Sony has finally launched the highly anticipated A7S III. It has been unveiled 5 long years after its predecessor and arrives in the series known for its low light capabilities and great video recording performance.
The first camera launched in the A7S series was back in 2014. The S in the branding stood for sensitivity, with the A7S II launching back in 2015. Sony’s A7S camera series was designed to be the best in dynamic range and low light performance, which they were thanks to their 12 megapixel full frame sensors. Although, many of its fans were more inclined towards its video capture performance.
The Sony A7S III sports the new 12MP backside illuminated EXMOR R CMOS full-frame sensor. Despite having a low resolution the pixel are larger in size and is hence more sensitive to light, improving low light performance. The BIONZ XR image processor on the newly unveiled camera is also 8 times more powerful than its predecessor. The camera has an ISO range of 40-409,600, and is capable of 15+ stops of dynamic range and 3x reduction in rolling shutter.
Furthermore, it can shoot 10fps in a burst mode, with up to 1000 consecutive uncompressed RAW images being captured in full AF/AE tracking. The Sony A7S III shoots in the HEIF format with a wide dynamic range (HLG) and 10-bit gradation. Arriving at videography, the camera can record at up to 4K resolutions at 120p, 10 bit 4:2:2. Users also get the option of recording at 4K 60p in 16-bit RAW externally, when plugged into a full sized HDMI.
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The camera supports S-Gamut, S-Gamut 3, and S-Gamut3. Cine color profiles and also features the new XAVC HS format with H.265 codec. It uses a new phase detection AF that uses 759 points that cover 92% of the image sensor. Users are also treated to real time tracking and real time eye AF which locks on to the subject.
It even sports a 5-axis n-body stabilization which works well with lenses that have IBIS and gimbals. Although, it is useless when paired with lenses without stabilization. The viewfinder has also seen great improvements as Sony claims that it is the world’s first EVF with 0.64 type, 9.44 million dot OLED panel. The display is a 3 inch 1.44 million dot display which is touch responsive.
For slots, the A7S III supports dual card slot design that can have either DXC/SDHC or CFexpress cards in each slot. While the 12 megapixel sensor might turn away professional photographers, the video recording features do make up for any lacking in that area. As for the price, the Sony A7S III will set you back a whopping $3500, for the body alone, and begins sale in September 2020.
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