB output pixel or even a 4×4 grid, and so it goes on. The process is pretty crude, but it is effective.
It now appears that the A7 MKIII is capable of capturing 2.
4x the resolution needed to produce a 4K movie. This means that rather than binning those addition pixels the sensor is scanned at full resolution and then oversampled to produce high-quality 4K footage.
The oversampling method hasn’t been used widely in the past due to the processing power that’s required by the camera but has been seen in other Sony cameras such as the RX10.
What is the oversampling method – again it’s complex.
This is impressive stuff and will help ensure the best possible quality footage.
The A7 MKIII also features a range of picture profiles that will appeal to pro videographers. These modes for most of us will just produce flat, dull video that will instantly make us think that we’ve done something wrong.
In reality, these picture modes supply footage that contains more tone and dynamic range, similar to a raw file in still photography.
These modes include HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma), which supports an Instant HDR workflow, allowing HDR (HLG) compatible TV’s to playback beautiful, true-to-life 4K HDR imagery.
You also get the more common S-Log2 and S-Log3 which are available for increased colour grading flexibility.When it comes to filming, you have Zebra functionality to check exposure clipping, Gamma Display assists and proxy recording.
The camera can also record Full HD at 120 fps at up to 100 Mbpsvi, allowing footage to be reviewed and eventually edited into 4x or 5x slow-motion video files in Full HD resolution with AF tracking.
- Shooting at night with the Sony A7R III
- Shooting Sport with the Sony A7R III
Battery
Sony says battery life has also been greatly improved. It claims the A7 III has the longest battery life of any mirrorless camera, thanks to its NP-FZ100 battery, which enables it to record 710 shots on a single charge.
Body design
On the body are 11 custom buttons that can be used to access 81 functions, and its construction is dust and moisture resistant.
A 2.3-million-dot XGA OLED Tru-Finder offers Standard or High display quality settings.
Other features include dual SD card slots, SuperSpeed USB 3.1 Type-C terminal and a joystick for adjusting AF points.
Sony A7 III Price & Release Date
The Sony A7 III price tag is £2,000 / €2300 for the body only. The A7 III price tag rises to £2200/ €2500 in a kit with the SEL2870 lens.
The Sony A7 III release date will be in March 2018.
Sony A7III Review: Is It Still Worth It in 2022?
My husband, Justin, and I have used the Sony Alpha 7 III- commonly referred to as the A7iii- since it came out in early 2018. So after many years of being in the market and even a new entry from Sony in this mirrorless camera line- the much anticipated Sony Alpha 7 IV- you may be wondering whether the A7III still stacks up.
After four plus years of using, loving, and sometimes getting annoyed at it as we capture our travels around the world, here’s our Sony A7III review, from everything we love to a few things we don’t.
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If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission, for which we are extremely grateful, at no extra cost to you.
Verdict of the Sony A7III
While the Sony A7III certainly has its faults, especially, with respect to its video capabilities, it’s still an all around awesome camera for a wide range of photographers.
The mirrorless body allows the camera to be compact and quite lightweight (weighing in at just 1.43 pounds), making this an ideal camera for travelers, in addition to other capabilities, like an electronic viewfinder that provides an excellent preview of your shot (a super helpful tool for photographers still mastering manual shooting).
Focal length: 16mm | Shutter Speed: 0.8s. | Aperture f/4 | ISO 320Plus the 24MP full-frame sensor allows for beautifully detailed images in a variety of settings, including low light, while not having overly massive file sizes (another bonus for travelers and those who don’t want to mortgage their home to pay for media storage).
All in all, the Sony A7III, especially at its price point, still packs a serious punch.
Focal length: 134mm | Shutter Speed: 1/160 | Aperture f/5.6 | ISO 800Pros:- Incredible autofocus capabilities
- Impressive low-light performance
- Lightweight and compact
- Dual memory-card slots (only one supports UHS-II cards) for professionals
- Affordable for a mirrorless camera (less than half that of A9ii, Sony’s all-around camera marketed to professional photographers)
- The screen only tilts in one direction, as opposed to articulating in multiple directions.
- Inability to shoot 4K video in a higher resolution than 30 FPS
- Limited touch screen capabilities
Check out the Sony A7III On Amazon
Sony A7III ReviewLet’s look at the camera in a bit more detail, starting with the camera’s strengths.
One of the Sony A7III’s key-selling points is its amazing focus and autofocus system, offering 693 phase detection points and 425 contrast autofocus points that covers over 90% of the imaging area.
Focal length: 400mm | Shutter Speed: 1/160 | Aperture f/6.3 | ISO 100This basically means that there are over four times as many detection points as a comparable full-frame mirrorless Nikon camera, and, so long as you’re pointing your camera at a moving subject, there’s a good chance that the camera will successfully detect and focus on it, even in relatively low light settings.
Focal length: 19mm | Shutter Speed: 1/160 | Aperture f/4 | ISO 3200When your subject is a moving person or even animal, the camera also has an Eye Autofocus mode, to focus in on the most important part of your subject (although, at least in my experience, this setting is a bit more hit or miss with moving subjects than the general autofocus).
Along the same vein, the A7III has in-body 5-axis sensor-based image stabilization system, as opposed to you having to ensure you’re using a lens with this feature. This is super helpful when doing handheld photography in lower light settings or if you simply don’t have a stabilized lens.
Between the excellent focus and image stabilization, the Sony A7III allows you to take a variety of photos, from street photography to capturing wildlife, in imperfect conditions and still lets you walk away with some great shots.
Focal length: 159mm | Shutter Speed: 1/640 | Aperture f/5.6 | ISO 100BodyThe Sony A7III has a small body for a full-frame camera, allowing the camera to be quite light. Given Justin and I use ours for travel photography, it makes it so much easier to travel with a sleek and lightweight camera. If you care a lot about cutting down on weight, the A7III has other features that help with this, like the ability to charge with a USB-C cable, as opposed to lugging around a heavy battery charger.
Despite its lightweight body, there’s still a hefty grip on the front and a thumb ridge on the back, covered in a textured coating. We couple ours with a Peak Design Handstrap and it’s such a comfortable and natural feel to hold the camera. Additionally, the physical control arrangements are almost all within reach of your right thumb, making it fairly easy to operate once you figure out the extensive options and menus.
Of course, if you want extra battery capacity, more custom functions buttons, and a larger grip- you can pick up a vertical battery grip for the Sony a7III that offers all of the above.
The body is dust and moisture resistant, but it’s not weather-sealed and I’ve heard reviews of water getting into the camera’s base in extremely wet conditions. So I’d err on the side of being conservative and only (and very cautiously) using the A7III in light rain or other moisture. For what it’s worth, we’ve used our camera regularly in misty Pacific Northwest conditions and haven’t had a problem, although we’re diligent about putting the camera away in any kind of more serious rain.
Some other features that I love about the Sony A7III:
- Battery life: Older models of Sony cameras have received negative reviews of their battery life, which Sony remedied starting with the A7III. This camera uses NP-FZ100 lithium batteries, which has allowed us to walk around and take hundreds of shots all day on a single battery.
In case we forget to charge the camera before a heavy day of use, we simply bring along our battery pack and charge up the a7III between stops. It’s just a super convenient camera for a photographer on the go.
- Electronic viewfinder: As mentioned above, the A7III is coupled with a 0.5-inch OLED electronic viewfinder, which is about as big as you can possibly get without having to shift your eye around to see the whole screen.
The viewfinder (or screen, if you’re using that while shooting) provides a preview of the shot before you press the shutter.
As someone who still gets a bit nervous, from time to time, about more complicated manual photography, I absolutely love this aspect- it makes it a breeze to make sure you get the right exposure.
- Silent shooting: One of the benefits of having a mirrorless camera is that you can bypass the physical shutter and instead, use the electronic front curtain shutter-i.e., an “E-shutter” which effectively turns the camera’s sensor on and off at the selected shutter speed to achieve the same effect, but doing so silently). Have you ever been in a nice restaurant and wanted to take a photo, but didn’t want to be the annoying dude clicking away? Or what about a wildlife safari, when you’re worried about scaring your subject away with the sound of your camera? Now you can take alllll the photos you want- but silently!
This feature won’t work for certain types of photography (e.g., sports or street photography) where you or your subject is moving, due to distortion effects called banding or rolling shutter, and isn’t available in every mode- only in Manual, Auto, Shutter Priority, and Program Shift mode.
Let’s move on to some of the stuff that it’s not so good at.
ScreenThe A7III’s screen only tilts up and down on one axis, which is obviously better than a fixed screen, but is challenging to use for certain shots, like in portrait orientation (which is ever more important with social media) or when shooting subjects from below. Another very common complaint amongst users is that, while you can use its touch screen to select focus points, you can’t select menu options using the touch screen.
Both of these issues have been addressed in the Sony A7iv, which offers a screen that articulates in various directions and allows you to make menu selections using the touchscreen. If either of these are huge issues for you, you may want to consider making the jump to the A7iv instead.
Focal length: 100mm | Shutter Speed: 1/125 | Aperture f/6.
3 | ISO 2500VideoDon’t get me wrong- the video quality of the A7III is quite high, with similar white balance, color, and exposure as you’ll get with still photography. It has a 6k sensor readout for full frame pixel 4K/24p video without cropping, meaning that the sensor collects 6k pixel information and then samples it down to 4k, leaving beautifully detailed and sharp 4k videos.
That being said, the 4k frame rate options are quite limited- you can’t do anything higher than 30FPS while shooting in 4k. For folks who rely on quality slow motion videos, whether you’re a wedding videographer or a YouTuber, this may be a dealbreaker. Again, this issue has been resolved in the newer A7iv, which allows shooting in 4k 60FPS.
Focal length: 100mm | Shutter Speed: 1/400 | Aperture f/5.6 | ISO 100 (3 photo panoramic composition)Who is the Sony A7III a good camera for?The A7III is a great all-around camera for almost any kind of photographer, especially given the reasonable price point (at least, in terms of mirrorless cameras).
Speaking from experience, if you’re looking for the best camera for travel bloggers or really any travel enthusiast for under $2,000, this is it- lightweight, compact, and very versatile for a variety of environments, from street to portrait and wildlife.
Check out the Sony A7III On Amazon
Focal length: 28mm | Shutter Speed: 1/160 | Aperture f/4.5 | ISO 200Lenses we use with the A7IIIWe all know that a camera is only as good as the lens attached to it, right? So it bears mentioning here that, much like almost all camera manufacturers, when you buy a Sony, you’re also signing up to purchase within an ecosystem of compatible lenses for as long as you have the camera.
Focal length: 128mm | Shutter Speed: 1/20 | Aperture f/5.6 | ISO 100So what lenses are best paired with the a7III? We’ve perfected our lens arsenal for our needs, so here’s what we shoot with.
Wide angle: The Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS is a seriously versatile and awesome wide-angle lens.
It’s really the perfect travel lens- it’s amazing at taking both sweeping landscape shots as well as detailed portraits, takes sharp and colorful photos, and is reasonably lightweight (at 1.1 pounds). If you’re only thinking about purchasing one lens for your a7III for travel photography, have it be this one.
Macro: For food photography or really anything you want to get up close and personal with, you’ll want a macro lens, like the Sony SEL50M28 FE 50mm F2.8. This prime lens is a workhorse, capable of handling portrait, landscape, and of course, macro shots. I love that, with its wide aperture capabilities, you can snag shots with plenty of dreamy background blur. Plus, in terms of quality lenses, it’s pretty affordable, ringing in at under $550.
Telephoto lens: For wildlife shots or if you want some rad lens compression, consider the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 Contemporary DG DN OS.
It’s a lot more affordable than comparable lenses (almost 40% cheaper than the SONY 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM) and almost one pound lighter, which makes a HUGE difference when you’re shooting handheld to eliminate camera shake and provide you a better chance of actually getting the shot. It’s also relatively slim and packable for a zoom lens, again making this an ideal choice for travelers.
We’ve used these lenses for years and they’ve worked perfectly for our needs, but obviously, be sure to do your research to buy lenses that suit your style of photography.
Focal length: 141mm | Shutter Speed: 1/10 | Aperture f/10 | ISO 100I hope you found my Sony A7III review helpful in deciding whether you should make the leap or not- four-plus years after making the jump, we’re still happy with our decision! Do you have any questions about the a7III? Let me know in the comments below!
Thank you for reading our post! Check out our latest stories here and follow us on Instagram (@UprootedTraveler), YouTube, or on Facebook to see what we’re up to next!
Sony A7 III camera review: a week with an expert
Sony ILCE-7RM3 key features overview
An innovative approach to camera development is what distinguishes Sony from many competitors.
In recent years, we have seen a large number of very bold design decisions. The most striking example is the full-frame sensor in mirrorless cameras. Cameras Sony Alpha of the seventh series stirred up, but did not turn over the photo market: not all the innovations applied in them were to the liking of photographers. And some decisions did seem raw. Persistent Japanese developers responded to this with the release of the second generation of "sevens", and then a serious reportage ILCE-9. The wall of misunderstanding between photographers and the brand has shaken and collapsed, it remains only to remove its fragments. And here the third series of "sevens" became a real bulldozer, at the time of writing the article represented by two models - the previously tested ILCE-7RM3 and the hero of this review ILCE-7M3.
Let's just say that the wow effect from the announcement of each of the third generation cameras was powerful. If the ILCE-7RM3 surprised with the combination of the highest characteristics, then the ILCE-7M3 struck with the ratio of price and features.
Experienced photographers immediately saw in its specifications an explosive mixture of two more expensive models - ILCE-7RM3 and ILCE-9- at a much lower cost.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 100, F7.1, 1/400s, 14.0mm equiv.
Has Sony really released a DSLR killer? Or is there some kind of catch behind the impressive performance? We will find out in our test.
The first Sony Alpha 7 III to arrive in Russia spent more than one day in the editorial office, we tested it in different shooting genres and shot many beautiful shots. But before moving on to a detailed review, let's look at the camera again: what do the developers want to surprise us with? nine0005
Bigger than you'd expect
The heart of the camera is a full-frame 24MP CMOS sensor.
It would seem that everything is like in Sony ILCE-7 and ILCE-7M2. Nothing prevented the developer from once again putting a well-proven sensor into the base camera of the series. But the three Latin letters BSI from the official description of the camera say more: a new back-illuminated matrix is used here. We have every reason to believe that this is practically the same sensor used in the Sony A9, but without a built-in memory layer (logical for the base model of the line).
However, speed should not be a problem. The sensor is used with the latest BIONZ X image processor and LSI (linear system integrator) preprocessor. Thus, the reading speed is doubled, and data processing is increased by 1.8 times compared to ILCE-7M2 .
In-camera JPEG raw
ILCE-7M3 / FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS settings: ISO 6400, F4, 1/80s, 61.0mm equiv.
Work at high ISO, of course, was also inherited from the reporting brother, and not from the previous generation of "sevens".
This becomes clear literally after the first frames: the pictures make very little noise.
Shutter
The youngest of the latest "sevens" can shoot up to 10 frames / s with both mechanical and electronic, completely silent shutter. Note that the manufacturer does not declare shooting without rolling shutter (unlike the Sony A9). The reason is a “normal” and not a multilayer matrix.
In addition, in the comfortable Live View mode, when the photographer sees the live image on the screen and not the last frame of the series, you can shoot up to 8 fps. However, these limitations are not significant. The declared buffer size is also impressive - 89 compressed or up to 40 uncompressed RAW files. This is clearly not an amateur level.
Growth AF
Autofocus in Sony Alpha 7 Mark III is answered by a system of 693 phase focusing points located directly on the matrix.
They cover 93% of the frame area - competitors never dreamed of such a thing. The phase sensors are assisted by 425 areas of contrast autofocus. Thus, the system is hybrid. And now the main "trifle": we have the characteristics of the top Sony A9, only in a much more budget model.
The AF system inherits both the eye tracking function (including continuous mode), and face detection with a set priority, and other fine adjustments. Autofocus sensitivity goes up to EV-3, which is an impressive number for today's cameras. nine0005
Stabilizer
Just in case, we clarify that the well-proven image stabilizer based on matrix shift has not disappeared. It is still capable of stabilizing camera shake in five axes, as well as working in conjunction with lens stabilizer. However, in the third series of "sevens" its effectiveness was increased and is now declared at the level of 5 steps of exposure.
4K full frame
The ILCE-7M3 can shoot Full HD and 4K full width.
In full frame mode, pixels are read in full and without binning. This compresses approximately 2.4 times the amount of data needed to record 4K (3840×2160) movies and reduces the moiré effect. The bit rate is up to 100 Mbps.
The Full HD can be shot at up to 100/120 fps. There is also a special S&Q fast and slow motion mode, which allows you to shoot Slow Motion and interval videos. In addition to the already familiar S-Log2 and S-Log3 support HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) for HDR shooting.
A step forward in the details
Almost all the useful innovations that we noted in the ILCE-7RM3 test are implemented in the ILCE-7M3. Of the most important, we note the touch interface, improved ergonomics, support for UHS-II memory cards and an increased NP-FZ100 battery. Of the simply pleasant - two USB connectors (Type-C and traditional Micro-USB), charging and power from any USB, flicker suppression function, photo rating system in the camera itself.
nine0005
The camera screen has become touch-sensitive. It allows you not only to select the autofocus area with a touch, but also to move it with your thumb while looking through the viewfinder. Unusual, but very comfortable.
What did the developers sacrifice in pursuit of lowering the cost of new items? A thorough study of the characteristics led to the following results. Compared to the ILCE-7RM3, the sensor resolution has decreased, the Pixel Shift mode has disappeared, and the viewfinder resolution has decreased from 3.6 to 2.3 million dots. Compared to ILCE-9, first of all, the shooting speed fell, the buffer size and the reading speed from the matrix decreased. Otherwise, the developers managed to almost painlessly drag top-end features into the middle price segment of cameras without serious marketing restrictions.
Design and interface
In terms of ergonomics and control, Sony ILCE-7M3 repeats almost one hundred percent the model ILCE-7RM3 we tested earlier.
The cameras are like two peas in a pod, have the same button layout and interface, and are compatible with the same accessories. By the way, you can traditionally find the accessories recommended by us right under the test.
Ergonomics and interface
The body of the Sony ILCE-7M3 is made of magnesium alloy. It has become a little thicker and more massive than the "sevens" of the second generation, due to the placement of a more capacious NP-FZ100 battery. There is one non-obvious plus in this: the handle has become more grippy. nine0005
Holding the camera with one hand is comfortable and convenient. If the handle height is not enough, you can purchase the Sony GP-X1EM handle extension. A full-fledged battery grip VG-C3EM is also available with duplication of the main buttons - a good solution for reporters.
An important ergonomic decision was the addition of a joystick for direct focus selection on the rear panel.
He first appeared in the reportage Sony A9, and now went to more "simple" models.
Selecting an autofocus point by swiping on the main display
If the "sevens" of the second generation did not have a direct selection of the AF point at all, then here the photographer has three ways available at once! The first we have already mentioned is the joystick. The second is obvious and understandable: touching the picture on the touch screen, like on a smartphone. The third method is original and convenient in practice: these are swipes on the touch screen while sighting through the viewfinder. nine0005
The camera has three control dials: two under the index finger and thumb and one more - a rotating navipad (in the menu it is called the "Control Wheel"). This wheel can be assigned, for example, to set the white balance or ISO.
In general, any button in the camera can be reprogrammed without exception.
To understand the depth of customization possibilities, I will give an example: even the shutter button has 19pages of alternative functions! By the way, it is for this reason that we do not list where which buttons are located. You can reprogram them for yourself at any time. The buttons themselves are enough for comfortable operation.
Possibility of reprogramming the descent button
List of reprogrammed governing bodies:
Buttons can be separately configured for photo and video mode, which makes the camera even more universal. nine0005
In addition, there is an on-screen menu, ten settings for which the photographer can set and arrange to his taste. It should only be noted that the touch interface in the screen, as well as in the main menu is not available.
The main menu is not concise and compact. The flip side of the wide possibilities of the camera is the oversaturation of the menu.
However, it is quite logically grouped and well translated. nine0005
The screen has a traditional tilted design. It can be turned up or down.
Connectors and interfaces
Sony ILCE-7M3 works with two SD memory cards. Additionally, the top slot supports MemoryStick DUO, and the bottom slot supports SDXC UHS-II. The logic of working with cards is finely tuned: you can record photos and videos in parallel or sequentially, separate recording in different formats. nine0005
The camera has a microphone input and headphone output - standard 3.5 mm Jack. There is Micro-HDMI, from which you can shoot a pure 4K signal. USB connectors are standard Micro-USB and Type-C. Through both connectors, you can supply power during operation and recharge the camera.
There is no separate sync contact here. To work in the studio, the synchronizer will only have to be placed in the hot shoe.
As in other cameras, here it is additionally equipped with a “comb” of Multi Interface Shoe contacts for installing branded accessories (for example, external microphones and XLR adapters). nine0005
Image quality
The Sony ILCE-7M3's image quality intrigue is very arbitrary. The matrix is new. But a very similar sensor (though with a complex multilayer structure to speed up reading) we met in the Sony A9. With a high degree of probability, the main layer of the matrix with photosensitive cells and microlenses was borrowed from there.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 160, F14, 1/30s, 12.0mm equiv. nine0026
In any case, when converting RAW in third-party converters, the new “seven” is like two drops of water similar to the “nine” both in terms of noise and colors. Let me also remind you that the sensor of this camera was created using back-illumination technology, which allows you to increase the effective area of the light-sensitive elements of the pixels while maintaining the same resolution.
Noise and high ISO
For our test, we deliberately chose a rather dark, but at the same time contrasting plot. Those who want to work with RAW and evaluate the dynamic range at different ISOs will have this opportunity, and digital noise lovers will see the camera work in the most difficult conditions for it. So, minimum ISO. These are the values of 50 and 100 units. ISO 50 here, according to the good old tradition, is an expandable value. That is, in fact, this is a frame shot at ISO 100 with a slight overexposure, which is programmatically darkened by a step. Light areas from ISO 50 stretch worse by exactly one step. nine0005
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 50, F9, 25s, 50.0mm equiv.
At minimum sensitivity in JPEG at ISO 50, the picture is perfectly smooth, highly detailed. Noise is not visible, because in fact we are dealing with an overexposed image. At ISO 100 in camera JPEG, sloppy gradients are visible in places in dark skies - traces of non-ideal compression.
In RAW, there is nothing of the kind, of course. Therefore, if you are shooting only in JPEG, it is better to use the “Super Fine” quality setting (in our example, just “High”). nine0005
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 100, F9, 13s, 50.0mm equiv.
ISO 200, 400 and 800 in JPEG are practically the same: there is no noise, the picture is highly detailed. There are minor artifacts from JPEG compression in the shadows, but in general the picture is very high quality. In RAW, the situation is even better: the detail is high, and the level of the smallest monochrome noise is low, it is easily suppressed in the converter without sacrificing sharpness.
ISO 1600 is the first important threshold. In RAW, there is finally some noise amplification. It is still predominantly monochrome and small, just as easily suppressed. But the noise becomes noticeable in JPEG as well. The image quality is still high, the pictures are suitable for printing A3 and even larger.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 1250, F4, 1/30s, 12.0mm equiv.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 4000, F4, 1/30s, 12.0mm equiv. nine0026
At ISO 3200, the amount of noise increases slightly in both RAW and JPEG, but this value also remains absolutely working.
ISO 6400 is the next threshold. In JPEG, the loss of detail in the shadows from the actions of the noise reduction system becomes noticeable. It will not be possible to suppress noise in RAW without sacrificing fine details. However, for printing up to A3, such pictures are suitable. They can be placed on the network without additional processing at all.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS settings: ISO 12800, F4, 1/125s, 105.0mm equiv.
At ISO 12800, shadow detail is further reduced in JPEG, and noise is increased in RAW. But I also consider this value to be working. Frames with ISO 12800 can be printed in A4 format, posted on the web without processing.
At ISO 25600, color starts to degrade in JPEG and RAW. Noise reduction results in a noticeable reduction in detail. Such shots are no longer suitable for artistic photography, but can be part of a report where the moment itself is more important than high image quality. Printing of such frames is also possible up to A4 format. But ISO 51200 is already limitedly applicable: in JPEG, unpleasant color noise is noticeable, in RAW, attempts to suppress noise can lead to a critical loss of detail. This value should be left only for extreme cases. nine0005
ISO 102400 and 204800, which are absolutely outrageous for mid-level cameras, makes sense only when a unique moment needs to be captured at any cost. Acceptable picture quality can only be drawn from the lightest areas of the frame.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 204800, F9, 1/125s, 50.0mm equiv.
The Sony ILCE-7M3 sets a new standard for mid-range cameras. Previously, we met such indicators only in top reportage models or in specialized cameras such as the Sony Alpha 7S, where low-resolution matrices are used.
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Dynamic range
To demonstrate how to work with the dynamic range of RAW files, we decided to take a frame from the same series, but taken from a slightly different angle. Let's add some extreme in the form of dark, almost deaf shadows. Pulling them is a thankless task. Usually in such cases, noise, not details, inevitably comes out.
However, the Sony A7 III allows you to boldly brighten the shadows by three stops without a significant increase in noise level, but with the restoration of details. It is possible and more, just our plot did not require it. Every stone on the exposed bank of the Thames is clearly distinguishable. We also managed to work very finely with the light areas in this frame, getting rid of overexposure. nine0005
Edited frame
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 100, F9, 13s, 50.0mm equiv.
But we have one more example that perfectly illustrates the capabilities of the new camera RAW file.
It would seem that from a completely dead overexposure, you can pull out not only the color, but also the texture of the sky, beautiful contrails from planes flying over the center of London.
It is enough to lower the exposure by “some” three steps. The ILCE-7M3 RAW file allows you to do this. We tend to explain such a high flexibility of the raw file primarily by the use of a back-illuminated matrix and an increased area of the light-sensitive pixel element. Whatever one may say, but on full-frame sensors, this technology gives amazing results.
Edited frame
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 nine0026
Resolution
The camera specifications do not explicitly state whether the sensor is used here with or without an anti-moir filter. However, according to the shooting results, we can say that if the low-frequency optical filter in the Sony ILCE-7M3 is used, then its density is extremely low.
The detail of the pictures is very high. Notice the quality of the image in the center of the frame. Every detail of the stage of the legendary Shakespeare's Globe Theater is perfectly distinguishable. nine0005
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 200, F4, 1/30s, 12.0mm equiv.
There is another very telling example. In this picture, the detail of the wrought iron fence is so great that at some point it even provokes moiré. We caught it while converting a RAW file to Adobe Lightroom. There are also distortions in the in-camera JPEG, but the color component is noticeably smoothed out. However, we did not find other similar examples, although several thousand frames were shot for the test. Moire is not a minus of ILCE-7M3. nine0005
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 100, F5, 1/200s, 12.0mm equiv.
Sony ILCE-7M3 14-bit RAW
The camera is capable of recording 14-bit RAW, including silent (electronic) shutter and continuous shooting.
Switching between 12-bit and 14-bit RAW is not explicit in the menu. The reference manual says that 14-bit RAW is always recorded except for the following combination of settings:
[CW cont. exposure]
[BULB]
[Cont. Shooting] when [RAW File Type] is set to [Compressed]
Speed
The Sony Alpha 7 III is a fast camera. The developers took into account all the disadvantages of previous models and smoothed out most of the problem areas. The camera turns on in about a second: during this time, an image appears on the display, the memory card is initialized. If we are not talking about extreme reporting, the camera can be safely turned off between shootings, saving battery power. nine0005
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 500, F4, 1/3s, 12.0mm equiv.
Menu and browsing freezes were also not noticed. The image display lag on the screen or in the viewfinder is not felt.
In previous generations of Alpha mirrorless cameras, there were difficulties with accessing the menu and viewing the captured frames while recording the series to the buffer. This problem is a thing of the past: while recording a series on a USB flash drive, you can use the menu and view the already recorded material. In addition, due to the use of UHS-II cards, recording is very fast. nine0005
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 2000, F2.2, 1/50s, 50.0mm equiv.
Continuous shooting
Continuous shooting in the Sony ILCE-7M3 is possible at up to 10 fps, regardless of whether the electronic or mechanical shutter is used. A maximum frame rate of 10fps is available in Hi+ mode, which displays the last frame taken instead of the live image in the viewfinder between frames. It is not very convenient to control fast processes during such shooting, however, the photographer will not encounter significant obstacles on the way to masterpieces.
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ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 100, F4, 1/640s, 12.0mm equiv.
If it is the live image in the viewfinder that is important to the photographer, then you should switch to Hi mode, where the rate of fire is about 8 frames / s. Between frames, a live picture of what is happening in front of the camera will be visible, but a small blackout will be added - blackout for a split second. The blackout is small and does not interfere with shooting, comparable to the blackout of DSLRs. nine0005
The size of the buffer is a pleasant surprise. If you're shooting compressed RAW, you can expect to shoot continuously at maximum speed for at least 7 seconds. We were able to shoot 73 frames in RAW+JPEG before the burst speed started to slow down. If you use uncompressed RAW, then the buffer size is reduced to 40 frames, which is also a solid figure.
We shot this test mostly with an electronic shutter, and some of the shots show limitations for its use.
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Electronic shutter, LED light. Stripes are noticeable in the background - reading artifacts. In such cases, it is better to use a mechanical shutter.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 1600, F4, 1/30s, 16.0mm equiv.
The electronic shutter may cause banding in the frame when shooting under artificial light such as LED or fluorescent. But in the vast majority of cases, there were no difficulties with the electronic shutter. nine0005
Electronic shutter, neon light. Distortions and artifacts are not noticed.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 4000, F2.5, 1/50s, 50.0mm equiv.
The effect of rolling shutter on live scenes has never been caught. Subjectively, it is very small in this camera, although it can be seen in the viewfinder when panning sharply.
Despite the high speed, the figure of the cyclist was not distorted when shooting with the electronic shutter.
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ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 100, F4, 1/80s, 24.0mm equiv.
The camera is equipped with anti-flicker function. When working with pulsing artificial light, it allows you to delay the shutter release by a fraction of a second to take a picture at the moment when the lighting is brightest. Due to this, when working with fluorescent light, all frames in the series are even in brightness.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 100, F1.8, 1/80s, 50.0mm equiv. nine0026
Autofocus
The autofocus system is one of the strengths of the new Seven. It seems that the Sony ILCE-7M3 is almost the first mid-range full-frame digital camera in which autofocus marketing restrictions have not been touched. Along with the matrix from the reportage model, an equally cool autofocus also migrated here. Recall examples from the world of DSLRs, when manufacturers put very serious full-frame sensors in mid-range cameras, but at the same time “rewarded” them with an autofocus module with dots crowded in the center of the frame.
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Green shows phase detection AF areas, blue shows Sony Alpha 7 III contrast AF areas.
693 phase sensors located on the matrix cover 93% of the frame area, and 425 more contrast zones are paired with them. Even in the fully automatic mode of the focusing system, the result is excellent. The camera accurately recognizes the main subject in the frame and gives it priority.
Foreground objects appearing in the frame do not disrupt tracking autofocus.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS settings: ISO 1000, F4, 1/2000 s, 105.0 mm equiv.
The AF point can also be changed independently: with the joystick or by touching the display. If you are framing through the viewfinder, you can move the autofocus point with your thumb by touching the display. For owners of large palms, this method may be the most convenient. The display is very responsive and sensitive. The speed of changing the autofocus zone is very high, which is especially important in reportage or genre shooting, where the count goes to a fraction of a second.
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ILCE-7M3 / FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS settings: ISO 1250, F4, 1/2000s, 105.0mm equiv.
Separately, it is necessary to note the autofocus mode for the eyes. We have repeatedly shown how it works in Sony cameras. Alpha 7 III also has this feature. When you press the central button of the Navigator, the camera automatically recognizes the human eye in the frame, highlights it with a green dot and focuses on it. The accuracy of determining and focusing is very high. Tracking tenacity is also not in question. The function works even when part of the face is covered. It is especially convenient to work with autofocus on the eyes in continuous mode. In all frames of the series, the sharpness is where it is needed. It really is a working tool. nine0005
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 4000, F1.8, 1/50s, 50.0mm equiv.
I also want to note the autofocus sensitivity. We were unable to find lighting conditions in which the autofocus system would fail.
At night or in a dark dungeon, the camera focuses as quickly and confidently as during the day. Claimed sensitivity down to -3 EV.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 12800, F1.8, 1/40s, 50.0mm equiv. nine0026
The autofocus system has been fine-tuned. In particular, it is possible to separately adjust the points and autofocus zones for horizontal and vertical orientation of the frame, there is AF micro-adjustment.
Travel and landscape photography
I had the opportunity to test the camera on a trip in a wide variety of use cases. Travel photography has always been a fusion of many genres, it is a real litmus test that shows the versatility of the tool. Looking ahead, I want to note: Sony ILCE-7M3 never let me down, no matter what tasks I set for it.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 12-24mm F4 G settings: ISO 100, F6.3, 1/250s, 24.0mm equiv.
The first thing I want to note is the highest picture quality in any conditions, even with the most affordable optics.
ILCE-7M3 / FE 50mm F1.8 settings: ISO 5000, F1.8, 1/50s, 50.0mm equiv.
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The Alpha A7 III is Sony's latest full-frame model and sits at the bottom of the line below the 42.2MP Alpha A7R III and 20fps Alpha A9.
Replacing the Alpha A7 II that was launched back in 2014, Sony has sprinkled many of its latest technologies on the new Alpha A7 III, hoping to redefine what you expect from an entry-level full-frame camera. nine0005
While the resolution remains unchanged, the new sensor in the Alpha A7 III is back-illuminated, which provides a much faster reading speed than the older model. Combined with the latest BIONZ X image processor, the new A7 III is capable of shooting at 10 frames per second (twice that of the A7 II), as well as the ability to use silent shutter at that speed. Not only has this improved, but the buffer has also been vastly improved, now capable of capturing 177 consecutive JPEG images before the camera needs a break, compared to 52 on the A7 II.
Initial performance is still impressive at 89pictures.
Sensitivity range has also been greatly improved, now with an extended ISO 204 800 ceiling - the same as the Alpha A9 and two stops better than the A7 II's 51.200 limit. Sony also credits it with achieving a dynamic range of 15 stops.
693-point AF system
We didn't expect to see this on Sony's "basic" full-frame camera, but the Alpha A7 III will get the same 69-point AF system that impressed us on the Alpha A9. A huge improvement over the 117-station Alpha A7 II arrangement, and the coverage also matches the A9's 93% coverage. There's also Sony's Eye AF functionality, while it's also capable of focusing at low levels like -3EV.
To keep it stable, the Alpha A7 III also gets Sony's latest 5-axis image stabilization system that offers up to five stops of compensation.
4K video
As you'd expect, the Alpha A7 III offers 4K video recording (3840 x 2160) using the full width of the camera's full-frame sensor without pixel binning.
With 6K readout, the Alpha A7 III collects 2.4x the amount of data it needs, and the footage is then resampled to what Sony believes will produce 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth. nine0005
As we saw with the Alpha A7R III, the Alpha A7 III features a new HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) profile that supports the Instant HDR workflow, allowing HDR (HLG) capable TVs to play back 4K HDR footage.
In addition, both S-Log2 and S-Log3 are available for increased color coding, and if you want to capture Full HD footage, you can capture it at up to 120fps.
Improved battery performance
An area where mirrorless cameras struggled against their DSLR counterparts was batteries, so it's great to see the Alpha A7 III's battery is rated for 710 shots - a huge improvement over the 350 shots on the Alpha A7 II, while it also has Alpha A9 480 battery life.
Alpha A7 III supports two SD slots with support in one SD card slot type UHS-II.
