Sony A7Siii - 12 Months Later
We couldn't help ourselves. A year ago we watched every Youtube review and every comment ever posted about full frame Sony cameras and we got caught up in the hype. We love shooting in low light, we love full frame, and we love shooting things in slow mo. And so we did it, we paid what Sony wanted us to pay and waited for our camera to arrive.
But looking back at our purchase a year later, and we are slowly realising what the Sony ended up being a very nice want, rather than a need, that we somehow justified to ourselves to make ourselves feel better. Don't worry, we can explain ourselves to you and in the process, help you to understand whether or not the camera is for you, after all the hype has died down.
If your primary output as a creator is social media (FB, IG, Snap, Tiktok, etc), potentially this camera is a tiny bit of overkill for what it offers. Do you really need 4K120 slow mo for the work you put out, or would 60fps be just fine? Do you really need 10bit colours to really push in grading, or do you just do minor tweaks straight out of camera? Are you trying to move into longer form and more "professional" video work - like brand films or documentaries?
By being realistic and answering those questions honestly, there is a good chance you can save a couple of thousand dollars and get away with some of the cheaper (and non-Sony) options that are out there at the moment. There are brands out there that shoot a lot off their phones or cheaper dedicated camera bodies that you would never tell unless you had an extremely good eye.
For a couple of years we have been shooting corporate work on cameras only capable of 8bit. Not only that, a lot of the work only really demands us to deliver in 1080, not even 4K. For the times that we do deliver a nicely graded 4K - most clients cant really tell the difference.
As well as that, if you do get into a position where you are even shooting TV commercials, that will require you to scale down to 1080 no matter what you originally record in.
So what are we trying to say? Well you can learn from how we justified our purchase. We are shooting videos for companies that have a certain brand and profile, that demand the best from those that they work with. However, consider where your work is ending up, because you might be surprised how little 4K actually matters outside the camera-nerd world.
If you are just starting out and concerned about your initial outlay, invest in things that matter more in the long term (lighting and audio being good starts). We are sure you have read before that camera bodies come and go, but lenses, lights, tripods last near lifetimes.
Now here is where this camera gets a bit tricky. If you are creating content for a particular set of people that know the difference between 1080 and 4K, that demand the depth of field that only full frame can provide, and also want the softest, butteriest coffee B-Roll sequences - get this camera right now. No questions asked.
If you are a creator that is constantly on the move and often in places where light is not your friend - get this camera right now. You will see all the YouTubers that are in the content creation space transititioning to this camera over time, just search "switching to sony" and try not to end up too far down the rabbit hole.
This camera is the perfect camera for those that want the most professional output with the least amount of effort. And whether or not you do your own editing, the ease of use and quality doesn't just stop in the camera. Put it into your editing software of chocie and you will find the files a dream to work with, even at some of the higher bit rates. Then when it comes to playing around with the colours, the fun just keeps coming through to literally let you do whatever you like to the footage.
So what have we told you in a round about way here. Well if you have the money, and want to put your best foot forward - this camera is a great choice. But if you dont have the money and dont demand the best quality 4K known to man, there are definitely some cheaper options out there that get you pretty close to where you would like to be. And if you chose an alternative full frame Sony camera, at least you can start your lens collection knowing that your choices can be carried over when you finally upgrade.