Despite its billing as a ‘basic’ model, the Sony a7 III is a supremely capable full frame camera. Though it doesn’t have the most megapixels or shoot the fastest bursts, its well-judged mix of resolution, speed, features and price point make it an easy recommendation for all kinds of photographers and all kinds of photography.
Key Features:
- 24MP full frame BSI CMOS sensor
- 93% autofocus coverage (693 phase detection points, 425 for contrast detection)
- Oversampled 4K/24p video taken from full width 6K (cropped-in 5K for 30p)
- In-body image stabilization
- 10 fps continuous shooting
- 2.36M-dot OLED viewfinder, 0.78x magnification
- AF joystick
- Touchscreen
- Larger, ‘Z-type’ battery (CIPA rated to 710 shots)
- Dual SD memory card slots
- USB 3.1 Type C
Compared to its predecessor, the Sony a7 III has been updated in almost every way; when compared to other similarly priced full frame options, the a7 III looks to be a cut above in many respects. For generalist photographers, wedding and event shooters and even sports specialists, the a7 III gets an awful lot of things just right. But as with previous Sony mirrorless full-frame cameras, there are some foibles that persist with this new model.
What’s new and how does it compare
The a7 III comes with a whole host of improvements compared to its predecessor, and stacks up well in the marketplace overall.
Key takeaways:
- The a7 III’s new sensor has the same resolution as the a7 II but comes with a new design for better performance in bright light and low light
- The new 693 point autofocus system is a huge bump from the a7 II’s 117 point system
- Ergonomic enhancements make the a7 III much more responsive and pleasant to use than the a7 II
- Compared to its rivals in the marketplace, the a7 III is well-positioned in a number of areas, particularly video, though its lower resolution viewfinder remains a concern
The single biggest update to the a7 III is its 24MP sensor. While it’s the same resolution as the one used in the a7 and a7 II, it’s now BSI (backside-illuminated) and has what’s called a ‘dual gain’ design.
| The Sony a7 III comes with an all-new sensor that’s responsible for most of the updates relative to its predecessor. |
The BSI design means that some of the wiring and circuitry is moved to the rear of the sensor, allowing for better low-light performance to some degree. Dual gain essentially means that the sensor has two ‘base’ ISO values that allow for either maximum dynamic range in bright light or better noise performance in low light, depending on your situation.
This sensor also brings with it a new autofocus system, with 693 on-sensor phase detection points that cover 93% of the frame. The updated sensor works in tandem with a new ‘front-end LSI’ (essentially an additional processor) to capture up to 10 frames per second with full autofocus and autoexposure, as well as allowing for oversampled (read: very detailed) 4K/24p capture from the full width of the sensor and 4k/30p from a slightly cropped region.
Beyond these internal changes are most of the external changes that came to the a7R III. The new Z-type battery banishes the ‘battery anxiety’ we felt with previous models, dual SD card slots allow for instant backup or overflow, and updated controls and menus allow for robust customization options, including separate button functions for video and stills.
Compared to full frame rivals
Though we regard the Sony a7 III’s Rs 1,32,000/- MRP to be reasonable for a full-frame camera body, there’s no denying the price hike compared to its predecessor. But when you look at the details of what you’re getting, it looks to us to be worth the premium.
Blog by Maximus 
