Sony a7S III Review (by ePhotozine)

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ePhotozine published the Sony A7S III review saying that the new the A7S III excels, giving video capabilities beyond what most other mirrorless cameras offer.

Sony A7S III Key Features:

  • 12.1MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor
  • BIONZ XR processing engine delivers 8x processing power
  • Up to 4K 120p 10-bit 4:2:2 and full pixel readout
  • 3-inch flip-out, vari-angle LCD monitor with touch menu
  • 0.64-inch 9.44m-dot QXGA OLED eye-level viewfinder
  • High-speed 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi / FTP transfer
  • Dual card slots for CFexpress Type A and SDXC/SDHC
  • SuperSpeed USB-C with power delivery and Ethernet wired LAN
  • XAVC S (AVC), XAVC HS (HEVC) and XAVC S-I (All-I) modes
  • 759 phase-detection AF points and real-time AF tracking

Sony A7S III Pros:

  • 9.4million dot EVF
  • Excellent video quality
  • 4K 120fps video recording
  • FullHD 240fps video recording
  • Improved battery life
  • Improved menu system
  • Improved touch-screen operation

Sony A7S III Cons:

  • 12mp resolution will not be enough for many stills photographers
  • Lacks in-camera raw processing
  • Doesn’t record CINE-4K

Ephotozine from Conclusion:

If we cut to the chase, the Sony Alpha A7S III is, ultimately, designed for videographers. In this area, the A7S III excels, giving video capabilities beyond what most other mirrorless cameras offer. With the exception of the Canon EOS R5. However, the A7S III does not suffer from the same overheating issues as the R5, and if you don’t need or want 8K video, then the A7S III is going to be a better choice. It also offers exceptional low-light performance, with a 12mp BSI CMOS sensor. 4K footage recorded at 120fps looks excellent, and the in-body image stabilisation does an excellent job keeping video steady.

You’ve got a 3inch vari-angle touch-screen, which should keep vloggers happy, although it would be nice if the size and resolution were improved. We’re impressed by the new menu system, which can be used with the touch-screen, and being able to switch between NTSC and PAL without formatting the memory card is finally resolved!

For stills photographers, the 12mp resolution is likely to feel limiting, especially when we’re used to using 20/24/36/45mp cameras. It’s a shame, as the 9.44m dot EVF is excellent, and will make any viewfinder user happy with the view. However, for those that need to shoot in very low-light conditions, then the A7S III may be an option. You’ve also got the new Z battery, that gives 600 shots, as well as a weather-sealed camera body, that should make it suitable for use in a variety of conditions.

For videographers who want high-quality 4K video, the A7S III has got to be extremely desirable. Especially as 4K video is far easier to deal with compared to 8K footage, and can be recorded to SD cards. For stills photographers, then you’ve got to be shooting in really dark conditions for the A7S III to be needed.

Sony a7S III body: $3,498 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama.

Read more: Best Lenses for Sony a7S III and Best Memory Cards for Sony a7S III.