Sony a7S III

The Sony a7S III is a full-frame mirrorless camera released in 2020, built around a 12.1MP CMOS sensor. That low pixel count points the camera toward video and low-light use rather than sheer detail.

At 699g and 129 x 97 x 81mm it is a mid-sized body, and the Sony FE mount gives access to the brand's full-frame lens range.

It suits photographers and filmmakers who work in dim venues or who prioritise moving images, and who accept less cropping room in exchange. Owning one means planning around the 600-shot battery rating, a stills figure rather than a video-endurance promise.

The a7S III takes an unusual route: its 12.1MP sensor trades resolution for other strengths. Fewer pixels mean less cropping room and less scope for large prints, so compose tightly in camera. The Optics score of 69, rated good, reflects the modest resolution, yet the camera sits in the upper range of cameras in our database for Optics.

That sensor pairs with a native ISO span of 80 to 102400, giving you room to keep shooting as the light fades instead of packing up at dusk.

Autofocus is specified with 759 points, a generous count, though numbers alone do not establish coverage or tracking. A maximum burst of 10fps covers short bursts of action, but that figure is a top speed rather than a promise of sustained shooting. Shutter speeds reach 1/8000s, which helps keep wide apertures usable in bright conditions.

In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake for sharper handheld stills, and the 9.44-million-dot electronic viewfinder gives a detailed preview of exposure before you commit to the frame.

The video score of 77, rated good, fits a camera clearly built around moving images. Maximum recording resolution is 4K, and the fastest frame rate reaches 120fps for slow motion. Resolution and frame rate are separate limits, so the quickest slow motion may not be available at full resolution.

Footage records in XAVC S or XAVC HS, so you can choose the file format that suits your editing setup and storage plans.

There is no built-in intervalometer, so timelapse sequences need to be shot frame by frame or triggered externally rather than set up in the camera's menu.

The in-body stabilisation carries over to video, reducing the camera shake that handholding adds.

The features score of 83, rated very good, reflects strong screen, control and connectivity specifications. The 3-inch LCD carries 1.44 million dots, so playback and menus look crisp, and touch control makes settings quick to adjust.

That screen flips out, which helps when you are framing from high overhead, low to the ground, or from anywhere other than directly behind the eyepiece.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both built in for linking the camera to other devices. Weather sealing guards against dust and moisture in the field, though it does not make the camera waterproof. GPS is absent, so location tagging falls to a separate device.

There is no built-in flash, but external flash is supported, so you can add a dedicated unit when a scene needs extra light.

Two card slots accept SD, SDHC and SDXC media with UHS-II speed, or CFexpress Type A cards. With two slots and fast card options available, you can carry more capacity and spend less of a long shoot swapping media.

The NP-FZ100 battery is rated at 600 shots, a rating rather than a promise of real-world endurance. That figure is where the section's score of 76, rated good, gives up the most ground, so a spare battery is a sensible addition for important work.

USB charging is supported, which makes topping the battery up between shoots straightforward. Plan around a compatible USB power source rather than assuming any charger or power bank will do the job.