When Sony created the A7SII, it set out to build one of the camera world’s premier filmmaking platforms. Over time, however, the handheld device began to feel dated, especially when compared to cutting-edge offerings being released by Canon and Panasonic. Now, the Japanese giant has announced the release of its third-generation A7S — and it’s (almost) everything that we’ve been waiting for.
Almost, you say? The Sony A7S III is a monstrous filmmaking platform that suffers from one minor drawback: it doesn’t feature 6, or 8K capabilities. When compared to recent releases like the Canon EOS R5, and Panasonic’s S1H — its most prominent competitors — that might seem like a significant issue. But after diving a bit deeper, we begin to see the bigger picture. Utilizing its all-new Bionz XR chip and 12.1-megapixel Exmor R sensor, the camera can now produce 4K video at up to 120 fps, full HD at 240 fps, and 10-bit, 4:2:2 color-sampled files at up to 600 Mbps, making it the clear winner in the 4K market. Its tailored S-Log2/S-Log3 picture profiles provide 15+ stops of dynamic range, allowing for unparalleled malleability during post-production. Pair that with a 759-point phase-detect autofocus system, improved rolling shutter, and the world’s first 9.44-million dot EVF, and this $3,500 platform might just usurp its predecessor in popularity.
