Sony A7S III Review

September 16, 2020 | Tim Coleman | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

Anticipation could hardly have been greater, but the wait was worth it. The new video-centric Sony A7S III represents a comprehensive upgrade from its five-year-old predecessor.

Sony's full-frame mirrorless camera is aimed squarely at filmmakers, but it is also a highly capable low-light and action shooter for photography provided the limited 12.1 megapixel resolution doesn't put you off.

There's been an overhaul in almost every area of the Alpha A7SIII camera.

Standout improvements include a seemingly unlimited 10-bit 4K video up to 120fps, the new vari-angle touchscreen and bright EVF, higher capacity battery with on-the-go USB-C charging, dual card slot accepting both SD and Sony's new CF Express Type A cards, a new menu layout, tactile touchpad and full-size HDMI output.

The list goes on and we haven't even got onto the performance, namely Sony's renowned autofocus.

Beyond the spec sheet, we are happy to report that our hopes have been met in reality - the A7S III is technically complete, lacking in no areas.

It may not satisfy the resolution junkies for video or photography, but crucially the reality of the Alpha 7S III is that does the job it promises to do for both disciplines, with no apparent side effects.

And despite a higher launch price of £3,800 / $3,500, the Sony A7S III offers reasonable value considering what it is capable of. This is a camera that can be trusted. And once you have set it up for your shooting needs, it's possibly our favourite Alpha 7 camera to use so far.

Ease of Use

Sony A7S III
Front of the Sony A7S III

For such a feature-rich camera, the Sony A7S III remains impressively compact. Its magnesium alloy body only weighs 699g with battery and memory card installed.

We had the weighty Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens attached to the camera for this test, yet thanks to a generous handgrip the Alpha 7S III feels very comfortable to hold.

The body has improved sealing so it can be counted upon in adverse conditions. It also features a new 'heat dissipation' design.

No fans, no overheating, unlimited video recording times in any resolution - we've seen that's no given in other well publicised cases.

Controls are set out logically. On the top there's a shooting mode dial, twin exposure dials plus an exposure compensation dial, although there is no top LCD. Exposure compensation can also be changed via the menu provided the dial is set to 0.

We really like the tactile touchpad on the rear, used mainly for navigating the autofocus area, plus the large AF-ON button is conveniently placed just above, right by where your thumb naturally rests.

There are plenty of custom buttons too which become increasingly useful as you grow to know the Alpha 7S III and what it is capable of. Any shortcuts for controls on a camera like this are welcome. Overall, we can't think of any specific layout changes that we'd like to see.

Sony has implemented a 3-inch, 1.44-million-dot vari-angle touchscreen for the first time in an A7 camera.

Sony A7S III
Rear of the Sony A7S III

Curiously, the Sony logo features meaning it is upside down when the screen is flipped out to the side of the camera (remember the first-gen Apple laptops?) but those aesthetics are fixed with the screen in selfie mode.

Despite being a video-centric camera the A7S III's display is a 4:3 aspect ratio, meaning it is not maximised for 16:9 and it does feel small.

However, it is bright in almost any lighting condition and subject tracking AF is very reliable so you may not need to look too closely to check for sharp focusing.

Active filmmakers will still want an external monitor, not least of which to increase the display size.

Another plus is that 16-bit RAW data output can be made via an external recorder, up to 60fps.

It is now possible to connect the monitor directly to the A7S III via the full-size HDMI port and Sony includes a basic protective bracket designed to fit around those cables when attached.

Thankfully, the touchscreen offers full touch function, including focusing and navigating the user interface.

A simple touch can activate the highly effective tracking AF, while the all-new menu system can be explored by responsive touch and swipe controls.

Sony A7S III
Top of the Sony A7S III

The A7S III has truly benefited from the new menu layout. The depth is still there (51 pages) because of the many features, adjustments and controls.

However, the menu has up to three layers now, with logically named and colour coded sections on the left and parameters to the right within each section, thus making it easier to find what you're looking for.

The menu is one less thing for Sony detractors to highlight.

Our favourite menu layout for a hybrid camera remains the Fujfilm X-T4 which automatically switches between dedicated photo and video menu layouts depending on the shooting mode selected. That feels truly hybrid.

If you are regularly switching between video and photography use, the Sony A7S III stalls a tad, despite a video menu subset.

What then becomes doubly appreciated are the custom function buttons and the three custom settings on the shooting mode dial (plus Memory settings that you can revert to in menu).

You'll want to take the time to create and save your favourite exposure selections for video and photography to enable quick access to those settings.

In addition to the touchscreen is a built-in EVF with a positively huge 0.9x magnification and 9.44-million-dot resolution.

Sony A7S III
Tilting LCD Screen

With 120fps refresh rate and bright and clear display that fills your vision, it's a really lovely viewfinder. Photographers are not left behind.

On the left side of the A7S III are four port doors. We really appreciate how you only need to open the door for your needed port, thus keeping all other ports protected.

Crucially, these doors all fix into an open position rather than flapping around - that's a frustration with many other cameras.

Ports include headphone and mic jacks, mini HDMI and USB-C (through which you can charge the camera), plus a full-size HDMI as already mentioned. Those connecting to an external monitor will be thanking their lucky stars for this direct connection.

Data can be recorded via the dual card slots onto Sony's new CFexpress Type A card. Smaller than a SD card, this new type of card boasts 800MB read and 700MB write speeds - that's more than double the speed of the fast UHS-II SD card.

CFexpress Type A cards don't come cheap, with an RRP in the region of £200 for the 80GB card and £400 for the £160GB card, plus the card reader is approximately £130. Some good news is that UHS II SD cards are also accepted in the same card slots.

There's the usual customisation for simultaneous dual card recording, plus it is possible to record full-size video files on one card and proxy files onto the other - handy because you'll most likely be working on proxy files in post.

The A7S III is powered by the NP-FZ100 battery that provides up to claimed 600-shots or 95 minutes video recording time. We've found battery performance to be wayward of those estimates, but it's a solid performance anyway. Battery power can be topped up on-the-go via the USB-C port, too.

Sony A7S III
External Ports

'Steadyshot' sensor-shift 5-axis stabilisation is either on or off for photography, while for video there is a choice between standard, active or off. Sony claims up to 5.5 stops of stabilisation for photos, depending on the lens.

With the 24-70mm lens used in this test set to 50mm, we could get consistently sharp shots at 1/6sec, which is more like 3 stops, and couldn't rely on stabilisation beyond this amount. Other lenses and scenarios may differ.

Active image stabilisation for video is pretty good. You'll get relatively smooth run-and-gun footage although vibrations from footsteps are still there a little, especially at the slower frame rates.

We didn't really see the warping in the corners of stabilised wide angle shots when walking with the camera, so that's good.

Overall, stabilisation can be relied on for videos for smooth movement, but for the more extreme movements with the A7S III, we'd still opt for a gimbal.

4K video recording is comprehensive and to a capacity that we haven't really seen before in this type of camera, up to 120fps at 10bit 4:2:2 and 280Mbps from a full-pixel readout without binning.

There's also 4K I (all-intra) recording up to 60fps and with a bitrate of 600Mbps. Full HD videos are also up to 120fps, but with an additional slow/ quick motion setting that goes up to 240fps.

Whether it's for video or photography, the Sony A7S III is a dependable and lightning fast camera.

Sony A7S III
Memory Card Slots

Special mention has to go to the latest Bionz XR processor (that Sony claims provides up to 8x the processing power of the Bionz X processor) and the 759-point hybrid phase/ contrast detection autofocus system that covers 93% of the frame.

For photography, you essentially have unlimited continuous high shooting up to 10fps in mechanical or electric shutter, with continuous tracking AF.

Whether in RAW or JPEG, the camera will keep shooting until the card fills up or battery runs out. There is no delay in processing those 10fps images either, the A7S III is ready to shoot again immediately after stopping the prior sequence.

Over numerous 10fps sequences with continuous AF, we tracked the movement of a person whose distance from the camera wavered and focusing was sharp in all of the shots.

In other tests where the subject jumped in and out of the frame quickly, autofocus performed flawlessly.

Eye detection AF sticks like glue even when the subject's face turns away from the camera and back again.

So, that's a truly fast processor, plus responsive and reliable continuous AF.

Put these factors together and the Alpha 7S III is a legitimate option for sports and action photography. (Again if the 12.1MP resolution is sufficient.)

Sony A7S III
Battery Compartment

In the earlier Alpha years, Sony launched some cameras that boasted impressive numbers yet for real use the experience disappointed.

Not so here. The Sony A7S III is an incredibly dependable camera for action. Top marks.

Every aspect of continuous AF delivers with unerring speed and reliability for photography and video; subject tracking, face and eye detection for humans and for animals (photo only) is incredibly good.

The speed of AF transitions can be now be manually adjusted, with 7 levels of speed.

We have especially appreciated this new feature for slower and smoother (and therefore more natural) AF transitions because Sony systems are capable of being too quick as to feel unnatural in video. The same goes for AF subject shift sensitivity, with five levels of speed.

Recorded images and videos can be uploaded wirelessly or wired with FTP transfer, with Sony's capture One Pro app offering both remote control and image transfer. It's all there.

It's true, like with most capable pro-standard devices it takes time to work your way around, realise the potential and set up the camera in the most efficient way for your use. But once you have taken the time to do so, the Alpha 7S III is relentless.

Overall, the Sony A7S III feels like a complete camera - it does the job that its numbers promise, with seemingly no restrictions.

Image Quality

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

For a full-frame sensor today, 12.1 megapixels is modest. That's the same as the Sony A7S II from five years ago and between one half and a quarter the resolution of rival cameras at this price point. However, this is a newly developed 'back-illuminated' sensor and there are improvements in aspects of image quality, especially in low light.

There's a wider native sensitivity range of ISO 80-102,400 that can be extended ISO 40-409,600. In low light, this is as good an image quality as you could hope for (more on this in the noise section), backed up by the highly sensitive and effective autofocus.

Don't just be drawn to the high ISO numbers. We should credit the low end of the sensitivity range which is now ISO 80. The Alpha A7S III's performance in good (high contrast) light is also excellent.

You'd think that downsampling pictures, say from a camera with 4x the resolution, would give crisper images than the A7S III. However, when viewed on a screen at the typical 25% size and certainly on social media platforms, we're pressed to see a difference. Of course, 12.1MP won't cut it for large-scale printing.

If anything, the colour rendition and wide dynamic range of the Sony A7S III render fantastic looking images. Sony attributes improvements in colour to a new and advanced colour filter array.

We feel that the A7S III creates pictures showcasing the most accurate colour rendition of any Sony Alpha camera. However, at a push and for certain scenarios like portraiture, we still prefer the colour array from other class-leading brands, namely Canon and Fujifilm.

Evaluative ('Multi') Metering can be relied upon for accurate exposures in pictures in almost all scenarios. Rarely did we need to employ exposure compensation for stills photography. One helpful feature that we've had active is Face Priority in Multi Metering - this successfully addresses a typical scenario where multi-metering might falter.

There's also an improvement in dynamic range, too. You can see this especially in scenarios such as highlight fall off in portraits and more tonal detail in the mid-range (more on this in the dynamic range section).

Really, it seems that resolution is the only drawback to image quality. While larger pixels gather more light and improve low light performance, clearly the specific reasons to limit the number of pixels are for video purposes. One key benefit is a firm control over rolling shutter - it's the best performance we've seen yet from an A7 camera.

Video-wise, 4K image quality is fantastic in any lighting. You've got 10-bit 4:2:2 recording up to 120fps from a full pixel readout and an array of picture profiles that provide a wide dynamic range and colour array - SLog3 is a particular favourite.

Noise

With its newly designed full-frame back-illuminated sensor and 12.1 megapixel resolution, the Sony A7S III has an incredibly good handle over unwanted noise.

Its native sensitivity range for RAW and JPEG images covers ISO 80 to ISO 102,400 (that's more than 11EV), and can be extended to cover ISO 40 to ISO 409,600 - that's a range greater than 14EV. Staggering.

Below are some 100% crops that show the levels of noise for each ISO setting. All in-camera noise reduction settings are set to off and no noise reduction has been applied post capture either.

Close viewing these sample images at 100%, we have observed clean and crisp detail in high contrast areas in images up to ISO 6400, at which point a very fine grain begins.

At ISO 25,600, grain looks more noisy. Select the native ISO range cap of ISO 102,400 and images are still perfectly useable although, understandably detail in the extended high ISO settings is tonally flatter and mushed by noise.

In those identical raw and JPEG images at high ISO settings, we prefer the look of the RAW files. Detail is a little crisper given there is no aggressive noise reduction, plus JPEGs exhibit chroma noise (which in general here is more noticeable than luminance noise).

Perhaps even more impressive is the camera's handle over noise in video files. It has what we call a dual gain sensor where there is a second gain step for a lower noise readout.

Of course, the base ISO 80 in standard colour mode and ISO 640 in the picture profile S-Log 2 or 3 mode gives the cleanest looking image. Noise is reduced again once that second gain is applied (at ISO 2000 in standard colour mode and ISO 16,000 in S-Log 2 or 3).

It's worth knowing these numbers because, for example, ISO 16,000 exhibits less noise than ISO 12,800 when using S-Log 3, so it would be worth cranking up the ISO to this setting.

Ultimately, we are struggling to think of a camera that performs better for video in low light than the A7S III. There's a new low light king in town.

JPEG RAW

ISO 40 (100% Crop)

ISO 40 (100% Crop)

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ISO 50 (100% Crop)

ISO 50 (100% Crop)

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ISO 80 (100% Crop)

ISO 80 (100% Crop)

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ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

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ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

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ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

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ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

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ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

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ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

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ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

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ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

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ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

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ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

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ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

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ISO 204800 (100% Crop)

ISO 204800 (100% Crop)

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ISO 409600 (100% Crop)

ISO 409600 (100% Crop)

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File Quality

Heard of HEIF yet? Canon has adopted this file format to replace JPEG in its video-heavy-hitters such as the Canon EOS 1DX Mk III and EOS R5. Now we have the format in the Sony A7S III.

Thanks to a higher compression efficiency, HEIF files are smaller than JPEGs even though they contain significantly more data. How much more? Well, HEIF files are 10-bit whereas JPEG files are 8-bit. It's a heck of a lot more tonal detail and wider colour gamut.

In the A7S III both HEIF and JPEG formats are available, although you can't select both at the same time. Whichever format option you select can then be captured independently or simultaneously with RAW.

In HEIF format there are 10-bit 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 options, while JPEG file sizes are large (12MP), medium (5.1MP) or small (3MP). A full size RAW format image will take up about 15MB of hard drive space.

At the time of writing, support for the HEIF format is very limited and it is seemingly not possible to convert these files to JPEG in-camera. According to the Sony website, there is a HEIF Converter software on the way, so watch out for that. As things stand, JPEG is the better backup to RAW files.

Full resolution photos are 4240x2832 pixels - that's a printed image size of 14.1x9.4in at 300ppi, or 17.6x11.8in at 240ppi without interpolation. You won't be printing billboards from images taken with this camera, though they do look great on screen at your typical 25% size and on social media posts.

Large
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Medium
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Small
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HEIF
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RAW
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Night

Low light is where the Sony A7S III is really in its element. With a wide ISO 40-409,200 sensitivity range and excellent autofocus sensitivity, the A7S III is up there with the best low light shooters.

Beyond the shutter speed range of 1/8000sec to 30 seconds is a bulb mode for long exposure photography. To find bulb mode you need to be in manual exposure mode and turn the dial beyond the maximum 30 seconds setting.

It's also possible to shoot in the silent electronic shutter mode where there is no vibrations that may adversely effect quality in long exposure images.

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Dynamic Range

Sony claims that the Sony A7S III boasts a dynamic range up to 15EV, depending on the camera settings and which colour profile is in use. That claim is referring to the video colour profile S-Log3 when shooting at the low sensitivity setting (ISO 640).

Truly, those video picture profiles designed to get a wide dynamic range; S-Log2, S-Log 3, HLG1-3, appear to be class leading.

As for photos, we are again impressed by the wide dynamic range, especially using the minimum ISO 80 setting. We can see more detail in highlights like the shine on a face in a portrait.

There is a 'D-Range Optimiser' too, with up to five strength levels plus auto. Of course, there are further exposure bracketing options too in order to further widen the dynamic range by up to +-3EV. Ideally the camera should be mounted to a tripod to ensure those bracketed shots are lined up for editing later.

Off

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Auto
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Level 1
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Level 2
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Level 3
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Level 4
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Level 5
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Creative Styles

Sony's colour profiles are called 'creative look' and 'picture profile'.

There are ten creative look presets for JPEG pictures and an additional six 'custom' presets can be manually stored for quick access. The presets are Standard ('ST'), Portrait ('PT'), Neutral ('NT'), Vivid ('VV'), 'VV2', 'FL', 'IN', 'SH', Black & White ('BW') and Sepia ('SE').

In addition to the creative looks, there are picture profile primarily designed for video use. By default, the ten parameters (PP1-PP10) are set to cover the following in-camera gamma profiles; Movie, still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU 709 (800%), S-Log-2, S-Log3 and HLG1-3), with manual control over numerous parameters including black level, colour mode and saturation.

Overall, the colours in still images and movies are up there with the best of any Sony Alpha camera.

Standard

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Portrait

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Neutral

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Vivid

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Vivid 2
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FL

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IN

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SH

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Black and White

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Sepia

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Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony A7S III camera, which were all taken using the 12 megapixel Large JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Sony A7S 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 quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 120 frames per second. Please note that this 14 second movie is 448Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 12 second movie is 320Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 24 frames per second. Please note that this 19 second movie is 256Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 24 frames per second using the S-Log3 profile. Please note that this 19 second movie is 256Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 240 frames per second. Please note that this movie is 896Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 120 frames per second. Please note that this movie is 192Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this movie is 96.2Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 24 frames per second. Please note that this movie is 96.2Mb in size.

Product Images

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Conclusion

All things considered, the Sony A7S III is the most capable hybrid 4K video camera available today.

Armed with Sony's latest Bionz XR processor, lightning fast and reliable continuous AF, an unhindered array of 4K video modes up to 120fps, fully responsive 10fps stills, there is little that the A7S III cannot do well.

Crucially for a pro tool, the Alpha 7S III is tough, lightweight and comfortable, its controls are exactly where you want them to be and it completes the job reliably with no performance drawbacks in any scenarios, especially low light.

An RRP of £3,800 pits the Sony A7S III against the Panasonic Lumix S1H and Canon EOS R5 - that's tough competition. It does not offer nearly the same resolution for photos or video, but its specification for 4K is class leading. For what the A7S III can do, we think its price is reasonable.

Ideally you'll be using CFexpress Type A cards in order to get the most out of the camera (plus an external monitor and gimbal) - that's another £800 for two cards! However, there is the option of UHS-II SD cards in their place, so both budgets are considered.

Regarding features and image quality, the decision to retain the low 12.1MP resolution but on a new back-illuminated sensor has paid off for video and low light shooters.

Those 4K video frame rates are unmatched, as well as the 240fps slow motion Full HD video mode. You also get the best colours, dynamic range and control over noise that we have seen from the Sony A7 range yet.

Overall, Sony has been refreshingly single-minded on delivering a product that truly delivers in real world experience instead of flouting hollow headline grabbing numbers. Yes it's 'only' 4K. Yes, it 'only' has 12.1MP. But within those parameters, you'll be hard pressed to find a better camera than the Sony Alpha 7S III.

5 stars

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

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Sony A7S III.

Canon EOS R5

The EOS R5 has been the hottest full-frame camera on the block ever since Canon pre-announced it back at the start of 2020, thanks to its headline grabbing twin features of a 45 megapixel sensor and 8K video recording. We've seen it a few times since then, but now we can finally bring you our final Canon R5 review, complete with full-size sample photos and videos!

Canon EOS R6

The EOS R6 is the best ever Canon mirrorless camera - there, we said it! If you want to find out why, carry on reading our in-depth Canon EOS R6 review, complete with full-size sample photos and videos.

Fujifilm X-T4

The Fujifilm X-T4 is the successor to the very popular X-T3, which was released in 2018, principally adding in-body image stabilisation, greatly improved battery life, a quicker and quieter mechanical shutter, enhanced continuous AF and a number of design tweaks. Can the new X-T4 improve on what was already an outstanding camera? Find out now by reading our in-depth Fujifilm X-T4 review...

Nikon Z6

The Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera is the sensible little brother of the flagship Z7 model, offering less megapixels, fewer AF points and faster continuous shooting at a much lower price point. Is this the best balanced mirrorless camera on the market? Find out now by reading our in-depth Nikon Z6 review, complete with full size JPEGs, Raw files and movies...

Panasonic Lumix GH5S

The Panasonic Lumix GH5S is a new video-centric mirrorless camera that excels in low-light conditions thanks to it's 10 megapixel sensor, latest Venus processing engine, and innovative Dual Native ISO technology. Check out our Panasonic Lumix GH5S review for our full verdict...

Panasonic S1H

The Panasonic S1H is the world’s first camera capable of video recording at 6K/24p (3:2 aspect ratio), 5.9K/30p (16:9 aspect ratio), and 10-bit 60p 4K/C4K. Panasonic will release the Lumix S1H in Autumn 2019. A prototype version of the Panasonic Lumix S1H will be exhibited at the Cine Gear Expo…

Sony A7S II

The Sony A7S II is a new compact system camera that can literally shoot in the dark. Building on last year's A7S model, the new mark II version offers more video features, enhanced ergonomics, built-in image stabilisation and faster focusing. Read our in-depth Sony A7S II review now...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony A7S III from around the web.

digitalcameraworld.com »

It’s taken Sony five years to upgrade the video-centric A7S II to a Mark III, but the wait has been worth it for keen enthusiast and professional moviemakers. It might not boast 6K or 8K video resolution of some of its rivals, and with only 12.1MP it’s not a powerhouse super-stills machine either. But apart from a big and expensive cinema camera, it’s the only camera that can shoot 4K at 60p full frame with no crop, recorded internally, in 10-bit 4:2:2 with no limitations on recording time and with all the advanced AF functions still working.
Read the full review »

techradar.com »

Sony hasn’t just improved one or two aspects of its A7S series; with the new A7S III, it’s made an across-the-board set of upgrades that result in a camera that's the best of its kind. It handles beautifully for video thanks to its articulating screen and touch display, while a full-sized HDMI port and excellent IBIS head the list of other treats. It’s significantly dearer than the A7S II was when it launched, but if you’re a videographer in need of big physical pixels and excellent low-light performance, this is as good as it gets.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Lens

LENS MOUNT
E-mount

Image Sensor

ASPECT RATIO
3:2
NUMBER OF PIXELS (EFFECTIVE)
Approx. 12.1 megapixels
NUMBER OF PIXELS (TOTAL)
Approx. 12.9 megapixels
SENSOR TYPE
35mm full frame (35.6×23.8mm), Exmor R CMOS sensor
ANTI-DUST SYSTEM
Yes (Charge protection coating on Optical Filter and ultrasonic vibration mechanism)

Recording (still images)

RECORDING FORMAT
JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif ,Ver. 2.32, MPF Baseline compliant), HEIF (MPEG-A MIAF compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 4.0 format compliant)
IMAGE SIZE (PIXELS) [3:2]
35mm full frame L: 4240 x 2832 (12M), M: 2768 x 1848 (5.1M), S: 2128 x 1416 (3.0M),APS-C L: 2768 x 1848 (5.1M), M: 2128 x 1416 (3.0M), S: 1376 x 920 (1.3M)
IMAGE SIZE (PIXELS) [4:3]
35mm full frame L: 3776 x 2832 (11M), M: 2464 x 1848 (4.6M), S: 1888 x 1416 (2.7M) APS-C L: 2464 x 1848 (4.6M), M: 1888 x 1416 (2.7M), S: 1232 x 920 (1.1M)
IMAGE SIZE (PIXELS) [16:9]
35mm full frame L: 4240 x 2348 (10M), M: 2768 x 1550 (4.3M), S: 2128 x 1200 (2.6M), APS-C L: 2768 x 1560 (4.3M), M: 2128 x 1200 (2.6M), S: 1376 x 776 (1.1M)
IMAGE SIZE (PIXELS) [1:1]
35mm full frame L: 2832 x 2832 (8M), M: 1840 x 1840 (3.4M), S: 1408 x 1408 (2.0M),APS-C L: 1840 x 1840 (3.4M), M: 1408 x 1408 (2.0M), S: 912 x 912 (0.8M)
IMAGE QUALITY MODES
RAW (Compressed / Uncompressed),JPEG (Extra fine / Fine / Standard),HEIF(4:2:0 / 4:2:2) (Extra fine / Fine / Standard),RAW & JPEG,RAW & HEIF
PICTURE EFFECT
-
CREATIVE STYLE
-
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
CREATIVE LOOK
ST, PT, NT, VV, VV2, FL, IN, SH, BW, SE, Custom Look (1-6)
DYNAMIC RANGE FUNCTIONS
Off, Dynamic Range Optimizer (Auto/Level (1-5))
COLOUR SPACE
sRGB standard (with sYCC gamut) and Adobe RGB standard compatible with TRILUMINOS Color. BT.2020 standard.
14BIT RAW
Yes

Recording (movie)

RECORDING FORMAT
XAVC S,XAVC HS
VIDEO COMPRESSION
XAVC S: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264,XAVC HS: MPEG-H HEVC/H.265
AUDIO RECORDING FORMAT
XAVC S:LPCM 2ch,LPCM 2ch(48kHz 16bit), LPCM 2ch(48kHz 24bit) , LPCM 4ch(48kHz 24bit) , MPEG-4 AAC-LC 2ch
COLOUR SPACE
BT.2020 standard compatible with TRILUMINOS Color
PICTURE EFFECT
-
CREATIVE STYLE
-
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
CREATIVE LOOK
ST, PT, NT, VV, VV2, FL, IN, SH, BW, SE, Custom Look (1-6)
MOVIE RECORDING SYSTEM (XAVC HS 4K)
3840 x 2160 (4:2:0, 10bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 120p (200Mbps), 60p (150Mbps / 75Mbps / 45Mbps), 24p (100Mbps / 50Mbps / 30Mbps); 3840 x 2160 (4:2:0, 10bit, PAL) (Approx.): 100p (200Mbps), 50p (150Mbps / 75Mbps / 45Mbps); 3840 x 2160 (4:2:2, 10bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 120p (280Mbps), 60p (200Mbps / 100Mbps), 24p (100Mbps / 50Mbps); 3840 x 2160 (4:2:2, 10bit, PAL) (Approx.): 100p (280Mbps), 50p (200Mbps / 100Mbps)
MOVIE RECORDING SYSTEM (XAVC S 4K)
3840 x 2160 (4:2:0, 8bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 120p (200Mbps), 60p (150Mbps), 30p (100Mbps / 60Mbps), 24p (100Mbps / 60Mbps); 3840 x 2160 (4:2:0, 8bit, PAL) (Approx.): 100p (200Mbps), 50p (150Mbps), 25p (100Mbps / 60Mbps); 3840 x 2160 (4:2:2, 10bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 120p (280Mbps), 60p (200Mbps), 30p (140Mbps), 24p (100Mbps); 3840 x 2160 (4:2:2, 10bit, PAL) (Approx.): 100p (280Mbps), 50p (200Mbps), 25p (140Mbps)
MOVIE RECORDING SYSTEM (XAVC S HD)
1920 x 1080 (4:2:0, 8bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 120p (100Mbps / 60Mbps), 60p (50Mbps / 25Mbps), 30p (50Mbps / 16Mbps), 24p (50Mbps); 1920 x 1080 (4:2:0, 8bit, PAL) (Approx.): 100p (100Mbps / 60Mbps), 50p (50Mbps / 25Mbps), 25p (50Mbps / 16Mbps); 1920 x 1080 (4:2:2, 10bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 60p (50Mbps), 30p (50Mbps), 24p (50Mbps); 1920 x 1080 (4:2:2, 10bit, PAL) (Approx.): 50p (50Mbps), 25p (50Mbps)
MOVIE RECORDING SYSTEM (XAVC S-I 4K)
3840 x 2160 (4:2:2, 10bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 60p (600Mbps), 30p (300Mbps), 24p (240Mbps); 3840 x 2160 (4:2:2, 10bit, PAL) (Approx.): 50p (500Mbps), 25p (250Mbps)
MOVIE RECORDING SYSTEM (XAVC S-I HD)
1920 x 1080 (4:2:2, 10bit, NTSC) (Approx.): 60p (222Mbps), 30p (111Mbps), 24p (89Mbps); 1920 x 1080 (4:2:2, 10bit, PAL) (Approx.): 50p (185Mbps), 25p (93Mbps)
SLOW & QUICK MOTION (SHOOTING FRAME RATE)
NTSC mode: 1fps,2fps,4fps,8fps,15fps,30fps,60fps,120fps, 240fps ,PAL mode: 1fps,2fps,3fps,6fps,12fps,25fps,50fps,100fps, 200fps
MOVIE FUNCTIONS
Audio Level Display, Audio Rec Level, PAL/NTSC Selector, Proxy Recording (1280 x 720 (6Mbps), 1920 x 1080(9Mbps), 1920 x 1080(16Mbps)), TC/UB, Auto Slow Shutter, Gamma Disp. Assist, RAW Output(HDMI)

Recording System

LOCATION INFORMATION LINK FROM SMARTPHONE
Yes
MEDIA
SD memory card,SDHC memory card (UHS-I/II compliant),SDXC memory card (UHS-I/II compliant),CFexpress Type A memory card
MEMORY CARD SLOT
SLOT1: Multi slot for SD (UHS-I/II compliant) memory card/CFexpress Type A card, SLOT2: Multi slot for SD (UHS-I/II compliant) memory card/CFexpress Type A card
RECORDING MODE ON 2 MEMORY CARDS
Simult. Rec, Sort, Auto Switch Media, Copy

Noise Reduction

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

White Balance

WHITE BALANCE MODES
Auto / Daylight / Shade / Cloudy / Incandescent / Fluorescent / Flash / Underwater / Color Temperature (2500 to 9900K) & color filter / Custom
SHUTTER AWB LOCK
Yes (Shut. Halfway Down / Cont. Shooting / Off)

Focus

FOCUS TYPE
Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection AF / contrast-detection AF)
FOCUS SENSOR
Exmor R CMOS sensor
FOCUS POINT
35mm full frame: 759 points (phase-detection AF), APS-C mode with FF lens: 345 points (phase-detection AF), with APS-C lens: 285 points (phase-detection AF) / 425 points (contrast-detection AF)
FOCUS SENSITIVITY RANGE
EV-6 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 / Zone / Center / Flexible Spot / Expanded Flexible Spot / Tracking
EYE AF
[Still images] Human (Right/Left Eye Select) / Animal, [Movie] Human (Right/Left Eye Select)
OTHER FEATURES
Predictive control, Focus lock, AF Track Sens. (Still), AF Subj. Shift Sensitivity (Movie), AF Transition Speed (Movie), Switch V/H AF Area, AF Area Regist., Circ. of Focus Point
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 lens attached)
FOCUS TYPE WITH LA-EA3 (SOLD SEPARATELY)
Phase-detection

Exposure

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. (Ambient light, Flash light)
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) / Flexible Exp. Mode),Slow & Quick Motion (Programmed AE (P) / Aperture priority (A) / Shutter-speed priority (S) / Manual (M) / Flexible Exp. Mode)
ISO SENSITIVITY (RECOMMENDED EXPOSURE INDEX)
Still images: ISO 80-102400 (ISO numbers up from ISO 40 to ISO 409600 can be set as expanded ISO range.), Movies: ISO 80-102400 equivalent (ISO numbers up to ISO 409600 can be set as expanded ISO range.)
ANTI-FLICKER SHOOT.
Yes
SCENE SELECTION
-

Viewfinder

VIEWFINDER TYPE
1.6 cm (0.64 type) electronic viewfinder (color)
NUMBER OF DOTS
9 437 184 dots
FIELD COVERAGE
100%
MAGNIFICATION
Approx. 0.90 x (with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1)
DIOPTRE ADJUSTMENT
-4.0 to +3.0m-1
EYE POINT
Approx. 25mm from the eyepiece lens, 21mm from the eyepiece frame at -1m-1 (CIPA standard)
DISPLAY FUNCTION
Histogram, Real-time image-adjustment display, Digital level gauge, Grid line, Focus check, Peaking MF, Zebra, Movie marker, Emph disp dur REC
FINDER FRAME RATE SELECTION
NTSC mode: STD 60fps / HI 120fps, PAL mode: STD 50fps / HI 100fps

LCD Screen

MONITOR TYPE
7.5cm (3.0-type) type TFT
NUMBER OF DOTS
1,440,000 dots
TOUCH PANEL
Yes
BRIGHTNESS CONTROL
Manual (5 steps between -2 and +2), Sunny Weather mode
ADJUSTABLE ANGLE
Opening Angle:Approx. 176 deg., Rotation Angle:Approx. 270 deg.
FOCUS MAGNIFIER
Yes, Focus Magnifier (35mm full frame: 2.1x / 4.1x, APS-C: 1.5x / 3.0x)

Other Features

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
Face Priority in AF, Face Priority in Multi Metering, Regist. Faces Priority
SELF-PORTRAIT SELF-TIMER
-
OTHERS
Interval Recording, ISO AUTO Min. SS, Bright Monitoring, Copyright Info, Set File Name, Save/Import Settings, Help guide, Video Light Mode, Zoom Ring Rotate

Shutter

TYPE
Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type
SHUTTER TYPE
Mechanical shutter/Electronic shutter
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)

Image Stabilization

TYPE
Image Sensor-Shift mechanism with 5-axis compensation (Compensation depends on lens specifications)
COMPENSATION EFFECT
5.5 stops (based on CIPA standard. Pitch/yaw shake only. With Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens mounted. Long exposure NR off.)

Flash Control

TYPE
-
GUIDE NO.
-
FLASH COVERAGE
-
CONTROL
Pre-flash TTL
FLASH COMPENSATION
+/- 3.0 EV (switchable between 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps)
FLASH MODES
Flash off,Autoflash,Fill-flash,Slow Sync.,Rear Sync.,Red-eye reduction (on/off selectable),Wireless ,Hi-speed sync.
RECYCLING TIME
-
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

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+: 10 fps, Hi: 8 fps, Mid: 6 fps, Lo: 3 fps
NO. OF RECORDABLE FRAMES (APPROX.)
JPEG Extra fine L: over 1000 frames,JPEG Fine L: over 1000 frames,JPEG Standard L: over 1000 frames,RAW: over 1000 frames,RAW & JPG: over 1000 frames,RAW (Uncompressed): over 1000 frames,RAW (Uncompressed) & JPG: over 1000 frames
SELF-TIMER
10 sec. delay / 5 sec. delay / 2 sec. delay / Continuous self-time / Bracketing self-timer
PIXEL SHIFT MULTI SHOOTING
-

Playback

PHOTO CAPTURE
Yes
MODES
Single (with or without shooting information Y RGB histogram & highlight / shadow warning),Index view,Enlarged display mode (L: 10.6x, M: 6.92x, S: 5.32x),Auto Review,Image orientation,Folder selection (Date / Still / Movie),Protect,Rating,Display as Group

Interface

PC INTERFACE
Mass-storage / MTP
MULTI / MICRO USB TERMINAL
Yes, Type-C® Terminal (SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps(USB 3.2) compatible)
BLUETOOTH
Yes (Bluetooth Standard Ver. 5.0 (2.4GHz band))
MULTI INTERFACE SHOE
Yes (with Digital Audio Interface)
MIC TERMINAL
Yes (3.5 mm Stereo minijack)
SYNC TERMINAL
-
HEADPHONE TERMINAL
Yes (3.5 mm Stereo minijack)
VERTICAL GRIP CONNECTOR
Yes
LAN TERMINAL
-
FUNCTIONS
FTP Transfer Func.,View on Smartphone,Remote control via Smartphone,NFC One-touch remote,PC Remote,BRAVIA Sync (Control for HDMI),PhotoTV HD

Audio

MICROPHONE
Built-in, stereo
SPEAKER
Built-in, monaural

Print

COMPATIBLE STANDARDS
Exif Print, Print Image Matching III

Custom function

TYPE
Custom key settings,Programmable Setting (Body 3 sets /memory card 4 sets),My Dial Settings,My Menu,Reg Cust Shoot Set

Lens Compensation

SETTING
Peripheral Shading, Chromatic Aberration, Distortion

Power

SUPPLIED BATTERY
One rechargeable battery pack NP-FZ100
BATTERY LIFE (STILL IMAGES)
Approx. 510 shots (Viewfinder) / Approx. 600 shots (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)
BATTERY LIFE (MOVIE, ACTUAL RECORDING)
Approx. 80 min (Viewfinder) / Approx. 95 min (LCD monitor)(CIPA standard)
BATTERY LIFE (MOVIE, CONTINUOUS RECORDING)
Approx. 130 min (Viewfinder) / Approx. 135 min (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard)
INTERNAL BATTERY CHARGE
Yes (Available with USB Type-C Terminal. USB Power Delivery compatible)
POWER CONSUMPTION WITH VIEWFINDER
Still images: Approx. 4.3W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached), Movies: Approx. 7.6W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached)
POWER CONSUMPTION WITH LCD SCREEN
Still images: Approx. 3.3W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached), Movies: Approx. 7.3W (with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens attached)
USB POWER SUPPLY
Yes (Available with USB Type-C Terminal. USB Power Delivery cpmpatible)

Others

OPERATING TEMPERATURE
32 - 104 degrees F / 0 - 40 degrees C

Size & Weight

WEIGHT (WITH BATTERY AND MEMORY CARD INCLUDED)
Approx. 699 g, approx. 1 lb 8.7 oz
DIMENSIONS (W X H X D)
Approx. 128.9mm x 96.9mm x 80.8mm, Approx. 128.9mm x 96.9mm x 69.7mm (FROM GRIP TO MONITOR), Approx. 5 1/8 x 3 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches, Approx. 5 1/8 x 3 7/8 x 2 3/4 inches (FROM GRIP TO MONITOR)

News

The cinema industry is changing as it moves from Super35mm to full-frame.

Sony's one-mount strategy is focusd on E-mount, with 57 lenses in total, 37 of which are full-frame.

It's been 5 years since the launch of the A7S II, with lots of requests during the last 2 years for its successor.

Now Sony have launched the A7S III mirrorless camera, which they claim delivers “The best 4K Sony ever made”.

The whole concept of the product has changed to achieve this. With freelancers now working on their own more, the Sony A7S III is aimed at this new workflow for hybrid shooters.

12 Megapixels

Sony A7S III

The A7S III features the World’s first 12.1 megapixel Back Illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor (the A7S II had a non-BSI sensor).

It has a 2x faster readout speed than a conventional sensor.

Sony believe that 12 megapixels is perfectly optimized for 4K video.

Bionz XR Processor

The new Bionz XR processor is 8x faster than the Bionz X model used in other recent Alpha cameras.

ISO Range

The expanded ISO range runs from 40-409,600.

Massive Dynamic Range

Sony A7S III

The A7S III achieves 15+ stops dynamic range when recording in-camera video in S-Log3 profile, which is the same as high-end camcorders.

Rolling Shutter

The A7S III has 3x improved rolling shutter compared to the A7S II, making it much better for panning.

In fact, Sonly claim that there’s almost no rolling shutter at all, which if true is pretty amazing for a full-frame sensor.

Best Ever 4K Video

The A7S III offers up to 4K 120p recording using full pixel readout without binning in all recording modes and 10-bit 4:2:2 internal in all formats.

It supports 4K 60p 16-bit RAW output via HDMI to an Atomos Ninja V external recorder and up to 4K 60p HDR via HDMI 2.1 (the specification of which imposes the 4K 60p limit).

    There’s also FHD 240p using full pixel readout without any pixel binning.

    There is no crop applied up to 4K 60p, but there is a slight 1.1x crop for 4K120p.

    New codecs include XAVC S-I (All-I) at up to 500Mbps/sec (the most technically demanding) and XAVC HS (Long Gop), whilst XAVC-HC can reduce the data amount up to 200Mbps/sec by H.265 compression.

    It uses a brand new CFexpress Type A card, although you can still use SDVX V60 cards for virtually all the video formats.

    Sony’s S&Q mode is now a viable option for professional work.

    Sony are touting the A7S III as the “Ultimate run and gun camera”.

    Here is the full list of codecs:

    XAVC-S (H.264)
    Normal: 4K 100/50/25p
    S&Q: 4K 100fps
    50/25/12/6/3/2/1fps

    XAVC- HS (H.265)
    Normal: 4K 100/50p
    S&Q: 4K 100fps
    50/25/12/6/3/2/1fps

    XAVC S-I (H.264)
    Normal: 4K 50/25p
    S&Q: 100p
    50/25/12/6/3/2/1fps

    Auto-focus

    Sony A7S III

    Auto-focus works exactly the same in all the video modes.

    Eye AF is 30% better at recognition and tracking than previous Alpha cameras, and it now offers human and animal AF too.

    The A7S III has 759 phase detection AF points that offer 92% frame coverage, along with 425 CDAF points.

    Touch tracking is available, along with an expanded range of AF sensitivity settings.

    IBIS

    Sony quote a CIPA rated 5.5 stops of IBIS, which is on par with other Alpha cameras.

    It also has the same active digital stablisation mode as ZV-1 compact, which introduces a slight crop but gets closer to gimbal performance.

    Taking the Heat

    The A7S III has a heat dissipating structure that allows the camera to achieve 4K 60p recording for up to 1 hour, with 4K 120p having a 30 minute recording limit.

    No data is currently available for how long the camera needs to cool down for after reaching these time limits.

    The A7S III has been tested in 25 degree temp, with the “High” temperature control set on the camera.

    Sony claim that it’s 5x more efficient than current models.

    Battery Life

    Sony A7S III

    The new model has 60% better battery life than A7S II, as it now uses the most recent Z battery.

    This equates to 600 stills and 95mins of video recording (370/60 on A7S II), according to the stringent CIPA rating, with even better real-world performance.

    The A7S III also offers USB-C fast charging, providing 3-4x faster charging than current Alpha cameras.

    Sound

    The A7S III employs the same Digital Audio Interface as the A7R IV, with 4 channel 24bit recording with the XLR-K3M.

    Profiles

    The A7S III uses the 10-bit HLG profile, improved from 8-bit on other Alpha models.

    10bit S-Log 2/3 support means that the A7S III can match professional camcorders like the FX9.

    As already mentioned, there’s 15+-stop dynamic range available when using the S-Log 3 profile.

    The native ISO in S-Log 2/3 is now 640 on the A7S III (it was 1600/6400 on theA7S II).

    This can be extended down to 160 with a loss of dynamic range, which is useful for avoiding having to use ND filters.

    Video Aids

    Sony A7S III

    A red record square can be turned on during video recording to helpas a visualaid.

    There are dedicated Main and Function menus for stills and video. They can both be fully customised, and the camera remembers both.

    Size and Weight

    The A7S III has a magnesium alloy body.

    It measures 129x97x70mm (WxHxD) compared to 127x94x48mm on the Mark II, making it ever so slightly bigger.

    It's also heavier too, weighing in at 699g including the battery, versus 627g for the A7S II.

    Improved Operability

    The A7S III now has a fully-articulated 1440k 3.0” vari-angle touch-screen monitor.

    There’s also a much improved menu system with full-touch capabilities (finally!).

    There are no plans to migrate this to previous Alpha cameras via a firmware update, impossible because it’s linked to the electronics inside the camera.

    Memory Cards

    Sony A7S III

    The A7S III has dual card slots, both of which are compatible with SD UHS-II and the brand new Cfexpress Type A format.

    Cfexpress Type A is currently only supported by Sony, no third-party cards are available yet.

    It offers 700Mbps write, 800Mbps read speeds, slightly slower than Type B, which Sony considers to be overkill for video.

    Crucially it is smaller in size than Type B, and can be used in card slots for either Cfexpress or SD cards.

    There’s also a new card reader – the MRW-G2 – which offers 2.8x faster transfer speeds for CFexpress.

    The CfexpressType A card will be released in September in 80 GB for 230 euros and 160 GB for 440 euros.

      Weather-proofing

      The A7S III has improved dust and moisture resistance, with better protection for the various ports and compartments.

      Improved Ergonomics

      Sony A7S III

      The A7S III has a bigger hand-grip, bigger buttons, and a new REC button on top. This replaces the C1 button, which has now moved to the rear.

      FTP

      There’s faster FTP transfer as the A7S III can now tether to 5G networks.

      Electronic Viewfinder

      The Sony A7S III has a class-leading 9.44 million dot QXGA OLED viewfinder with 120p refresh rate and 0.90x magnification.

      Not Forgetting the Photographer

      There’s also lots of improvements on the stills side of things, as well as video.

      The ISO range is 80-102400, expandable to 40-409600.

      There’s 14-stops of dynamic range when shooting Raw and 4 new colour profiles with 8 different parameters for image control.

      This is up from 3 controls on the A7S II, allowing you lots more control over tweaking creative profiles for both JPEGs and video.

      The A7S III can shoot a 10fps burst – same as the A7 III – but can do for over 1000 uncompressed RAW shooting if you’re using a Cfexpress card! The buffer clearance is also a lot faster.

      As well as JPEG, there’s support for the 10-bit HEIF file format for smoother gradations and more colour information than JPEG can offer.

      The A7S III can auto-focus at -6EV low-light (tested in AF-S mode at F2).

      Price and Availability

      With a September 2020 launch scheduled, the Sony A7S III is priced at 4200 Euros / £3800 / $3499 body-only.

      Sony Europe Press Release

      • Newly developed BIONX XRTM image processing engine with eight times more processing power[i] and a brand new 12.1-megapixel (approx., effective) back-illuminated full-frame Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor, significantly reduced rolling shutter effect[ii]
      • Ultra-high sensitivity with ISO range expandable from 40 – 409,600[iii], and improved image quality by approximately 1 stop noise reductioniv in the middle and high sensitivity ranges
      • Video recording capabilities include 4K 120pi, 10 bit 4:2:2 colour depth, All-Intra recording, XAVC HS format with H.265 codec and more
      • 15+ stop dynamic range for moviesii
      • 4K 60p 16-bit RAW video HDMI output for the first time in the Alpha™ series
      • Fast Hybrid AF system with 759 point phase-detection[iv] AF sensors covering 92% of image sensor
      • Enhanced Real-time Eye AF for movie recording[v] and still image recording
      • New heat dissipating mechanism and dual slot relay recording enables over one-hour long 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 movie shooting until battery ends[vi]
      • 5-axis optical in-body image stabilisation supports handheld movie shooting, with added Active Mode [vii] to support especially difficult handheld movie shooting
      • World’s brightest[viii] and largestx new 0.64-type 9.44 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder
      • Side Opening variable angle LCD screen enhances shooting flexibility
      • Completely redesigned menu system with touch screen interface and touch operation
      • High-speed continuous still image shooting at up to 10fps[ix] for more than 1,000 consecutive uncompressed RAW images[x] with full AF / AE tracking
      • Dual CFexpress Type A card slots that enable high speed data processing while keeping the compact size

      Sony today announced the long-awaited addition to its acclaimed Alpha 7S full-frame mirrorless camera series⁠— the Alpha 7S III (model ILCE7SM3).

      Featuring a brand new 12.1MP (approx., effective) back-illuminated full-frame image sensor with ultra-high sensitivity and 15+ stop wide dynamic rangeii, a host of impressive video recording capabilities including 4K 120pi and 10-bit 4:2:2 colour depth, a new heat dissipating mechanism, dual slot relay recording enabling over one-hour of 4K 60p movie shooting until battery endsviii, a new autofocus system, and touch screen interface and side flip LCD screen, the new Alpha 7S III will become the ultimate creative tool for video professionals and all types of hybrid still/video shooters.

      “The Alpha 7S III is the ultimate representation of Sony’s passion to solve our customers pain points,”, said Yann Salmon-Legagneur, Director of Product Marketing, Digital Imaging, Sony Europe. “We are always listening to our customers’ feedback, pushing hard to deliver innovation that goes far beyond their expectations. There is no better example than this new camera. Combining classic S series sensitivity with a feature set, performance level and user experience that is simply unmatched in the market today — at any price level — the Alpha 7S III opens up a new world of possibilities for today’s creators.”

      The system architecture for the new Alpha 7S III has been completely redesigned to deliver exceptional video and still shooting performance. The new 35mm full-frame 12.1MP (approx., effective)back-illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor reduces rolling shutter by up to three timesiv and utilises a variety of advanced light-gathering techniques to ensure high-sensitivity with low noise, allowing users to shoot in low-light situations without needing large-scale lighting setups. In addition to improved image quality, this new image sensor includes a focal plane phase-detection AF system for the first time in an S-series camera. To compliment the new sensor, the Alpha 7S III also includes a new BIONZ XR™ image processing engine that provides up to eight times more processing poweriii, minimises processing latency, and enables many of the hallmark still and imaging features of the camera. The new system also includes the world’s brightestx and largestx 9.44 million dot OLED electronic eye-level viewfinder and is the world’s first camerax with dual CFexpress Type A card slots, enabling high-speed data transfer in a compact size.

      Professional Video Workflow Solutions

      The Alpha 7S III offers in-camera 4K recording up to 120 frames per secondi, 10-bit depth and 4:2:2 colour sampling, producing stunning video recording. The new camera offers a more flexible and efficient post-production workflow with a variety of advanced movie recording modes such as All-Intra[xi] and MPEG-H HEVC/H.265 coding (XAVC HS™)[xii]. The Alpha 7S III makes it easy to integrate video recordings with other professional camcorders by providing three colour gamut settings, S-Gamut, S-Gamut3, and S-Gamut3.Cine, allowing users to easily match footage shot on the Alpha 7S IIIwith footage shot on the professional camcorders, simplifying multi-camera post-production workflow. In addition to S-Log3 gamma curves, the Alpha 7S III supports an HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile with minimum post-production. The Alpha 7S IIIalso allows up to 4K 60p 16-bit RAW output[xiii] to an external recorder via HDMI Type-A[xiv] connector,offering additional post-production flexibility.

      Improved Image Quality

      The new CMOS image sensor and BIONZ XR™ image processing engine in the Alpha 7S III delivers legendary S-series sensitivity with significantly enhanced colour reproduction and texture renderings for improved overall image quality. The base ISO has been lowered to 80, resulting in a normal range of 80-102,400 (expandable to 80-409,600 for video and 40-409,600 for stills) to provide more flexible ISO plus wide dynamic range with low noise at all settings. It offers improved image quality by approximately 1 stop of noise reductioniv in the middle and high sensitivity ranges.

      The colours and textures of foliage, human skin, and more are ideally and consistently reproduced without dependence on light sources. Gradation rendering has also been refined for better looking skin tones and highlight roll-off in portraits. It also improves AWB (Auto White Balance) performance with a new “Visible light + IR Sensor” that helps to achieve more precise white balance under artificial lighting, including fluorescent and LED lights.

      Versatile Operability

      Advanced Autofocus Performance for Hybrid use

      For the first time in an Alpha 7S series camera, the Alpha 7S III offers Fast Hybrid AF by combining phase-detection and contrast-detection AF, giving it the ability to track subjects over a wide area with outstanding speed, precision and smoothness, even when using a narrow depth of field. Fine focus expression is possible with Sony’s E-mount lenses.

      For environments with a lot of movement, Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF are available to maintain constant focus on the intended subject. Sony’s advanced Real-time Eye AF improves detection performance by 30% over the previous systemiii, thanks to the new image processing engine. It ensures accurate, reliable detection even when the subject’s face looks away. Real-time Tracking is initiated simply by touching the subject on the screen. Real-time Eye AF is automatically initiated when an eye is detected.

      Flexible Autofocus Settings for Movie Shooting

      Based on customer feedback, the camera includes several AF features for professional users including AF Transition Speed in seven settings, to easily create rack-focus transitions, and five AF Subject Shift Sensitivity settings, which allows the user to customise how easily AF will switch or stay with the locked-on subject. Touch Tracking allows user to not only initiate Real-time Tracking, but also compose and shoot while using a gimbal or while shooting solo. It’s now possible to Touch Focus during manual focus mode on the LCD screen or remotely from the Imaging Edge Mobile application[xv].

      New Heat-dissipating Structure

      The Alpha 7S III’s design has been updated to ensure effective heat dissipation and minimise overheating — even during extended continuous recording sessions at 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 video lasting an hour or moreviii. A newly developed unique heat dissipating structure keeps the image sensor and image processing engine temperatures within their normal operating ranges, preventing overheating while maintaining compact body dimensions. The new heat-dissipating structure requires no fan or cabinet vents allowing Alpha 7S III to maintain dust and moisture resistance[xvi].

      Movie Assist Functions

      For video on-the-go, the Alpha 7S IIIis the first Alpha series camera to include Active Modeixwith 5-axis optical in-body image stabilisation to support especially difficult handheld movie shooting. It is also the first Alpha series E-mount body to feature a side-opening vari-angle rear screen, perfect for gimbal-mounted shots, complicated angles, handheld operation and more. The screen rotates sideways, up and down, and features a 3.0 type 1.44 million-dot (approx.) touch panel LCD monitor, for optimal visibility even in bright outdoor environments.

      In addition, the Alpha 7S III provides a selection of new Creative Look with 10 presets that can be used for both photo and video shoots, making it easy to create interesting moods right in the camera to be used as is or customised by the user.

      A digital audio interface has been added to the camera’s Multi Interface (MI) Shoe for clearer audio recordings from a compatible Sony external microphone. Used with Sony’s XLR-K3M XLR Adaptor Kit, the Alpha 7S III provides 4-channel 24-bit digital audio recording capability in an Alpha series camera for the first time. Like other MI shoe accessories, no cables or batteries are required, providing unrestrained freedom for Alpha system moviemaking.

      Additional movie assist functions include a redesigned monitor display with a bold, clearly visible red frame that makes it clear when recording is in progress even when mounted on a rig or gimbal, custom zoom settings, adjustable white balance while recording, display rotation, interval recording, still extraction from movies and more.

      Outstanding Still Image Photography

      The Alpha 7S III includes a fast Hybrid AF system with 759 phase-detection AF points covering 92% of the image sensor. The camera can also achieve high AF precision to accurately and reliably focus in light down to EV-6[xvii] where subjects are difficult to see clearly even with the naked eye. Users can continuously shoot more than 1,000 uncompressed RAWxiiimages at up to 10fps, or up to 8fps in live view mode, with either the mechanical or electronic shutter.

      The Alpha 7S III also includes the world’s firstx 9.44 million-dot (approx.), 0.64 type Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder with a high-definition OLED display. The Alpha 7S III viewfinder offers a 0.90x viewfinder magnification[xviii], 41° diagonal field of view, 25mm high eyepoint for clear, low-distortion corner to corner viewing. It is also dust, fog and moisture resistant, extremely responsive and has switchable modes for different subject types. Every aspect of the Alpha 7S III viewfinder has been designed and refined for a professional workflow.

      For the first time in one of Sony’s digital cameras, the Alpha 7S III includes HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) allowing for smooth 10-bit gradations and advanced compression technology to maintain image quality while significantly reducing file size and saving storage space. HEIF stills shot in this mode can be played back on a compatible Sony HDR (HLG) TV via a direct HDMI Type-A connection from the Alpha 7S III, delivering true-to-life dynamic range[xix].

      Versatile Design Made for the Pros

      CFexpress Type A for High-speed Data Transfer

      In Another world firstx, the Alpha 7S III features two CFexpress Type A compatible media slots, which also support UHS-I and UHS-II SDXC/SDHC cards, enabling high write-and-read speeds while keeping the camera body compact in size. CFexpress Type A cards are ideally suited to high-speed continuous RAW still image shooting as well as 4K 120pi movie recording at high bit rates[xx], providing next-generation write speeds that can quickly clear the buffers of cameras that generate high volumes of still image and movie data. High-speed data transfer to a PC is possible at about 1.7 times faster[xxi] than that of SD cards. The dual slots can be set to relay mode for extended continuous recording of even the highest bit rate data as well as simultaneous recording and sort by format type recording.

      Revised Menu System with Enhanced Touch Screen

      The Alpha 7S III also features a revised menu structure for easier navigation and touch-responsive menu operation for faster, more intuitive control. For creators who shoot both stills and movies, separate settings can now be stored for stills and movie shooting for quick transition between the two.

      High Reliability Gives Creators New Freedom

      Professional users need more than just refined features and performance. They also need the reliability and durability demanded of any professional tool. The Alpha 7S III features a redesigned grip for greater comfort and a secure hold, an improved dust removal feature, plus dust and moisture resistance that maximises reliability in challenging environments. It includes a durable, reliable HDMI Type-A connector, and is the first Alpha series camera to support USB PD (Power Delivery), allowing higher power to be supplied from an external source so that users can continue to record for extended periods with minimal internal battery usage.

      Advanced Connectivity for Professional Working Environments

      The Alpha 7S III has been designed and configured to support photo and video journalists and sports shooters who need to deliver stills or movies as quickly as possible with several advanced connectivity options. The camera supports 5GHz[xxii]/2.4GHz wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11ac) and offers MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) to improve communication quality by using multiple antennas, doubling in speed when compared to the Alpha7R IV.It also carries new USB tethering support[xxiii]. When connected to a 5G (5th generation technology standard for cellular networks) compatible device such as Sony’s "Xperia 1 II" smartphone via USB cable, it is possible to use 5G network for fast and stable FTP file transfer[xxiv]. USB to high-speed wired LAN connectivity[xxv] also offers stable and fast FTP transfer for both movies and stills. A USB Type-C™ connector that supports fast SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps (USB 3.2) data transfer is provided, enabling high-speed PC Remote (tethered) data transfer available for smooth handling of large image files.

      Pricing and Availability

      The new Alpha 7S III Full-frame Interchangeable Lens Camera will be available in Europe in September 2020 priced at approximately €4200.

      A variety of exclusive stories, videos and exciting new content shot with the newest cameras and other Sony products can be found at https://www.sony.co.uk/alphauniverse. Sony’s European photography hub is available in 22 languages and details product news, competitions and an up-to-date list of Sony events in each country.

      [i]When compared to the BIONZ X™ image processor

      [ii]When compared to Alpha7S II

      [iii] 40 to 409,600 for stills and 80 to 409,600 for movies. Sony test conditions

      [iv] When shooting full-frame still images. The number of AF points used depends on the shooting mode.

      [v] This function does not track animal eyes

      [vi] Sony test conditions. XAVC S-I 10-bit 4:2:2, 25 deg C (ambient, camera when recording started), Auto Power Off Temperature: High. The value will vary depending on the shooting conditions.

      [vii] In active mode, the shooting angle of view is slightly narrowed. If the focal length is 200 mm or more, it is recommended to set to standard

      [viii] As of July 2020, Sony survey. Among full-frame mirrorless cameras

      [ix] Up to 10fps in continuous “Hi+” mode, and up to 8fps in continuous “Hi” mode Maximum fps will depend on camera settings

      [x] Requires CFexpress Type A memory card

      [xi] When XAVC S-I 4K or HD is selected via the file format menu

      [xii] Requires compatible memory card

      [xiii]Atomos Ninja V HDR monitor-recorder support planned. As of July 2020

      [xiv] Sony’s Premium High Speed HDMI Cable DLC-HX10 recommended

      [xv] Imaging Edge Mobile Ver. 7.4 or later required

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

      [xvii] ISO 100 equivalent, F2.0 lens, AF-S mode

      [xviii] 50mm lens, infinity, -1m-1 diopter

      [xix] Desktop application “HEIF Converter” for displaying and editing HEIF format is planned to launch in September 2020

      [xx] 4:2:2 10-bit All-I, when recording slow motion

      [xxi] Sony test conditions.

      [xxii] 5 GHz communication may be restricted in some countries and regions

      [xxiii] Power Delivery supported smartphone is required

      [xxiv] Does not guarantee connection with all smartphone. FTP file transfer by USB tethering that utilises 4G network is also possible

      [xxv] A compatible USB-Ethernet adapter is required

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