Last Updated on 04/16/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
It’s only a matter of time until the Sony a7s III hits the market
With the Sony a7r III and Sony a7 III already on the market, it’s only a matter of time until the Sony a7s III comes out for all Sony fanboys to drool over. The Sony a7s series of cameras have always been about fantastic, high ISO output, solid autofocus, and of course better video than the other Sony options. Videographers have surely used it, but photographers have always used it because of the fantastic high ISO abilities for what it is. So we’ve come up with a few predictions and wishes for what we’d love in the camera when it launches.
16MP Full Frame Sensor
Sony has used the same 12MP sensor in both the Sony a7s and Sony a7s II mirrorless cameras. It’s time to add more megapixels. The reason for this is because we’re bound to get more detail overall and the RAW files are obviously going to have more color depth and dynamic range as a result. Sony has proven they can create a 42MP camera with fantastic high ISO output (the Sony a7r III) and that makes me positive they can do it with the Sony a7s III.
So why 16MP? Because 12MP suck and are completely worthless–kidding! In the grand scheme of things, that’s how the industry has traditionally worked: sensors went from 12MP to 16MP and then to 24MP. 16MP is often enough to work with most photos and most photographers. If someone needs more they can get more from another camera.
Over 20 Frames per Second Shooting at a Smaller Resolution
The Sony a9 can shoot at 20 frames per second at the full 24MP resolution. That tells me if Sony can make a camera shoot that fast, I’m pretty sure the Sony a7s III could possibly also do 20FPS or more at a smaller resolution. 8MP or 12MP stills would be astounding for sports photographers and the plethora of folks out there who have shaky hands. I’ve seen a number of photographers purposely shoot at a fast shooting rate because they know one is bound to have no camera shake. Why they don’t just practice better habits overall is beyond me, but a camera like this could really appeal to them and sports/wedding shooters.
Less Detail Loss at Higher ISOs in the Sony a7s III
One of my biggest problems with the Sony a7s lineup has been detail loss at the higher ISOs. After a while, your images tend to just look like paintings due to all the smudging – no matter what. I’d love Sony to allow for better details at up to ISO 12,800. Photographers rarely need to go beyond that, and even ISO 6400 can be pushing it. But more details at higher ISOs is something we’ve all been wanting.
The Sony Playmemories App to Return
Sony got rid of the Playmemories Apps for their cameras with the Sony a9. But I genuinely miss them because they allowed your camera to have even more versatility. For what you’re paying, you should be allowed to have access to everything. You can still control their cameras via your phone, but I’d love to have some of those other features back too. One of the options was being able to port images to Facebook, Flickr and other services. But now they’re gone. With the Sony a9 you can tether via an ethernet port, but wireless is the way to go. I think this was a major step back for Sony.
Better Mount Protection
The Sony a9 and the Sony a7r III have fantastic sealing around the mount. When you affix a lens to those cameras, you feel the tightness. But with the Sony a7 III, you can’t feel it. This has resulted in dust getting on the sensor. I imagine the Sony a7s III will be used in rougher environments and worked much harder than the Sony a7 III will be. Better mounting will be very useful.
Timelapse Mode
Sony took out timelapse mode and shooting with the loss of the Playmemories apps. This is a big one that is getting a special mention because it’s something Sony a7s III users I’m sure will genuinely care about. I mean, think about all the nightscape and night sky work you can do with it! Considering that it appeals to video shooters, this would also just be inline with what creatives will want.
Complete Stealth Mode
This mode would allow photographers to shoot with highly dimmed screens and viewfinders so that when you’re shooting in a very dark place, the light from the LCD panels won’t disturb the folks around you. Think of it almost like pulling out your phone in a dark concert–you immediately light up and draw the attention of so many folks. I got this idea from working with a Leica and DSLRs–it’s something missing from mirrorless cameras with the exception of the Fujifilm X Pro 2 in OVF mode.
Couple this with silent shutter and you’ll be all set. Just think of the possibilities for street photography! Then add to that the possibility that they’ll give it the Sony a9’s autofocus and you’ve got a killer optin on the market.