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Sony Alpha 7 III · Photo source

Sony Alpha 7 III
Photo 1 of 19

Sony Alpha 7 III · Photo source

Sony · Alpha

Alpha 7 III

Released March 2018

A 24.2 MP full-frame E-mount mirrorless camera with a back-illuminated sensor, five-axis stabilisation, hybrid autofocus and 4K video.

Model history · 2 models, 2014–2018
  1. 2014Alpha 7 IICompare
  2. 2018Alpha 7 III
Type
Mirrorless
Sensor
Full frame
Megapixels
24.2
Lens
Sony E-mount
Video
3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Body weight
565 g

What reviewers say

Reviewers praised the image quality, broad autofocus coverage, quick burst shooting, 4K footage and much longer battery life. Both found the menu system complicated, and Digital Camera World thought larger lenses upset the small body's balance. Its stabilisation tests were less convincing than Sony's headline claim. Only one card slot supports UHS-II.

From photographyblog.com and digitalcameraworld.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Image and sensor

Camera type
Mirrorless
Sensor format
Full frame
Sensor type
Back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS
Sensor dimensions
35.6 × 23.8 mm
Effective resolution
24.2 MP
Largest image
6000 × 4000
RAW recording
Yes
Standard ISO range
100–51200
Sensor detail
Approximately 25.3 million total pixels; 3:2 back-illuminated sensor.
Image formats
JPEG and Sony ARW 2.3 RAW, including uncompressed RAW. Sony's announcement limits compressed RAW continuous shooting to 12 bits; 14-bit output is not universal in every mode.
ISO detail
Standard still-image ISO 100–51200; expanded ISO 50–204800. Video ISO 100–51200 expands up to ISO 102400.
Image processor
BIONZ X with front-end LSI.

Lens and shooting

Lens mount
Sony E-mount
Stabilisation
Sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst
10 fps
Autofocus
Fast Hybrid AF with 693 phase-detection and 425 contrast-detection points; phase-detection covers approximately 93% of the image area. Eye AF supports continuous AF.
Shutter
Focal-plane shutter; 30 seconds to 1/8000 second plus Bulb; electronic first curtain and silent electronic shooting.
Burst detail
Up to approximately 10 fps in Hi+ with AF/AE tracking using mechanical or silent shooting; approximately 8 fps in Hi with live view. Maximum speed depends on settings and lens compatibility. Silent shooting can distort moving subjects. Sony gives buffers of approximately 177 standard JPEG, 89 compressed RAW or 40 uncompressed RAW images under its UHS-II SDXC test conditions.
Stabilisation detail
Five-axis image-sensor shift; Sony claims 5 stops under CIPA conditions for pitch/yaw with Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA and long-exposure noise reduction off. Correction depends on the lens.

Video

Highest video resolution
3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Video detail
Japanese/NTSC XAVC S 4K at 30p or 24p, approximately 100 or 60 Mbps; the UK PAL specification lists 25p. Full HD reaches 120p in NTSC modes. S-Log2, S-Log3 and HLG supported. Sony specifies different sensor readout at 24p and 30p; PhotographyBlog reports a 1.2× crop at 30p. Continuous recording is limited to approximately 29 minutes.
Audio
Built-in stereo microphone; 3.5 mm microphone and headphone sockets.

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder
Electronic
Screen size
3″
Screen dots
921,600
Touchscreen
Yes
Tilting screen
Yes
Display detail
TFT screen tilts approximately 107° up and 41° down; touch focus is supported. Dots count colour subpixels.
Viewfinder detail
0.5-inch electronic viewfinder; 2,359,296 dots; 100% coverage and approximately 0.78× magnification with a 50 mm lens at infinity.

Connections and design

Wi-Fi
Yes
Bluetooth
Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)
710 photographs
Body weight
565 g
Release detail
Sony Japan specifies 23 March 2018 for the ILCE-7M3 body and ILCE-7M3K kit, following its 27 February announcement; this is the Japanese sale date, not a UK release claim.
Recording media
Two card slots; slot 1 supports UHS-I and UHS-II SD cards, while slot 2 supports UHS-I SD and compatible Memory Stick media.
Ports
USB-C with USB 3.1 Gen 1, Multi/Micro USB, Micro HDMI, microphone and headphone sockets and Multi Interface Shoe.
Wireless connections
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g/n at 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC.
Battery life detail
NP-FZ100; approximately 710 photographs with the monitor or 610 with the viewfinder under CIPA conditions.
Charging
USB-C or Multi/Micro USB charging and power supply.
Dimensions
Approximately 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7 mm maximum (width × height × depth); Sony also gives 62.7 mm from grip to monitor.
Weight detail
Approximately 565 g body only; 650 g including battery and memory card; lens excluded.
In the box
NP-FZ100 battery, AC adaptor AC-UUD12, shoulder strap, body cap, accessory shoe cap, eyepiece cup and Micro USB cable, according to Sony Japan.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 693 phase-detection autofocus points
  • Up to 10 fps with AF and AE tracking
  • Dual memory-card slots

Cons

  • Only one card slot supports UHS-II
  • Screen tilts but does not face forwards

Closest rivals

Model
TypeSensorMegapixelsLensVideoBody weightReleased
CanonEOS RP
MirrorlessFull frame26.2Canon RF3840 × 2160 at 25 fps440 gMar 2019
PanasonicLUMIX S1
MirrorlessFull frame24.2L-Mount3840 × 2160 at 60 fps899 gMar 2019
PanasonicLUMIX S1H
MirrorlessFull frame24.2L-Mount5952 × 3968 at 24 fps1052 gSept 2019

Previous model: Alpha 7 II.

Sources

  1. sony.co.uk/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7m3/specificatio…
  2. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/spec.html
  3. sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/201802/18-0227
  4. photographyblog.com/reviews/sony_a7_iii_review
  5. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3
  6. pur.store.sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/ILCE-7M3_purchase
  7. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/feature_1.html
  8. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/feature_2.html
  9. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/feature_3.html
  10. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/feature_4.html
  11. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/feature_5.html
  12. sony.jp/ichigan/products/ILCE-7M3/feature_6.html
  13. sony.jp/webapi/image/product_relate.php
  14. sony.jp/webapi/image/product_relate.php
  15. sony.jp/webapi/image/product_relate.php
  16. sony.mediaroom.com/2018-02-26-Sony-Expands-Full-frame-Mirrorless-Lineup-with-In…
  17. sony.co.uk/interchangeable-lens-cameras/products/ilce-7m3-body-kit
  18. sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7m3
  19. helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1720/v1/en/index.html
  20. sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/5074/9c2e7c425d271c4406096edb2267b53a/…
  21. sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4732/7e0b79aa9597d876d6854dd1ee0fd597/…
  22. sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7m3/manuals
  23. sony.co.uk/interchangeable-lens-cameras/products/ilce-7m3-body-kit/feature1
  24. sony.co.uk/interchangeable-lens-cameras/products/ilce-7m3-body-kit/feature2
  25. sony.co.uk/interchangeable-lens-cameras/products/ilce-7m3-body-kit/feature6

Photo: sony.jp

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