Now that the Sony A7 III has been announced officially for a few days, the regular crew of expert camera reviewers has gotten their hands on the new beast. In this article I go over the thoughts I have on this new A7 III so far, and the state of the camera industry as a whole as far as how I see it. I will also share the newest quality Sony A7 III reviews that I think you need to check out if interested! (My initial A7 III Article/ Breakdown Here)
After watching these new reviews myself, I must tell you the new A7 III looks to be the best new all around full frame camera ever made! Sony has not only pushed, but literally shoved people off the fence with this new camera in my opinion. I was already convinced Sony had the best all around package, but now it is glaringly obvious to pretty much everybody…
Hey Canon Users: With Sony’s Full Frame E-Mount lens line now full enough for most pro’s to jump on board, the A7 III’s $1998 price point, and the fact that you can use all your Canon glass with great af performance as well, why not consider switching at this point??
The time is now people!
Sony recently introduced the A7r III which is their high resolution mirrorless camera model. It offers great AF and the next generation camera body which basically includes a much needed battery upgrade, touchscreen, Pixel-Shift Technology, and a better more refined camera body design. (My Full A7r III Breakdown Here) The price tag was still really high at $3200 on the A7r III however, and left a lot of people waiting for the A7 III to come out before committing to the A7r III.
Well, not only was it worth the wait for the A7 III, but Sony may have even out done themselves a bit! It’s like Sony is throwing us fans a huge bone, and giving the full frame entry level users still on the fence the final nudge needed to push them over….
Sony A7 III – Key Features:
- 24MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
- 693-Point AF System & 10 fps Shooting
- No Optical Low-Pass Filter
- UHD 4K30p Video with HLG & S-Log3 Gammas
- 2.36m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF
- 3.0″ 922k-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
- Max ISO 204800
- Built-In Wi-Fi and NFC
- Dual SD Slots
- Thumb Joystick
- USB Type-C Port
- Weather-Sealed Design
- NP-FZ100 battery
- Weight = 1.43 lb / 650 g
- Price = $1998 US >>
Sony A9 vs A7r III Vs A7 III?
24mp Vs 42mp vs 24mp
20fps vs 10fps, vs 10fps
693-AF Points vs 393-AF Points vs 693-AF Points
$4500 vs $3200 vs $2000
A friend of mine recently purchased the A7r III and now wants the A7 III instead. I can’t blame him one bit and if anybody is interested in a very lightly used A7r III, be sure to let me know! He does not need the resolution, but wants all the other features for way less cost. The A7 III is the better camera for his purposes for sure!
Sony gave the A7 III every feature that matters to most, a very fair price, and at the end of the day offers the best value for the dollar of any full frame camera system on the market today. Do you agree?
So the Sony A9 is now only for the very few who must have full frame coverage and 20fps speed, the A7r III is for those that must have the 42mp resolution, and the A7 III is just for everyone! No matter what specs your looking for, the A7 III has something to offer. Lowest price, a killer 24mp sensor that is enough for almost anything, the awesome A9 AF system, 10fps, excellent High ISO performance, excellent battery life, and great 4k video is also part of the deal with the new A7 III.
Who will not want this camera is more like the question?
Some cameras offer better this or that, but when all the features are accounted for, the New Sony A7 III is the best full frame camera for the money today!
Is DSLR Vs Mirrorless still a thing?
Focusing on the the big picture yes, a lot of Pro’s and hardcore photographers still use DSLR’s in the field, but they have also been acquiring mirrorless cameras as second bodies and are now beginning to phase out the DSLR I think. Many users have already switched to mirrorless entirely, don’t get me wrong, but most are still transitioning I would say. If you are a new up coming photographer looking to upgrade to the full frame format however, mirrorless is definitely now the way to go in my opinion.
The mirrorless camera af is finally good enough and the the FE lens line is finally full enough. Two key ingredients when considering the switch. The other key features that will push anybody off the fence when considering switching in my mind, would be the ability to use alternative glass. That feature is huge for many professionals. Other features like the killer image quality, light weight camera body, dual SD memory cards, and other next level technology are what set Sony apart from the competition. The advantage of a live viewfinder, killer video, 5-axis sensor stabilization, powerful focus modes like Eye-Af, touch to focus, and so much more.
Not a professional photographer?
Well, just because you might not be making a living taking pictures, does not mean you don’t want the best possible photos. Therefore, at some point your journey might bring you to the doorstep of the killer full frame format. At that point a decision needs to be made and it is far from easy. With so many awesome camera systems in the landscape to chose from and all… When I was faced with this question so many years ago, I chose Canon. Today if I had to make that decision, I would certainly pick Sony Mirrorless!
Sony Mirrorless Camera Guide >
Sony now offers many more affordable full frame e-mount lenses in their lineup like the FE 28mm f/2 Lens, FE 85mm f/1.8, FE 50mm f/1.8, FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro, FE 24-240mm Lens, and FE 70-300mm G Lens for example.. Sigma recently announced a entire new line of super fast auto focus glass that should cheaper than the Sony GM or Zeiss Glass (Article on New Sigma Lenses here)
It’s Time
I recently reviewed the Sony A99 II DSLR style Camera and absolutely loved it! That super advanced focus technology was the best I had ever used, and the $4500 Mirrorless Sony A9 was basically just as good from my testing.
However, the A9 had almost full frame coverage of the AF points, where the A99 II had the smaller phase detection spread combined with the Sensor AF area. In my mind the Mirrorless had finally proven to be as good if not better than the DSLR style camera.
Now, clearly the mirrorless already had huge advantages, but in the real world focus accuracy when it matters is #1 priority. Missing the shot at a critical moment is what a pro can’t deal with, so Sony has been chipping away at the DSLR legacy AF technology year after year.
The A9, in my opinion, hit the pinnacle of equilibrium, with the advantage of using almost the entire sensor area and having real DSLR AF speed and accuracy. Remarkable to say the least, but the $4500 price tag was to high for most people I would say.
Fast forward to today and Sony allowed the killer Sony A9 auto focus technology and the 3rd gen A7r III camera body to trickle down into the entry level full frame A7 III with a price that is under $2k…
Sony A7 III @ BHPhoto | Amazon
New Sony A7 III Reviews and More
There are many new reviews on the web, but these below really cut to the chase in a variety of areas for those really interested in the details that matter.
Sony A7III Review | Nothing Comes Close
Published on Mar 20, 2018
Astrophotography with the Sony A7 III
Sony A7 III vs A7S2 – Detailed Comparison for Video Shooters
Sony A7 III Hands-On Field Test in Las Vegas – TheCamerStoreTV
Tony & Chelsea Northrup – Sony A7 III Review
Tony and Chelsea do a great job pointing out the advantages the Sony A7 III has over the competition in particular….
The Sony A7iii will be the Reason Why Many Canon Shooters LEAVE Canon and Switch to Sony Mirrorless- Jason Lanier
Another great video from Jason Lanier on the A7 III, this time testing non Sony Glass on location…
A7III Detailed Review for VIDEO Shooters – Max Yuryev
Max does an excellent job breaking down the video specific features of the new A7 III in this video!
The SONY A7III Takes Flight!! My 1st few Days in Video, Photo and Word by Steve Huff
Sony a7 III Hands-On! – by Kai W
Why you will LOVE the SONY A7 III – The Art of Photography
Very interesting and informative discussion!
Have SONY & SIGMA just CHANGED the game? – Dave McKeegan
Excellent breakdown on the current situation!
A7III vs. A7RIII vs. A9: How to Decide Which To Buy????
A very interesting take on the Sony full frame mirrorless offerings courtesy of Patrick Murphy-Racey
Sony A7iii vs A7r iii , showing some more hidden differences and speculate
Great for those wanting all the little details!
Sony A7 III movie mode review – 4k, slow motion, crops and more!
Courtesy of Gordon Laing
Sony A7 III In-Depth Camera Review
Courtesy of The Slanted Lens
Closing Remarks
Clearly the Sony A7 III is a game changer with the entry level pricing and pro level performance! Awesome 693 point 93% sensor coverage AF, 24mp w/ 15-stops dynamic range, Dual Memory card slots, + 700 shots per battery, and a $1998 price point.
From where I am sitting, the New Sony A7 III is by far the best full frame camera available today for the money. Combine this news with the New Sigma super fast prime lens announcement, and we have a combination of affordable top quality performance that must have Canon and Nikon awake at night!!
That is about it for this article, but please let me know what you think below in the comments area! Are you looking to get the A7 III? Did you get the A7r III or A9 and are now looking to switch to the A7 III? Are you a Canon or Nikon shooter looking to make the switch? Let me know below and lets talk about it. Have questions??
Catch up with you later,
Jay
