Over the past several weeks, rumors of a new Sony full-frame camera have been on the rise.
And, taken together, it looks like we may have a Sony a7S II successor before the summer is out.
One rumor, originally reported by Sony Alpha Rumors, suggests that a Sony full-frame camera (and a full-frame lens) will debut at the end of June.
Another rumor, also revealed by Sony Alpha Rumors, tells of a Sony a7S II successor in “late June.”
According to this second report, the a7S III should be launched toward the end of next month, with the camera “scheduled to be on the market by late Summer,” assuming that coronavirus doesn’t cause further, unexpected issues.
Put these two reports together, and an a7S III seems very likely, though it is possible that we’ll be surprised with an a7 IV.
An a7S II successor is long overdue; the a7S II launched way back in 2015, and since then much has changed in the camera industry. Note that the a7S III would be part of Sony’s video-centric stills lineup, which focuses on high-quality video over features such as huge megapixel counts and insanely good autofocus tracking.
So what can we expect from this new Sony snapper?
First, the a7S III should feature at least 4K/60p (the old a7S II offers 4K/30p), but there’s also a possibility for a jump in resolution to 6K or even 8K.
A June-announced 8K camera would be poised to compete with the upcoming Canon EOS R5, which will leapfrog over other mirrorless bodies to offer 8K/30p recording. Personally, I’m doubtful as to whether Sony could pull this off; it’s far more likely that we’ll get 4K/60p, or maybe 6K.
We should also see some standard Sony features: touchscreen capabilities, IBIS, faster AF, and a relatively compact body. The a7S II was (and is) a powerful low-light shooter, so the a7S III may take that even further, offering top-of-the-line high-ISO performance.
As for the price:
The Sony a7S II is currently available for around $2000 USD, but it debuted with an MSRP of $3000 USD; we can expect that the a7S III will start at this mark, though it’s possible we’ll see a higher price if the camera offers some unexpected features (such as 8K video).
So if you’re a hybrid shooter looking for your next camera, keep an eye out for updates over the next couple of months!
Now over to you:
Are you excited about the potential release of the a7S III? What do you think the camera will offer in terms of video and stills capability? Share your thoughts in the comments!
