First look
Andy Westlake takes a first look at Sony’s new camera on the block, which has compelling specs and a good mix of features
Andy westlake checks out Sony’s brand new Alpha 7 III, which has some compelling specs and a good mix of features
A couple of months back, Sony released the third generation of its high- resolution full-frame mirrorless cameras, in the shape of the 42.4MP Alpha 7R III. This remarkable all-rounder incorporated many features we had seen in the top- end Alpha 9, including a larger battery and improved body design. Now Sony has done essentially the same thing with its so- called ‘Basic Model’ A7-series, to bring us the new Alpha 7 III. But don’t let that ‘basic’ label deceive you – this is one very powerful camera indeed, with an unprecedented mix of capabilities and features for the price. Indeed if it lives up to its considerable promise, the A7 III will be the best £2,000 camera yet made when it goes on sale in March.
At the heart of the latest model is a brand-new full-frame sensor. Like the previous two A7 generations it features a resolution of 24.2- million pixels, but it
now uses a back-illuminated architecture which should help keep noise to a minimum at high ISOs. Sony certainly seems confident enough on this score: it’s increased the maximum sensitivity setting to ISO 204,800 in extended mode, which is a 2-stop advantage over the A7 II. What’s more, Sony claims a stunning 15 stops of dynamic range at base ISO, allowing vast amounts of information to be recorded into the camera’s 14-bit raw files, from the brightest highlights down to the deepest shadows.
It’s not just sensitivity that’s improved. Thanks to the incorporation of Sony’s front- end LSI, the sensor’s readout speed has doubled too. Coupled with the Bionz X processor, this brings an increase in frame rate to 10 frames per second with autofocus and exposure adjusted between shots (compared to the A7 II’s 5fps). The buffer has been radically enlarged to take further
advantage of this extra speed, to 177 JPEG frames rather than the previous 52. Alternatively you can record 89 compressed raw or 40 uncompressed raw files in a burst, which should keep most photographers happy. A silent fully electronic shutter is available too, along with an Anti- Flicker setting to avoid colour banding when shooting under artificial light.
Autofocus sees considerable advances, using technology inherited from the Alpha 9. The latest model features 693 phase- detection points covering 90% of the frame, compared to the A7 II’s 117 points that were all grouped towards the centre of the image area. Sony says the autofocus is twice as fast as before, and works in light as low as -3EV. Even from my initial short session shooting with the A7 III, I can confirm that it’s appreciably quicker than its predecessor. Sony’s signature Eye AF is also now available in AF- C mode as well as AF-S.
One key feature that’s received an update is the in-body 5-axis image stabilisation system, which works with practically every lens you can use on the camera. Refined algorithms mean that it now promises 5 stops of stabilisation, compared to 4.5 stops before.
Another big advance sees the A7 III capable of recording 4K video internally, using 6K full-pixel readout for superhigh- quality footage. The camera also supports Hybrid Log- Gamma for 4K HDR output, like the A7R III before it, along with S- Log2 and S- Log3 gamma modes to retain as much dynamic range in the output as possible for easier colour grading in post-processing. Microphone and headphone sockets are built-in, but disappointingly placed behind separate covers on the side of the camera’s body.
In terms of design and handling, the A7 III is pretty much the same size and shape as its predecessor, and indeed near-indistinguishable when viewed from the front. But it gains all the same updates that we previously saw on its high- resolution sibling. The back of the camera is substantially changed, with a larger rear dial and the addition of both an AF- ON button and a focus-area joystick. Unfortunately when you’re using the latter the camera still draws the focus point in an invisible mid- grey, whereas when you use the touchscreen the focus point is highlighted orange, but hidden under your finger. Sony still seems determined to get some interface decisions utterly wrong.
Other updates include improved colour processing, with Sony especially concentrating on rendering attractive skin tones. The camera also gains a USB 3.1 socket for either power supply or tethered operation from a Windows or Mac computer using Sony’s Imaging Edge software.