Four Reasons Why a Used Sony A7s III is a Great Idea in 2022
- Sony A7s III Specs
- Low Light Powerhouse
- Video Superstar
- Sony Mirrorless Full Frame Legacy
- Used Sony A7s III Features Still Astound
- Compact Yet Fully Professional
- Where to Find a Used Sony A7s III
- 12MP Full Frame sensor
- ISO 80-102400 (expands to 40-409600)
- Sony FE lens mount
- Fully articulated rear viewscreen
- High-resolution eye-level electronic viewfinder
- 759 AF points
- Shutter speeds 30 sec - 1/8000th
- 5-axis IBIS
- Flash sync 1/250th extendable to 1/400th and 1/500th
- Dual card slots (SD and CFE Type A)
- Weather sealed
- 4K video in Full Frame up to 60p, cropped 4K up to 120p, 1080 up to 240p
- Full-size HDMI port
- Long GOP and All-Intra compression
- S-Log2/3 and HLG support
- 10-bit in-camera video
- 16 bit video output
- 600 shot battery life (up to 1 hr video)
- Weight: 699 g / 1.54 lb / 24.66 oz
- Size: 129 x 97 x 81 mm / 5.08 x 3.82 x 3.19″
- 4K video in Full Frame up to 60p, cropped 4K up to 120p, 1080 up to 240p
- Full-size HDMI port
- Long GOP and All-Intra compression
- S-Log2/3 and HLG support
- 10-bit in-camera video
- 16-bit video output
- New vs Used Camera Gear: Which Should You Buy?
- Sony E vs FE Lenses
- Three Sony FE Lenses You Need in your Bag
Photographers wondering whether buying a used Sony A7s III is still a good idea in 2022 can read this short answer: Yes!
The A7s III was a fantastic camera when it came out in 2020, and it’s still a fantastic camera today. Two years on, this camera has aged well, and there are excellent deals to be had on pre-owned camera bodies on platforms like MPB.
This guide explores the specs and features of this camera for still imaging, video, and much more. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents:
Sony A7s III Specs
As you’re holding a used Sony A7s III in your hands, you can’t help but notice that it feels solid and reliable even though it is significantly compact compared to a professional-level DSLR of similar vintage.
What date was this “vintage” used Sony A7s III released? Relatively recently, July of 2020. It replaced the Sony A7s II of 2015 and A7s of 2014. It’s a current camera, though, Sony’s own website has had it listed as “out of stock” for a while, making me wonder if a Sony A7s IV or an A9s might be coming soon.
Here is an overview of some of the Sony A7s III specs:
Low Light Powerhouse
At first glance, some photographers may see a 12MP sensor as a limitation. However, there’s a reason Sony made this camera this way. The “S” in the model number stands for sensitivity.
While 12MP is perfectly fine for good resolution, remember 8MP beat Kodachrome way back in the early 2000s, so the pixel size of a 12MP Full Frame sensor is gigantic. Thus, the light-gathering ability of this sensor is truly outstanding.
It’s not simply that the camera can boost the ISO to 409,600, but also that those images actually look good! In real-world use, this means you can shoot in so many lighting conditions that your head will spin trying to contemplate them all.
Don’t just take my word for it, though. Watch the video below from MPB to see a low light video performance test of the A7s III.
Combined with the 5.5 stop 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS), a used Sony A7s III is one of the best options ever made for shooting in low light or mixed light. Wedding photographers love it, as do other event photographers, real estate photographers, and any photographer who wants or needs superb low-light performance.
Learn More:
Video Superstar
Serious videographers and other cinematographers who want a small camera with excellent video have fallen in love with the Sony A7s III’s specs and features. This is a serious video machine! The only way to get more video options is to select a cinema camera.
One of the amazing Sony A7s III features for video is that it outputs a video feed in 16-bit for recording on a separate machine. This means your video footage from a used Sony A7s III can blend in seamlessly with video from a wide variety of cinema-style video cameras.
The small size and weight of your used Sony A7s III mean that you can mount it in a camera cage and use any number of important video accessories in your recording sessions. External mics, a follow focus system, an external monitor, and many other items can be easily attached.
The Sony A7s III features relating to video include:
All of these specs serve to make your video quality better and simplify your workflow for creating superior video footage. A used Sony A7s III camera is truly an awesome videography tool that can double as a fine still imaging camera.
Sony Mirrorless Full Frame Legacy
When Sony fully took over the A-mount cameras from Minolta, I wondered if that meant the end of that legacy of fine photographic equipment. Well, Sony took off running faster and flying higher than I could ever have imagined with regard to high-end digital imaging.
Taking everything Sony knew about digital technology and their already class-leading video gear, then adding in the lens-making excellence and photography innovation from Minolta (such as TTL OTF metering, originally a Minolta innovation), meant the Sony imaging departments were able to develop an outstanding pro series of mirrorless Full Frame digital cameras which pretty much set the standard for everything similar to come.
A glance through the current lineup of various still and video imaging products from Sony shows that the purchase of a used Sony A7s III camera would be a smart choice, especially for users combining photography and video expertise.
Used Sony A7s III Features Still Astound
Sony’s IBIS, lens quality, partnerships with other leaders in photo optics such as Zeiss and Leica, and commitment to innovation and excellence result in features and quality of manufacturing that are hard to equal, much less beat.
For low-light performance and high-quality video, a used Sony A7s III will run rings around much of the competition. There are many well-respected brands in photography such as Nikon, Leica, and Canon, and others. Sony is right up there with them.
Compact, Yet Fully Professional
If anyone is a student of camera history or perhaps lived through the 1970s and 80s as a photographer, you might recall how the Olympus OM-1 and OM-2 took the photo world by storm. They were professional-level cameras equal to a Nikon F2, Canon F-1, or Leicaflex SL, but in a much smaller size.
A similar feeling happened with the Full Frame mirrorless Sony camera introductions of 2013 and beyond. Sony Alpha mirrorless Full Frame format cameras are among the smallest and lightest cameras around, yet they are fully professional and super rugged.
Where to Find a Used Sony A7s III
Now that you absolutely have to have one, the question now is where to purchase your own used Sony A7s III camera system. Of course, you know I’m going to say MPB!
Buying pre-owned photography gear and lenses is a smart move for several reasons, one of which is saving money. Additionally, you want stuff that works from a seller you can trust, which is my number one reason for using MPB as much as I do.
While you’re there, check out their listings of Sony FE lenses and other accessories. MPB even has a 6-month warranty and 7-day return window on most items they sell. Their accurate condition rating descriptions also provide an easy buying experience.
A used Sony A7s III camera body and any Sony FE mount lens is a great idea in 2022 and will continue to be one for some time to come. An investment in pre-owned gear now will pay dividends in the future as well!
