The Sony A7 III is the Biggest Steal in Full Frame Cameras

I was thumbing through my phone during a break at the WPPI expo in Las Vegas when I came across the news that the Sony A7 III had been announced. I was very interested considering I had just switched from Nikon to Sony, starting out with the new A7R III. 
 

While I'm thrilled with the switch, one thing I was unsure about was using such a high megapixel body for a high volume workflow. While I was aware the next iteration of the A7 may be a better fit for me, I had to switch during the winter months before my year started picking up. I first read the price, at just under $2000.00 I knew there had to be a significant compromise. I assumed it would have a single card slot, the smaller battery, or maybe have a weaker autofocus system than it's "bigger" brothers.

Wrong.

Sony A7 III specs

Camera Format    Full-Frame
Pixels    Actual: 25.3 Megapixel
Effective: 24.2 Megapixel
Max Resolution    24 MP: 6000 x 4000
693-Point Hybrid AF System
15 stops of dynamic range
UHD 4K30p Video with HLG & S-Log3 Gammas
2.36m-Dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF
3.0" 922k-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
ISO 204800 (51200 native) and 10 fps Shooting
Built-In Wi-Fi and NFC, Dual SD Slots
USB Type-C Port, Weather-Sealed Design
Battery    1 x NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, 7.2 VDC, 2280 mAh
Sensor Type / Size    CMOS, 35.6 x 23.8 mm
Dual SDHC / SDXC card slots
Weight    1.43 lb / 650 g

In case you missed it in the spec sheet, here's the best part:

"An evolved 4D FOCUS system now employs a combination of 693 phase-detection points, which cover approximately 93% of the frame, along with 425 contrast-detection areas for reliable and quick autofocus and subject tracking performance."

693...recognize that number? You should, it's the same AF system as the $4,498.00 Sony A9 released last year.

So Sony took the amazing AF system of the A9, and the 15 stop dynamic range of the A7R III, brought along the dual card slots and larger battery, and packaged it for $1998.00. The ONLY downfall that I can find with this camera is that it won't share the incredible viewfinder experience of the A9. So expect a bit more blackout time. Beyond that, this camera is unbelievable.

I rushed to the packed Sony booth the following day. In less than 5 minutes hands on I was placing my pre-order (only to find out it couldn't go through until midnight). 

In the past I've always used 2 of the identical camera bodies. I want to be "in sync" with a body as much as possible, never spending valuable time searching for controls as they differ between bodies. I've built that belief after years of using Nikon cameras that had minute control changes with every single release.  However, the A7 III has the identical body as the A7R III. Pair that with the customization and the only difference in handling the two will be how the AF points line up.

I feel the A7 III is 2018's D750. It offers an insane level of performance at an affordable price. I'm sure there's a lot of aggravated A9 and A7R III owners out there. One negative of buying into Sony is your camera investment can quickly be devalued by their fast-paced innovation (and refreshing bodies when they should be recalling them - I'm looking at you A6300). I think this move is Sony's bold method of grabbing as much market share as possible before Nikon and Canon move into the full frame mirrorless market. It seems like they are almost losing money on this body, but I'm sure they'll make it up on the lenses.

The Sony A7 III will be available April 10th, 2018 and can be purchased here