The Sony Alpha a7s III is an incredible mirrorless camera that has video features that can compete with cinema cameras way above its price range. However, creators these days, including myself, are hybrid shooters. We not only film video but we also take photography just as seriously. The question a lot of people, including myself, on the fence of buying this camera was asking, are 12 megapixels enough for photography? Can the Sony a7siii be the perfect hybrid camera in its price range?
I had the perfect opportunity to put the a7s iii photo quality to the test back in October. I was hired to be a unit still photographer on the movie set of The Mick and The Trick for two weeks. The client needed me to capture hi-res, behind-the-scenes photos of the movie set, the different scenes, the actors in character, and the candids of the crew. If an executive producer of a movie approved my images taken with the a7s iii, then I knew I would be perfectly fine buying and using it as my go-to hybrid camera.
(Quick note, as of now I can’t post too many photos from the set for legal reasons since the movie is still in post-production. I will be updating this post throughout time, as I am able to post more photos from the set taken with the a7s3.)
Take a look below at some of my images taken with the a7s iii below and see for yourself the results from this camera that has 12 megapixels!
Sony a7s III Sample Images
Actor Alberto Suarez on set. Photo taken at midnight.
Director of Photography, Branden James Maxham on set.
Actor, Federico Castelluccio on set.
Check out my custom Kodak 500T Filmic Lut for Sony S LOG 3. This custom lut is a Rec 709 conversion lut that transforms Sony S LOG 3 footage into a rich, filmic look in the click of a button. Check out some S LOG 3 footage graded with the LUT below!
Stuntman on set.
Actor, Alberto Suarez on set.
Actor, Federico Castelluccio on set.
Conclusion, is the Sony Alpha a7s III great for photography?
Do I believe the Sony a7s3 is worth buying if you’re a hybrid shooter? The honest answer is it depends on your use case scenario and workflow. The a7s iii is the perfect hybrid camera for what I do. I am primarily a filmmaker who specializes in commercial and short films.
However, I am also a documentary and street photographer. I am very passionate about both mediums and I need a camera body that can fulfill both my needs. I was previously using a Sony Alpha a6400 and a Sony Alpha a7iii, which both had 24 megapixels. I can’t seem to find a major difference between my a7iii files and my a7siii exported files, as I am a photographer who doesn’t do much cropping in post, and a lot of my work as of now is mainly posted on the internet.
If you are a photographer that wants to blow up giant prints or does a lot of advertising campaigns, then obviously 12 megapixels is not enough for you and you probably weren’t considering this camera in the first place.
The executive producer of the movie had zero complaints of the images I sent them. They couldn’t tell I was using a camera with 12 megapixels. If a client approves your images then they are now professional images.
I bought the a7s iii because I intend to get into run-and-gun documentary filmmaking in 2021. The camera has killer video features in such a small body and for its price range. However, I am pleased to know that I can also use it for photography and continue to create images that will stand the test of time.
Check out my video below breaking down my experience using the Sony Alpa a7s III for photography.
Copyright © All Images Mateo Toro 2020; All Rights Reserved.