Sony just launched the new Sony a7 III (ILCE-7M3) at a lavish event at the JW Marriott. Here is our hands-on preview of the Sony a7 III. Find out what’s new and great about the latest Sony full-frame mirrorless camera!
Sony a7 III Specifications
| Specifications | Sony A7 III |
|---|---|
| Mount | Sony E-mount |
| Sensor | 24.2 MP Sony Exmor R - 35-mm full-frame CMOS sensor - back-illuminated design |
| Anti-Dust System | Charge protection coating on optical filter and image sensor shift mechanism |
| ISO Sensitivity | ISO 100-51,200 - can be expanded to ISO 50-204,800 |
| Focus | Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection AF/contrast-detection AF) |
| Metering | 1200-zone evaluative metering |
| Shutter | Electronically controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type |
| Shutter Speed | Still images: 1/8000 to 30 s, Bulb Movies: 1/8000 to 1/4 (1/3 steps), up to 1/60 in AUTO mode (up to 1/30 in Auto slow shutter mode) |
| Image Stabilisation | Image Sensor-Shift mechanism with 5-axis compensation |
| 14-bit RAW | Yes |
| Uncompressed RAW | Yes |
| Video Format | XAVC S, AVCHD version 2.0 |
| Video Codecs | XAVC S: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, AVCHD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 |
| Audio Codecs | XAVC S: LPCM 2ch, AVCHD: Dolby® Digital (AC-3) 2ch, Dolby® Digital Stereo Creator |
| Colour Space | xvYCC standard (x.v.Color when connected via HDMI cable) compatible with TRILUMINOS Color |
| Memory Card Slots | SLOT 1 : SD (UHS-I/II) card SLOT 2 : Memory Stick Duo / SD (UHS-I) card |
| Viewfinder | 1.3 cm (0.5 type) electronic viewfinder (color), XGA OLED - 2,359,296 dots - 100% coverage |
| Magnification | Approx. 0.78X |
| LCD Monitor | 2.95 inch (3.0-type) wide type TFT - 921,600 dots - Adjustable upwards by approx. 107 degrees - Adjustable downwards by approx. 41 degrees |
| Connectivity | USB : Micro USB, USB Type C NFC : NFC Type 3 Tag compatible WiFi : 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz) Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Audio | Built-in stereo microphone Built-in monoaural speaker |
| Battery | NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery |
| Battery Life (Approx.) | Still Images : 610 shots (viewfinder), 710 shots (LCD monitor) Video : 115 minutes (viewfinder), 125 minutes (LCD monitor) |
| Operating Temperature | 32 - 104 degrees F 0 - 40 degrees C |
| Weight | Approx. 1 lb 7.0 oz / 650 g |
The Sony a7 III Hands-On Preview
The new Sony a7 III (Price Check) features a brand new 24.2MP Exmor R CMOS image sensor with increased sensitivity, resolution and 15 stops of dynamic range. Sony combined the sensor with an AF coverage of 93%, fast shooting at up to 10 fps, and expanded 4K video capabilities,
- Newly Developed Full-frame 24.2MP Back-Illuminated Exmor R CMOS Image Sensor with Evolved Image Processing
- Wide ISO range of 100 – 51200 (expandable to ISO 50 – 204800 for still images) and 15-Stop Dynamic Range at low sensitivities
- World Class AF system featuring 693 phase-detection AF points covering 93% of image area, 425 contrast AF points and fast and reliable Eye AF
- Continuous Shooting at up to 10 fps with either Mechanical Shutter or Silent Shooting and full Auto Focus/Auto Exposure tracking
- 5-axis optical in-body image stabilisation with a 5.0 step shutter speed advantage
- High Resolution 4K Movie Shooting with full pixel readout and no pixel binning across full-width of full-frame sensor
- The longest rated battery life of any Mirrorless camera at 710 shots per charge
- Upgraded operability and functionality including addition of joystick for adjusting focus points, Dual SD Card Slots, SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1 Gen 1) USB Type-C Terminal and more
Next Page > Sony a7 III Key Features, Price & Availability
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Key Features Of The Sony a7 III
Full-Frame Quality
The newly developed 24.2MP back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor is paired with a front-end LSI that effectively doubles the readout speed of the image sensor, as well as an updated BIONZ X processing engine that boosts processing speed by approximately 1.8 times compared to the a7 II.
They all work together to allow the a7 III to shoot at faster speeds while enabling an impressive ISO range of 100 – 51200 (expandable to ISO 50 – 204800 for still images) and an overall 1.5-stop improvement in image quality.
The Sony a7 III (Price Check) also features a massive 15-stop dynamic range at low sensitivity settings, support for the 14-bit RAW format even in silent and continuous shooting modes, and is equipped with a 5-axis optical image stabilisation system that results in a 5.0 step shutter speed advantage.
4D FOCUS & Eye AF
The new Sony a7 III (Price Check) has 425 contrast AF points that work with a 693-point focal-plane phase-detection AF system inherited from the Sony α9 model. This AF system covers approximately 93% of the frame.
AF response and tracking has also been greatly improved in the a7 III, with almost 2x the focusing speed in low-light condition and 2x the tracking speed, thanks to the faster image sensor readout.
The Eye AF feature is also available in the a7 III, even in AF-C mode. This is extremely useful for situations where the subject is turning around, looking down or otherwise obstructed. It also works when the a7 III is being used with Sony’s A-mount lenses with an optional LA-EA3 adaptor.
Additional improvements in focusing flexibility include the addition of a multi-selector or ‘joystick’ for moving focusing points quickly, the addition of touch focusing capability, AF availability in Focus Magnifier mode, an ‘AF On’ button and much more.
High Quality 4K Video
The new Sony a7 III (Price Check) offers 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) video recording across the entire full-frame image sensor. The camera uses full pixel readout without pixel binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, and then oversamples it to produce high quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth.
An HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile is available on the a7 III as well, which supports an Instant HDR workflow, allowing HDR (HLG) compatible TV’s to playback beautiful, true-to-life 4K HDR imagery. Further, both S-Log2 and S-Log3 are available for increased colour grading flexibility, as well as Zebra functionality, Gamma Display assist and proxy recording.
The camera can also record Full HD at 120 fps at up to 100 Mbps, allowing footage to be reviewed and eventually edited into 4x or 5x slow motion video files in Full HD resolution with AF tracking.
Higher Speed
The new Sony a7 III (Price Check) is equipped with an updated image processing system that allows it to shoot full resolution images at up to 10 fps for up to 177 Standard JPEG images, 89 compressed RAW images or 40 uncompressed RAW images.
This high speed mode is available with either a mechanical shutter or a completely silent shooting mode. The camera can also shoot continuously at up to 8 fps in live view mode with minimal lag in the viewfinder or LCD screen.
Better Battery Life
Battery life has been greatly extended as well – with a CIPA measurement of up to 710 shots per charge. This is courtesy of the Sony Z series battery NP-FZ100 that offers approximately 2.2 times the capacity of the W series battery NP-FW50 used in the a7 II.
Sony a7 III Price & Availability
The new Sony a7 III (Price Check) and SEL2870 (Price Check) kit lens will be available in Malaysia in April 2018. The pricing for the a7 III is RM 8,999 / ~US$ 2,309 (body only) and RM 19,999 / ~US$ 5,129 (body with kit lens).
Here are some purchase links for your convenience :
[adrotate group=”2″]- Sony a7 III Body Only : $1,998
- Sony a7 III with 28-70mm lens : $2,198
- Sony SEL2870 FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens : $398
- Sony NP-FZ100 Battery : $78
Suggested Reading
- The Sony a7 III Price, Features + Specifications Revealed!
- The Sony a7R III Full Frame Mirrorless Camera Revealed!
- The Sony Alpha 9 (α9) FF Mirrorless Camera Revealed!
- The Sony a9 (α9) Hands-On Preview & Photo Samples
- The Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Lens Revealed!
- Sony X1000V 4K Action Camera Review
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