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The Sony A7 III is a new camera on the market that’s in high demand for photographers and videographers. After two months on the waitlist, we were lucky to get our hands on this hybrid camera. If you’re looking to order the camera now it’s currently backordered 1-2 months on Amazon. I was so excited to get my hands on this camera that I had to test the features ASAP and let you know my initial thoughts. We wanted to see if the Sony A7 III lives up to the hype. Seeing if it's a good camera for photographers, videographers, and filmmakers.
SETTINGS
Sony cameras have a history of not being the best when it comes to menu settings and ease of use. But if you’re like me, you’re used to the Sony camera menus. After working with a variety of cameras over the years. I’ve come to the conclusion that we as photographers/videographers are getting pretty spoiled. We expect cameras to fit our exact expectations. We should pick up a camera and shoot work like Kold, Peter McKinnon or Jessica Koblessi. That’s not how it works. What I like about the Sony cameras is they’re customizable. After a good time investing in manual, you learn how to work with the Sony Cameras pain points. Because it’s a great camera at an affordable cost.
With customization, the Sony works magic. Here are some custom button settings that I love:
C1 to APSC Super 35 Mode to punch into subjects.
C2 to Zerba’s for exposure and to make sure I don’t blow out highlights
C3 I keep as the Focus modes so I can switch between manual and autofocus settings.
C4 I like to set to zoom for clear image zoom, to add another zoom function for added reach with my lenses.
AUTOFOCUS
The Sony cameras autofocus isn’t as good as the dual pixel autofocus from Canon. But Canon has yet to come out with a camera that has the video and photo functions with a 24mp sensor. The Canon 1DX is a great camera yet their video codec sucks. Plus the cost is absurd, ain’t nobody got time for that.
The autofocus on the Sony A7 III when tracking the subject is amazing. The 693-Point AF System is second when it comes to the Canon cameras. But, it’s light years ahead of Canon cameras with the extra pro settings.
The Autofocus was my favorite part of the Sony cameras. It’s what made me look at them apart from the Panasonic cameras, GH5, or GH5S.
Tracking subjects are not always reliable, but about 80% of the time it seems to do an awesome job.
SLOW MOTION
One of the reasons people tend to gravitate to the GH5 or the Canon 1DX is the slow-motion videos they can create. The GH5 can do 4K 60p which the Sony cannot do. Yet the Sony A7III is a beast when it comes to slow motion. It's up there with the Canon 1DX which is a $5k camera.
The Sony A7 III is a killer camera, with a bunch of features, and professional settings. Before I say it’s the best camera of 2018 I have to put it through more tests. I want to know how well it does fashion, documentaries and commercial work.
Watch our Full Video on the Sony A7 III including test footage:
Listen to the Podcast "Initial Thoughts on Sony A7 III & DOES GEAR MATTER?"
What are some tips or questions you have regarding the Sony A7 III? Let us know below!