The Sony Alpha A7R Mark III updates the A7R Mark II, and features a 42.4mp Full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, improved image quality and image stabilisation, as well as offering 10fps continuous shooting, 4K HDR video recording, and FullHD video at 120fps.
Sony Alpha A7R Mark III Features
The A7R Mark III offers the same resolution 42.4mp Full-Frame BSI CMOS sensor as the Mark II, but with a number of improvements made to the camera to improve image quality. The sensor features gapless microlenses, and an anti-reflective coating on the surface of the sensor’s seal glass to improve light collection efficiency. A new front-end LSI (image processor) doubles the readout speed of the image sensor (compared to Mark II), as well as improving image quality, which is said to have improved noise performance by 1 stop, as well as offering up to 15 stops of dynamic range. The sensor doesn't feature an Optical Low-pass Filter (OLPF).
Sony Alpha A7R III New Shutter Unit:
The Sony A7R Mark III features a new shutter unit designed to minimise vibration, which will help ensure shots are sharp, and not affected by shutter-shock. The shutter unit is rated for up to 500,000 shots. The A7R III can shoot at 10fps with AF/AE tracking, using either the mechanical or electronic shutter - we've included an example video below. It's possible to shoot up to 76 shots are possible when shooting JPEG images. It's also possible to shoot at 10fps with flash sync. There's built-in anti-flicker shooting, and thanks to flicker detection, the camera can automatically avoid shooting when it detects flickering.
The 5-axis image stabilisation system has been updated, giving up to 5.5 stops compensation, which Sony say is the World’s highest performance for an image stabilisation system amongst full-frame cameras. The A7R Mark II gave up to 4.5 stops in comparison.
New Pixel Shift Multi-Shot:
"Applying mechanisms and control technology of image stabilisation, this new feature composites four separate pixel-shifted images that contain total data26 equal to approx. 169.6 million, or 42.4 million x 4 (RGGB), pixels to reproduce a single optimal still image of super-high resolution, detailed texture, balanced colour, and realistic atmosphere, with minimal moiré and colour artifacts. Images shot using this feature can be processed with the new Sony imaging software suite."
[1] The image sensor is moved in 1-pixel increments while shooting four sequential frames. [2] Each pixel represents R, G, and B information. From Sony.
Multi-shot pixel shift technology was first seen in Hasselblad cameras in 2011, so it's not a completely new idea, but with camera's that have built-in sensor-based image stabilisation, it makes sense for stills photography, and by moving the sensor 1 pixel at a time, you can record full colour information for each pixel, as explained in the video below. Sony's system takes four shots, and when combined these make a 42.4 megapixel image.
There are some limitations, in that your subject can't move, you need to mount the camera on a sturdy tripod, and Sony said that it's unlikely to work if you use a monopod. With Sony's implementation you need to combine the images on your computer using Sony's new image software called "Imaging Edge".
The alternatives available include a "Hi-res shot" mode from Olympus, introduced with the E-M5 Mark II in February 2015. Olympus moves the sensor at a sub-pixel level, taking 8 shots and producing images with roughly 2.5x the resolution of the sensor, so a 16mp camera can produce a 40mp image and a 20mp camera can product a 50mp image, in-camera. Pentax introduced "Pixel Shift Resolution", with the Pentax K-3 II in April 2015, and this is the same (or very similar) to the Sony system, producing 24mp images from the 24mp sensor in-camera. Hasselblads Multi-Shot system captures 200mp images from a 50mp sensor, and the system was first introduced in 2011.
Improved AF and shooting features
The camera has 399 Phase Detection Focus points which cover 68% of the frame (vertically and horizontally), which is an improvement over the Mark II's coverage of 45%. In addition to this, there are 425 contrast detection focus points. Focus is sensitive down to -3 EV (an improvement over the Mark II), and features both face and eye-detection. Sony say the AF performance is 2x faster compared to A7R Mark II.
The electronic viewfinder (EVF) features 3.686m dots, 0.78x magnification, and refresh rates up to 120/100fps (NTSC/PAL). Dioptre correction is available. The LCD is a 3inch tilting touch-screen, with 1.44m dots.
With a new battery (NP-FZ100, the same as the Sony A9) the camera offers 530 shots when using the viewfinder, or 650 when using the screen. Dual SD card slots, one supports UHS-II, the other UHS-I or Sony Memory Sticks.
The camera record 4K UHD video (at 30/25/24fps), FullHD video at 120/100/60/50/30/25/24fps, with built-in stereo microphones. There's a mic and headphone socket on the side. 4K HDR recording can be played back on compatible 4K HDR TVs, without the need to process the video files, and you can watch some example videos here.
Key Features
- 42.4mp Full-Frame BSI CMOS sensor
- 3inch 1.44m dot tilting touch-screen
- 3686K dot electronic viewfinder (EVF), 0.78x magnification
- 10fps continuous shooting
- 399 phase detection AF points
- 5-axis in-camera image stabilisation
- 4K UHD video recording
- ISO100 - ISO32000, expands to ISO50 to ISO102400
- USB3.1 Type-C
- MicroUSB (for power)
- 14-bit raw, compressed/uncompressed
- Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth built-in
Sony Alpha A7R Mark III Handling
The locking top mode dial has been updated, and now features 3 custom modes. The exposure compensation dial has a good level of firmness to stop you from accidentally turning the dial.
The rear of the camera has been updated, with a relocated C3 (custom) button, a relocated movie button, a back AF-ON button, and a new joystick control. The design is now the same as the Sony Alpha A9, so that if you are switching from one camera to another, then there is a consistent design.
The A7R Mark III weighs 657g with battery and memory card, which is slightly lighter than the 673g Sony Alpha A9. The construction of the camera appears to be very similar to the A9, with 6-screws around the lens mount, instead of 4 on the Mark II. The camera is also weather-sealed, and has a magnesium alloy body, as shown below:
Sony Alpha A7R Mark III Body
The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is the same as the A9, with a 3.6million dot resolution. This looks great, as it is large, clear, and detailed making it enjoyable to use. There is a rubber surround, which makes it comfortable for shooting with or without glasses.
It's now possible to rate images, and there is a new protection button, so that you can protect photos in playback. The touch-screen looks great, and has an improved resolution. You can tilt it up and down, for shooting at different angles. The camera has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, as well as support for FTP transfer over Wi-Fi.
The menus are the same as the Sony Alpha A9, but with a few different options. They're neatly arranged into sections, however, there are so many options that it can take you a while to find what you want.
The camera has 2 USB sockets – USB3.1 Type C, and MicroUSB, so you can power or charge the camera via MicroUSB and use remote live view via the USB 3.1 Type C connection. There's a microphone socket, a traditional flash sync socket, a headphone socket, plus HDMI out.
There is side access to the dual SD card slots, with slot 1 supporting high-speed UHS-II cards, and the second slot supports SD or Sony Memory Stick memory cards.
Battery life is improved, and will be a welcome to anyone who's used the previous cameras, thanks to using the A9 battery. The camera is also compatible with the same battery grip and battery accessories as the A9.
Sony Alpha A7R M3 NP-FZ100 Battery.
Sony Alpha A7R Mark III Performance
The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
Speed - We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.
| Shutter Response | <0.05secs |
| Wide - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.25secs |
| Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.20secs |
| Switch on Time to Taking a Photo | 0.8secs |
| Shot to Shot without Flash | 0.7secs |
| Shot to Shot with Flash | N/A |
| Continuous Shooting - JPEG (shots before slow down) |
Hi - 8fps (89 shots before slowdown)* Hi+ - 10fps (84 shots before slowdown)* |
| Continuous Shooting - Flash | N/A |
| Continuous Shooting - RAW | 10fps (83 shots)** |
Silent shooting is available using the electronic shutter, and the quickest this shoots is 10fps. The standard shutter sound is quite loud, so you may want to switch to the electronic shutter at times. Switching between standard AF and phase-detection AF made little to no difference to the focusing speed during testing. Tested using a Lexar UHS-II U:3, 2000x 300MB/s SD card. *50 seconds to clear the buffer, however, you can continue shooting or start shooting again. **20 seconds to clear the buffer (Raw compressed).
Sony Alpha 7R Mark III Sample Photos
Sample Photos - Images look good straight from the camera the majority of time, with rich saturated colours. Occasionally you may want to process the raw files yourself to tailor the look of the images. Exposure is reliable, as is focus, so there is a good level of success when taking photos. Dynamic Range Optimisation (DRO) makes sure that a good level of dynamic range is recorded in images, and if you want more, for a particularly contrasty scene, then the HDR mode will automatically merge shots taken at different exposures.
With a full-frame sensor, and a portrait lens, such as the 85mm f/1.8, it's quite easy to produce smooth blurred backgrounds, and a shallow depth-of-field. Because of this it's important to ensure correct focus, and with face and eye-detection focus the success rate for portrait photos is very high. Skin tones are pleasing, and levels of detail can be very impressive. Like the Sony A9, the A7R Mark III does not feature a panoramic shooting mode.
Sony Alpha 7R Mark III Lens test images
Lens Performance - Lens compensation is built-in to automatically correct for: Peripheral Shading (Vignetting), Chromatic Aberration, and Lens Distortion, and this all works very well. Image stabilisation is said to give 5.5 stops of correction, an improvement of 0.5 stops compared to the Sony Alpha A9, and 1 stop compared to the A7R Mark II.
We used the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master lens, 24-105mm f/4, and 85mm f/1.8. When using the new 24-105mm lens, we struggled to find any major signs of vignetting, and the lens was also quite resistant to flare, except when the sun was in the frame. Levels of detail are very good, although some purple fringing was seen when branches from trees were against a bright sky. The lens provides a fairly close focusing distance of 38cm, and backgrounds were nicely blurred.
JPEG images range in size between 6 and 35MB, with raw images around 40MB compressed, or 80MB uncompressed. You can now set the JPEG compression separately, so that RAW+JPEG is not fixed to just JPEG Fine, JPEG Super Fine is now an option.
Sony Alpha 7R Mark III Other sample images
Pixel Shift Multi-shot mode - Using this mode, the camera takes 4 photos using the electronic shutter, and each picture taken with the sensor moved by 1 pixel. You then need to stitch these images on your computer using Sony's Imaging Edge software. You can use the full aperture range of the lens you're using, and ISO can range from ISO100 to ISO102400. You'll need to use a sturdy tripod along with a remote release or the camera's self-timer, as it's essential that the camera is completely still when shooting. This means you can't use it on a monopod for example, unless you're very lucky, and the weather is on your side.
Sony Alpha A7R III Multi Shot Example Low ISO - At 100%
Sony Alpha A7R III Multi Shot Example - At 100%
The level of fine detail captured is noticeably better using this mode, although the process can feel quite time consuming, as you need to process each image on your computer. There are benefits in noise reduction at mid ISO speeds (ISO3200 for example), however at higher ISO speeds, this can introduce other issues. At low ISO speeds, the additional levels of detail is particularly impressive.
Sony Alpha 7R Mark III ISO test images
ISO Noise Performance - For the lowest noise and best detail possible we would recommend using ISO100 to ISO3200, as images have low levels of noise and good levels of detail. For lower light situations ISO3200 to ISO6400 still provides good results, although noise increases and detail is reduced. At ISO12800 and ISO25600 noise levels become stronger and we would recommend avoiding this setting if possible, although results may still be useful if resized and used on the web. Shots taken at ISO51200 may just about be usable, depending on your needs, thanks to fairly good colour saturation. ISO102400 is best avoided as noise is high, and detail is low. There's a slight drop in dynamic range at ISO50, with ISO100 looking better. Compared to the A7R Mark II, there is less colour noise at higher ISO speeds, and slightly less noise overall, however this appears to be at the expense of fine detail.
Sony Alpha 7R Mark III White-balance test images
White Balance Performance - Auto White Balance (AWB) gives options for White or Ambient bias, as well as standard. Under tungsten lighting, the standard AWB gives a slightly warm result. If you want white whites, then the "White" option gives good results. The AWB Ambient option captures more atmosphere from the scene, and as a result, images are warm. AWB performs very well under fluorescent lighting, with the fluorescent presets often giving different colour casts, depending on your lights. AWB performs well under mixed light.
Video - The camera records 4K (UHD: 3180x2140) 30fps video to an internal memory card, and a high-speed UHS-II memory card is recommended for 4K / High-quality video recording. The compression rate options are 100Mbps and 60Mbps, with 4:2:2 8bit colour. 4K video recording now supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) S-Log3 for HDR video recording, and instant playback with compatible 4K HDR TVs. You can also record FullHD 1080p video up to 120fps.
We recorded a short example video, handheld, which you can view here, to give an example of how effect image stabilisation is. You can view additional videos on the ePHOTOzine YouTube Channel. Levels of detail recorded is very impressive, due to down-sampling from the high-resolution sensor, and there is minimal "jello" effect when panning.
Sony Alpha A7R III Camera Review - Verdict
Value For Money
The Sony Alpha A7R Mark III is available for £3199 which makes it reasonable value for money, considering the features on offer. However, if you want to save money then the Mark II offers better value for money.
Canon EOS 5DS R, 50mp, 5fps continuous shooting, ISO50 - ISO12800, FullHD video, £3149 body only
Nikon D850, 46mp, 7-9fps continuous shooting (9 with battery grip), ISO32 - ISO102400, 4K video, £3499 body only
Sony Alpha A7R Mark II, 42mp, 5fps continuous shooting, ISO50 - ISO102400, 4K video, £2499 body only
Sony Alpha A9, 24mp, 20fps continuous shooting, ISO50 - ISO204,800, 4K video, £4299 body only
Leica SL, 24mp, 11fps continuous shooting, ISO50 - ISO50000, CINE 4K video, £5000 body only
Have a look at more compact system cameras in our Top 10 Best Premium Mirrorless. You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.
Sony Alpha A7R Mark III Verdict
The Sony Alpha A7R Mark III delivers excellent image quality with good colour, and very good noise performance. Levels of detail in images can be improved by using the Pixel shift multi-shot mode, for still subjects, although this does require further processing on your computer to produce the final image. It's a shame that the images aren't merged in the camera as found in other cameras with this feature. The new software, Imaging Edge, offers tethered shooting with live view, as well as image viewing, and editing.
It looks like Sony has been paying attention to feedback on their cameras, as you can now adjust further settings, including setting the JPEG quality when shooting RAW+JPEG. Tethering and a USB3 connection is provided. Both important for professional use, and the 10fps continuous shooting mode makes this camera much more useful for sports or other high-speed shooting requirements. Battery life has been improved, with 650 shots possible, giving near DSLR levels of battery life, a complaint on previous Sony models.
Before the A7R Mark III (and D850), you had to choose between having a high-resolution camera with a maximum shooting speed of 5fps (5DS, and A7R II), or a high-speed camera with fast continuous shooting (such as the Leica SL, A9, etc), and a lower resolution of 24mp. With the A7R Mark III you can have your cake and eat it, with both a high-resolution sensor, and high-speed continuous shooting. There's also a wide range of lenses available, with Sony introducing an impressive number of lenses every year.
Without doubt Sony has another winner on their hands, as the Sony Alpha A7R Mark III does practically everything you could possibly want, and does it extremely well.
| The Sony Alpha A7R Mark III does practically everything you could possibly want, and does it extremely well. |