Sony a7S

The Sony a7S is a full-frame mirrorless camera released in 2014. At 489g and 127 x 94 x 48mm, it is a compact body for its sensor format.

Sony paired a 12.2-megapixel sensor with a very wide ISO range. That combination suits dim interiors, evening streets and events, where high sensitivity matters more than heavy cropping or large prints.

The FE mount gives access to Sony's full-frame lens range while the small body keeps the kit manageable. Ownership does involve planning, since there is one card slot and the battery is rated for 380 shots.

The 12.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor defines this camera's character. Its ISO range runs from 100 to 102400, which keeps photography possible in venues where flash is not allowed. The trade-off is resolution: heavy cropping and very large prints are not realistic goals here. That mix of strengths and limits gives Optics a good score of 60.

In the wider picture, the a7S sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics, which suits a camera built around sensitivity rather than resolution.

A maximum burst of five frames per second favours considered work over fast action, so portraits, street scenes and static subjects are its natural territory. Autofocus uses 25 points, and the 2.4-million-dot electronic viewfinder gives a detailed preview for framing and checking focus.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so in dim light you rely on steady technique, faster shutter speeds or a stabilised lens. The top shutter speed of 1/8000 second helps in the opposite situation, letting you keep wide apertures in bright daylight.

Recording tops out at Full HD resolution, and the maximum frame rate is 60fps; each figure is a separate maximum. There is no 4K option at all. Video scores a modest 56, and that resolution ceiling is the biggest reason.

The tilting screen makes framing easier at overhead and low angles, which helps handheld video as much as stills. That flexibility matters when you are working alone without a rig or an extra pair of hands.

You can record in XAVC S, AVCHD 2.0 or MP4, so the file type can be matched to your editing setup and storage habits. Timelapse is not built in, so interval projects need another approach, such as assembling stills afterwards.

The 3-inch LCD tilts, so overhead and low-angle framing stay comfortable, and 921,000 dots keep the preview reasonably detailed. It is not a touchscreen, so menu and focus-point changes happen through buttons and dials.

There is no built-in flash, but external flash units are supported. For a camera aimed at available-light work, a mounted flash or a fast lens makes more sense than a small pop-up unit.

WiFi is present, while Bluetooth and GPS are absent, so there is no built-in location tagging for your files.

Weather sealing protects the body against dust and moisture, though it is not a waterproof guarantee, so care after wet sessions still matters. That mix of gains and gaps gives Features a modest score of 54.

The a7S has a single card slot that takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards as well as Memory Stick Duo variants. With no second slot, there is no in-camera backup, so packing spare cards is wise for shoots you cannot repeat.

The NP-FW50 battery is rated for 380 shots, a modest figure. Long shoots, especially with the electronic viewfinder in constant use, call for at least one charged spare.

Charging over USB is not supported, so a laptop or power bank will not top the camera up on location, and spare batteries carry more weight. Those three factors together explain the limited score of 21 here.