Thoughts on the Sony A7R III

As I wrote I do feel that the Sony A7RIII with adapted Canon lenses is kind of unusable for sports photography because of the long time between the shutter being pressed and the actual shutter taking the picture. User Kasson made some measurements.

I did see now this interesting video comparing native and adapted lenses from Canon on the Sony A7R III:


The shutter lag of 0,3 seconds is pretty much how I feel the delay.

Wound I have known that beforehand I would have never bought this combination.

Just as I still struggle with the colors from Sony.

Besides that I do have some question to clear image zoom in video mode.

So I can use either the full frame mode and use clear image zoom or I can use Super 35 mode and use clear image zoom. Those zooms overlap. So why cant I go directly from the full frame all the way in? It would make much more sense since this zoom function is very smooth and without sound during recording. It would be great so add zoom to prime lenses in video mode. Why did they make two steps and not a continuing function. Would be great if it would work as one function all the way through.

For sports and action: use canon lenses with canon bodies or sony lenses with sony lenses. some who are slightly less critical about a 300ms delay use their canon lenses happily with sony too.

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

It all really is super simple, is it not?

BBQue said:

For sports and action: use canon lenses with canon bodies or sony lenses with sony lenses. some who are slightly less critical about a 300ms delay use their canon lenses happily with sony too.

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Actually some EF-mount Sigma and Tamron lenses work very well on Sony bodies,

Sigma 500/4.0 OS Sport on A9


Sigma 120-300/2.8 OS Sport on A9


Sure eventually Sony will have native FE 500 GM as they did with 400 GM, but actually they are good enough.

FE 100-400 GM on A9 is faster than EF 100-400L IS II on 1Dx II or Nikon counterpart.

The new FE 400 GM on A9 is faster than Canikon 400/2.8 counterparts.

We have seen many BIF and sport photos from Tamron/Sigma 150-600 via MC-11 adapter.

Member said:

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

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He used to say my airshow photos from Jones Beach lack of 3D look and unpleasing colors but they were taken under hazy beach light condition. Then I showed him the RI airshow photos that were taken at better drier condition, still not as good as 2014 show weather condition there in my last visit under perfect dry blue sky then. Still they are show very pleasing colors and 3D popping up.

Member said:

It all really is super simple, is it not?

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Not sure why he complains Canon lenses on A7r III for sports? A7r III is not optimized for sports and then adapting Canon lenses? For sports get A9 or at least A7 III with native FE lenses or modern Sigma/Tarmon long lenses on MC-11 adapter.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/55485085@N04/albums

I am still working on a test with my E-mount lenses on a Canon and a Nikon body respectively. Don't wait for it, though, as it may take a looong period of time to finalize it.

BBQue said:

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

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Color will differ by camera model, even within a brand, so picking lenses from the camera you have now is not a good idea.

Magnar W said:

BBQue said:

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

Click to expand...

Color will differ by camera model, even within a brand, so picking lenses from the camera you have now is not a good idea.

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It looks to me like with the A73, Sony has moved the color needle even further towards Canon color, away from Nikon color. I like that very much, even that I prefer Nikon cameras over Canon for other reasons.

Magnar W said:

BBQue said:

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

Click to expand...

Color will differ by camera model, even within a brand, so picking lenses from the camera you have now is not a good idea.

Click to expand...

Generally I think that's true - although some broad trend in relation to colour can be observed. But you're absolutely right that there are differences between individual models within the same brand.

I'd also agree that there are factors other than camera/brand colour technology that should be foremost when picking lenses. In fact the lenses themselves make a contribution to how colour is rendered, and that's perhaps more relevant (when it comes to lens choices) along with other aspects of lens performance - AF IQ and image rendering more generally...

ArtAlt said:

Magnar W said:

BBQue said:

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

Click to expand...

Color will differ by camera model, even within a brand, so picking lenses from the camera you have now is not a good idea.

Click to expand...

It looks to me like with the A73, Sony has moved the color needle even further towards Canon color, away from Nikon color. I like that very much, even that I prefer Nikon cameras over Canon for other reasons.

Click to expand...

It's changed, certainly.

To my eyes the newer Sony models have moved towards slight favouring of magenta and blue-green tones ('turquoise') and that's made a positive contribution overall, including more attractive skin tones in some situations.

However while it's different, it doesn't have the tendency to favour orange tones that I see in many Canon sensors - if at all certainly not as heavily. So while that's an aspect of shooting Canon that I was never thrilled with, I'm not finding the same struggle with the current Sony colour tech. FWIW.

SilvanBromide said:

Magnar W said:

BBQue said:

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

Click to expand...

Color will differ by camera model, even within a brand, so picking lenses from the camera you have now is not a good idea.

Click to expand...

Generally I think that's true - although some broad trend in relation to colour can be observed. But you're absolutely right that there are differences between individual models within the same brand.

I'd also agree that there are factors other than camera/brand colour technology that should be foremost when picking lenses. In fact the lenses themselves make a contribution to how colour is rendered, and that's perhaps more relevant (when it comes to lens choices) along with other aspects of lens performance - AF IQ and image rendering more generally...

Click to expand...

And AF performance should be first priority for lenses used for moving subjects. No other image quality aspects matter if the tracked main subject is out of focus.

Magnar W said:

SilvanBromide said:

Magnar W said:

BBQue said:

For colors: it is all a matter of taste. If you shoot JPG and like canon better, then buy a canon.

Click to expand...

Color will differ by camera model, even within a brand, so picking lenses from the camera you have now is not a good idea.

Click to expand...

Generally I think that's true - although some broad trend in relation to colour can be observed. But you're absolutely right that there are differences between individual models within the same brand.

I'd also agree that there are factors other than camera/brand colour technology that should be foremost when picking lenses. In fact the lenses themselves make a contribution to how colour is rendered, and that's perhaps more relevant (when it comes to lens choices) along with other aspects of lens performance - AF IQ and image rendering more generally...

Click to expand...

And AF performance should be first priority for lenses used for moving subjects. No other image quality aspects matter if the tracked main subject is out of focus.

Click to expand...

And to state the obvious; the lens has a significant role in both the AF speed and the colour rendition

Go back to canon and dont waste your time trying to explain that as you dont know how to use a camera in addition to not knowing how to take pictures make the sony a bad camera.

In case you are wondering, I shoot fast action with my A7R without any issues on sony lenses.

Same with manual focus lenses with 80 % keepers.

The A7R3 is sooo easy to use compared to my old A7R , so fast for action it doesnt need any back focus stuff and focus lightspeed ahead of any dslr.

Go back to your canon, put it in auto and stop trolling with stupid comments.

What a pos...

I also notice a shutter lag when using A-mount lenses with my LA-EA1 adapter on A6500 of around 0.1 seconds. The lag happens at any aperture except wide open and appears to be caused by the aperture blades having to close to the shooting aperture prior to the shutter opening.

I assume this may also be the case for LA-EA3, Metabones, MC-11 and other adapters where a non-native lens is being focussed wide open instead of at the shooting aperture... could anyone confirm this?

Paul Barnard said:

Magnar W said:

AF performance should be first priority for lenses used for moving subjects. No other image quality aspects matter if the tracked main subject is out of focus.

Click to expand...

And to state the obvious; the lens has a significant role in both the AF speed and the colour rendition

Click to expand...

Colors can be tweaked (in-camera for jpg, and at post for jpg and raw), but you can't boost AF performance unless there is a lens upgrade or you buy a camera with better autofocus system.

Here is some interesting finding about the shutter Lag of Canon lenses adapted with a Sigma MC-11:


All in all not a language I understand. However the chart is self explaining.

As I stated in previous posts if you adapt a Canon 50 mm 1.2 or a Canon 85 1.2 - shown on youtube by e.g. Sony artisan Jason Lanier to advertise for the compatibility of Sony lenses - you will see in Camera as lowest f-stop 1.3. However If you change the camera setting to 0.5 EV steps instead of the default 0.3, the lowest f-stop 1.2 of these lenses is shown.

The above video fount out, that on certain f-stops on the Canon 35 1.4 (note: not even a 1.2 lens) and Canon 85 1.2 paired with the Sigma MC-11 you will experience shutter lag. Those are the crossed out f-stops on the chart in the video. However if you use the setting with 0.5 EV there is no shutter lag.

Since I use Canon lenses and the sigma MC 11, I will try out switching the EV setting to 0.5 EV for all my Canon lenses that I adapt.

I hope this helps other users who adapt lenses from Canon to Sony bodys as well.

EOSLenny said:

Since I use Canon lenses and the sigma MC 11, I will try out switching the EV setting to 0.5 EV for all my Canon lenses that I adapt.

I hope this helps other users who adapt lenses from Canon to Sony bodys as well.

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That's an interesting angle. Let us know what you find out (preferably in another thread, this one is way too long already).

There seems to be a problem with USB and mic ports losing contact connection for the A7III and A7RIII alike.


There is also a comments to a Peter Gregg video, where he points out, that the little metal piece can cause a short of the amp of the camera.


So beware not to harm your camera by accident.

Is there a good flash system that works well together with the A7RIII ?

I was thinking about buying a Godox system, but according to this thread


there seems to be a some problems of the A7RIII and the godox system working together. The A7RII supposedly works fine. However I do understand that it looks kind of unprofessional if you get extra flashes going off that you do not intend to fire.

Any suggestions or workarounds?

My wish list for a future camera:

Better shutter system (with better shutter speed above 1/1000 s), best would be a global shutter on the sensor with a simultaneous zero stetting and readout at every pixel.

Better color science with self uploadable color tables that can be generated of bought like apps. So you can but a preset with Canon or Fuji or Leica lockuptable or generate on by yourself for every ISO.

1080, 4K and 8 K video recording

8K photo mode like on the Panasonic LX 100

Universal mount to use any autofocus lens, lenshandling can be bought through apps for the lenses needed.

-Canon like weathersealing

-Raw with lossless compression to save storage

-a LCD or OLED display on top of the camera with the current settings with good visible, that can be placed either on the left or right corner as a module. The other corner can have a module with a dial. So there will not be a bump like for a prism in the middle. If you are left or right eyed does not matter, you choose the side of the EVF to put in. And place the dial module on the other side. No longer nose pressing on the display.

DSLR mode enabled

A crackproof flip out screen flipping out to top position not side position for v-loging is build in, with additional function to show something like a teleprompter as an overlay to the dimmed pictures, so you can control the content of the screen an read what you made beforehand. With good visibility in bright light. Auto or manual brightness.

Touch functions to be apple like interfaces like the hasselblad for setting iso, shutter and aperture with swiping down on the screen etc.

A multiple flash trigger systems compatible radio trigger is integrated

Tap and track for video and AF-C mode, tap and focus for stills

Battery even bigger than Sony A7 series with a Leica SL like locking mechanism.

Someone lost his pictures on a A9:


he was able to recover with the Mac Software Disk Drill.

I did have a similar issue with the A7RIII, but I did not know about this possibility.

So it might help to know about it if you need it.

EOSLenny said:

My wish list for a future camera:

Better shutter system (with better shutter speed above 1/1000 s), best would be a global shutter on the sensor with a simultaneous zero stetting and readout at every pixel.

Click to expand...

Would there be global shutters that don't read the full sensor?

EOSLenny said:

Better color science with self uploadable color tables that can be generated of bought like apps. So you can but a preset with Canon or Fuji or Leica lockuptable or generate on by yourself for every ISO.

Click to expand...

Load one profile for each color temperature! :-D

EOSLenny said:

-Canon like weathersealing

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Like the 5D? Uh …

EOSLenny said:

DSLR mode enabled

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What would this be? A LAE4 adapter with a moving mirror?

EOSLenny said:

A multiple flash trigger systems compatible radio trigger is integrated

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Isn't this just fine with radio module built into the flash unit?

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My approach would be: Make it "simple and efficient". ;-)