Sony a7 III Review

You can also use the exposure compensation dial to set the exposure that you want.

Also bokeh is lens dependant.

You are implying you need this camera to take good pictures? No other camera will do? What exactly are you trying to say? I bet I could find someone who can take a nice picture with a pin hole camera.

You are also bashing anyone who believes in the photographer and not the camera by going to their pictures and judging them?

Lastly, who is fighting the camera? The camera is a tool, read the manual and learn about how it functions. If it works for that person then that is all that matters. It is 100% the photographer and not the camera.

Or are you referring to dumb photographers that do not know about exposure so they NEED fancy gear? Is this the kind of photographer you are?

And for the other poster below you, if you are going to go shoot snow leopards, which implies you would have spent thousands of dollars on a fancy trip, you would be a complete moron to show up with a cell phone to take pictures. But the cheapest DSLR with the cheapest telephoto lens would do it, $300 done!

Listen man I know what you are trying to say. Just remember that people have been shooting with lesser technology for over a 100 years and have got good pictures.

You just came of as claiming that the camera is what matters in taking a good picture. It is the other way around. You claim that photography is about creativity proves that point.

I am all for the fancy gear if you have the money for it, need it, want it or whatever. I am certain the image quality is better when pixel peeped. I know all this, just don't claim you can't take a good picture unless you have it.

Of course, it is the photographer.
Only recently upgraded to 5D4 not expecting much in the ways of picture quality.
I was positively surprised. From a 5D4 RAW it is so much easier to make a beautiful picture with the tools I have than from the equivalent 5D3 shot.
More shadow detail, less grain, overall 'agreeability' of the image.
A better camera allows for better pictures.
A bad photographer cannot be helped.

Most cameras produce after 2012 can produce fine pictures in decent lighting, in rich light condition, you hardly able to distinguish between a cell phone and an APS-C camera's picture.

I totally agree with @GrapeJam, technology advancement does let us focus more on the creative part as opposed to making sure the image is as clean as possible.

I own Sony A57 which only able to produce an acceptable image up to ISO 800. Shadow area in portrait tend to frustrate me. After upgrade this camera, it can easily handle 6400 ISO image without any problem.

The auto min shutter speed feature combine with auto ISO take away the need for me to manually configure them in Aperture mode. Let be honest, there is a FIXED algorithm to do that. We keep repeating that since eon ago, now we are bless with technology, we can focus more on the artistic part of photography.

You must have a very powerful computer and unlimited storage.

Recommend that your gear gets some air conditioning (daily).

I have experience from both caribien and Thailand. Need the gear to dry up in between.

Well, I was talking about the GH5 which this video review was shot on. But I saw a video on YouTube using the GH5 called, “Paris by night”, and the GH5 handled the low light great.

@Thomas: You should consider Canon 1D-X.

Heavy to put heavy lenses on it.
Big body for big hands.
No XQD either, CF and CFast.
12 fps and 4K.

XQD at this price point? Still has a buffer that makes Canon and Nikon peers look pretty lame. Small battery? Same life as Canikon competitors. Small body? Add a battery grip with 2x battery capacity.
Let's move on...

@AZheaven
if you are shooting a lot without turning on, off, review etc you get many more shots than what a camera is rated for, because it does not reflect the standard used. I can get more than 6,000 shots on a battery if I am simply shooting, i.e. sports with my A9. The A7 is supposed to be even better.

@AZheaven
of course one of the advantages of the EVF is that you can see your exposure real time, so you can see the histogram real time, you can also engage (I do all the time) zebra for the overexposed areas real time, so no need of chimping...

I hadn't even thought about renting it. Doh. That's a great idea. Thank you.

@wcan...NEVER said that. What I said and have been saying is, "if Nikon and Canon don't come out with a mirrorless full frame camera equal to or exceeding that of the A7iii they will be in trouble". And that comment also stands for price. The A7iii had to throw both Canon and Nikon for a loop in every respect.

That memory card is not uhs-2. Upgrade your memory card and all the faster higher quality settings will enable themselves.

:) Sure, that new Canon Dual Pixel AF is great, but my old 6D doesn't have it and I'm using LiveView for landscapes and macro all the time.

No fine tune necessary! The biggest reason I switched to mirrorless. Couldn't stand the continuing AF accuracy issues with my D7000, D7100 and D750, but there was no mirrorless alternative to match my needs until the A6300 came about. Smooth sailing after, even with adapted DSLR lenses!

@ecka84

Well yeah, any camera can focus on things that don't move. You need very advanced CDAF (Panasonic) or decent OSPDAF (everyone else) to focus on something moving.

I had both F/4 zooms and returned them. The 70-200mm was pretty bad at 200mm. Maybe I should have kept trying until I got "good copies", but I didn't want to waste all the time and effort for something that may never happen.
I am very happy for anyone who does get a good copy, but at the same time I am skeptical from my experience.
I have an old Canon 70-200/4 and it is superb. Some day I may get a metabones adapter for it.

"Steven Ar - Joined on Apr 9, 2018"

just another fake troll account.

The Photo store where I do business has reported to me that in their experience, the problem of uneven copies of lenses was much greater a couple of years ago, and has in their experience been remedied. My way of thinking is that the possibility of a poor copy is always there, no matter whose lenses. It's a real, if annoying, part of getting your kit to be as you want it to be. But if you don't stick with it til you get it right, unfortunately, it is you who are the loser.

Which is the troll?

Chris Niccolls - Joined Apr 28 2018.

OSV - The crybaby who calls everyone else a "Troll".

Well, a Google search shows the truth. It showed OSV is a "known troll" in every forum.
https://www.google.com/search?q=osv+troll+site:www.dpreview.com&rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS748US748&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiztp-fuPTaAhVnkuAKHVnbBSoQrQIIMigDMAA&biw=1600&bih=1094
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/60984191
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59601666
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59635478
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57105153

When looking at posts where lenses are tested, I am surprised how many bad tests there are, so some might actually return good lenses.

If all the bad copies of lenses were not enough, now there are bad copies of the A7iii.
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/61090329

Sony says they are aware of this issue:
"I understand that you're having issues with the Eye AF function of your ILCE7M3 camera. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. We want you to know that we appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Please be advised that Sony is aware of this issue, and this has been forwarded to our engineering team in Japan already."

Eye AF is way better than no eye AF with old teck DSLR cameras where the lenses have to be calibrated to get acceptable focus ... for Sony A7III this is probably just a software update.

@Steven Ar

Anyone who calls osv a troll is obviously a troll, but you put a cherry on the top by posting links and writing this: "If all the bad copies of lenses were not enough, now there are bad copies of the A7iii." Obvious troll is obvious.

@RubberDials

It was Sony that said there are bad copies of the A7iii. So you are accusing Sony of trolling Sony. Sony says there is a problem, you can't deny that.

EDIT: Geez! I just got a PM saying "RubberDials is another OSV puppet ID". Another?? I Googled "OSV RubberDials" and it sure a h3ll looks like you are the same or work together. You both respond to comments made to the other and use the same tone.
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/61032444
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/60913170
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/58981516

'EDIT: Geez! I just got a PM saying "RubberDials is another OSV puppet ID".'

No you didn't, unless you sent it to yourself from one of your other accounts.

I've reported your post. I doubt it will do any good - I mean - the mastering light account is still active. I've been a member of this site for more than a decade and have posted literally hundreds of thousands of words. Good luck trying to smear me with your crap.

@RubberDials

I hit a nerve. Google busted you. Google is great for digging up the truth and a quick search showed you and OSV are either same or work together. There are dozens and dozens of posts where you respond for each other, and also where both of you pounce on the same person or make the same argument. No denying that. Google is your friend, and Google reveals the truth.
With those Google search results, it as fair and accurate to say one of you is the other's "puppet" or at least you work in tandem.

It might be relative but you need to keep your comparisons within a product. Sure there are specialized sensors with more dynamic range but why should we care if they aren't available in an ILC? I'll wager there are some satellite sensors that are even better. Should we compare the latest ILCs to them?

The question should be how does this sensor compare to others currently available.

Edit:. @pentaust. I see you removed your comments about the sensor. Now you left my post hanging 😀

When a Sony A7 series camera is set up properly, you hardly have to visit the menues again. Real world use is a breeze, no matter hot summer days or freezing cold winter days or nights, when wearing gloves. No matter small or large lenses.

"Problems", like "the interface is useable but not as good as with some other cameras" are silly constructions, only of importance for those sitting in an armchair, figuring out what could be a problem with cameras that they don't own or use themselves. Such nay-sayers claim to be the best photographers around, but they will never show you anything from their work.

@pentaust Please show me a post I made where I haven't acknowledged short comings. Do I have implicit bias like every other human? Certainly, but I try to remain objective and rational. I'm certainly no apologist for Sony or any other brand. For example I prefer an EVF to and OVF but I don't think those who disagree with me are necessarily wrong. Each person has important and less important features that they want.

Regarding the menus I can't say that comparatively Sony's are any better or worse than any other ILCs because I don't have intimate experience with other ILC cameras. That's why I take the opinion of someone who uses multiple systems (brendon1000) with more weight than someone who doesn't (most trolls). I will say that I find the custom buttons, my menu and user defined function menu to make the actual menus moot - once setup I don't need to go to the menus.

Judging from the complaints I've seen on the Sony forum, from users, a pattern of questionable QC is developing for this particular body. And there are numerous... with new complaints about stuck shutters, multiple body returns, eye focus not working, stripes, color issues, pixel blinking and on and on.

I'd much rather buy the A7R lll or A9, not the A7 lll. Too many QC complaints. Unlike these two other bodies, the A7 lll is made in China which may be a contributing factor.

Lol just owning something doesn't mean squat ! My friend bought a 6D Mk II some time back and he hated it and would never recommend it to anyone who asked him. I use the Sony A7 III and find it much better than any of my previous cameras.

The main people having a problem are armchair trolls like you who have never ever used the camera for any real period of time :P

I have had 3 Sony A7 series cameras and I can tell you ergonomics were great, menu system wasn't the best of course but once I fully customized the camera it was never a problem and construction while not the best is still very good. None of my cameras are worse for wear after 100000+ shutter actuations. My 5d mk II has all the rubber parts fallen off after 95k shutters but that is considered a rugged body.

@ pentaust: I can live very well with Sony cameras and lenses, since they do what I want them to do. I have used other brands, and even had to jump ship because of repeated malfunctions and breakdowns with a brand that is judged as top professional. When you earn your money from photography, malfunction and repairs are much more expensive than just paying for repairs and replacements.

I am pragmatic when it comes to camera gear: There is no perfect camera or camera system. You can whine, you can bash a brand (like you do, over and over again), you can praise your brand (like you do), or you can hope for the best - nothing will change the fact that the camera is exactly as it is! If it does the job, well, fine! No need to go elsewhere.

Love and hate? For a camera or a brand? Come on, grow up!

@AZheaven. As you know I prefer my Sony cameras. But I also have a Nikon D750, and despite being one of the cameras recalled, mine has never had any of the problems for which the recalls were issued. Nikon goes overboard on the recalls now, due to the bad publicity they had from the relatively wide spread black spot issue on the D600. Then, the trolls excoriated Nikon. Now the trolls complain because they recall. Go figure.

At the time, I had a D3300. I was looking to upgrade my body. I was interested in the D750 and the 7500. I was heading to a local camera store, well, 2 hours away, to get my hands on a 7200 since the 7500 wasn't out yet and compare the size of both cameras and figure out my options. I called Nikon USA and asked a rep when they were releasing the 7500. They had no idea. The local camera store had no 7200's in stock and they also didn't know about the 7500. Stayed home, ordered a 7200 from B & H and the next day the 7500 was announced. The week prior to all this I was looking at the 750. And that's when the 3rd recall came in. I just wish camera companies were not so secretive!! Now Nikon is doing the same with their mirrorless option.

AZheaven, why waiting? Do you really think Nikon would offer anything similar to Sony A7 III/A7R III feature and price-wise? I highly doubt it. Sony now has glass while Nikon doesn't. Some rumors say Nikon's mirrorless is postponed to 2019. By then A7 IV/A7R IV will be on the horizon and would make Nikon obsolete. I really enjoy my A7 III and have a great faith in Sony now. After D7100 this camera is something from the future. And the most important is that I enjoy it immensely. I couldn't say that about my Nikon which was a nightmare with its front- and back-focusing issues. Oh, and I am among the few who has no problems with Sony's menus. It is like an Android smartphone - you take some time to customize it and then just enjoy the experience.

Canon and Nikon are in a race for last place in mirrorless (FF or otherwise).

All reviews I've seen, the reviewers are using the Sony 24-105 G, Sony 16-35 GM, Sony 85 GM and the Sony 100-400.

My thought was to go mirrorless and have one lens for my needs (landscapes in AZ) the 24-105. I don't need wider, so I can for now eliminate the 16-35. I don't do portraits so the 85mm is eliminated. And if I keep my D7200 and Tamron 100-400 I'm covered for wildlife. Me getting rid of my 3 lenses I use for landscapes, plus the D7200 will save me 3 lbs. And then I don't have to change lenses multiple times in the field either. Which I had to do a couple of weeks ago and almost dropped my kit onto rocks!!

@pentaust, yes, but once again, one camera, one lens for my needs. At least I'm not looking at the 70-200 f2.8!!! My friend has that lens with an A7Rii and it's massive!!

Let me add that I bought a bigger bag to carry all my Nikon DX equipment with me. LOL...yeah...that didn't work out so well!! There was no way I was going to carry all that weight hiking!! It's heavy enough with just the D7200, and both my Sigma lenses!! So I returned the bigger bag (didn't cut the tags, or undo the straps or rearranged the insides, just placed all my things on top and lifted it up) and now rethinking my options.

@ pentaust: D7200 is an aps-c camera! You have to compare cameras with the same sensor size. An the D7200 is bulky. Try make it compact! For travel, volume can be more important than weight.

Also, this Nikon camera has a mirror that causes vibrations, lenses that need to be calibrated for perfect focus, no true depth of focus control, like all those mirror/matte ground glass viewfinders, etc. etc. etc.

@magnar. I was not replying to you. AZheaven is concerned by weight and he is concerned by the weight of his D7200 and lenses. My point is, if a D7200 is already too heavy, a Sony A7iii won't be lighter (only by 24gr) but the full frame lenses of a Sony A7iii will be even heavier. Please Magnar, stop turning words around for the sake of promoting Sony products. The goal is to be honest with situations so that customers select what is good for them.

Now, if you talk about vibrations, mirrorless cameras aren't lacking because shutter has to close first in order to be able to open and close again. For DSLR the shutter is already closed before taking the shot, so there is no additional shutter shock involved like it was the case for the Sony A7. Please stop telling things that are not true. Thanks a lot.

pentaust: Well, try Sony cameras with first electronic shutter activated (default, and what we use most of the time), and then check sharpness. No vibrations. Ultra-sharp! Much sharper than pictures from DSLR cameras.

I use long telephoto lenses quite often, and for wildlife, mirror lock up is never a solution. I also use a telescope, and for moon and planetary photography you get much better results when taking pictures at those glipms with less turbulence. Mirror vibrations would ruin the results, and with an OVF you don't have magnified view to check turbulence.

Try doing eye auto-focus with positive feedback in the EVF with a DSLR...
Also, the focusing screens in many DSLRs do not give a true indicator of depth of field when lens is stopped down I believe because they are optimized for brightness.

Put big lenses on mirrorless, you get a big camera. But if you put small lenses on mirrorless, you get a small camera. The A7III (650g) with Rokinon/Samyang 35/2.8 FE (108g) is smaller and lighter (758g) than a 6D MKII body alone (765g)! And that's with image stabilization, too!

https://camerasize.com/compact/#716,777.667,ha,t

But even without any size or weight difference, you have to consider the higher specs and performance that mirrorless offers over DSLRs. What DSLR gives you 693 AF points covering 93% of a FF viewfinder, face/eye AF, 5-axis IBIS, 10fps, totally silent electronic shutter, etc, for only $2K?

"D7200 weights 674g, Sony A7iii weights 650gr."

Wrong weight!!! D7200 is 765g

https://camerasize.com/compare/#777,611

Plus, you're comparing an APS-C camera to a FF camera! Plus, consider visual size. DSLRs such as D7200 look-- and are-- big. They stick out like a sore thumb. A compact body like A7III is much less obvious, especially when using compact lenses.

I shoot both, though my FF D800 has taken the backseat to the D500.

@AZ Heaven. Your D7200 is a remarkable camera. If your primary work is landscapes, I wonder if you should be considering the A7rII at roughly the same money as the A7III. For landscapes, the extra megapixels do make a difference, and the key components us old guys need, IBIS, and BSI sensor, are there, and work well. I have been shooting one for three years, and love it. The A7III will be a little quicker, better for fast action shots, and better in low light, but the A7rII is quite good in these categories as well. But I would not quickly dispose of my D7200 if I had one. It's a great camera.

Yeah, if landscapes were my game, I'd get an a7riii (if I were looking to switch to Sony). These Sony cameras are neat, but I have a D500 and D850, so it would take a HECK of a lot for me to ever consider switching brands.

Whats the problem pentaust? There are now tons of the small fast lenses which are designed for mirrorless, like for instance Voigtländer 40/1.2 at 400g, Tamron 28-75 2.8 at 550g, Sony 85/1.8 or Batis / Loxia / Laowa / Voigtländer at wide and ultra wide.

It seems that in these comments fields a lot of people don't realize that there is a world out there where you don't need to use big heavy DSLR design zooms and primes.

@AZheaven With both Nikon and Canon rumored to release details of their full frame mirrorless solutions later this year, I think the prudent course of action is to wait and see what develops.

Good job Paul. Maybe we can gin up a Legacy Troll award for you!

Nice try at humor.... Nice try. *golf clap"

Yup.
Trolls who are either confused, dazed, insecure, envious, sour-graping, panicking.
Take your pick.

@GiM_6xR - "as in chess it looks like it is a draw:"

the only "draw" there is inside your brain, with it's inability to comprehend the huge tech advances that sony has made, since the crop-sensor nx1 was released.

it's a totally ignorant comparison.

OSV say: "huge tech advances that sony has made, since the crop-sensor nx1 was released".
In my oppinion, these HUGE advances were for SONY to catch-up with Samsung. It took only 3½ years, but final specs are very close for the NEW a7III versus OLD NX1.
3½ years where everybody who has/had NX1 already enjoyed the performance.
This is not only in my brain.

Hey OSV, let me know when you can show me and everyone else at DPReview the 0.6 EV more HDR a7III has over NX1, or when recording a pfoto or video at 204800 ASA how better the picture is. Forensic analyse could enjoy this, other PROs or just consumers will just ignore these "huge tech advances that sony has made".

@GiM_6x - you are seriously confused.

the a7iii kills the old nx1 by 1-2 stops better pdr:
http://photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm#Samsung%20NX1,Sony%20ILCE-7M3

the ff a7iii has a host of other advantages, not the least of which is much better af, higher quality lenses, etc.

Well, 3½ years later Sony a7III come to match and bypass Samsung NX1.
It should be almost normal, if it was about ½ year and not 3½.

And then. . . different "sites" different graphics same parameter, HDR:
https://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-A7-III-versus-Samsung-NX1___1236_976
Are all of them right, are all wrong, why HDR is so different from one "expert" to other?

I do not contest that a7III is a bit better than the 3½ y. old NX1, but is much-much later.
Still a7III does not surpass all specs of NX1: 10fps vs 15 fps, SAVC S vs H265, video 30p cropped vs UN-cropped.
This is not about a poor camera, is about being so late and even so does offer just a bit of extra specs.

But A7III is still less performant. . . if you have read about NX2 last year, you will know that a7III is behind the top technology. Unfortunately, Samsung do not want to offer this technology to photo-cinema comunity, it is just playing with it to be sure is one of the best and not the last.

GiM_6x: Why would people go for a small sensor NX1 from a brand that officially is out of camera business when they can get a full frame A7III, which is in may respects way better, like low light sensitivity, autofocus, etc.?

Fine that you like your camera, but I would be very, very careful to tell people to buy into this brand if they want to build a camera system.

Sony does push the market forwards primarily with their sensor tech; it is cutting edge. Their sensor division turns out superb products for Sony cameras and for other brands, as well as for smartphones.

With regards to the rest of Sony camera tech, is it really that great? They were not the first to use IBIS; Olympus had it well before them. They've made advancements with their AF but so has every one else in the same time frame.

Their EVF and back LCD tech is nothing to brag about; others do it better. They are lagging in screen touch controls. I do give them credit for the blackout-less EVF and silent shooting on the A9. And many praise their eye-AF.

Note that I am commenting on stills photography. On the video front I do believe Sony has more to offer, as that is where they have much more expertise and history.

Sony is a player in the market and they've done some good things. But people overrate their supposed innovation and impact (with the exception of their sensors).

I believe that Minolta was the first to have IBIS.