Off Brand: Sony Announces the Full-frame a7R III

The new Sony Alpha 7RIII is announced:
- A lot of improvements , but now really "big bump" in specs like MP.


Cited from the Sony alpha Rumor site:

"A7rIII key specs (via ThePhoBlographer):

BSI 42.2 MP full frame sensor same sensor
4K HDR video
ISO 100 to 32000
10fps
14 bit raw for everything including continuous shooting
5 axis stabilization to 5.5 stops
Physical dimensions are identical to the Sony a7r II
All the new stuff is inside with the exception of the Joystick from the Sony a9
15 stops of dynamic range due to the processor of the camera. This is only at low resolution but they’re not sure how high of an ISO that will extend to
Autofocus from a9
Eye AF operates at double the speed
No optical low pass filter
Highest picture quality of any camera they’ve made
Low vibration shutter, completely new shutter
Bionz X processor
Raw compressed buffer at 87 photos and uncompressed is 28
Pixel shift multi shooting to capture more color.
399 phase detection AF points
Contrast AF points: 425
68% of the sensor area covered with AF points
2x faster autofocus than the previous camera
Subject tracking performance has doubled in effectiveness
Touch functions on the screen: AF-on, multi selector and anti-flicker
Fast AF and exposure tracking at 10fps
8fps shooting continuous Live View
Full HD video at 120p
4K video at 24p and 30p
USB 3.1
Dust and moisture resistant
Two card slots
3.69 million dot OLED tru-finder
The A9 battery
PC sync port
You can externally power the camera via USB
No mirror shock no shutter shock and silent shooting
10fps no black out. At 8fps there is momentary blackout
No time lapse mode
$3,199.99 in market at end of November
Europe pricing about 3500€

Some hot new A7rIII features:

The α7R III can capture outstanding 4K high resolution motion images with 5K (15MP) oversampling, as well as a new HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) image configuration file,
Support real-time HDR workflow, can capture a wide dynamic range of high-precision fresh dynamic images, no color gradient processing.
In the α7R III on the new pixel conversion multiple shooting mode, make full use of the fuselage 5-axis anti-shake function, to achieve high-resolution images. In this mode, the camera moves in 1 pixel increments and shoots four separate pixel moving images, containing a total of about $ 99.44 million pixel data. The four images can be synthesized and processed using the software from the new Imaging Edge Intelligent Imaging Application Center. This mode allows for higher resolution and color accuracy of still images, which are more ideal for shooting themes with complex details and colors for architecture, artwork, or other still life."


and Dpreview adds an article too: https://www.dpreview.com/news/3426999280/sony-a7r-iii-promises-faster-bursts-better-focusing-and-longer-battery-life
 
Interestingly no big upgrade in Pixels. Bast maybe in the A9R...

But 15 stops of DR, higher fps.....

"In the α7R III on the new pixel conversion multiple shooting mode, make full use of the fuselage 5-axis anti-shake function, to achieve high-resolution images. In this mode, the camera moves in 1 pixel increments and shoots four separate pixel moving images, containing a total of about $ 99.44 million pixel data" - This function we see in another body from another manufacturer. Interestingly, they copied it.
 
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SecureGSM

2 x 5D IV
Feb 26, 2017
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Mike,
likely this is done by Temporal Noise reduction in Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode.

https://www.dxomark.com/red-helium-8k-dxomark-sensor-score-108-a-new-all-time-high-score2/

TNR: noise reduction based on sampling multiple sequential image frames. This technique, called temporal noise reduction (TNR), is most commonly used in video, since there are many successive frames to work with . However, temporal correlations across a time axis are not relevant when analyzing the image quality of a single RAW image, as they do not impact any RAW converters.

A.M.: However, Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode is essentially a multiple sequential image frames and therefore TNR method may work.




Mikehit said:
15 stops of dynamic range due to the processor of the camera.

So does this mean that the sensor hasn't actually improved, but it is done by electronic jiggerypokery? If so, I have wondered for some time if this is how Sony have been doing it before.
 
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Jul 28, 2015
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SecureGSM said:
Mike,
likely this is done by Temporal Noise reduction in Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode.

https://www.dxomark.com/red-helium-8k-dxomark-sensor-score-108-a-new-all-time-high-score2/

TNR: noise reduction based on sampling multiple sequential image frames. This technique, called temporal noise reduction (TNR), is most commonly used in video, since there are many successive frames to work with . However, temporal correlations across a time axis are not relevant when analyzing the image quality of a single RAW image, as they do not impact any RAW converters.

A.M.: However, Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode is essentially a multiple sequential image frames and therefore TNR method may work.




Mikehit said:
15 stops of dynamic range due to the processor of the camera.

So does this mean that the sensor hasn't actually improved, but it is done by electronic jiggerypokery? If so, I have wondered for some time if this is how Sony have been doing it before.

Thank you for the explanation. What you seem to be saying is that this 15-stop DR applies only to video? If so, is this another example of Sony's approach to announcements where the list of caveats is almost as long as the list of features?
 
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SecureGSM

2 x 5D IV
Feb 26, 2017
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no, sorry. i am saying that this, likely, applies to Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode. as TNR cannot be applied to a single image but to image sequence only. PSMS mode is indeed a sequence of multiple images. Hence my hypothesis that TNR _may_ be implemented in Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode.



Mikehit said:
Thank you for the explanation. What you seem to be saying is that this 15-stop DR applies only to video? If so, is this another example of Sony's approach to announcements where the list of caveats is almost as long as the list of features?
 
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I am a tad disappointed with some things. I based this on features on 2017 flagship smartphones and flagship full frame cameras from Sony & Nikon.

* The two SD slots are not both UHS-II
* Would the UHS-II slot read/write at peak 312 MB/s (2000x)?
* LCD is not multitouch
* USB-C should be Thunderbolt 3 so it can combine video (remove micro HDMI), data and charging (remove micro USB) thus allowing for less weight & space.

I am happy Sony released this. May it light a fire under Canon & Nikon to offer better full frame bodies in the future or induce a price war.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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xps said:
and Dpreview adds an article too: https://www.dpreview.com/news/3426999280/sony-a7r-iii-promises-faster-bursts-better-focusing-and-longer-battery-life

6D -> 6DII, no meaningful improvement in image quality, DPR cries, "It's a travesty, a massively disappointing failure!"

a7RII -> a7RIII, no meaningful improvement in image quality, what will DPR say about image quality?
 
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neuroanatomist said:
SecureGSM said:
Dual Pixel Raw on steroids. ( quad pixel RAW? )

As long as your subject isn't moving. But hey, steroids have some pretty negative side effects, too.
...
Not moving, and really static:
"The camera must also wait either 0.5, 1, or 2 seconds between shots for the sensor to settle"

Suitable for product work and still life, not for landscapes that have any moving objects (like grass in wind, leaves, water, clouds).

Seems that Sony has serious vibration issues with their pixel shift technology.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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BurningPlatform said:
neuroanatomist said:
SecureGSM said:
Dual Pixel Raw on steroids. ( quad pixel RAW? )

As long as your subject isn't moving. But hey, steroids have some pretty negative side effects, too.
...
Not moving, and really static:
"The camera must also wait either 0.5, 1, or 2 seconds between shots for the sensor to settle"

Suitable for product work and still life, not for landscapes that have any moving objects (like grass in wind, leaves, water, clouds).

Seems that Sony has serious vibration issues with their pixel shift technology.

Egad, that really clobbers utility.

Zeiss' implementation was far better (even though it didn't need to be, because fixed specimens are about as static as things get).
 
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SecureGSM

2 x 5D IV
Feb 26, 2017
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apparently, SONY is aware and positioning this feature for architectural, reproduction, product photography, etc.
AFAIK, same can be achieved with Canon multi -bracketed shots.
Canon 5D IV DPRAW files contain extra 1 stop of DR in sub-frame B with no bracketing required. Hence shooting fast moving subjects is possible while the DR is effectively extended to 14+ stops. not bad at all.

https://www.rawdigger.com/howtouse/canon-dual-pixel-mode-highlights-are-there

Q: Do you think it would be possible in the case that Adobe et al won't use this additional data, to somehow split the RAW file into two separate RAW files with which we could work independently?

A: Current version of RawDigger will export separate TIFF files to work with.

bingo!

neuroanatomist said:
SecureGSM said:
Dual Pixel Raw on steroids. ( quad pixel RAW? )

As long as your subject isn't moving. But hey, steroids have some pretty negative side effects, too.

My Zeiss microscope cameras had pixel shift ('co-site sampling') over 15 years ago.
 
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Canon is getting left behind in the dust.

First there was the D850, 7-9fps, 45mp, tilt screen and a ton of bells and whistles and class-leading IQ at $3,200

Now there's a Sony A7R3, with 42mp, tilt screen, 10FPS and a ton of bells and whistles which will likely equal the D850 in IQ - all for $3,200


Where's Canon? What are the chances the 5DSR Mark II is going to have 14+ stops of DR, at least 7 fps, and a flagship level, sports camera level AF system with touch tilt screen, good video features? And come in at $3,200....? I'd say those chances are about ZERO.

The 5D4 was made obsolete by the D850, the A7RIII makes it even worse. Canon should drop the price of the 5D4 to about $2,200 so that the price better reflects its 2013-4 era features and specs and performance. The 6D2 should be $1,300 at best since it doesn't have better IQ than the 2013 6D.


Canon being market leader has become complacent. Going with "what works" for too long is bound to fail against competition trying to get a bigger piece of the pie.


D850 made huge news, and was extremely well received in the industry and across the market. I expect the A7RIII, despite it's somewhat surprise announcement and lack of pre-hype, to be just as well received.
 
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