Anyone searching for the best digital camera for filmmaking or the best digital camera in general ought to check out the Sony Alpha A7 III Mirrorless digital camera. At a price far lower than many competitors, this Sony camera packs in fantastic features like a great autofocus system and a full frame image sensor. Compared to some other cameras from the Sony Alpha line, the A7 III takes the cake as the best camera for its price.
Related: With the Sony A6600, superb image quality just ain’t enough. It also boasts of the fastest AF, with an emphasis on keeping images steady.
Why We Like It – Sony Alpha A7 III Mirrorless Digital Camera
There’s plenty of mirrorless camera options out there, but none quite beat out the Sony Alpha A7 III. The image quality is stellar, thanks to the full frame CMOS sensor, the fast auto focus system, and the wide ISO range. What’s more, this camera is a beast when it comes to battery life, far outpacing any of the competition. Enthusiasts and professionals alike would be happy to have the Sony Alpha A7 III Mirrorless Digital Camera in their camera bag.
- Great low light images with little to no noise, even at high ISO
- 5-axis in camera image stabilization system
- Back illuminated image sensor takes fantastic low light photos
- LCD touchscreen functionality limited to focusing
- Subpar weather sealing around accessory ports
- Only one of the two memory card slots supports the faster SD UHS-II cards
Image Quality
There’s plenty to love about the Alpha A7 III, and image quality is definitely at the top of that list. The back illuminated CMOS sensor captures outstanding, high resolution photos, day or night. This camera boasts a broad ISO range from 100 to 51200 and can be extended from 50 to 204800, and even at those high ISO levels photos come out without much noticeable noise. The 5-axis in-body image stabilization system greatly improves low light photography as well, so images are always bright, crisp, and clear, even at the slowest shutter speed.
Ease of Use
The majority of mirrorless cameras do take some time to learn, and that holds true for the Alpha A7 III. That being said, most reviewers found this full frame camera to be very user friendly with only a few minor flaws that held it back from perfection. Sony updated the user-interface so that menus are color-coded and super easy to navigate, plus there’s plenty of customization options for setting up the interface however works best for you. The 3” LCD touch screen is adjustable, but not to the extent of other cameras like the Canon EOS Rebel SL3. Like the Sony A6100, the touchscreen functionality here is also pretty limited: it’s only useful for focusing. The AF system on the Sony A7 III is phenomenal, with fantastic focus control and tracking performance that works almost as well as some more expensive cameras.
Related: Designed for entry-level photographers, the Sony Alpha A6000 Mirrorless Camera comes with easy to navigate menus and buttons plus an intuitive point-and-shoot model.
Battery Life
The battery life on this camera is a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, the A7 II, and especially competition, like the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. The Sony A7 III is CIPA rated for 710 images through the LCD screen and 610 through the viewfinder. As for movie recording, reviewers were able to get anywhere from two to three hours before having to switch to a backup battery. While many professionals prefer to shoot RAW images, it is important to note that this does take more battery life than shooting JPEGs. Even so, the extended battery life on the A7 III makes this more than worth it, as it’s capable of producing stunning 14 bit RAW images.
Durability
Durability is perhaps the one other area that has room for improvement on the Alpha A7 III, but even the complaints here are relatively minor. While the A7 III is weather and dust sealed, the weather sealing around the accessory ports—including the micro USB type C—is a little loose, so it’s important to ensure everything is sealed and ready before taking this out in the rain. The camera body is almost completely constructed of magnesium, while the back panel is made of plastic. This full frame mirrorless camera is easy to hold and carry around, with no complaints about size or weight, and the textured grip is extra nice.
Value
Value with a mirrorless camera like the Sony Alpha A7 III ultimately comes down to what features you need. At less than $2000, this mirrorless digital camera is a great option for anyone that wants all the bells and whistles of a professional camera without the huge price tag. Sony’s E mount lenses do tend to run on the expensive side, so it’s important that potential buyers take this into account when researching this one. But the fantastic image quality, high speed AF system, and wonderful full frame sensor more than make up the price for the enthusiast that wants to experiment with and learn high-end camera systems.
Sony Alpha A7 III Mirrorless Digital Camera Wrap Up
This full frame mirrorless camera has very little going against it: even though some might be frustrated by the single SD UHS-II memory card slot, subpar weather sealing, and inadequate LCD touchscreen, these issues are relatively minor when held up against everything this Sony camera does right. Low light images are especially fantastic because of the CMOS sensor, in camera image stabilization system, and wide-spread ISO range. At under $2000, this camera is a fantastic choice that surely won’t disappoint.
