I’ve had a great run with my original A7 but have long felt that I could use certain AF, sensor and interface refinements once they fall within my price range. That’s what this A7iii is all about.
My older Sonys demanded then rewarded the effort to familiarize and customize the interface – this generation takes that to a new level. One could simply morph this camera to suit existing preferences, but I feel it is well worth taking a step back and re-thinking old shooting habits to accommodate at least some of the new possibilities.
After a month, I have still not settled on a final setup. (I was at least able to do a productive shoot and enjoy some of the new refinements on day one.)
There are now more assignable buttons than I know what to do with. One good use for one or two of them might be to recall a “Custom Shooting Set”. This momentarily engages a group of focus, drive and/or exposure settings of your choosing. I think of it as back button focusing on steroids, or really just back button for the 2020s. (I cringe now to think of how much slower and more tedious it used to be to switch between shooting styles on my old NEX-7.)
There are some smaller amenities that make this new camera a joy to work with. I particularly love the way the focus area can be set to change as I switch between landscape and portrait orientation. (I find this to be an even bigger time saver than the “Joystick” which is also great to have…) Some might say these are “bells & whistles” but I would sure hate to part with them.
The menu layout gets panned by many reviewers but I’ve made my peace with it. I recommend going through everything once and setting all the things you’ll never want to change. Then set up the “My Menu” section. In one full sweep you can toss in whatever you think you might want to access occasionally. (There are 30 available spots, which should be plenty in conjunction with the assignable buttons and the 12 function menu slots.) It’s easy enough to add, move or delete items later.
I would save my harshest criticism for the documentation. The basic manual seems redundant yet incomplete in all the wrong places. The online help guide is quite a bit more thorough and friendly to navigate. There are still some significant tidbits that you’ll have to glean from reviews or blogs. (Like the way the camera focuses stopped down in AF-C but opens up to f/2 to focus in AF-S.)
The new AF may trump most other considerations for many. I found it not to be infallible or foolproof, but my “keeper” rate certainly has gone up! (This is my first time really using continuous autofocus so I’m still learning.)
Glassblowers tend not to hold still for very long.
In my Eye AF tests, when the subject moves toward the camera, I noticed the focus could sometimes lag for a frame or three. But then it would catch up, mid-burst. (Try that in AF-S!) I can see the justification for buying an A9 for those who need the best possible tracking. (Ditto silent mode – you will have to deploy it more sparingly with this base model. Thankfully the mechanical shutter is relatively quiet.)
Higher usable ISO has been on my wish list for a while and the A7iii certainly delivers there. For visible noise the new sensor appears to be roughly 1 2/3 stops better than the A7. For colors I’d say about 2 stops; for detail and shadow recovery without banding I’d say even greater. This allows me to comfortably use higher 4-digit and even 5-digit ISO settings I used to avoid. I can now get a nice, malleable RAW capture in conditions that used to be marginal. Not least of all, I can go handheld instead of using the tripod for certain web-bound product shots. Out of all these new refinements, this has had the most benefit for me.
This guy was not covered by the stage lights. The older A7 probably wouldn't quite have cut it here.
Tripod used to be a must for this type of shot.
These go soooooo much faster, handheld! Hate to attempt this with an OVF.
I also love the great dynamic range at ISO 100. The uncompressed RAW captures feel extra “buttery” to process. (My best unscientific assessment.)
Goodbye, sensor reflections!!
Love the shadow detail in high contrast scenes - especially with the Sony/Zeiss 35/2.8
If you specialize in landscapes or reportage, you may well want to pay extra for the A7riii or the A9. For my situation (enthusiast, online vendor, $2000 budget, hooked on MILCs and FF, ready to expand low light & try continuous AF) this camera has no real competition.
My older Sonys demanded then rewarded the effort to familiarize and customize the interface – this generation takes that to a new level. One could simply morph this camera to suit existing preferences, but I feel it is well worth taking a step back and re-thinking old shooting habits to accommodate at least some of the new possibilities.
After a month, I have still not settled on a final setup. (I was at least able to do a productive shoot and enjoy some of the new refinements on day one.)
There are now more assignable buttons than I know what to do with. One good use for one or two of them might be to recall a “Custom Shooting Set”. This momentarily engages a group of focus, drive and/or exposure settings of your choosing. I think of it as back button focusing on steroids, or really just back button for the 2020s. (I cringe now to think of how much slower and more tedious it used to be to switch between shooting styles on my old NEX-7.)
There are some smaller amenities that make this new camera a joy to work with. I particularly love the way the focus area can be set to change as I switch between landscape and portrait orientation. (I find this to be an even bigger time saver than the “Joystick” which is also great to have…) Some might say these are “bells & whistles” but I would sure hate to part with them.
The menu layout gets panned by many reviewers but I’ve made my peace with it. I recommend going through everything once and setting all the things you’ll never want to change. Then set up the “My Menu” section. In one full sweep you can toss in whatever you think you might want to access occasionally. (There are 30 available spots, which should be plenty in conjunction with the assignable buttons and the 12 function menu slots.) It’s easy enough to add, move or delete items later.
I would save my harshest criticism for the documentation. The basic manual seems redundant yet incomplete in all the wrong places. The online help guide is quite a bit more thorough and friendly to navigate. There are still some significant tidbits that you’ll have to glean from reviews or blogs. (Like the way the camera focuses stopped down in AF-C but opens up to f/2 to focus in AF-S.)
The new AF may trump most other considerations for many. I found it not to be infallible or foolproof, but my “keeper” rate certainly has gone up! (This is my first time really using continuous autofocus so I’m still learning.)
Glassblowers tend not to hold still for very long.
In my Eye AF tests, when the subject moves toward the camera, I noticed the focus could sometimes lag for a frame or three. But then it would catch up, mid-burst. (Try that in AF-S!) I can see the justification for buying an A9 for those who need the best possible tracking. (Ditto silent mode – you will have to deploy it more sparingly with this base model. Thankfully the mechanical shutter is relatively quiet.)
Higher usable ISO has been on my wish list for a while and the A7iii certainly delivers there. For visible noise the new sensor appears to be roughly 1 2/3 stops better than the A7. For colors I’d say about 2 stops; for detail and shadow recovery without banding I’d say even greater. This allows me to comfortably use higher 4-digit and even 5-digit ISO settings I used to avoid. I can now get a nice, malleable RAW capture in conditions that used to be marginal. Not least of all, I can go handheld instead of using the tripod for certain web-bound product shots. Out of all these new refinements, this has had the most benefit for me.
This guy was not covered by the stage lights. The older A7 probably wouldn't quite have cut it here.
Tripod used to be a must for this type of shot.
These go soooooo much faster, handheld! Hate to attempt this with an OVF.
I also love the great dynamic range at ISO 100. The uncompressed RAW captures feel extra “buttery” to process. (My best unscientific assessment.)
Goodbye, sensor reflections!!
Love the shadow detail in high contrast scenes - especially with the Sony/Zeiss 35/2.8
If you specialize in landscapes or reportage, you may well want to pay extra for the A7riii or the A9. For my situation (enthusiast, online vendor, $2000 budget, hooked on MILCs and FF, ready to expand low light & try continuous AF) this camera has no real competition.
