Sony jumped into the 4K DSLR video market this year with its a7S mirrorless camera. It has become a sleeper hit among low-budget filmmakers looking for a killer image and nice dynamic range out of a camera that costs just under $2500 at the time of writing. We wanted to take an in-depth look at the Sony a7S and identify the reasons filmmakers love it.
4K Capabilities & Image Quality
The Sony a7S does have a 4K sensor, but be aware that you will need an external recorder to capture the full 4K image. Internally, the a7S can record a beautifully sharp 1080p image.
The a7S features:
- 12.2MP Full-Frame Exmor CMOS Sensor
- Sony E-mount
- Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 24, 30, 60 FPS
- Capable of 120 FPS at 720p
- Records to AVCHD, XAVC S and MP4 to SD, SDXC, SDHC, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO HG-Duo
- 4K (4240 x 2832) full-frame sensor is cropped to UHD 3840 x 2160 for recording via HDMI to external recorder only (8 bit, 4:2:2)
Dynamic Range
The a7S has an absolutely killer dynamic range for the price point and small body. This little guy will give you over 14 stops of dynamic range, up there with cameras like the ALEXA. Cinema5D did a dynamic range comparison between the Sony a7S and other popular cameras such as ARRI’s ALEXA and the Canon 5D. The only camera that beat out the a7S was the ALEXA and it will probably surprise you how close the results were between the two cameras.
Cinema5D Says:
“Here we tested usable dynamic range of the given cameras. With 14.1 stops the usable dynamic range of the A7S comes surprisingly close to the Arri Amira with its legendary Alexa sensor (see our full review here).
This is an extremely good dynamic range rating and is fascinating considering that the A7S is available at a fraction of the Amira’s price and is also in a completely different weight and size class. While the Amira will outperform the A7S in other tests, the dynamic range is a very important attribute to consider when working with a camera.
The Canon cameras come in at 11-12 stops of usable dynamic range. This is still a very strong dynamic range rating, but in comparison to the A7S the Canon’s are way behind.
The Panasonic GH4 had the worst dynamic range in our test. This is in line with the rather video’ish look and contrasty colors we can subjectively observe.”
James Drake did some testing of the a7S high ISO capabilities. Check out this frame that was shot in sLog at 409,600 ISO
Low Light Performance
The a7S also offers filmmakers amazing low light performance. This little camera can shoot all the way up to ISO 409,600!
Affordable Price in a Small Package
The a7S is small, even smaller than a Canon 5D, and that makes its features all the more impressive. This is advantageous to filmmakers in situations where there isn’t room for a big camera set-up, traveling shows/documentaries, and times when you want your camera set-up to be low-key and discreet.
Combine the size of the a7S, it’s exceptional image quality, and the low price of under $2500 for the body, and you’ve got a camera that is a hit.
To prove it, Sony put out a video demonstrating the camera’s ISO settings: we’re impressed!
For more information on how to rent the latest Sony Cameras, email [email protected], give us a call or stop in for a demo. We’d love to see you!
