Sony Alpha 7 series ILCE-7M3 review: Smaller & lighter with quality performance

Sony Alpha 7 series ILCE-7M3
Price: Rs 1,64,990 (body only); Rs 1,79,990 (28-70mm zoom lens kit)
Rating: ****

Specifications: 35mm full frame back illuminated CMOS sensor, 24.2MP, BIONZ X processor, ISO 100 to 51,200, 4K movie, OLED viewfinder, 3-inch 922k dot tilting touchscreen LCD, hybrid autofocus (693 point Phase Detection AF, 425 point contrast detection AF), 5-axis in-body image stabilization, dual memory card slots (SD/MS + SD), 10fps continuous shooting speed, 565 grams


Pros: Fast, Intuitive & capable, charges via USB, dust & water resistance, smooth 4K video, fast data transfers with USB 3.1, loads of custom options, 700 shot battery life

Cons: More expensive than some traditional full frame DSLRs, limited options of lenses/ accessories compared to the more popular DSLRs

The thumb rule with cameras is — bigger the sensor, better the results. Which is why, when you need better quality results, you go with DSLRs that have larger sensors than compact cameras. And within that group, enthusiasts and professionals often choose 35mm full frame sensors. This simply means that the sensor is the same size as the frame of a 35mm roll of film. The downside to choosing such a camera is the size and the cost — so you need to be sure that you need the extra quality.

Sony’s taking care of the size part at least — thanks to smaller full frame cameras like this Alpha 7 III. Because it doesn’t have the usual mirror and pentaprism of a DSLR, it can be a lot smaller, lighter and quieter. This is the sort of camera you would choose when you want something manageable in size but won’t tolerate any compromise in terms of features and performance.

One look at the design and you know it means business. Sony’s Alpha series is for the enthusiast and it shows in the little details, the quality, ergonomics and overall performance. Like with many modern cameras, you get the option of using tactile buttons (with many that you can customize to your liking) or the touchscreen. The 3-inch LCD is pinsharp and can be tilted up or down (not left & right unfortunately). For outdoors, there’s a fantastic OLED viewfinder with 100% frame coverage. It automatically switches to the viewfinder when you put it to your eye. Helpfully, if you’ve got the LCD tilted out, the eye sensor for the viewfinder is disabled so that you don’t accidentally switch off the LCD & miss an important moment.

One of the highlights of the A7 III is speed — this applies to the continuous shooting speed and the autofocus. No holds have been barred for the autofocus system which is a hybrid between phase detection and contrast detection.

There are 693 points of phase detection AF points and 425 points of contrast detection — which essentially means, nothing can fool this camera’s autofocus system. It works in any part of the frame, with backlighting, low lighting and with subjects moving at high speed. These benefits translate into better results whether you’re shooting stills or video. If you prefer, you can also use the touchscreen to select focus points manually. In all, Sony claims twice the AF speed compared to the previous A7 II.

In terms of performance, we were just blown away by three things: the image stabilization, the dynamic range and the high ISO (low light) performance. The 5-axis stabilization is built into the camera body. It counters yaw, pitch and roll with a benefit of up to 5 stops — this means you can use it handheld, even in low light. It can tackle all kinds of lighting situations with aplomb. And finally, low light performance is stellar thanks to the large sensor and processing. You can go up to ISO 8000 with ease and get good results.

The fast data transfers and USB charging are a bonus. Though some who intend to use it for professional use might not like that no external battery charger is included. This means you can’t keep a second battery charged up — you can just charge the battery while inside the camera using the supplied or for that matter, any phone charger.

Overall, the A7 III offers something for everyone. Whether you’re into high speed sports photography, landscapes, low light or 4K HDR video, the A7 III does it all. You do pay a bit of premium for this — a full frame DSLR from one of the top brands will be cheaper (but maybe not as proficient in all scenarios).