Sony A7S III Review

Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Sharon Advik

Sony A7S III Review:

People enjoy their special occasions everywhere and save these memories by beautifully documenting every second of it as the wedding season peaks.

People are constantly posting beautiful wedding photos and videos on social media.

I was tasked with covering a destination wedding last week.

Although anxious, I knew seizing this chance would help me advance my career.

Therefore, I took this chance without further thought and started walking toward my destination with my Sony A7S III camera.

I can’t express how effective this fantastic camera is or how much fun my camera has shooting wedding portraits and videos for me.

My clients were so pleased with my work that they hired me again to take their vacation photos.

I can confidently say that this camera has served as a lucky charm for me.

Overview:

Although I bought this camera to capture the best possible portraits, using it for a while made me a fan of its incredible skill.

I realize I’ve found the secret to beautiful videography.

Every time I purchase a camera, I give it a chance to prove itself under various conditions, and this camera excelled in almost every one of them.

This new Sony A7S III aims to be the high-end full-frame hybrid stills and video camera for enthusiasts and professionals like me looking for a high-quality full-frame 4K video camera in a compact form factor.

This camera is specially designed for outstanding video performance and low-light shooting.

I’m not fooling around when I say this camera is a star.

It promises to make recording 4K video more accessible than ever before and for that video quality to be the best 4K footage I can get from a Sony camera.

Hence, it’s about more than just making headlines for its resolution.

The footage is of excellent quality, so it doesn’t disappoint me.

If I had to sum up this camera’s efficiency, I would say that outside of a large, pricey cinema camera, it is the only camera that can record 4K at 60p full frame without cropping, internally, in 10-bit 4:2:2, without any time restrictions, and with all the advanced AF functions still functioning.

Specifications:

ISO 80 – 102400(expands to 50 – 409600)

12MP – Full-frame BSI-CMOS Sensor

5-axis Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

9440k dot electronic viewfinder

3.00″ Fully articulated Screen

10.0fps continuous shooting

10-bit 4:2:2 Color

4K at 120fps Video Recording

FHD at 120fps Video Recording

699g. 129 x 97 x 81 mm

Built-in Wireless

Body, Size, and Weight:

I’m very impressed by its magnesium alloy body.

The Sony A7S III is a relatively small but reliable piece of equipment.

I was so ecstatic to learn about this camera that I nearly went through every part of its body in excitement when I first held it.

First, I noticed that a large record button had been substituted for one of the custom buttons above the grip, setting the stage for this camera’s strong emphasis on video shooting.

There is a control wheel at the top of the grip.

I noticed that this control wheel was joined by an on/off switch and a C2 button.

The dials are for the exposure and mode (both of which can be locked).

I observed that the camera’s back is covered in buttons and dials strewn about the screen like candy.

A C3 button and a menu button are located in the top-left corner of the screen, with the latter activating the welcome touch UI.

AS YOU MOVE PAST THE EYEPIECE, the C1, AF-on, and AEL buttons are neatly aligned.

Its four-way joystick impressed me, making it very simple to navigate menus.

I am a huge supporter of lightweight cameras.

When I am on the verge of purchasing a camera, I am very interested in its size and weight.

It is a feature of a camera that I value highly.

I spent more time with my camera as a professional photographer than anyone else.

I, therefore, prefer that my camera not be too cumbersome.

The Sony A7S III measures 129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.08 x 3.82 x 3.19′′) and weighs 699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz).

Since mirrorless-type cameras typically weigh 456g, the Sony A7S III is notably heavy.

It is also not thin, measuring 81mm—28mm thicker than the class average.

I know this camera is large and heavy, but given my experience using it, I will say that this minor inconvenience is negotiable.

Despite its heavy weight and big size, it is still a decent camera to invest in.

Handling:

This camera has all the features needed to make it simple to use.

Its features reassured me that using this camera wouldn’t be difficult.

This camera’s features make it simple to use and easy to handle.

I recall a time when I had a heavy Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens attached, and even then, the camera still gave me a wide handgrip and felt very comfortable in my hands.

The body’s improved sealing makes it reliable even in challenging circumstances.

Additionally, it has a brand-new “heat dissipation” design.

The controls are organized logically.

As I mentioned earlier, the top of the device has a shooting mode dial, two exposure dials, and an exposure compensation dial.

I can change it via the menu if 0 is selected on the exposure compensation dial.

The large AF-ON button is conveniently located just above, where your thumb naturally rests.

I also like the tactile touchpad on the back, primarily used for navigating the autofocus area.

There are numerous custom buttons as well, which I found to be more and more helpful as I got to know the Alpha 7S III and its capabilities.

On a camera like this, I appreciate any control shortcuts.

I’m thrilled that Sony has included a 3-inch, 1.44 million-dot vari-angle touchscreen in an A7 camera for the first time.

I’m relieved that the touchscreen allows me to use all its touch features, including focusing and navigating the user interface.

The highly efficient tracking AF can be activated with just a touch and can also use responsive touch and swipe controls to navigate the brand-new menu system.

Weather Sealing:

And I discovered the dream camera.

My Sony A7S III has environmental sealings on its body, making it a weather-resistant camera and providing resistance against the water and dust inside; nothing can stop me from shooting whenever I want.

The Sony A7S III is a good option if you enjoy taking pictures in the great outdoors and need your camera to function well in challenging circumstances.

You can have a fantastic all-weather kit using one of these Sony A7S III weather-sealed lenses on your camera.

Lenses:

Every seasoned photographer enjoys experimenting with various lenses on their camera.

I am obsessed with it. I enjoy experimenting with my camera’s effectiveness using multiple lenses.

So whenever I buy a camera, I must look up all the compatible lenses.

Likewise, this time, I discovered that the Sony A7S III has a Sony E lens mount and that there are currently 184 native lenses compatible with this mount.

The selection of E and FE mount lenses from Sony keeps expanding, and there are also many excellent options from third-party lens manufacturers.

I’m so grateful for its extremely short flange focal distance because it allows me to convert lenses from other mounts.

These lenses were very well stabilized with my A7S III because my camera has a sensor-based 5-axis image stabilization system.

I’m so grateful that my Sony Alpha A7S III has a gyro stabilization system; I can hardly believe it.

Even without using a gimbal or stabilizer, this software-based stabilization technique—which only a few cameras have—can produce impressive results.

I love using my camera with weather-sealing lenses, so how can I not look up the weather-sealed lenses available for my A7SIII on Google?

I discovered that there are 88 weather-sealing lenses for the Sony A7S.

Here, I’ve listed a few of the best lenses I’ve personally used with my camera, which were all excellent.

• Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
• Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
• Sony FE 50mm F1.8
• Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM
• Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
• Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE
• Sony FE 35mm F1.8

Sensor and Processor:

The Sony A7S III has a Bionz XR processor and a 12.0MP Full Frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS sensor.

With aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9, you can capture images at the highest resolution of 4240 x 2832 pixels.

The A7S III can save files in RAW format, giving you more room for post-processing, and it has a native ISO range of 80 – 102400 that can be increased to 50 – 409600.

DxOMark is a standard for assessing camera sensor image quality objectively.

DxO Mark evaluated the Sony A7S III sensor, awarding it an overall score of 85 for its ability to produce high-quality images.

Sony doesn’t mention it explicitly, but the camera has a dual ISO circuit function based at ISO 640 and again at ISO 16,000.

For instance, files taken at ISO 16,000 were cleaner than those at ISO 12,800.

Change to 16,000 when it gets darker than that. Of course, the camera does rise to absurdly high heights that could help you escape a tight spot, like being in a pitch-black hole with no light.

Autofocusing:

Because autofocus hasn’t always been dependable and there are well-established methods of working without it, many professional and high-end videographers avoid using it.

But that situation doesn’t have to last indefinitely.

Every project will have its definition of “good enough,” from “ah, I’m sure no one will notice” to “perfect.”

As autofocus becomes more dependable, it will surpass that “good enough” bar for more applications.

I found the a7S III’s AF system reasonably productive in our shooting.

It gives me some degree of control over how quickly the focus is driven and how long the camera pauses before attempting to refocus, though it isn’t quite as intelligent as the stills AF system.

I tap the rear screen to access the camera’s tracking (it won’t start tracking the subject underneath the AF point, so I can’t set my AF position beforehand).

If I have the face or eye detection mode enabled, this will track my subject and use those features, and it will do so even if they are not looking directly at the camera.

It feels less reliable than the stills mode, and after a while, I’ve discovered that it sometimes starts tracking the wrong thing.

Still, in my experience, it’s usually pretty reliable and worth the risk of shaken footage that comes from the need to tap.

I advise using this technique to operate the camera if you want it to focus on people.

Another choice is to let the camera focus on any faces it notices in the scene.

This option saves you from tapping the screen, but because you haven’t designated the subject as the person, the camera may focus on something else if the issue turns its head.

LCD:

I adore how this camera’s screen is made.

The fully articulated 3.00-inch LCD screen on my Sony A7S III has a 1,229k-dot resolution.

The resolution and screen size are appropriate for this class. I can adjust the settings and choose the focus point using my fingertips because the LCD is a touch screen.

It is the ideal camera for people like me who enjoy taking individual or group selfies.

The Sony A7S III’s Selfie-friendly screen will make your life easier.

Vloggers and any other single-person video production teams will also benefit from the LCD screen of the A7S III.

The ability to display a red outline around the on-screen image while the camera is recording is a welcome feature.

It can occasionally be more helpful than the customary flashing red dot.

Viewfinder:

The LCD monitor is made simpler because the A7S III has an integrated electronic viewfinder, shooting in bright sunlight and other conditions where it might be challenging to see.

The viewfinder has a 9,440k-dot resolution and 100% coverage.

To accurately frame your shots and reduce the need for later image cropping, when you shoot, You can be confident that the viewfinder image and the final product are both 100% accurate.

The viewfinder’s magnification ratio is 0.91x (35mm equivalent).

With the selected camera settings, the Sony A7R IV’s 0.5 type 5.76 million-dot OLED offers a detailed, realistic view of the scene.

The scene appears larger on a 0.64-inch screen, and its 9,437,184-dot resolution makes it possible to see even the most minor details.

However, some edges exhibit a faint hint of chromatic aberration, and moiré patterning can occasionally be seen in regions with wonderful repeating patterns, such as fabric.

Battery:

This camera is fab!

This camera’s battery capacity drives me crazy.

Mirrorless cameras frequently struggle with battery life, but the Sony A7S III uses a rechargeable battery that lasts about 60% longer than the A7S II’s.

Compared to the A7S II, I can record up to 95 minutes of video and approximately 600 images using the LCD.

Additionally, I use a USB-C connection to power my camera or charge the battery.

In actuality, charging via a USB connection accelerates the process 3–4 times.

Video and Image Quality:

I then directly compared the Sony camera’s image quality to a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K at ISO 16,000 and f/2.8, at 25 frames per second, at 4K resolution.

While the Blackmagic seems to have exposed the scene slightly better than the A7S III, the A7S III is superior in noise handling.

If you are unfamiliar with the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, its dual-native ISO is credited with the device’s excellent low-light handling.

It also has an affordable price tag—it costs less than a third as much as the A7S III.

However, despite the footage being recorded in the dead of night, the A7S III outperforms it with almost no discernible image noise.

At the same time, the Pocket Cinema Camera only manages to capture completely useless, grainy footage.

I spent the rest of my time with the A7S III, shooting handheld video in average light, except for the comparison footage I took on a tripod.

The A7S III is a liberating camera, with ISO settings from ISO 2000 to ISO 4000, producing results that resemble ISO 200 to 400.

The results were still usable for some videos even when I increased the ISO to over 40,000.

It opened up many opportunities for producing content in low-light situations, such as photographing wildlife at dusk or shooting fireworks.

Simple incidental shots in dimly lit settings give stills taken indoors a stunning quality typically absent from photos taken straight from the camera.

In contrast, the A7S III is a top performer if you’re a wedding photographer/videographer who needs a camera to capture the mood in both mediums, provided you’re willing to give up pixel power.

With the A7S III’s excellent handheld shooting capabilities, IBIS, and electronic image stabilization, handheld shooting is also a great experience.

Even when using a large lens, the stabilization won’t eliminate hand-shake, but if you can find a ledge or thigh to rest on, you can get some incredibly steady footage.

Why should one get an a7III?

• A more up-to-date image processing engine produces a better jpg (BIONZ XR).
• Better video: Offers 4K/120p high-definition movie capture.
• Greater viewfinder detail has an electronic viewfinder with a higher resolution (9440k dots).
• It features a viewfinder with higher magnification and a larger image (0.91x).
• More thorough LCD: has a rear screen with a higher resolution (1440k dots).
• The LCD is more adaptable with a swivel screen for unusual angles in either portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to click: has a touchscreen to make shooting and handling adjustments easier.
• Possibilities for selfies are improved by an articulated screen that you can turn to face the front.
• Faster burst: Shoots more frequently (10 flaps per second) to catch the crucial moment.
• It can shoot silently using an electronic shutter, which is less unsettling.
• More outstanding durability: 600 more shots can be taken on a single charge.
• It Supports a faster USB protocol for data transfer (3.2).
• Better recording: has a sturdy HDMI port that is full size for connecting to an external recorder.
• More straightforward wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for cordless image sharing.
• Greater assurance: Provides a backup card slot if the memory card fails.
• It supports a more recent SD data transfer standard (UHS-II) for quicker buffer clearing.
• It is more contemporary and reflects the technical advancements made since the launch of the A7 II.

Conclusion:

I will recommend this camera for many reasons.

This A7S III handles and controls much better than the A7S II and performs much better than any of Sony’s other cameras.

Particularly noteworthy features include the upgraded autofocus systems, high-resolution viewfinder, vari-angle screen, redesigned menus, noise reduction, Color, and dynamic range improvements.

This camera will meet your needs if most of your work is a 4K or HD video, and you use the stills function to take pictures for online or medium-sized prints.

And the vast majority of filmmakers today want that from their cameras.

And given what it is capable of, the Sony A7S III offers reasonable value despite having a higher launch price of £3,800 / $3,500.

You can have faith in this camera.

It’s possibly our favorite Alpha 7 camera to use once you’ve set it up for your shooting requirements.

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