Sony’s Alpha range of mirrorless cameras have come a long way from where they started.
Let’s take a look at the original A7R. When it was first announced back in 2013 as a full frame 36.4 MP beast it was expected to blow the competition out of the water. Did it?
Not quite.
There were a few major issues with it that left people who switched over from Nikon and Canon with some pretty big regrets. For one, the focus peaking was terrible. Focus peaking is supposed to help with manual focusing by drawing lines over the parts of an image that are in focus, the A7R missed the mark a lot more often than it should have. Nailing focus is especially important with a 36.4 MP full frame camera as if it’s not perfect, any imperfections are going to be amplified by that monster of a sensor and be pretty obvious in the final image.
The issue extended to the auto focus. Simply put, it just didn’t work.
Fast forward to the next generation of the camera
The Sony A7Riii
What a difference a couple of years make! The Sony A7R iii was in a whole new league when compared to its predecessor. Auto focus was blazing fast and hit the mark almost every time. It came with a whopping 42 MP upgraded full frame sensor, 399 auto focus points, 4K video and much much more. This time it wasn’t a disappointment, it lived up to the hype and then some. People hailed it as the best mirrorless camera on the market and it made the big 2 (Nikon and Canon) sit up and pay attention.
| Overall | |
| Features | |
| Travel Convenience | |
| Value for Money |
PROS
- High Resolution: 42.4MP sensor for detailed images.
- Low Light Performance: Excellent ISO range and noise reduction.
- Fast Autofocus: Hybrid system for quick and accurate focusing.
- In-Body Stabilization: 5-axis stabilization reduces camera shake.
- Customization: Custom buttons and dials for personalized controls.
CONS
- Price: Higher cost compared to some alternatives.
- Battery Life: Relatively shorter battery lifespan.
- Menu Complexity: Overwhelming menu system for newcomers.
- File Sizes: Large image files require ample storage.
- Heating in Video: Overheating during extended 4K video recording.
Sony A7R iii Key Specs
| Processor | Bionz X |
| Sensor Format | Full frame |
| Sensor Type | BSI-CMOS |
| Weight (with battery and without lens) | 657 g (1.45 lb / 23.17 oz) |
| Megapixels | 42 |
| Viewfinder | 3,686,400 dot EVF |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Articulating Screen | Yes |
| Flip-Out Screen | No |
| ISO Range | Auto, 100-32000 (expands to 50-102400) |
| Dual Card Slots | Yes |
| Autofocus Points | 399 |
| Eye Detection Autofocus | Yes |
| Face Detection Autofocus | Yes |
| Max Video Resolution | 4K |
| Weather Sealing | Yes |
So when Sony announced that the A7Riii was on it’s way a couple of weeks back the question everyone was asking was, could this be as big of a step forward as the Mark ii was from the Mark i?
I’ll admit I haven’t had a chance to get my hands on the A7Riii yet but I’m a BIG BIG fan of the Mark ii so if that’s anything to go by then Sony’s newest creation must be jam packed with tons of full framed, mirrorless juiciness.
As you can see above it comes loaded with a whole bunch of upgrades but the most noticeable improvements (and most useful in my opinion) are:
- The increase in native ISO from a maximum of 25600 to 32000
- Continuous shooting increase from 5 FPS to 10 FPS
- Increased buffer size to 76 uncompressed RAW files :-O
- +1 stop of in-body image stabilisation
- 2.2x increase in battery life (thank god)
- Duel SD card slots
- And what it doesn’t say in the image above is that Sony claim the A7Riii has a HUGE 15 stops of dynamic range (probably the most impressive upgrade in my opinion).
From the reviews and what I’ve heard from other photographers, the A7Riii is another big step forward from the previous version. As big as the step forward from Mark i to Mark ii? Maybe not but nevertheless it’s still a very noticeable improvement.
Size and Weight
Okay so this is where the DSLR fan boys and girls come in and say “Well once you add lenses to a full frame mirrorless camera body it’s the same size if not bigger than a DSLR, so how is it better for travel?”
The answer is simple, weight.
Yes it’s true that once you add a lens to any full frame mirrorless camera it can be more or less the same size as a DSLR but these days with the weight restrictions airlines place on luggage, the lighter your camera system is the better. That’s something they can’t argue against, the A7Riii is lighter than any pro level DSLR even with lenses attached.
Don’t forget that as travel photographers we carry our camera bags around with us all day, weight saving soon pays off in other ways too.
So is the A7Riii the best camera for travel photography? In my opinion quite possibly. Would I hurry to sell the A7Rii so I could upgrade? No, not like with the original A7R.
I would say to anyone though who wanted to upgrade to some pro level travel photography gear, and that hasn’t already bought into the Sony system, that the A7Riii is what they should go for without a doubt.
What do you think?
Looking for a more beginner-friendly option? Check out my top 5 beginner mirrorless cameras!
I’m a professional travel photographer, and I’ve been living the digital nomad lifestyle since 2016. I make money by working on client assignments, selling stock photography and helping other photographers by sharing my experiences on this website. I move around at my own pace (I hate fast-paced travel) and like to spend a few months getting to know each place I base myself in.
My writing and photos have been featured on industry leading websites such as Digital Photography School, Atlas Obscura and the world’s leading underwater photography resource The Underwater Photography Guide. I authored an eBook called “Breaking Into Travel Photography: The complete guide to carving out a career in travel photography” that has been published on Amazon. My stock images have also appeared in ads promoting destinations and companies that sometimes has been a surprise, even to me. But I guess that’s the nature of stock photography, you never know who will license them!
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