Sony has introduced a new addition to their full-frame mirrorless cameras with the new a7 III. The new camera features a 24.2MP back-illuminated Exmor R XMOS image sensor with increased sensitivity, resolution and 15 stops of dynamic range at low sensitivities.
The Image sensor is paired with a front-end LSI that doubles the readout speeds of the image sensor and an updated BIONZ X processing engine that increases processing speed by 1.8 times compared to the a7 II. This allows the camera to shoot at faster speeds even when the ISO range is from 100 to 51200. The camera also features a 1.5-stop dynamic range at low sensitivity settings to ensure a great overall performance at all settings and shooting conditions. The full-frame mode can output at 14-bit RAW format and is equipped with a 5-axis optical image stabilisation that results in a 5.0 step shutter speed advantage.
The AutoFocus performance has also improved thanks to the addition of 4D FOCUS, the camera has 425 contrast AF points that work with a 693-point focal-plane phase-detection AF system that was adopted from the a9 model. It is also equipped with an updated image processor that allows shooting of full resolution images up to 10fps with continuous, accurate AF/AE tracking for up to 177 Standard JPEG images, 89 compressed RAW images or 40 uncompressed RAW images. High-speed mode is available with either a mechanical shutter or completely silent shooting.
Not only is the a7 III a great camera for photo taking, it also a great video camera, offering 4K video recording across the full width of the full-frame image sensor. It uses full pixel readout without pixel binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, it then oversamples it to produce high-quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth.
The a7 III comes with a variety of enhanced capabilities, these include dual media slots with support for one slot of UHS-II type SD memory cards. Users also have a variety of options for storing their content, including separate JPEG/RAW recording, separate still image/movie recording, relay recording and more. Other than that, it also features My Menu functionality which allows up to 30 menu items to be registered for instant use when you need it. It is also capable of transferring files to a smartphone, tablet, computer or FTP server via WiFi. If you prefer a wired connection, it supports SuperSpeed USB via the USB Type-C connector.
The a7 III is also compatible with a wide variety of Sony E-mount accessories including the BC-QZ1 Battery Charger, and the VG-C3EM Verticle Grip. The camera and SEL2870 lens will be available in Malaysia in April 2018 with a body-only pricing of RM8,999.
