The Sony A7III Real World Review. The one you haven’t seen yet (but should).

The Sony A7III Real World Review. The one you haven’t seen yet (but should).

By Steve Huff

All photos here shot with the Sony A7III and 24-70 G Master lens and ALL are JPEGS with most shot in VIVID mode, so yes they will pop more than usual. I will post processed RAW’s next week when I arrive home and have access to my normal computer and display. Click on them to see them larger! 

Let’s start with a video!

It’s been a while since my 1st look at the A7III from Sony. I have had hands on with it here and there, and honestly, on a few occasions. It was not until this week that I was able to really dig in to it, and to delve more into the camera to see the differences between it and the A7RIII I have been enjoying for a while now. I am happy I waited to write this, as I now have an understanding of this camera and why some of you may prefer it to the other models in the Sony lineup, and the kicker is, you can save thousands by going the route of the A7III over the A7RII or A9.

Three JPEGS from the A7III with the 24-70

Since I also have extensive experience with the A9, I now have had loads of times with each of Sony’s newest offerings. The A7III, the A7RIII and the A9. Right off the bat, I will say my fave of the bunch is still the A9. There is just something about it that I like, it feels a little better, is so super responsive and quick, and has more external controls. So if they were all the same price, I would. take an A9 all day long. (see my a9 review here). BUT with that said, the A9 is not the best for IQ. They are all super close but I am here to say that the A7III has something about it’s IQ and files that I find very pleasing above all others in the Sony lineup.

Also, the A9 is $4500 (can be had for $4200 these days). The A7RIII is $3300 and the A7III is $2000 and believe me when I say, there is not a ton of difference between them when it comes to image quality in all areas. There is a “Sony Flavor” to the images that all match in color and look/style.

What the difference amount to are RESOLUTION (A7RIII), SPEED (A9) and an ALL AROUND KICK ASS CAMERA (A7III). When the A7SIII hits (and it will), that will round out the collection with LOW LIGHT/SENSITIVITY thrown in the mix.

So if you want or need high res, go for the a7RIII. If you want all out speed and the best built Sony, go A9. If you want a camera that will cost you thousands less yet still give you 90% of the other two, go for the A7III. Me, I do not find I need or really want that WOW of the 42 MP A7RIII.

Yes I have an A7RIII but I would be just as happy with the standard III.

In Fact, I will say now that the A7III is probably the top recommended camera by me today, as of this moment (May of 2018). It offers so much, for so little. NO NO NO, $2000 is not a little amount of cash, far from it. BUT compared to the other two current models, and other brands comparable models, nothing comes close to the A7III for the $1999 price point it comes in at. NOTHING.

Sony knew this, and knew the III would be a hit. It seems to be “all part of the master plan” for them to take over the world – HAHAHAHAHA!

I think the A7III has propelled Sony sales over the top as well being Sony’s most desired body to date. It’s the first Sony body that has been sold out for weeks after release. As of this writing there is a 3-4 week wait for the A7III. Normally Sony doesn’t sell out of their new releases as they have TONS of stock sent to dealers. So the A7III is HOT right now, and deservedly so.

A video from the A7III launch. This was my 1st look from a while ago. I have since logged in a ton more time with the A7III! But if you missed this one from back then, check it out! 

Over the course of my writings here I will share my thoughts, my feelings, my heart and soul and video or two that will relay feelings on the Sony lineup, other “soon to come” cameras, and of course, this A7III itself.

THIS IS my review for the A7III but it wouldn’t be a review without sharing my feelings on the other models, or even other brands. So away we go!

THE SPECS of the A7III

The a7III may be the lowest cost Sony full frame A7 body available now, but it is packed with cutting edge features and is not in any way a dumbed down model, or a compromise. In fact, I would be so bold to say it is all 99.9% of us ever need. This camera is better than most of us, even you uber skilled photographers. There’s not much it can not do, as it has the speed, enough resolution for almost anything and low light abilities up there with the best. Lenses…well there are a TON today, and not only from Sony but from 3rd parties.

As I said in my earlier reports of this camera, you lose only a few things from the pricer models like a higher res EVF, and LCD (and a few other features many will not use) but you keep the new battery system, and it borrows tech from the A9 for its speed capabilities. This thing will focus faster and lock on better than the A7rIII, so yes, this is faster than the A7III for less. It has 5 Axis IS inside as well.

The lowdown…

  • 24MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
  • BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
  • 693-Point Hybrid AF System
  • 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
  • ISO 204800 and 10 fps Shooting
  • Built-In Wi-Fi and NFC, Dual SD Slots
  • USB Type-C Port, Weather-Sealed Design

Yep, you get the dual card slots as well here. All of these Sony bodies are similar in design and shape and size. What is lost or gained comes in the form of weather sealing, lower res or higher res EVF, slightly slower or slightly faster AF, and so forth. So if you choose the A7III you are NOT really missing out on some uber cool tech that may be in the a7RIII. In the case of the A9, it has the best EVF experience of the bunch with its no blackout EVF but again, that feature and the better build and all out speed come at a cost of $2200 more over the A7III yet the IQ may be a tad teeny better with the A7III! Call me crazy but this means that I would suggest only buying the A9 today if you want the fastest best built Sony today.

If IQ is your main concern, go for the A7III or A7RIII!

(BTW the bag above is one I have been testing out from BLACKFOREST BAGS and can be seen here. It’s beautiful and LOW COST!)

IT’s AN ASTONISHING VALUE..for SOME. 

The A7III is truly an astonishing value. No way around it. For under $2000 you get full frame and class leading speed, and IQ. You get superb low light that bests ANY APS-C made today, and you get a huge selection of glass to use, even M mount lenses can be used and it is very fun to use those little Leica lenses on these Sony bodies. You also retain all of the character of these lenses as the sensor is full frame, and those old lenses are made for full frame.

I can think of no camera under $2000 that delivers what the A7III does but as usual, it is not perfect. It’s not my desert island camera but I know of nothing else on the market, at this price point, mirrorless or DSLR that can compete with the specs and features on paper for this price point.

The value comes with the price point and what it offers for this price point. It’s above and beyond and technology has improved in digital imaging for the last 10 years at a steady pace, and we have finally hit a sweet spot with mirrorless. So much so, Nikon and Canon have finally gave in and have been working on pro level mirrorless systems of their own. BUT they are behind the game, and 10 years behind. This means they will be doing some catch up, and it will be exciting times ahead as we see the “Mirrorless Wars” heat up.

Up until now Sony has not had any competition really when it comes to full frame mirrorless. Sure, we have other fantastic mirrorless cameras from Fuji, Olympus etc. But no one is doing FULL FRAME and progressing the tech like Sony. Since they make their own sensors (and sensors for many others) it makes sense.

But I have heard that Canon’s pro mirrorless is already out there in the world being tested. Nikon is said to be coming out with a serious mirrorless system in 2019. All I will say is they better be full frame, and be fast, have amazing battery life and have superb video capabilities. See, it t took Sony 10 Years to do this. How long will it take Nikon and Canon whose DSLR sales have been slowing year after year.

LOW LIGHT, HIGH ISO

There have been times I have lived in low light scenarios, shooting images in cave like conditions. Low light music clubs with one light bulb providing the light. In these scenarios, not many cameras can handle it. The Leica M10 and SL can’t, Olympus can’t swing it, and most APS-C’s can’t either (Fuji can’t do it either). The only cameras that have blown my mind in low light have been the Sony II and III models and the Hasselblad X1D which to me is still an amazingly incredible and gorgeous camera, depending on your use. (My X1D 4 Part review can be seen starting HERE)

This Sony A7III is no exception for low light use. It just works. The AF works, locks on and the resulting image will have noise if you are in the dark and shooting at ISO 12800 or above but it’s not nearly as offensive as some would think. Again, all comes down to what you like or want to shoot but do know that if you find yourself in the dark, these Sony cameras with even a Semi-Fast lens will see better in the dark than you do. They will delver an image that appears to be lighter than the scenario you are in.

Below is an image at 12800 and a crop of the image. These are right from camera with noise reduction turned off.

Must click on the images to see them correctly. If not they will appear soft. That goes for all images on this website! 

First the resized full image, then a 100% crop without any NR turned on 

Image below is at 6400 ISO, crop right after the full scene

You can see that at 6400 it looks pretty damn good. ISO 12800 starts to muddy up but I would still use it if I had to in a low light scenario, and possibly convert to B&W. But for most, 6400 will be usable and look VERY good.

DETAILS

The a7III does have an AA filter. The A7RIII does not. For a few out there this may be a dealbreaker. I personally prefer cameras without the AA filter but in this case it doesn’t seem to do much harm to the image or detail.

See an image below of a dog coming out of the ocean. I shot this with the 24-70 from quite a distance but you can see the the full out of camera image by clicking on it below. Keep in mind, this is a JPEG. RAW would be even better (I will add the raw file here in a few days).

MUST CLICK IT TO SEE IT FULL SIZE!

I mean, for an JPEG saved as a level 8 JPEG before uploading this is not bad at all. In fact it shows just how good this camera (and 24-70 GM lens) is.

DRAWBACKS 

I thought for a while on what the drawbacks are for this camera, and the only one I have found applies to ALL Sony models. The menu is too complex and deep. I wish there was a simple mode, or as my friend Chad Wadsworth has said “A classic mode” with simple menus and interface like the Leica’s and Hasselblad X1D. I also wish Sony would design a killer camera, even if it was a one off model… create a work of art that performs like they do and you would then have my desert island camera.

THEY CAN DO IT! Will they? I doubt it. There truly aren’t weaknesses that I can find with the 7III for the money. Sure, I can say “Why didn’t they use the high res EVF”? But I know the answer. To save money so they can save US money! You want the best you pay for the best but in this case, the 7III, as stated, is not a dumbed down camera or compromise. It’s simply fantastic.

THIS IS ONE CAMERA TO TAKE SERIOUSLY. 

MY FINAL THOUGHTS.

There are probably over 100 reviews out there for this camera right now. Many did them a month ago, some just 2 weeks ago and a few just completed them. You can find them on YouTube, the Web and on personal blogs. Me, I am late to the party review wise but when a camera like this comes down the pike I have to really use it more than once or twice to get a feel for it. I have to develop a relationship with it as a tool, so I know what to expect of it, what it can do and what it’s limitations are.

I have to get it in my hands, to see if I have ANY issues with it at all. To see if there are quirks, flaws or problems that I myself encounter (not anyone else). For me, in all of my use of the A7III I have NOT had ONE issue with it at all. No freeze ups, no crazy stalls, no lag, no issues with the speed, AF or video. In fact, these latest gen Sony cameras are incredibly solid in performance. Here at the Kando 2.0 trip there are hundreds here using the newest Sony models and I have not see anyone with issues (not to say there hasn’t been but if so, I have not seen it).

Today’s Sony camera is much different than the Sony cameras of the past, and I mean 10 years ago, 9 years ago, 8 years ago. Who would have thunk that those little 1st NEX3 and 5 cameras would evolve in to an incredible system that PROS would be switching to? I’m far from the only one singing the praises of these new Sony cameras. Olympic pros, concert pros, wedding pros, portrait pros..all are loving these new cameras.

Almost every serous reviewer who actually uses the camera seems to love it. Those who have not used it, and are fans of certain brands may trash Sony but the fact of the matter is this:

These cameras deliver all one could want or need, and while I find the body design boring and dull, I can not deny the performance of these cameras. The “Basic” A7III offers most of us all we will ever need. Again, if you want more resolution in your images, or EVF go for the A7rIII. If you want all out speed, go A9. If you do not mind slow quirky performance spend $700 and go for an original A7!

But for those who want the flavor of all of the version III bodies from Sony and you have a $2k budget, you can not go wrong with the A7III. Video, photo, speed, response, and experience is all top notch. No one can say otherwise as if they do they are not being honest with you or themselves.

Sure, Sony cameras may not appeal to all as their design, menus and buttons leave some to be desired (I wish they would design a truly amazing enthusiast body) but again, the performance can not be denied. By anyone. That is the truth, fact and just how it is.

There’s no bad here. Just good. Digital tech has come a long way for imaging, and it will only get better because competition is on the way via Canon and Nikon. I just hope they are serious, and deliver something outstanding so we all can benefit from companies pushing the limits. I am excited to see what is to come in the full frame mirrorless world. I will be here to check them all out, and relay my thoughts to you, or anyone who is interested in hearing them.

Here is a video I did on the spur of the moment the other day, as I felt an excitement from within about what is to come in the digital world. Do not take what I say here (in this video) as me saying a camera is the only thing that can motivate you to shoot, but rather a component to aid in that passion and excitement because when you have a camera you LOVE and can bond with, it just makes your photography adventures THAT MUCH better.

I have a confession! 

Thanks to all for reading my thoughts on the A7III. They come from the heart and I am not into going into detail about tech specs, I never have done that actually. Ten years of reviews and I still write them the same way, and 2018 and 2019 is making me excited again about what is to come. I will say that the A7III is flat out a fantastic camera that you will not be disappointed in, no matter what you may shoot. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

OH and BTW, this 24-70 G Master is GORGEOUS as we already know. Every image in this review was taken with the 24-70, and all of these are JPEGS! I will share RAW files at a later date when I get back home and can process them correctly. You can buy this lens at B&H Photo or Amazon!

Thank you all!

You can order the A7III at any of my trusted dealers below:

Buy the A7III at B&H Photo

Buy the A7III at Amazon

OTHER RANDOM NOTES ON THE A7III

It does have some weather sealing but not at the pro level. Battery life is around 700-800 shots though I have gotten 1300 on a charge. Video capabilities are, as usual, fantastic and it does shoot 4K of course. LCD and EVF are slightly lower res than the A9 and A7RIII but in use, it’s not something I really notice. Once you shoot for a few minutes your eyes adjust and it is not an issue. The joystick on the back is fantastic, and the continuous AF is just under the A9. I do not talk about or test all of these crazy specs, as there are 100 other reviews that have done that. Instead, I prefer to speak about the usability, the performance and the passion that comes from using a product. This one ticks all the right boxes.


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64 Comments

  1. Hi Steve,
    First of all I enjoy your reviews, and you seem to be really down to earth!
    Am I sweating bullets over these rumors about the a7 III having all these horror stories about failing shutters! I have only 7600 shots on mine and treat it gently. Should I worry and get rid of it or dismiss the hearsay. If you can,offer your opinion on this. Thanks so much! Paul C.

  2. I purchased the A7III just when it appeared on the market and I must say I am really happy with it. Low light behaviour is really excellent, I have some portraits at iso 3200 and iso 6400 still rich of details. Battery life has really improved while I find that the AF performance is not so different from A7RII. Start up time is clearly reduced from A7RII. The touch screen of the rear LCD is not so useful as it is not active in Menu mode and not so responsive when used while looking through the EVF. Personalized menu system is an important and needed feature which allows to reach the most important customizations withouth loosing time fiddling into the menu system.

  3. Why is there no mention of the biggest drawbacks at least for me:

    The sensor collects dust very quickly like no other camera I know. Any F smaller than 5.6 is gettimg critical if you use more than one lens. This happens with the A7R3. I wonder how can a A73 be any better?

    The in camera cleaning is a joke and has no effect at all.

    Besides the exposoure correction knob has no lock. Why can’t this knob be much tighter?

    If there were more people who would complain about these drawbacks Sony might offer some cleaning service for free for their valued customers.

    • I have never had issues with dust on my A7rII (which I shot from the day it arrived to the day the A9 arrived) nor do I have it with the A7RIII.Nothing that has not been able to be blown off with a blower. So I do not agree with you on that, as I have not experienced it. All cameras collect dust if we get careless with changing lenses, and eventually dust does gather but usually a blow with a rocket blower does the trick. The only cameras I have never had to use my blower with has been Olympus bodies. If I do not encounter an issue with a camera, I do not mention the issue as I would be unaware of such issue ; )

      • I use a rocket blower myself, Steve. When changing lenses I always put the camera mount in a downward position and still at F8.0 to F11 the dust spots are clearly visible. It seems to me that the sensor draws dust like a magnet despite I only use fixed focus lenses. Am I the only one out there?

        • I have used the Sony A7ii. I never had any dust problem on my sensors that a simple blower won’t do the trick. Now, I’m using the Sony A7iii so far no dust issues.

        • Dust is a great friend of a particular phenomenon:

          Static electricity.

          So if experiencing a mysterious dust problem, that others don’t seem to have, it’s a good idea to study the arcane art of static electricity buildup. Look at things like clothing, air temperature/humidity, quality of particulate matter locally, storage boxes for equipment and electrical grounding of equipment.

  4. Steve,
    I almost bought your SL a few months ago and finally I’m going to pull the trigger. I will also probably get the A7iii for other work that I need fast response with. In addition, I also own a Panasonic G9 for video work and I must say that body is so solid and surpasses most current Canon and Nikon bodies except the very top of the line. It is also a much better user experience from a Sony body. Thanks for the honest review.

  5. Hey Steve. Waiting for your take on the RAW files, how do these perform in regards to low light and dynamic range. Although these JPEGs look fantastic, so if I get this camera I may end up using JPEG much more often

  6. Thank you for these clarifications and for this sharing on the A7III.Cemodel case interests me enough since I need to renew my camera. I find that for its price difference compared to other models, the performance in terms of image quality is not worn.

  7. I’d like to thank you for the reviews you’re making. Before several years your work helped me to choose Olympus e-m1 mk2 and it still inspire me very much. Now I’m wondering about full frame camera and my question is – to take sony a7 mk3 or Leica SL? (In this case the price doesn’t matter). I should say that I wanted Leica for a long time, but was afraid that it would be difficult to shoot without AF 🙂 that’s why I started to use old vintage manual lenses with my Olympus. Now I see that SL is much more different… What would be your chose if you were coming from Olympus?

    • The SL is a beast, a beautiful beast at that. Compared to the Sony A7III it will be built much better, feel more solid, have much simpler menus and interface, a much nicer EVF experience, and provide a unique IQ with a Leica feel in the colors. You will lose AF speed as the Sony is the best there is for AF speed, especially in continuous mode. You will lose some low light capability as the SL sensor is not going to do ISO 12800 like the Sony can but up to 3200 it is very nice. You will also have a VERY large and heavy system if you buy native lenses for the SL. The Lenses are some of the best I have ever used but LARGE, HEAVY and makes the system much larger than any Sony.

      So all depends on what you want and need.

      For photos and stills I much prefer the SL experience but I love using it with small M lenses as the native glass, as gorgeous as the 24-90 is for example, it is large, and not a daily carry kind of system. For work, paid work, pro work, the SL will do fantastic and the seize would not be an issue.

      Best way to decided is to hold both, shoot both. The Leica oozes class and style. The Sony oozes performance. Both provide great IQ but the Leica IQ is a tad more “refined”, and I am not sure if that is the right word, but just “feels” better. See my SL review for samples there.

      Good luck, and BTW, I miss the SL Every time I sell one (twice now) I miss it, even if I have other systems I love. So that says something rich there I think.

      Thanks!

  8. Steve, please tell us your experience with manual focus lenses on A7III. With the A7RII we had to magnify 2x in order to see a detailed image in the EVF (1x magnify was washed-out). Is it the same on the new A7III?
    Thanks!

    • The A7III uses the same EVF as the RII so will be the same. The A9 and RIII have a better EVF (more res) but even with the king of EVF’s, the Leica SL, you still need to magnify to really nail focus critically is shooting with a fast prime anyway. ; )

    • Hi Nicola, Steve is right about the VF being the same as the one on the Rii but the issue you mentioned was due too the higher pixel count sensors(42MP) being downscaled for the 1X magnificantion, I can tell you that’s not a problem on the A7iii, it’s the very reason I sold the a7rii cause I shoot a lot with manual lenses.

  9. Hi Steve,
    Having reviewed both Olympus EM1-II and A73, how does their AF (eyeAF in particular) compare with each other? Is the A73 superior in your opinion? Thanks!

    • The A7III is far superior to the Olympus EM1 MKII with all modes of AF. All MKIII Sony’s are. The Olympus is built better though, and has its own strengths and charms of course. I still own the EM1 MKII ; )

        • I just used my EM1 MKII 2 weeks ago, all day long. Just because I do not post all personal photos here doesn’t mean I am not using the gear. I use my X1D, my EM1 MKII, Sony (mostly for video) and all gear. Some more than others, like my PEN-F which has been in my cabinet for a while, but I go back to it from time to time. Not all I do is posted here. I have a slew of Old pro primes as well. 8mm, 7-14, 25 1.2, 45 1.2, and quite a few more.

  10. Hmmm, what if I move away from my “fixed lens” camera (X100F, GR) mindset and slide into this A7III direction? I wonder what will happen to me….

    Thanks Steve…for offering me this peek into a world of photographic opportunities.

    • Well, no camera is perfect. I mean, it probably hasn’t been made yet. For stills only, it would be either a Leica SL or Hasselblad X1D if I had to choose today. Love them both. Neither have the speed or specs of the Sony but they do what they do very well.

  11. So Steve, I can get an A7R ii for the same price as the A7R iii. Speed and battery doesn’t matter to me so much. I presume the A7R ii still has a superior sensor, and I really fancy 42mp for landscape and cropping. What do you think ?

    • The A7RII has the same exact sensor as the A7RIII – But the A7RIII is far far superior in every way from speed, to response to battery life and function. GO a7RIII without question! If you mean A7III vs A7RII, I would go with the A7III without question for me, but if you say you do not care about battery life (be sure to get 5 batteries for the RII) or speed (III is also more accurate) or the other new features of the III (Body style, joystick, dual card slots, better EVF, etc) then go for the II.

  12. It’s taken 8 versions of the A7 series but it looks like Sony is finally starting to get the colors right. Steve, were you at all off-put by the EVF/LCD experience … I understand Sony went backwards on these features?

    • Its only been three seres of cameras. V1 VII and VIII and all have had improvements along the way but none as huge as the jump from VII to VIII. All share the same features but have different sensors. In any case, the EVF/LCD is perfectly fine, and I have had no issues with the EVF in the III. It is lower res than the RIII and A9 due to the much lower cost. They can’t be expected to put the higher res EVF in and keep the price at $1999. But it’s a non issue. But it is what we make of it. I remember using the very 1st Olympus PEN with an EVF. WAS AWFUL but I used it, loved it and had no issues with it. Even so, the best EVF today is still housed in the Leica SL IMO. A9 is next. Bottom line, the EVF is teh same as what was in the A7RII, and no one complained about it then and many amazing images were created with that camera. Thanks!

      • I think you misunderstood me, what I meant to convey was that I don’t care for the colors coming from any of the previous Sony 7’s, 7 or 7II, 7R or 7RII or 7RIII, 7S, 7SII or 9 so that’s actually 7 previous 7’s and a 9. The A7III is the 9th Alpha in the Series and I like the colors coming from the RAWS. The 10th Alpha – A7SIII with it’s new color science should be the Pièce De Résistance for Alpha color 😉

  13. Steve thanks for the review. There are some reports on forums about problems with using eye autofocus with narrow depth of field and the camera mis-focusing – I take it from your review that this was not something you experienced at all?

    • EYE AF is rock solid, especially with the A9. It’s about the same with the RIII and III and I have had no issues with it, always locks on unless you are in the dark. I’m sure it can be fooled in the right situation but it is 1000X better than what Canon offers for their Eye focus. In continuous AF mode, it sticks like glue to the eye. Ive used it a handful of times though as I feel face recognition works good enough for me. For critical eye af though, this implementation of it works very well.

  14. Thank you Steve for the great report. I still prefer my A7RII for the greater compactness, advanced functionality through the playapps suppor and cheaper price per 42 Mpixel ratio.

    • Yep some do like the apps and you can not use them on the III. I need used them but many do, so that is a good point. Thank you!

  15. Great review, as always, Steve. I have the A7M3. I want to add two things.
    1. The A7M3 is tougher than expected. Recently, my wrist strap, which I use on all cameras, failed at its junction clasp (I don’t know how), with Sony/Zeiss 35 1.4 Distagon (a fairly heavy lens) attached. The whole unit dropped 4.5 feet onto concrete (along with my heart!). I couldn’t believe it! The lens, already pointing down, and being heavier than the body, took the hardest hit, and I think cushioned the camera’s fall a bit, though the camera received a tremendous shock popping open all doors except battery compartment. The lens hood broke in two parts. Looking down (in shock!) I expected to see glass and broken parts everywhere, from lens and camera, but the only broken pieces were the lens hood which absorbed the most direct hit. The camera body didn’t have a scratch, no doubt because the heavy lens took the main hit.
    After exclaiming (explitive deleted) I picked the camera up (lens still attached) and turned it on. Black screen of death. Turned it on/off a few times. Nothing. Tried it again and got message to turn power on/off (which I had been doing). I removed battery, replaced it, and LO! BEHOLD! camera worked like nothing happened! I used it the rest of the day, seemed fine. Being a worrying, suspicious sort, I sent it to Sony’s repair center for testing. They cleaned it inside and out, same with lens, tested camera, no mention of anything wrong. They attached a new lens hood and everything seems fine.
    2. I love the joystick but I can’t imagine any designer ok-ing that almost invisible gray square around focus point! SONY, IF YOU ARE LISTENING, MAKE A BRIGHT GREEN SQUARE THROUGH FIRMWARE UPDATE.
    P.S. No more wrist strap. I now use a Black Rapid shoulder strap.
    P.S.S. Thanks for listening to my horror story that so far seems to have a happy ending.

  16. I would like to know how the Sony a7III behaves with Leica lenses 28mm and 35mm concerning vignetting, corner smearing which are caused by the sensor itself.

    • All VIII models are the best they have been, but even so, you will always have some corner smearing with wide angle lenses. I find using 50mm lenses are fantastic, 35mm good and any wider you will notice the edges smeared somewhat. They will never be perfect though on a Sony.

  17. Thanks for the nice comparative review. My favorite Sony right now is the A9. It is super fast from startup, to autofocus, to frame rate and is completely silent with the electronic shutter which is really nice even for family event shooting. The point is that with the A9, I can almost always nail the focus and the moment – and it is more fun to shoot than any of the many cameras I’ve owned.

  18. Glad to see your reviews continue to be very meaningful. Thanks for sharing your experience and insight. Any suggestions for on body flashes for the A7?

  19. Thanks Steve for the nice review.
    I have many doubts about the quality of the photos you posted. They are very contrasty and too sharp. They are very unnatural and look like graphic images rather than photographs. Have you manipulated the files to get these results? I hope the sensor is also able to provide different and more natural images. I would like to combine a Sony A7III with my Leica M9P. What do you think about it?

    • Well, as stated, these are ALL JPEG from the camera and as you may realize (or not) there are many color modes you can choose from when using JPEG. You can choose neutral, which will give a low contrast and low color image, you can go to landscape or portrait or one of many other modes. These are 90% shot in VIVID mode which raises contrast and color. I also shot RAW but will not go over those until I get home on my main compeer and display. I do not like processing RAW files on my (old) small laptop. But the files can be processed in any way you like when shooting RAW or you can choose a mellower preset within the camera for JPEG. But again, EVERY SINGLE image here was a JPEG. I will post some of these images processed from RAW next week ; ) NO matter what camera you use today, if you choose the vivid (or for example Velvia mode in Fuji) you will get high contrast, color that pops and deeper blacks. Thank you.

      • Thanks Steve. In fact I had thought of a particular setting in the camera of jpeg files. Thanks for your confirmation.
        It ‘s true that you say that the files can be easily manipulated with each camera, but each sensor has its own imprint. It will be nice if you tell us your opinion on the performance of this sensor compared to the CCD of the M9 or other CMOS cameras (certainly apart from the sensitivity).

    • Although I usually shoot and use RAW, I set Creative Style to NEUTRAL rather than Standard or Vivid because I find it easier to punch up a jpeg image in post than to tone it down. If I anticipated doing no post processing of jpeg images, my own personal preference would be Standard. However, I do respect the choices others make.

      • I agree. I’m normally in Neutral but wanted to show OOC JPEGS, and later show some that have been processed with RAW, for a future post to show the benefits of RAW shooting ; ) Besides, most love punchy colors as evidenced by Instagram ; ) Thanks for the comment.

  20. Great review Steve! Need your help Steve. Trying to decide A7RIII or A7III. Here’s the catch. I have the opportunity to buy a A7RIII at $2400. What model should I buy?

    • Well with are amazing cameras. The RIII will be a tad slower with AF (but not by much), have more resolution, etc etc. If the RIII is new, I’d go that route. If used, I’d go A7III. Just for warranty reasons.

        • For $400 it may be worth it as you will get a better EVF, slightly better build, higher res files, etc. You will lose slight AF speed but those benefits are mostly in C-AF mode for continuous action where the A7III will be better than the RIII but still under the A9. Enjoy!

  21. This really looks like the perfect camera. The only area where I find my a7II lacking is the autofocus I like to shoot street. The a7iii seems to have nailed that. One feature I wish Sony would add to these cameras is black and white JPEG in camera processing like Fuji. Even Panasonic and Olympus have L Monochrome and Monochrome filters. You’re right about the Sony menus. They’re terrible. Thanks for the review you’ve definitely convinced me 🙂

  22. Your reviews and writing style (very conversational) are a refreshing alternative to spec-heavy analyses of gear. Specs? I can get those from manufacturers’ websites and brochures. What I want, and get from you and a select few, are your thoughts based on years of experience with multiple systems. Thanks.

    • I would go A7IIi today just for the speed increase, battery life increase and all of the improvements that came with the III series of cameras. Unless you want the higher res.

    • I see a lot more flexibility in the A7rII because of the 42mpixel sensor…you can choose to go @11 megapixel res if you want the best high iso quality and than A7III have no advantages, only a HIGHER PRICE! 😉

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