WHERE CAN I GET ONE? US & UK: Sony Alpha A7 III Australia: Sony Alpha A7 III Just one man's opinon of the Sony Alpha A7 III ...
WHERE CAN I GET ONE?
US & UK: Sony Alpha A7 III
Australia: Sony Alpha A7 III
Just one man's opinon of the Sony Alpha A7 III ...
One of Sony's most bought offering to the mirrorless market is the 4K cable Alpha A7 III and although this kit has been available since before mid 2018 it is still arguably one of the best mirrorless cameras currently on the market.
In terms of market beating features it seems to have it all. Sony's implementation of the A7 III's auto-focus system for example is hands down just brilliant. it can track and adjust to fast moving subjects with ease, and it also handles traditionally difficult object for AF sensors such as zoomed in reflective surfaces really well. Not only for stills work but with video (especially on a budget) of which I do a lot.
With full frame, sharp 4K video and extremely rapid stills shooting speeds that are worthy of any sports camera. It also gives you amazing quality of images and this might not be the perfect camera, but it a good one within the US $2,000 range. It will give you great quality output that would top some of the more expensive models of cameras available.
Ergonomically speaking the A7 III is also quite easy to hold, although being a DSLR shooter I actually prefer the weight and ergonomics of the Panasonic Lumix S1R.
So how does this fit with the budget? Well if the standard price points are anything to go by this camera definitely has plenty of bang for your buck. With body-only prices at around US$1799 and body+kit lens (28-70mm) at US$1999 you can't go far wrong, whether you are an entry level snapper or film maker or even a seasoned pro looking for another tool in their belt you can't really go wrong with this tech at these prices.
FEATURE FOR THE GEEKS
I'll always list the specs for those that are interested, A few that might be worth noting are:
- Weight 945g
- 24.2MP 35mm full frame Exmor R CMOS sensor that has a back-illuminated design.
- ISO sensitivity range to 51200 in video. This can be increased to ISO 50-204000 when working with stills.
- Quick Hybrid AF with a 693 phase detection along with a 425 points AF for contrast.
- Up to 10 fps using AE/AF tracking at high speed levels using continuous shooting.
- 4K Video, would you expect any less?
- 14 stops dynamic range in Video and 15 in stills mode.
- Compatible with the E mount lenses from Sony
- Battery life will last for around 610 shots if using the viewfinder and 710 when using the LCD monitor
- 1.3 cm electronic viewfinder, XGA OLED
- 7.5 cm TFT monitor
- Can use the A mount lenses
- AF-On button along with multi-selector buttons
- Keeps the eyes in focus at all times
- Anti flicker shooting
- Accurate colour for the pictures
WHAT I LIKED
- High capability for ISO.
- Great in low light.
- Fast shooting of 10 fps.
- AMAZING auto-focus capability and Eye AF feature in continuous autofocus mode.
- Sharpest quality of the 4k videos in the full frame camera range from Sony.
- Battery life is double what we got in the A7 II.
- 2 slots for SD cards to increase your storage space.
- Lightweight.
- Easy to hold with textured grips.
- I found the Viewfinder and EVF aren’t as good as some of the other competitive models.
- 2 slots for SD cards, but just one is high speed UHS II level.
- Weather resistance for the build is not as good as other competitive models. The A7 III is susceptible to water intrusion from the bottom plate, something to keep in mind for wet conditions.
- Doesn’t have 10 bit output for videos but this is not a dealbreaker, more just a feature I'd like to have for video work.
- Rear screen can only be tilted rather than being turned around.
GENERAL COMPARISON WITH THE PREDECESSOR (A7 II)
The weight of the Sony A7 III has increased only slightly from that of its predecessor the A7 II meaning it is still in the lightest weight class of comparable models. The body has a reasonable size and larger grip to it than the previous model which will be useful for large handed photographers or those that come from a DSLR background.
A particularly useful development for most of us is that the A7 III also has a larger battery capacity of 2,280mAh and is also less power hungry than the II, meaning more shots before the battery dies! I liked particularly that the video button has also moved to a more intuitive location near the viewfinder in this model.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In my opinion the A7 III is suitable for both entry level and more advanced shooters who are searching for a camera that within budget but still provides brilliant quality and features with both stills and video work.
The price points, especially now that it has been on the market for some time now are very affordable and the camera itself is also lightweight and portable, something I really appreciate for 'run and gun' type scenarios where lugging a whole lot of equipment around with me becomes very impractical.
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