It is able to shoot in 4K at 120p, or in HD up to 240p so it can create dramatic slow-mo to highlight the beauty of any moment. The Alpha 7S III’s 12.1MP sensor provides large pixels that ensure every shot is crisp and free of pixelation so every scene is crystal clear even in low-light situations.  

The above scene was backlit with lots of small details, such as the extremely fine tissue-paper like texture on the paperbark trees in the creek. To capture all that detail and achieve the shot he wanted, Den pushed the camera on a slider at a very slow creep at 120 frames per second as the model walked across the creek. The scene was shot at 600 megabits and all intra-frame which made it easier to grade as he could still pull keys from green leaves and adjust specific colours and shades—a prime example of the camera’s full potential. 

Den also pushed himself and the Alpha 7S III to shoot in challenging situations such as one with minimal lighting. To keep the images as clean as possible, he shot in as low an ISO as possible. With the Alpha 7S III and Sony’s fast G Master lenses, he was able to capture sharp, clear images at just ISO 500, in S-Log 3.  

He explains, “I never white balance ever. I shoot tungsten if I'm indoors or daylight if I'm outdoors. I like to do that so I know that every single image I record is 5,600K. That means I’ve got a base when I have to grade the shots.” 

The Alpha 7S III records up to 10 bit 4:2:2 internally. This means the camera captures much cleaner footage as the colour around edges are more defined and it can shoot across a wide variety of scenes with different lighting worry-free. The Alpha 7S III produces extremely high-quality footage, making it perfect for green screening. 

Seamless workflow with professional camcorders

Designed with Sony’s “One Mount” system in mind, the Alpha 7S III offers incredible flexibility as it works superbly with any of Sony’s 57 native E-mount lenses. It makes upgrading, switching and sharing lenses across other Sony professional camcorders used in any production quick, cost-efficient and simple.

The Alpha 7S III also has improved colour science which works with the sensor to faithfully reproduce colours, especially skin tones. Designed with S-Gamut3/S-Gamut3 cine, the camera is a good match with professional camcorders. Coupled with the 16bit RAW output with HDMI, production and post-production is a simpler, less stressful process. 

For this shot, Den shot in H.265, 10bit 422, which makes the editing workflow very straightforward. Den highlights that as a non-technical filmmaker, the camera does a lot of work behind-the-scenes. So all you have to do is select a setting that you think looks good, and the camera does the rest.  

“I always want to achieve the maximum quality with the best result that I can produce instead of doing big adjustments in post editing. I don’t want to compromise on any of my shots.”

When it comes to lenses, those with maximum aperture and highest resolution are Den’s favourites. Apart from offering him incredible creative flexibility and the ability to capture even the finest details with ease, Den says that Sony’s G Master (GM) lenses are a great complement to the Alpha 7S III, even when shooting the most challenging scenes imaginable. 

For this particular shoot, Den shot in a cramped environment with very limited lighting. To get as much light and texture to fit into his frame, he chose Sony’s FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM (SEL1224GM) as, with F2.8 aperture, it allows a great amount of light into the sensor while keeping corner-to-corner sharpness with very minimum distortion.  

He also notes that it is challenging to shoot direct sunlight as many lenses will have undesirable flares. Since the SEL1224GM has Nano AR Coating II that eliminates flare and ghosting, it works perfectly with the Alpha 7S III’s 15-stop dynamic range to create the shots he wants.

Another of Den’s favourites is the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM (SEL1635GM). A versatile lens with a wide angle, it can also be used to take close-ups with excellent bokeh.He also enjoys the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS (SEL70200GM), which he uses primarily for close-ups and cinematic shots.

Den highlights that the 11-blade aperture creates creamy bokeh and the Super ED glasses render gorgeous natural colour, making the lens perfect for cinematic footage. He also relies on the camera to do tracking autofocus and is impressed with the silent RDSSM motor.

With this lens, Den points out on the 200mm end, it provides him with a nice amount of compression that allows him to create dramatic visual effects such as the shot with the surfers against the sun.

Shot by filmmaker Brandon Li on the Alpha 7S III , this clip captures the beauty and drama found in nature in supreme detail and crystal clear quality.

The Alpha 7S III has a new 12.1MP sensor, a wide dynamic range of 15 stops and all-intra recording at 4:2:2 10 bit which allows it to capture even the most minute detail in extreme low-light situations. 

Brandon explains, “For the moonlit shot, it was just the moon completely. I was really pushing the camera to the maximum... but it wasn't the limit of the camera at all!”  

With its advanced colour science, the camera is capable of reproducing even the most subtle and smooth colour gradations captured during night shots or in scenes lit naturally by temperamental stormy skies with little noise.   

Made for creative expression

The camera also features improved rolling shutter performance, almost three times better than its predecessor. This means panning shots are much smoother and there are fewer jitters when the camera is being moved. Coupled with the Alpha 7S III ability to shoot up to 4K 120p and full HD 240p it is easy to create slow-mo and extreme slow-mo moments for that touch of drama.  

Brandon also notes, “ The ISOs are going to be different if you shoot in log versus non-log. If you are shooting in log, your ISO will be a lot higher, but the camera’s performance remains just as good in terms of autofocus and everything else.”  

Ideal for one-man mobile operation

“I’m usually sweating, I’m usually running and I’m usually using a gimbal.”   

The Alpha 7S III is a compact full-frame system that makes it ideal for one-man productions without compromising on quality or versatility. It’s a professional setup that fits in a backpack. The fully articulating 360° screen helps you frame your shot from any angle while its handy-size is easy to maneuver in tight spaces, low or high angles, and challenges you to take the most adventurous shots possible. 

The camera also features real-time tracking and eye-AF which work effortlessly together with a gimbal to get the creative shots you need without having to worry about pulling focus or needing a crew member to do so. Plus, the camera’s supreme low-light performance reduces the need for a lighting assistant.   

Designed with an industry-leading autofocus system, the Alpha 7S III has 759 AF points. It can easily keep the subject in focus no matter how they move to create smooth action sequences. This is absolutely essential when shooting complex movements with a gimbal.  

“I stayed in an inspired flow. That’s why it’s important to have the perfect camera. It has to flow with me.” 

Brandon shares that shooting with the camera’s 4:2:2 10 bit intra-recording creates a constant flow from shooting to editing. Creators can start editing their shots minutes after shooting it as they simply have to plug in the camera and drag and drop the files into their editing suite to begin.  

“I’m not a colourist...I do minimal tweaks to the colour...because I feel most of the work should be done during the shoot and the camera should capture those skin tones faithfully.” 

Post-production is also made simpler with the camera’s improved colour science. It is able to capture and reproduce true-to-life colours even in low-light situations.  

Reliability on the go

“All I can say is I overheated before the camera ever would.” I had no problems with overheating even though it was exposed to direct sunlight in the middle of summer, in the middle of the desert for up to three hours at a time, not rolling for three hours continuously, but even handheld and at 120p it never overheated.”

The Alpha 7SIII has a new heat management system that has five times better cooling and no recording limit. Plus, it is powered by Sony’s NP-FZ100 large capacity battery which lasts over an hour even when you are continuously shooting in 4k 60p.

The camera is also the perfect companion even in the most challenging terrains as the weather sealing protects it from heavy rain and moist environments.

“As a globe-trotting run and gun shooter, most of the time I am my own crew. So it’s important that my shooting gear is light and handy.” 

When it comes to lenses, Brandon prioritises lightness and the ability to focus quickly as he mostly shoots with a gimbal and monopod. Amongst his favourites is the FE 24mm F1.4GM (SEL24F14GM) .

The SEL24F14GM is a wide angle with a large aperture which allows Brandon to capture wide angle shots with a shallow depth of field. The XD Linear Motor coupled with the Alpha 7S III’s phase detection and autofocus system is particularly useful when he has to do a gimbal movement that focuses on the model while still showcasing the background.

Weighing in at only 445 grams, even when mounted on the camera and gimbal, the set-up is light enough that it remains handy for running shots. The lens also renders colour beautifully, and images are sharp with crisp corner-to-corner sharpness.

Brandon highlights that the SEL24F14GM’s F1.4 aperture allowed him to really push the Alpha 7S III further. Even though his moonlight scene was shot without any extra lights, he was still able to capture a sharp image due to the camera’s sensitivity and effective noise control. 

Another of Brandon’s must-have lenses is the FE 135mm F1.8GM (SEL135F18GM).

Despite being a slightly heavier lens, the SEL135F18GM can still be mounted easily on a gimbal set up to take close-ups with some compression to the subject.

The lens is ideal for capturing low-light portraits with great isolation and sharp focus on the model. The 11-blade aperture and XA lens element make the lens ideal for capturing low-light portraits with great isolation and sharp focus on the model against a background with creamy bokeh.

Also in his kit is the FE 50mm F1.4 ZA (SEL50F14Z). While not a G Master Prime, the Zeiss lens is something Brandon loves to create close-up shots, making it is his choice of filmmaking focal length.

A series of products that will deliver Sony’s coveted look in combination with the enhanced operability and reliability to meet different needs by various creators. Cinema Line extends beyond the basic cinema camera and professional camcorder form factors.

Cinema Line will give creators around the world the tools they need to capture emotion in every frame and unleash the true power of visual storytelling by using shared technologies across the range of cameras, enabling to focus back on the creative intent.

Existing products in the Sony range forming part of the Cinema Line include VENICE and FX9. The next step is a new model that will appeal to a wide spectrum of visual creators. Sony will be releasing and shipping this next addition to the range, the FX6 camera by the end of 2020.