Pro Moviemaker Sept/Oct 2020 - Web

SONY A7S III

THE VERDICT If youwant the best 4K

mirrorless full-frame camera for video, look no further. The spec and video and audio quality is incredible andmake it the best-ever Sonymirrorless video cam. Of course, if you need 6K or 8K video, compressed video Rawfiles recorded internally or a high-megapixel camera to crop your stills from, this is not your camera. Before you pre-order the Sony, youmust also factor in the cost of CFexpress cards and card reader tomake themost of it. If you’ve never edited 4K, 120fps files in 4:2:0 10-bit All- Intra, then you’re in for a shock at howmuch data there is and the strain on your computer. Althoughwe’re running a fast Mac, we had to convert files to proxies and edit those, as the full-res footage slowed it to a crawl. So youwill have to upgrade your workstation or change your workflow. But that’s the price of squeezing incredible quality out of such a compact and affordablemirrorless camera that offers spec and quality to rival cinema cameras.

More information

sony.com

HOW IT RATES Features: 9 Nowaveforms or 8K Raw recording, but it has everything else andmore Performance: 10 Amazing footage froma camera that sets new standards in 4K Handling: 9 Somuch better than the old A7S II model in every single way Value for money: 9 It’s competitively priced and has a solid build quality that should last OVERALL RATING: 9/10 The A7S III is the best performing and highest-spec full-frame 4Kmirrorless camera you can buy Pros: 10-bit 4:2:2 4K/120p and 240fps HD

“If youwant the best 4Kmirrorless full- frame camera for video, look no further”

Although the camera is sold predominantly as a video tool, it’s still a 12.1-megapixel full-frame camera, so is great for low-light shooting. It can shoot compressed or uncompressed Raw files at 10fps for up to 1000 shots. The A7S III may not be a megapixel monster for pixel- peeping stills photographers, but it’s far more capable than just taking BTS web snaps. It’s a camera that excels at video, but is a decent all-rounder, too.

intensive tests of the camera in a studio situation and did not manage to make it overheat. However, we also used it extensively outdoors in bright sunshine on one of Britain’s hottest summer days, and after around an hour of non-stop use, we got a high temperature warning and had to let it cool down for a few minutes. It seems that hot sunshine on a black camera body raises the temperature more than the internal heat from recording, which is something to be aware of.

ABOVE The A7S III boasts improved

Cons: No 6K or 8K, or internal Raw recording

ergonomics, with more positive buttons and a chunkier grip

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