Sony A7 III Review

March 26, 2018 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The Sony A7 III is a new "entry-level" 35mm full-frame compact system camera which, as you'll discover in our review, is far from being entry-level, despite being the cheapest model in the Sony full-frame line-up. The Sony A7 III has a 24.3 megapixel back-illuminated full-frame sensor with an optical low-pass filter, BIONZ X processor, expanded dynamic range of 15 stops at low sensitivity settings, dust/moisture-resistant magnesium alloy body, ISO range of 50-102400, hybrid auto focus system with 693-point phase detections points that cover 93% of the frame and 425 contrast-detection points, Eye AF in both AF-S and AF-C modes, 10fps burst shooting with full AF/AE tracking (up from 5fps on the A7 II), XGA OLED electronic viewfinder with 2.36m-dot resolution and 0.78x magnification, tiltable 3.0" 922k-dot rear LCD touchscreen, NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, UHD 4K movie recording with XAVC S and S-Log2/3 support, and greatly improved battery life.

The Sony A7 III is priced at around £1999 / $1999 body only or £2299 / $2299 with the Sony FE 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 OSS kit lens.

Ease of Use

In terms of its external design, the new Alpha A7 III camera doesn't really depart too much from either the previous A7 II model or the more expensive models currently in the range, the A7R III and the A9.

The aluminium bodied Sony A7 III is slightly bigger and heavier than the 3-year-old Mark II that it replaces, but it's still quite small and slender overall, measuring 26.9mm x 95.6mm x 73.7mm, and weighing 650g (almost 100g more than the A7 II) without a lens, battery and memory card fitted.

This increase in depth and weight is largely down to the much bigger battery and the subsequently larger handgrip to accomodate it. The larger capacity battery more than doubles the CIPA-rated battery life to 710 shots, the longest of any Sony Alpha camera, addressing one of the most common complaints about Sony's mirrorless camera range, namely the poor battery life. Subsequently the A7 III is slightly heavier then the Mark II version, but both easier to hold and capable of lasting for a full day's shooting on one battery, something that Sony shooters have long been wishing for.

The shutter release button sits in a logical position on top of the larger handgrip, with a command dial also conveniently located on the front. Also located on the front of the A7 III is the newly reinforced lens mount which has been further improved to better support heavy lenses, and a small porthole on the left for the self-timer/AF illuminator.

Sony A7 II
Front of the Sony A7 III

The A7 II's awkwardly positioned one-touch movie record button, which was previously located on the corner of the rear thumb-grip, has been moved directly to the right of the viewfinder, a much better location, while the C3 button is now on the rear-left of the camera.

Look under the memory card flap and you'll find not one, but two, SD card slots, although somewhat disappointingly only one of them supports the fastest UHS-II standard, a missed opportunity on such a fast shooting camera. Finally, Sony have als added both USB-2 and USB-C / 3 ports, the latter meaning that you can now power and tether the camera at the same time, a great boon for studio shooters, although it lacks the A7R III's PC Sync port.

The Sony A7 III features an in-body 5-axis image stabilization system to help prevent unwanted camera shake in low-light. It automatically corrects for pitch and yaw movement, plus horizontal shift, vertical shift and rotary motion (rolling) for both still images and movies. The A7 III offers an improved 5-stops of compensation, 1/2 stop more than the A7 II, which is very impressive considering that the A7 III has such a large sensor.

Furthermore, the use of an in-body system, rather than a lens-based system, ensures that the Alpha A7 III can stabilize all kinds of lenses, not just those with the FE designation, including E-mount lenses without Optical SteadyShot (OSS), A-mount lenses and even third party lenses mounted via the popular Sigma MC-11 or Metabones adapters. Note that lenses without any electronic contacts only benefit from three axes of compensation, and you also need to manually input which focal length you’re using to ensure that the stabilization works properly.

Sony A7 II
Rear of the Sony A7 III

On the top of the A7 III is a familiar external hotshoe, dubbed the Multi Interface Shoe, for attaching one of a range of accessories, including an external flash. As with the other Alpha cameras, thanks to its electronic front curtain shutter the A7 III has a sync speed of 1/250th sec, making it well suited to flash-based portrait photography, especially when used in conjunction with the amazing Eye-AF mode.

Completing the top of the A7 III is a second prominent dial for setting the Exposure Compensation and two small button marked with C1 and C2, which as the names suggest can be customised to access one of the camera's key controls. We wish Sony had made the EV button lockable, as its position on the corner of the camera meant that it was often inadvertently knocked into a different (unwanted) position when stored in a camera bag.

Just like the previous model, the A7 III uses a hybrid AF system which employs both phase-detection and contrast-based auto-focusing, but the number of AF points and the frame coverage have both been greatly increased. There are now 693 phase-detection points (up from 117) that cover 93% of the frame, plus 425 contrast-detection points (up from 25), and the AF system is subsequently twice as fast as the A7 II.

Sony A7 II
Top of the Sony A7 III

This is something that I definitely appreciated in the field, where the camera rarely if ever missed the moment because of an issue with the auto-focusing. It proved adept at both locking onto and tracking a moving subject, and excelled at portraits thanks to the dedicated Eye AF mode, which instantly recognises, locks onto and tracks a human eye in both the AF-S and AF-C focusing modes. In our tests this mode even worked impeccably with a lot of third-party lenses - we successful used an old Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L lens with a Sigma MC-11 adapter to take great portraits of fast-moving children, all thanks to the Eye-AF mode, which never missed a beat.

The AF experience has been improved by the addition of a thumb-operated joystick to set the AF point, something that several rival cameras now offer and a much more intuitive method than using the navigation pad, as on the Mark II. Accompanying this is another addition in the form of a new AF-On button, which makes it a snip to back-button focus using your thumb rather than half-pressing the shutter button, a method that many photographers swear by. The main casualty of these changes is the loss of the A7 II's AF/MF switch, which you'll now need to set via the Function menu or the dedicated button on the lens (if there is one).

The other major speed increase offered by the Sony A7 III is its continuous shooting speed. The Mark II had a reasonable 5fps burst mode, but the new Mark III takes things to another level by offering 10fps burst shooting with Full AF/AE tracking for up to 177 JPEGs, 89 compressed RAW or 40 uncompressed RAW images in one high-speed burst, available with either the mechanical shutter or a completely silent electronic shutter. It can also shoot continuously at up to 8fps in live view mode, much like the A6500 camera.

Sony A7 II
Tilting LCD Screen

The A7 III features a very good, but not class-leading, electronic viewfinder. This is an XGA OLED electronic viewfinder with 2.36m-dot resolution and 0.78x magnification, which isn't quite as good as the viewfinder on the A7R III camera. Likewise, the LCD screen on the rear isn't quite as well-specced as the A7R II, either. It's the same 3-inch size and tilts in the same way as on the A7R III, but the resolution is lower at 922k-dots, rather than 1.44m. You'd probably be hard-pressed to notice either difference unless using the two cameras side-by-side, but they are two of the ways that Sony have managed to hit the A7 III's aggressive price-point.

The LCD screen is now also touch sensitive, which can be used for some elements of operation, including operating the auto-focus whilst looking through the EVF, a feature that we've seen on several other high-end mirrorless cameras recently. Unfortunately Sony have again stopped short of offering a full touchscreen experience - somewhat inexplicably, you can't use the menu system in this way, press the on-screen icons, or even scroll through images during playback, a la smartphones.

The Sony A7 III can shoot and record 4K video in multiple formats, including full-frame and the Super 35mm formats. It can output uncompressed UHD 4K, 3840 x 2160 pixel video (30p/24p/25p) at a 4:2:0 color depth to the inserted memory card or 4:2:2 over HDMI to compatible third party recorders.

Sony A7 II
The Sony A7 III In-hand

The A7 III supports the XAVC S format, which is based on the professional XAVC codec, and can record Full HD at 120fps at up to 100Mbps, which allows footage to be edited into 4x or 5x slow-motion files, with a new S&Q mode (Slow and Quick motion) on the shooting dial providing selectable frame rates ranging from 1fps to 120fps. A new HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) mode is available that supports an Instant HDR workflow, while both S-Log2 and S-Log3 are available for increased colour grading flexibility.

The A7 III uses the same recently revised menu system as the A7R III and A9, which is clearer and easier to navigate than on previous A7 cameras, although still frustratingly difficult to navigate though, with no less than 35 different screens of options.

As denoted by symbols on the side of the camera, the Sony A7 III is both wi-fi and NFC capable, and it also now offers location data acquisition via a Bluetooth connection to a compatible mobile device, allowing you to geo-tag your images.

It's not all good news on the connectivity front, though, as the A7 III no longer offers the PlayMemories app support that its predecessor, which amongst other things means that this new camera doesn't currently offer any time-lapse functionality, whereas the A7 II did. We hope that Sony will reinstate this and some of the other PlayMemories app functions via a future firmware upgrade.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 24 megapixel Extra Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 12Mb.

The Sony A7 III produced images of outstanding quality during the review period. The A7 III has an extensive and very usable ISO range of 50-204800. ISO 50-6400 is essentially noise-free, while ISO 12800 and 25600 produce more than acceptable results, and even ISO 102400 is OK for emergency use, although we'd hesitate to use the fastest setting of ISO 204800. The RAW samples illustrate just how much processing the camera does by default, though, as they're noisier at the higher ISO values than their JPEG counterparts, with fewer unwanted colour artifacts.

The effective Dynamic Range Optimizer function extracts more detail from the shadow and highlight areas in an image, without introducing any unwanted noise or other artifacts, while The High Dynamic Range mode combines two shots taken at different exposures to produce one image with greater dynamic range than a single image would produce. It only works for JPEGs and for still subjects, but does produce some very effective results.

The various Picture Effects quickly produce special looks that would otherwise require you to spend a lot of time in the digital darkroom, while the Creative Styles provide a quick and easy way to tweak the camera's JPEG images. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and the Bulb mode offering lots of scope for creative night photography.

Noise

There are 13 ISO settings available on the Sony A7 III. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW formats:

JPEG RAW

ISO 50 (100% Crop)

ISO 50 (100% Crop)

iso50.jpg iso50raw.jpg
   

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg
   

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

iso25600.jpg iso25600raw.jpg
   

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

iso51200.jpg iso51200raw.jpg
   

ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

iso102400.jpg iso102400raw.jpg
   

ISO 204800 (100% Crop)

ISO204800 (100% Crop)

iso204800raw.jpg iso204800raw.jpg

File Quality

The Sony A7 III has 3 different image quality settings available, with Extra Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the actual file size shown in brackets.

Extra Fine (12.4Mb) (100% Crop) Fine (6.56Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_extra_fine.jpg quality_fine.jpg
   
Standard (4.43Mb) (100% Crop) RAW (47.1Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_standard.jpg quality_raw.jpg

Night

The Sony A7 III's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds and there's also a Bulb mode for even longer exposures, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 30 seconds at ISO 100.

Night

night1.jpg

Image Stabilisation

The Sony A7 III has an in-body 5-axis image stabilization system. Using the FE 55mm f/1.8 lens, we were able to obtain sharp results shooting handheld down to about 1/8th second, 4 stops below the "recommended" shutter speed of 1/50th second.

1/50th Sec

1/25th Sec

antishake1.jpg antishake2.jpg
   

1/13th Sec

1/5th Sec

antishake3.jpg antishake4.jpg

Dynamic Range Optimizer

D-Range Optimiser (DRO) is Sony's solution to improve shadow detail in photos taken in contrasty light. There are 5 different levels and an Auto option.

Off

Auto
drange_01.jpg drange_02.jpg
   
Level 1 Level 2
drange_03.jpg drange_04.jpg
   
Level 3 Level 4
drange_05.jpg drange_06.jpg
   
Level 5  
drange_07.jpg  

High Dynamic Range

High Dynamic Range Optimiser (HDR) is Sony's solution for capturing more contrast than a single exposure can handle by combining two exposures into one image. There are 6 different EV settings and an Auto option.

Off

Auto
hdr_01.jpg hdr_02.jpg
   
1EV 2EV
hdr_03.jpg hdr_04.jpg
   
3EV 4EV
hdr_05.jpg hdr_06.jpg
   
5EV 6EV
hdr_07.jpg hdr_08.jpg

Creative Styles

There are 13 Creative Style preset effects that you can use to change the look of your images, which are available when shooting JPEG and/or Raw files.

Standard

Vivid

creative_style_01.jpg creative_style_02.jpg
   

Neutral

Clear

creative_style_03.jpg creative_style_04.jpg
   

Deep

Light

creative_style_05.jpg creative_style_06.jpg
   

Portrait

Landscape

creative_style_07.jpg creative_style_08.jpg
   

Sunset

Night Scene

creative_style_09.jpg creative_style_10.jpg
   

Autumn Leaves

Black & White

creative_style_11.jpg creative_style_12.jpg
   

Sepia

 
creative_style_13.jpg  

Picture Effects

The Sony A7 III offers a range of 8 creative Picture Effects, which are available when shooting JPEG only.

Off

Toy Camera

picture_effect_01.jpg picture_effect_02.jpg
   

Pop Color

Posterization

picture_effect_03.jpg picture_effect_04.jpg
   

Retro Photo

Soft High-key

picture_effect_05.jpg picture_effect_06.jpg
   

Partial Color (Red)

High Contrast Mono

picture_effect_07.jpg picture_effect_08.jpg
   

Rich-tone Mono

 
picture_effect_11.jpg  

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony A7 III camera, which were all taken using the 24 megapixel Extra Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Sony A7 III enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 10 second movie is 128Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 25 second movie is 304Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 11 second movie is 132Mb in size.

Product Images

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Conclusion

Sony referred to the A7 III as a "basic model" during their early promotion, whether jokingly or not, but the A7 III is far from being basic. Indeed, it's so well-specced on paper that it surprised a lot of people who weren't expecting such a well-appointed camera, and thankfully that promise has been borne out in practice - the new Sony A7 III is an outstanding camera, and a veritable steal considering its price-tag.

While it might not offer anything genuinely new, the fact that the A7 III offers an enticing mix of features from the flagship A9 and A7R III cameras at a much more aggressive price-point should make it one of the best-selling cameras of 2018. 

As with its predecessor, it's the most well-round A7-series camera currently available, blending together the A9's amazing AF system with the A7R III's continuous shooting speed whilst offering sensible 24-megapixel resolution, 4K video and excellent low-light performance. 

Most people don't need the sheer speed of the A9, the resolution of the A7R III, or the low-light capabilities of the A7S II, which is where the A7 III enters the fray as the most sensible choice for the majority of people. Which isn't to downplay what an outstanding camera it is, especially given the £2000 / $2000 cost of ownership, which will surely tempt an awful lot of high-end DSLR (especially Canon) and APS-C/Micro Four Thirds users to switch to Sony.

The Sony A7 III is quite simply the best camera available at its price-point. It's good enough to tempt some people to stretch their budget further, and even good enough for some to save money by not having to look higher up the range. It may be "basic" in its current positioning at the bottom of the Sony full-frame line-up, but it's definitely outstanding in all other regards.

5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 5
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 5
Image quality 5
Value for money 5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Sony A7 III.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

The long-awaited Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR has now arrived, improving on its predecessor, the incredibly popular 5D Mark III, in almost every way. Does the new 5D Mark IV offer enough to justify the £3629 / $3499 asking price? Read our Canon EOS 5D Mark IV review to find out...

Canon EOS 6D Mark II

The new EOS 6D Mark II is Canon's latest 35mm full-frame DSLR camera. Positioned as a more affordable alternative to the EOS 5D Mark IV, the EOS 6D Mark II features 26.2 megapixels, latest DIGIC 7 processor, 45 point AF system and Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. Read our expert Canon EOS 6D Mark II review now...

Fujifilm X-H1

The Fujifilm X-H1 is the newest flagship camera on the block, topping the mirrorless X-series range with built-in optical image stabilisation and the most advanced video capabilities of any Fujifilm camera to date. Check our our in-depth Fujifilm XH1 review, complete with full-size sample images, movies and more...

Nikon D850

The Nikon D850 is a brand new 45.7 megapixel full-frame BSI sensor DSLR camera with no optical low pass filter. The D850 also offers 4K video recording, a 3.2-inch tilting LCD touchscreen, 153-point AF system, an optical viewfinder with 0.75x magnification, 7fps burst shooting and 1,840 shot battery life. Read our in-depth Nikon D850 review to find out if this is the best all-round DSLR camera on the market...

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

Capable of shooting at 18fps with focus tracking, the new Olympus O-MD E-M1 Mark II is a blisteringly fast professional compact system camera. Read our in-dpeth Olympus O-MD E-M1 Mark II review to find out if this speed demon can really deliver the goods...

Panasonic G9

Panasonic have enjoyed a lot of success with the video-centric GH5 camera, and now they've turned their attention to the enthusiast and professional stills photographer with the release of the exciting new G9. Read our in-depth Panasonic G9 review now to find out more...

Pentax K-1

The new K-1 is the long-awaited full-frame DSLR camera from Pentax, based around a 36.4 megapixel CMOS sensor. Is this the best ever Pentax DSLR? Read our in-depth Pentax K-1 review to find out...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony A7 III from around the web.

cameralabs.com »

The Sony Alpha A7 III is the new ‘entry-level’ model in the full-frame Alpha mirrorless series, but punches above its weight with a 24 Megapixel sensor, built-in stabilisation, 4k movies, 10fps continuous shooting with autofocus, and the longest claimed battery life of any mirrorless camera to date. Announced in February 2018, this successor to the A7 Mark II may share the same resolution as before but enjoys upgrades in low-light performance, speed, autofocus coverage and density, video quality, controls and connectivity.
Read the full review »

Specifications

What's In The Box

  • AC Adaptor AC-UUE12
  • Accessory shoe cap
  • Body cap
  • Eyepiece cup
  • Micro USB cable
  • Rechargeable Battery NP-FZ100
  • Shoulder strap

Lens Compatibility

  • Sony E-mount lenses

Lens Mount

  • E-mount

Aspect Ratio

  • 3:2

Number Of Pixels (Effective)

  • Approx. 24.2 megapixels

Number of Pixels (total)

  • Approx. 25.3 megapixels

Sensor Type

  • 35mm full frame (35.6×23.8mm), Exmor R CMOS sensor

Anti-Dust System

  • Charge protection coating on optical filter and image sensor shift mechanism

Recording Format

  • JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.31, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format)

Image Size (pixels) [3:2]

  • 35mm full frame L: 6000 x 4000 (24M), M: 3936 x 2624 (10M), S: 3008 x 2000 (6.0M), APS-C L: 3936 x 2624 (10M), M: 3008 x 2000 (6.0M), S: 1968 x 1312 (2.6M)

Image Size (pixels) [16:9]

  • 35mm full frame L: 6000 x 3376 (20M), M: 3936 x 2216 (8.7M), S: 3008 x 1688 (5.1M), APS-C L: 3936 x 2216 (8.7M), M: 3008 x 1688 (5.1M), S: 1968 x 1112 (2.2M)

Image Size (pixels) [Sweep Panorama]

  • -

Image Quality Modes

  • RAW, RAW & JPEG (Extra fine, Fine, Standard), JPEG (Extra fine, Fine, Standard)

Picture Effect

  • 8 types: Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), Soft High-key , Rich-tone Monochrome

Creative Style

  • Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box (1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps))

Picture Profile

  • Yes (Off / PP1-PP10) Parameters: Black level, Gamma (Movie, Still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-Log3, HLG, HLG1-3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset

Dynamic Range Functions

  • Off, Dynamic Range Optimizer (Auto/Level (1-5)), Auto High Dynamic Range (Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure Difference Level (1-6 EV, 1.0 EV step))

Colour Space

  • sRGB standard (with sYCC gamut) and Adobe RGB standard, compatible with TRILUMINOS Color

14bit RAW

  • Yes

Uncompressed RAW

  • Yes

Recording Format

  • XAVC S, AVCHD format Ver. 2.0 compliant

Video Compression

  • XAVC S: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, AVCHD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264

Audio Recording Format

  • XAVC S: LPCM 2ch, AVCHD: Dolby Digital (AC-3) 2ch, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator

Colour Space

  • xvYCC standard (x.v.Color when connected via HDMI cable) compatible with TRILUMINOS Color

Picture Effect

  • Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), Soft High-key

Creative Style

  • Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box (1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps))

Picture Profile

  • Yes (Off / PP1-PP10) Parameters: Black level, Gamma (Movie, Still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-Log3, HLG, HLG1-3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset

Image Size (Pixels), NTSC

  • XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160 (30p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (30p, 60M), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 60M), XAVC S HD: 1920 x 1080 (120p, 100M), 1920 x 1080 (120p, 60M), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (30p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (24p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 25M), 1920 x 1080 (30p, 16M), AVCHD: 1920 x 1080 (60i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (60i, 17M, FH)

Image Size (pixels), PAL

  • XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160 (25p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (25p, 60M), XAVC S HD:1920 x 1080 (100p, 100M), 1920 x 1080(100p, 60M), 1920 x 1080 (50p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 50M), AVCHD:1920 x 1080 (50i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (50i, 17M, FH)

Image frame rate

  • NTSC mode: 1fps, 2fps, 4fps, 8fps, 15fps, 30fps, 60fps, 120fps, PAL mode: 1fps, 2fps, 3fps, 6fps, 12fps, 25fps, 50fps, 100fps

Image size (frame rate)

  • NTSC mode: 1920x1080 (60p, 30p, 24p), PAL mode: 1920x1080 (50p, 25p)

Movie Functions

  • Audio Level Display, Audio Rec Level, PAL/NTSC Selector, Yes (1280 x 720 (Approx.9Mbps)), TC/UB (TC Preset/UB Preset/TC Format/TC Run/TC Make/UB Time Rec), Auto Slow Shutter, REC Control, Clean HDMI Info. (ON/OFF selectable), Gamma Disp. Assist

Clean HDMI output

  • 3840 x 2160 (25p), 1920 x 1080 (50p), 1920 x 1080 (50i), 1920 x 1080 (24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p), 1920 x 1080 (60i), 3840 x 2160 (30p), 3840 x 2160 (24p), YCbCr 4:2:2 8bit / RGB 8bit

Location information Link from smartphone

  • Yes

Media

  • Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick Micro (M2), SD memory card, SDHC memory card (UHS-I/II compliant), SDXC memory card (UHS-I/II compliant), microSD memory card, microSDHC memory card, microSDXC memory card

Memory Card Slot

  • SLOT1: Slot for SD (UHS-I/II compliant) memory card, SLOT2: Multi slot for Memory Stick Duo/SD (UHS-I compliant) memory card

Recording mode on 2 memory cards

  • Simult. Rec (Still), Simult. Rec (Movie), Simult. Rec (Still/,Movie), Sort (JPEG/RAW), Sort (Still/Movie), Auto Switch Media (On/Off), Copy

Noise Reduction

  • Long exposure NR: On/Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 sec., High ISO NR: Normal/Low/Off

Multi Frame NR

  • -

White Balance Modes

  • Auto / Daylight / Shade / Cloudy / Incandescent / Fluorescent / Warm White / Cool White / Day White / Daylight / Flash / Underwater / Color Temperature 2500 to 9900K & color filter G7 to M7 (57-step), A7 to B7 (29-step) / Custom

AWB Micro Adjustment

  • Yes G7 to M7, 57-step A7 to B7, 29-step

Priority Set in AWB

  • Yes

Bracketing

  • 3 frames, H/L selectable

Focus Type

  • Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection AF/contrast-detection AF)

Focus Sensor

  • Exmor R CMOS sensor

Focus Point

  • 35mm full frame: 693 points (phase-detection AF), APS-C mode with full frame lens: 299 points (phase-detection AF), with APS-C lens: 221 points (phase-detection AF) / 425 points (contrast-detection AF)

Focus Sensitivity Range

  • EV-3 to EV20 (ISO100 equivalent with F2.0 lens attached)

Focus Mode

  • AF-A (Automatic AF), AF-S (Single-shot AF), AF-C (Continuous AF), DMF (Direct Manual Focus), Manual Focus

Focus Area

  • Wide (693 points (phase-detection AF), 425 points (contrast-detection AF)) / Zone / Center / Flexible Spot (S/M/L) /Expanded Flexible Spot/ Lock-on AF ( Wide / Zone / Center / Flexible Spot (S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot)

Other Features

  • Eye-start AF (only with LA-EA2 or LA-EA4 attached (sold separately)), Lock-on AF, Eye AF, AF micro adjustment with LA-EA2 or LA-EA4 (sold separately), Predictive control, Focus lock, AF Track Sens, Swt.V/H AF Area, AF Area Regist.

AF Illuminator

  • Yes (with Built-in LED type)

AF Illuminator range

  • Approx. 0.3m - approx. 3.0m (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS attached)

Focus type with LA-EA3 (Sold separately)

  • selectable (phase-detection, contrast-detection)

Metering Type

  • 1200-zone evaluative metering

Metering Sensor

  • Exmor R CMOS sensor

Metering Sensitivity

  • EV-3 to EV20 (at ISO100 equivalent with F2.0 lens attached)

Metering Mode

  • Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot, Spot Standard/Large, Entire Screen Avg., Highlight

Exposure Compensation

  • +/- 5.0EV (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps selectable) (with exposure compensation dial: +/- 3EV (1/3 EV steps))

Exposure Bracketing

  • Bracket: Cont., Bracket: Single, 3/5/9 frames selectable. With 3 or 5 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 EV increments, with 9 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1.0 EV increments

AE Lock

  • Locked when shutter button is pressed halfway. Available with AE lock button (On/Off/Auto)

Exposure Modes

  • AUTO (iAuto), Programmed AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter-speed priority (S), Manual (M), Movie (Programmed AE (P) / Aperture priority (A) / Shutter-speed priority (S) / Manual (M) ), Slow & Quick Motion (Programmed AE (P) / Aperture priority (A) / Shutter-speed priority (S) / Manual (M) ), Scene Selection

ISO Sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)

  • Still images: ISO 100-51200 (ISO numbers up from ISO 50 to ISO 204800 can be set as expanded ISO range.), AUTO (ISO 100-12800, selectable lower limit and upper limit), Movies: ISO 100-51200 equivalent(ISO numbers up ISO 102400 can be set as expanded ISO range.), AUTO (ISO 100-12800, selectable lower limit and upper limit)

Anti-flicker Shoot.

  • Yes

Scene Selection

  • Portrait, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Night Portrait

Viewfinder Type

  • 1.3 cm (0.5 type) electronic viewfinder (color), XGA OLED

Number of Dots

  • 2 359 296 dots

Brightness Control (Viewfinder)

  • Auto/Manual (5 steps between -2 and +2)

Color Temperature Control

  • Manual (5 steps)

Field Coverage

  • 100%

Magnification

  • approx. 0.78 x (with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1)

Dioptre Adjustment

  • -4.0 to +3.0m-1

Eye Point

  • Approx. 23mm from the eyepiece lens, 18.5mm from the eyepiece frame at -1m-1 (CIPA Standard)

Finder Frame Rate Selection

  • -

Display Contents

  • Graphic Display, Display All Info., No Disp. Info., Digital Level Gauge, Histogram

Monitor Type

  • 7.5cm (3.0-type) type TFT

Number of Dots

  • 921,600 dots

Touch Panel

  • Yes

Brightness Control

  • Manual (5 steps between -2 and +2), Sunny Weather mode

Adjustable Angle

  • Up by approx. 107 degrees, Down by approx. 41 degrees

Display Selecter (Finder/LCD)

  • Yes (Auto/Manual)

Real-time Image Adjustment Display (LCD)

  • On/Off

Quick Navi

  • Yes

Focus Magnifier

  • Yes (35mm full frame: 5.9x, 11.7x, APS-C: 3.8x, 7.7x)

Zebra

  • Yes (selectable level + range or lower limit as custom setting)

Peaking MF

  • Yes (Level setting: High/Mid/Low/Off, Color: White/Red/Yellow)

Others

  • Grid Line (Rule of 3rds Grid/Square Grid/Diag. + Square Grid/Off), Movie Marker (Center/Aspect/Safety Zone/Guideframe)

Display Content

  • Graphic Display, Display All Info, No Disp. Info, Digital Level Gauge, Histogram,For viewfinder, Monitor Off

PlayMemories Camera Apps™

  • -

Clear Image Zoom

  • Still images: Approx. 2x, Movies:Approx. 1.5x (4K), Approx. 2x (HD)

Digital Zoom

  • Smart zoom (Still images): 35mm full frame: M: approx 1.5x, S: approx 2x, APS-C: M: approx 1.3x, S: approx 2x, Digital zoom (Still images): 35mm full frame: L: approx 4x, M: approx 6.1x, S: approx 8x, APS-C: L: approx 4x, M: approx 5.2x, S: approx 8x,Digital zoom (Movie): 35mm full frame: approx 4x, APS-C: approx 4x

Face Detection

  • Modes: Face Priority in AF (On/Off), Face Priority in Multi Metering (On/Off), Regist. Faces Priority (On/Off), Face registration, Max. number of detectable: 8

Self-Portrait Self-timer

  • -

Others

  • Touch Focus: Yes (Available with LCD monitor or Viewfinder operation), ISO AUTO Min. SS, Bright Monitoring, Set File Name, FTP Transfer Func., Help guide, Area Setting, Shop Front Mode, Video Light Mode, Zoom Ring Rotate

Eye-Fi ready

  • -

Type

  • Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type

Shutter Type

  • -

Shutter Speed

  • Still images: 1/8000 to 30 sec, Bulb, Movies: 1/8000 to 1/4 (1/3 steps), up to 1/60 in AUTO mode (up to 1/30 in Auto slow shutter mode),

Flash Sync. Speed

  • 1/250 sec.

Electronic Front Curtain Shutter

  • Yes (ON/OFF)

Silent Shooting

  • Yes (ON/OFF)

Type

  • Image Sensor-Shift mechanism with 5-axis compensation (Compensation depends on lens specifications)

Compensation Effect

  • 5.0 stops (based on CIPA standard. Pitch/yaw shake only. With Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens mounted. Long exposure NR off.)

Control

  • Pre-flash TTL

Flash Compensation

  • +/- 3.0 EV (switchable between 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps)

Flash Bracketing

  • 3/5/9 frames selectable. With 3 or 5 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 EV increments, with 9 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0 EV increments.

Flash Modes

  • Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction (on/off selectable), Wireless, Hi-speed sync.

External Flash Compatibility

  • Sony α System Flash compatible with Multi Interface Shoe, attach the shoe adaptor for flash compatible with Auto-lock accessory shoe

FE Level Lock

  • Yes

Wireless Control

  • Yes (Light signal: Available with Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Hi-speed sync. /Radio signal: Available with Fill-flash, Rear Sync., Slow Sync., Hi-speed sync.)

Drive Modes

  • Single Shooting, Continuous shooting (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo selectable), Self-timer, Self-timer (Cont.), Bracket: Single, Bracket: Cont., White Balance bracket, DRO bracket

Continuous Drive Speed (approx. max.)

  • Continuous shooting: Hi+: max. 10 fps, Hi: max. 8 fps, Mid: max. 6fps, Lo: max. 3 fps

No. of recordable frames (approx.)

  • JPEG Extra fine L: 163 frames, JPEG Fine L: 172 frames, JPEG Standard L: approx. 177 frames, RAW: 89 frames, RAW & JPG: 79 frames, RAW (Uncompressed): 40 frames, RAW (Uncompressed) & JPG: 36 frames

Self-Timer

  • 10 sec. delay/5 sec. delay/2 sec. delay/Continuous self-timer (3 frames after 10 sec. delay/5 frames after 10 sec. delay/3 frames after 5 sec. delay/5 frames after 5 sec. delay/3 frames after 2 sec. delay/5 frames after 2 sec. delay)/Bracketing self-timer

Photo Capture

  • Yes

Modes

  • Single (with or without shooting information Y RGB histogram & highlight/shadow warning), 9/25-frame index view, Enlarged display mode (L: 18.8x, M: 12.3x, S: 9.4x), Auto Review (10/5/2 sec, Off), Image orientation (Auto/Manual/Off selectable), Slideshow, Folder selection (Date/ Still/ AVCHD/XAVC S HD/XAVC S 4K), Forward/Rewind (movie), Delete,Protect, Rating, Disp Cont Shoot Grp

PC Interface

  • Mass-storage, MTP, PC remote

Multi / Micro USB Terminal

  • Yes

USB Type-C™ Terminal

  • Yes (SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1 Gen 1) compatible)

NFC™

  • Yes (NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible), One-touch remote, One-touch sharing

Wireless LAN (Built-In)

  • Wi-Fi Compatible, IEEE 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz band), View on Smartphone, Remote control via Smartphone, Send to Computer, View on TV

Bluetooth

  • Yes (Bluetooth Standard Ver. 4.1 (2.4GHz band))

HD Output

  • HDMI micro connector (Type-D),BRAVIA Sync (Control for HDMI), PhotoTV HD, 4K movie output/4K still image PB

Multi Interface Shoe

  • Yes

Auto-lock Accessory Shoe

  • -

Smart Accessory Terminal 2

  • -

Mic Terminal

  • Yes (3.5 mm Stereo minijack)

DC IN Terminal

  • -

Sync Terminal

  • -

Headphone Terminal

  • Yes (3.5 mm Stereo minijack)

Vertical Grip Connector

  • Yes

PC Remote

  • Yes

LAN Terminal

  • -

Microphone

  • Built-in stereo microphone or XLR-K2M/XLR-K1M/ECM-XYST1M (sold separately)

Speaker

  • Built-in,monaural

Compatible Standards

  • Exif Print, Print Image Matching III, DPOF setting

Type

  • Custom key settings,Programmable Setting (Body 2 sets /memory card 4 sets), My Menu, Reg Cust Shoot Set

Setting

  • Peripheral Shading, Chromatic Aberration, Distortion

Supplied Battery

  • One rechargeable battery pack NP-FZ100

Battery Life (Still Images)

  • Approx. 610 shots (Viewfinder) / approx. 710 shots (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)

Battery Life (Movie, actual recording)

  • Approx. 115 min (Viewfinder) / Approx. 125 min (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)

Battery Life (Movie, continuous recording)

  • Approx. 200 min (Viewfinder) / Approx. 210 min (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)

Internal Battery Charge

  • Yes (Available with Multi/Micro USB Terminal or USB Type-C Terminal)

Power consumption with Viewfinder

  • Still images: approx. 3.2W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached), Movies: approx. 4.9W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached)

Power consumption with LCD screen

  • Still images: approx. 2.8W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached), Movies: approx. 4.7W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached)

USB Power supply

  • Yes (Available with Multi/Micro USB Terminal or USB Type-C Terminal)

Operating Temperature

  • 32 - 104 degrees F / 0 - 40 degrees C

Weight (with battery and memory card included)

  • Approx. 650 g / 1lb 7.0 oz

Dimensions (W x H x D)

  • Approx. 126.9mm x 95.6mm x 73.7mm, Approx. 126.9mm x 95.6mm x 62.7mm (from grip to monitor)/Approx. 5 x 3 7/8 x 3 inches, Approx. 5 x 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 inches (from grip to monitor)

News

The Sony A7 III is the new entry-level camera in Sony's 35mm full-frame mirrorless range. Sitting below the A9, A7R III and A7S II, the A7 II offers a lot of Sony's latest imaging technologies, including a new 24.2 megapixel Back-Illuminated Exmor R CMOS Image Sensor, ISO range of 50-204800, 15 stops of dynamic range, 4K video recording with full pixel readout, 10fps burst shooting, 5-axis 5-stop image stabilisation, 693 point auto-focus system covering 93% of the image area, Eye auto-focusing mode, a joystick for adjusting the focus point, and class-leading 710 shot battery life.

The Sony A7 III will ship in Europe in March 2018 priced at approximately £2000 / €2300 (body only) or £2200/ €2500 in a kit with the FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens. In the US, it will be available slightly later from April 10th priced at about $2000 US for the body and $2200 in a kit with the FE 28‑70 mm F3.5‑5.6 kit lens.

Sony Europe Press Release

Sony expands “Full-frame Mirrorless” line-up with new a7 III with the latest imaging technologies all compressed into a compact package

  • Newly Developed Full-frame 24.2MP[i] Back-Illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS Image Sensor with Evolved Image Processing
  • Wide ISO range of 100 - 51200 (expandable to ISO 50 – 204800 for still images) and 15-Stop[ii] Dynamic Range at low sensitivities
  • World Class AF system featuring 693 phase-detection AF points covering 93% of image area, 425 contrast AF points and fast and reliable Eye AF
  • Continuous Shooting at up to 10 fps[iii] with either Mechanical Shutter or Silent Shooting[iv] and full Auto Focus/Auto Exposure tracking
  • 5-axis optical in-body image stabilisation with a 5.0 step[v] shutter speed advantage
  • High Resolution 4K[vi] Movie Shooting with full pixel readout and no pixel binning across full-width of full-frame sensor
  • The longest rated battery life of any Mirrorless camera[vii] at 710 shots[viii]  per charge
  • Upgraded operability and functionality including addition of joystick for adjusting focus points, Dual SD Card Slots, SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1 Gen 1) USB Type-C™ Terminal and more

Sony today introduced yet another impressive addition to their full-frame mirrorless camera line-up, the α7 III (model ILCE-7M3).    

Sony’s unmatched innovation within the image sensor space is at the forefront of the new α7 III, as it features a brand new 24.2MPi back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor with increased sensitivity, outstanding resolution and an impressive 15 stopsii of dynamic range at low sensitivities. By combining this sensor with a variety of impressive features including extreme AF coverage of 93%, fast shooting at up to 10 fpsiii with either mechanical shutter or silent shootingiv, diverse 4Kvi video capabilities and more, Sony has created a new tool that gives all types of creators – from enthusiast to professional – the ability to capture content in new and different ways than they ever have before.

Spectacular Full-frame Image Quality

The newly developed 24.2MPi back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor is paired with a front-end LSI that effectively doubles the readout speed of the image sensor, as well as an updated BIONZ X™ processing-engine that boosts processing speed by approximately 1.8 times compared to the α7 II.  These powerful components work together to allow the camera to shoot at faster speeds while also enabling its impressive ISO range of 100 - 51200 (expandable to ISO 50 – 204800 for still images) and an overall 1.5-stop[ix] improvement in image quality. The camera also features a massive 15-stopii dynamic range at low sensitivity settings, ensuring outstanding overall performance at all settings and in all shooting conditions, with significant advancements in accurate colour reproductions of skin tones and the vibrant colours of nature. 

This new full-frame model can also output 14 bit RAW format[x] even in silent and continuous shooting modes, and is equipped with a 5-axis optical image stabilisation system that results in a 5.0 stepv shutter speed advantage.

Significant Advances in AF Speed and Performance

The innovative new α7 III full-frame mirrorless camera features a level of AF performance that has been largely improved over the α7 II, including the addition of 4D FOCUS™ capabilities.  The new camera has 425 contrast AF points that work with a 693-point focal-plane phase-detection AF system inherited from the acclaimed α9 model.  This innovative AF system covers approximately 93% of the frame, ensuring reliable focusing and tracking for even the most difficult to capture subjects. 

AF response and tracking has also been greatly improved in the new camera, with almost 2xix the focusing speed in low-light condition and 2xii the tracking speed compared to the previous model as a result of the faster image sensor readout.  This allows complex and unpredictable motion to be captured with far greater precision and accuracy. 

The acclaimed Eye AF feature is also available in the new camera, even in AF-C mode, which is extremely useful for situations where the subject is turning around, looking down or otherwise obstructed. It also works when the α7 III is being used with Sony’s A-mount lenses with an optional LA-EA3 adaptor[xi]. Additional improvements in focusing flexibility include the addition of a multi-selector or ‘joystick’ for moving focusing points quickly, the addition of touch focusing capability, AF availability in Focus Magnifier mode, an ‘AF On’ button and much more. 

Speed to Capture Every Decisive Moment

The new α7 III is equipped with an updated image processing system that allows it to shoot full resolution images at up to 10 fpsiii with continuous, accurate AF/AE tracking for up to 177 Standard JPEG images, 89 compressed RAW images or 40 uncompressed RAW images[xii]. This high speed mode is available with either a mechanical shutter or a completely silent shootingiv, adding to the immense flexibility of the camera. The camera can also shoot continuously at up to 8 fpsiii in live view mode with minimal lag in the viewfinder or LCD screen. 

For added convenience, while large groups of burst images are being written to the memory card,   many of the cameras key functions are operable, including access to the ‘Fn’ (Function) and ‘Menu’ buttons, image playback and several other menus and parameters including image rating and other functions that facilitate on-location image sorting. 

Additionally, if there is fluorescent or artificial lighting present in a shooting environment, users can activate the Anti-flicker[xiii] function to allow the α7 III to automatically detect frequency of the lighting and time the shutter to minimise its effect on images being captured. This minimises any exposure or colour anomalies that can sometimes occur at the top and bottom of images shot at high shutter speeds. 

High Quality 4Kvi Video

The new α7 III is an outstanding video camera as well, offering 4Kvi (3840x2160 pixels) video recording across the full width of the full-frame image sensor. In video mode, the camera uses full pixel readout without pixel binning to collect about 2.4x[xiv] the amount of data required for 4K movies, and then oversamples it to produce high quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth. 

An HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)[xv] 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.

Upgraded Build, Design and Customisation

Sony’s newest full-frame camera is equipped with a variety of enhanced capabilities that were first implemented in the α9 and then again in the α7R III.  These include dual media slots, with support in one slot for UHS-II type SD memory cards. Users have a variety of options for storing their content in each of the cards, including separate JPEG / RAW recording, separate still image / movie recording, relay recording and more. Battery life has been greatly extended as well – with a CIPA measurement of up to 710 shots per chargeviii, it offers the world’s longestvii battery life of any Mirrorless camera, as the new camera utilises Sony’s Z series battery NP-FZ100 that offers approximately 2.2 times the capacity of the W series battery NP-FW50 utilised in the α7 II.

The new camera features “My Menu” functionality which allows up to 30 menu items to be registered for instant recall when needed. Users can also apply star ratings to their still images through the camera controls for easier image playback and review, and edit the first three characters of all still image files. Additionally, there is a total of 81 functions that are assignable to 11 custom buttons, and the camera is both dust and moisture resistant[xvi].

The α7 III features high-resolution, high-contrast, fast-start XGA OLED Tru-Finder™ with approximately 2.3 million dots for extremely accurate, true-to-life detail reproduction.  “Standard” or “High” display quality settings are also available for both the viewfinder and monitor as well. It also is capable of seamlessly transferring files to a smartphone, tablet, computer or FTP server via Wi-Fi®, while also offering a SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1 Gen 1) USB Type-C™ Terminal for increased flexibility in power supply and faster image transfer speed during tethered shooting.

The α7 III model also comes with Sony’s new software suite “Imaging Edge”, which extends the creative capabilities of the entire shooting process – from pre-processing to post-processing. “Imaging Edge” provides three PC applications called ‘Remote’, ‘Viewer’ and ‘Edit’, available for free download, which support live-view PC remote shooting and RAW development. In the latest Version 1.1, several improvements have been implemented including about 10%[xvii] faster data transfer speed for remote shooting from PC (PC tether shooting) and approximately 65%[xviii] improvement in the response speed for RAW image editing.  For more information, please visit Imaging Edge support page. www.sony.net/disoft/d/

The camera is also compatible with a wide variety of Sony E-mount accessories including the BC-QZ1 Battery Charger[xix], VG-C3EM Vertical Grip.

The new α7 III will ship in Europe in March, 2018 priced at approximately £2,000 / €2300 (body only) or £2200/ €2500 in a kit with the SEL2870 lens.

A variety of exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new α7 III camera and other Sony α products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site built to educate and inspire all fans and customers of the Sony α brand. 

The new content will also be posted directly at the Sony Photo Gallery and the Sony Camera Channel on YouTube.

About Sony Corporation

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, imaging, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, interactive entertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world.  Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $76 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017.  Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

[i] Approximate, effective

[ii] Sony test conditions for still images

[iii] In continuous “Hi+” mode.  Max. fps depends on camera settings

[iv] Some distortion may occur with fast-moving subjects

[v] CIPA standards. Pitch/yaw shake only. Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens. Long exposure NR off

[vi] A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card required for XAVC S movie recording, UHS speed class 3 or higher for 100 Mbps recording

[vii] Among non-reflex interchangeable lens digital camera equipped with auto focus function as of February 2017, based on Sony research

[viii] CIPA standards. When using the LCD monitor. 610 images when using the viewfinder

[ix] Compared to the α7 II. Sony test conditions

[x] Limited to 12 bits during compressed RAW continuous shooting, BULB exposure, or when Long Exposure NR is ON

[xi] With SSM or SAM lenses only. With the LA-EA3 mount adaptor. Eye AF not supported for movie recording. AF-C can only be used when the “Phase detection” AF system is selected, but focus is fixed at the first frame

[xii] Continuous “Hi+” mode. UHS-II compatible SDXC memory card required. Sony test conditions

[xiii] Only 100 Hz and 120 Hz flicker is detected. Continuous shooting speed may decrease. Flicker-free shooting is not available during silent shooting, BULB exposure, or movie recording

[xiv] 24p recording. Approx. 1.6x at 30p

[xv] Connect to an HDR (HLG) compatible Sony TV via a USB cable to view HDR (HLG) movies

[xvi] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof

[xvii] The transfer speed has been measured with multiple images using α7R III, SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1 Gen 1), and Uncompressed RAW ( L: 7952 x 5304)+JPEG Extra fine

[xviii] Measured with: CPU Intel® Core™ i7-6700 Processor 3.40GHz, Memory 8GB, OS Windows® 7 Professional, and Uncompressed RAW (α7R III L: 7952 x 5304)

[xix] Not supplied in the box

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

First Impressions

Yesterday we spent some time shooting with the new Sony A7 III compact system camera in Surrey, UK, at the official Sony Europe press event. Check out our first impressions of using the Sony A7 III camera now...

Sony A7 III - Ease of Use

Sony A7 III

At first glance the Sony A7 III looks very much like the other current A7-series cameras, closely resembling both the A9 and A7R III in terms of looks, control layout and key specifications. It represents a big step up from the last-generation A7 II camera, which was introduced back in 2015, quite a long time ago given the recent aggressiveness of Sony's strategy in the high-end camera market.

Sony A7 III

The A7 III offers very respectable continuous shooting speeds considering its relative affordability. 10fps burst shooting is available with either the silent electronic shutter or the mechanical one, complete with AF/AE tracking, just like on the A7R II, but the A7 III has a larger 177 image buffer against the older A7 II's 76-shot limit (although the A9 has an even larger 362 shot buffer to help with its 20fps burst shooting rate).

Sony A7 III

The auto-focusing system in the Sony A7 III is the same as the A9 in terms of AF point and coverage - 693 AF points and 93% coverage to be precise. It's also 2x faster than the system on the older A7 II, works down to -3EV low light, and incorporates Sony's now well-proven Eye AF technology, just like on the flagship A9 camera. In practice it worked extremely well, both outdoors in bright sunlight and in more demanding low-light conditions, with the fast and effective Eye AF once again proving its worth for easily capturing great portraits.

Sony A7 III

The Sony A7 III also offers a lot of other key specs that have previously been featured on A7-series models - the latest Bionz X processor with more refined skin tone reproduction, 5-axis 5-stop optical image stabilisation, ISO 50-204800, 4K video recording - all of which worked as expected when we tried out the camera. One key upgrade over the older A7 II is the excellent 710-shot battery life thanks to the larger NP-FZ100 battery, which is also used in the Sony A9 and A7R III cameras. A great side-benefit of this is the larger hand-grip, making the A7 III easier to hold than the previous A7 II.

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony A7 III camera

Sony A7 III - Image Quality

Sony A7 III

For stills photography, the Sony A7 III employs a completely new 24.2 megapixel back-illuminated 35mm full-frame sensor, coupled with the very latest BIONZ X processor. The new sensor is claimed to offer a whopping 15 stops of dynamic range at low sensitivity settings and offers a top ISO speed of 204800.

We've already shot a gallery of sample images for you with a full production version of the A7 III which you can check out here, and we'll be bringing even more full-size JPEGs and Raw files when we get our hands on a final review sample.

The A7 III's video recording capabilities will also be key to its success, as it can record 4K movies (3840×2160 pixels) at 25/24fps, utilising a 6K full pixel readout, with 14 stops dynamic range and 4K Hybrid Log Gamma. It can also shoot 1080p footage and slow-motion 120/100fps video, while  S-Log2 and S-Log3 profiles allow for colour grading in post-production.

You can find some 4K sample videos in our Sample Images gallery.

Take a look at some sample JPEG and Raw images and movies taken with the Sony A7 III camera

Sony A7 III - Early Verdict

The first word that springs to mind when evaluating the Sony A7 III is "sensible". It may not offer the insane shooting speeds of the A9, the extreme resolution of the A7R III, or the low-light capabilities of the A7S II, but instead it's a very well-balanced camera that brings together most of the A-7 series' key specifications into a coherent and very affordable whole.

Priced at £2000 body only or £2200 with the 28-70mm kit, the new Sony A7 III is playing in the same ballpark as flagship cameras like the Panasonic G9, Fujifilm X-H1 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 II, all with smaller sensors, and "mid-range" 35mm DSLRs like the Nikon D500, D750 and Canon EOS 6D Mark II, the latter two of which also have full-frame sensors.

There's a lot of competition and different sized sensor options at this price-point now, so it will be very interesting to see if Sony's new "basic model" (their words, not mine) can see off its rivals.

So what do you think of the new Sony A7 III? Leave a comment below...

Hands On

Want to see exactly what the new Sony A7R III compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony A7R III camera, including all the menu screens, an exploded view of the inside of the camera, and some presentation slides from today's European launch.

A gallery of hands-on photos of the new Sony A7R III camera.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample JPEG and Raw images and movies taken with the Sony A7 III compact system camera, including the full ISO range from 50-204,800. The Sony A7 III is a new 35mm full-frame mirrorless camera that features a 24 megapixel back-illuminated sensor, 10fps continuous shooting and 4K video recording.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Sony A7 III compact system camera.

Sony A7 III Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Sony A7 III enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 10 second movie is 128Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 25 second movie is 304Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 11 second movie is 132Mb in size.

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