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Sony A7S

 
Sony Alpha A7S front
 
Portability
77
Imaging
60
Features
73
Overall
65

Sony A7S summary

Sony A7S is Sony's Pro Mirrorless camera first released on April of 2014. It comes with a 12 MegaPixel, CMOS Full frame sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4240 x 2832.

Sony brought out the newer Sony A7S II (Read Full Comparison) as a way to replace this camera.

The A7S is placed #59 out of 70 in Pro Mirrorless cameras and over all #234 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please use our Advanced camera finder to find camera results based on your personalized factors.

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Below is a chart of multiple factors used in the rating system.

Sony A7S family

The Sony A7S comes with a history of related digital cameras. Below, you can take a look at all past and current models alongside key features.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Sony-Alpha-A7R-V front thumbnailSony A7R V
A7S vs A7R V
61MPFull frame10.0 fps2022
Sony-Alpha-A7-IV front thumbnailSony A7 IV
A7S vs A7 IV
33MPFull frame10.0 fps2021
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Sony-Alpha-a1 front thumbnailSony a1
A7S vs a1
50MPFull frame30.0 fps2021
Sony-Alpha-A7S-III front thumbnailSony A7S III
A7S vs A7S III
12MPFull frame10.0 fps2020
Sony-Alpha-A9-Mark-II front thumbnailSony A9 II
A7S vs A9 II
24MPFull frame20.0 fps2019
Sony-Alpha-A7R-IV front thumbnailSony A7R IV
A7S vs A7R IV
61MPFull frame10.0 fps2019
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Sony-Alpha-A7-III front thumbnailSony A7 III
A7S vs A7 III
24MPFull frame10.0 fps2018
Sony-Alpha-A7R-III front thumbnailSony A7R III
A7S vs A7R III
42MPFull frame10.0 fps2017
Sony-Alpha-A9 front thumbnailSony A9
A7S vs A9
24MPFull frame20.0 fps2017
Sony-Alpha-A7S-II front thumbnailSony A7S II
A7S vs A7S II
12MPFull frame5.0 fps2015
Sony-Alpha-A7R-II front thumbnailSony A7R II
A7S vs A7R II
42MPFull frame5.0 fps2015
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Sony-Alpha-A7-II front thumbnailSony A7 II
A7S vs A7 II
24MPFull frame5.0 fps2014
Sony-Alpha-A7S front thumbnailSony A7S12MPFull frame5.0 fps2014
Sony-Alpha-A7R front thumbnailSony A7R
A7S vs A7R
36MPFull frame4.0 fps2014
Sony-Alpha-A7 front thumbnailSony A7
A7S vs A7
24MPFull frame5.0 fps2014

Sony A7S Pros and Cons

Below is a list of pros and cons of the Sony A7S based on aspects which are oftentimes regarded as crucial in a camera.

delivers RAW files
environment sealing
great ISO range (409,600)
great max shutter speed (1/8,000s)
great minimum ISO (100)
high res video (3840 x 2160 resolution)
includes face detect focusing
includes HDMI out
includes headphone support
includes microphone support
includes tracking focus
interchangeable lenses (Sony E mount)
lighter than average in class (489 grams)
manual focus
NFC connectivity
screen size is good (3")
screen tilts up and down
sensor size is great (Full frame)
very good screen resolution (1,230 k dots)
bad battery life (360 per charge)
does not have image stabilization
does not posses selfie friendly display
lack of phase detect AF
low MP (12MP)
max frames per second very slow (5.0 frames/s)
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Sony A7S Sensor info

The Sony A7S features the Bionz X chip. The sensor spec on the Sony A7S is 35.8mm x 23.9mm (Full frame). The 856 mm² sensor is able to capture 4240 x 2832 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 12MP and gives a native ISO range of 100 to 409600. RAW files are saved which means that the user has wider room to maneuver in post.

The picture underneath shows the A7S's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The A7S sensor comes with a crop factor of 1 and is displayed in green.

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To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony A7S dimensions

Sony A7S is 1.08 pounds (489 grams or 17.25 oz) and features outside measurements of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9"). The weight of average Pro Mirrorless camera is 722 grams and the Sony A7S is less heavy compared with its competitors.

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Underneath is a shot of the Sony A7S next to a softdrink so you can have a sense of its scale.

Sony Alpha A7S dimensions scale

The top view just below will show the button arrangement on the A7S.

Sony Alpha A7S topview buttons dials

Sony A7S Lens info

The A7S uses the Sony E mount and has 170 lenses available on the market. Below is a few of the lenses we have in our collection which will fit the A7S.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Sony-FE-24mm-F2.8-G lensSony FE 24mm F2.8 G24mmf/2.8 162g
Sony-20mm-F1.8G lensSony 20mm F1.8G20mmf/1.8373g
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Sigma-19mm-F2.8-DN-Sony-E-NEX lensSigma 19mm F2.8 DN19mmf/2.8 140g
Tokina-atx-m-85mm-F1.8-FE-Sony-FE lensTokina atx-m 85mm F1.8 FE85mmf/1.8645g
Lensbaby-Sol-45-Mirrorless-Sony-E lensLensbaby Sol 45 Mirrorless45mmf/3.5272g
Sigma-150-600mm-F5-6.3-DG-DN-OS-S-Sony-FE-Mount lensSigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS S150-600mmf/5-6.3 2100g
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Zeiss-Batis-40mm-F2-CF-Sony-FE lensZeiss Batis 40mm F2 CF40mmf/2361g
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Sony A7S Connectivity

The A7S has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that feature NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly with smartphones. You can easily copy pictures and usually change camera settings with no need to connect directly to the camera.

Some applications even provide a Liveview and release the shutter when you are not near the camera. If the camera has a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external display. Nearly all cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Sony A7S Video info

The highest possible video resolution on the Sony A7S is 3840 x 2160 and it can capture in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC format. 2160p gives you a outstanding resolution for video recording. You will be able to crop to 1080p to get clearer results. Beware of the substantial file sizes and make sure you get high quality SD cards that have fast write speed. The camera does feature both headphone and microphone support making it incredibly useful while capturing audio.

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Sony A7S Weather Sealing

Sony A7S has got environment proofing which makes it a fantastic selection to use during tricky environments. This can be particularly helpful whenever you are unsure about the elements you might face during outdoor photography.

Sony A7S Display and Viewfinder

The Sony A7S comes with a 3" tilting display boasting a resolution of 1,230k dots.

Unfortunately the display is not a touch screen.

Sony Alpha A7S screen and viewfinder Leica struggles with L-Mount camera sales, tougher than Q or M

The View Finder details regarding Sony A7S are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 2,359k dots
  • Coverage 100 percent
  • Magnification 0.71x

In those sunny outdoor situations which make the camera displays washed out and hard to view, viewfinders are quite useful.

Sony A7S Shutter info

Sony A7S is able to shoot continuously at 5.0 frames/s. The highest shutter speed is 1/8000 sec.

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Sony A7S Flash and Hot shoe info

Sony A7S has got external flash support but is without built in flash.

Sony A7S Autofocus info

Sony A7S has got just Contrast Detect Auto Focus and does not have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more faster and accurate compared with Contrast Detect focusing. The camera comes with Face detect which is useful for people photography.

The AF system comes with 25 focus points to select from. It also includes Tracking Auto Focus for objects on the move. Sony A7S boasts manual focus in case it is required during low light or you need to have more precise control on focus.

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Sony A7S Battery life

The battery life (NP-FW50) on the Sony A7S is made to last for 360 shots as per the CIPA measurements which is lower as compared with its rivals. The average Pro Mirrorless camera battery life is 460. Olympus E-M1X features the best (870) battery life within this category of cameras.

Below is a number of Pro Mirrorless cameras with the highest battery life:

Sony A7S for specific categories of photography

The following chart presents a rundown of the Sony A7S for specific categories of photography. To read more, have a look at the specific section underneath.

Sony A7S as a Portrait photography camera

The Sony A7S receives a score of 68 which is very good, meaning that it is a good pick to use for portrait images. Shooting portraits favors heavily to sensor size, RAW support in addition to the ability to utilize off-camera flash.

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you can focus manually
sensor size is large (Full frame)
offers face detect autofocus
exports RAW files
megapixel count low (12 megapixels)

Sony A7S Street photography advice

With a excellent points total of 76, the Sony A7S is a outstanding fit to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera has a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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screen tilts up and down
great sensor size (Full frame)
supports RAW files
environment proof
lighter than competitors in class (489g)
very good ISO range (409,600)
no image stabilization

Sports photography with Sony A7S

A reasonable sports photography rating of 52 suggests the Sony A7S is reasonably suitable for shooting sports. A camera must have fantastic autofocus plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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great max shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
great sensor size (Full frame)
supports tracking autofocus
environment proof
slow continuous shooting (5.0 frames/s)
no image stabilization
resolution not great (12MP)
terrible battery power (360 CIPA)
doesn't have phase detect AF

Sony A7S as a Travel photography camera

Portability is really critical in buying a camera for travel. On the whole, the Sony A7S gets a reasonable 58 for a travelling camera which makes it somewhat appropriate to buy for your holidays.

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lighter than competition in class (489g)
weather proof
not so great battery power (360 CIPA)
MP count low (12 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly

Sony A7S as a Landscape photography camera

For anyone who is planning to pick a camera for landscape pictures, the most critical aspect is going to be image quality. The Sony A7S with it's nice grade of 66 for a landscape camera is a good option amongst its rivals.

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has manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Sony E mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
very good ISO range (409,600)
saves RAW formats
weather sealing
lack of image stabilization
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
terrible battery (360 shots)

Vlogging with Sony A7S

A vlogging camera ought to have a articulating display, microphone port and preferably image stabilization. Considering all things, the Sony A7S is not acceptable for vlogging as it receives a terrible score of 34.

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features face detect focusing
video resolution high (3840 x 2160 pxls)
does have mic port
lighter than competition in class (489 grams)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
does not have image stabilization

Sony A7S Alternatives

If you are in the market for alternatives to the A7S, here is a number of the highest ranked cameras that fall into the category of Pro Mirrorless.

The line chart below provides you an overview of the A7S compared to it's top scoring competitors mentioned above.

There are more cameras you may look into as alternative options. To go through a full comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Sony
Model
Sony Alpha A7S
Type
Pro Mirrorless
Introduced
2014-04-06
Physical type
SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Processor Chip
Bionz X
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor measurements
35.8 x 23.9mm
Sensor area
855.6mm²
Sensor resolution
12 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution
4240 x 2832
RAW data
Max native ISO
409600
Lowest native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points
25
Lens
Lens mount
Sony E
Total lenses
121
Focal length multiplier
1
Screen
Display type
Tilting
Display size
3"
Display resolution
1,230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,359k dots
Viewfinder coverage
100 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.71x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
87
DXO Color Depth score
23.9
DXO Dynamic range score
13.2
DXO Low light score
3702
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30 seconds
Fastest shutter speed
1/8000 seconds
Continuous shutter rate
5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
no built-in flash
Flash options
no built-in flash
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions
3840 x 2160, XAVC S 1080 60p(50Mbps), 30p (50Mbps), 24p (50Mbps). 720 120p (50Mbps). AVCHD 60p (28Mbps), 60i (24Mbps/17Mbps), 24p (24Mbps/17Mbps)
Max video resolution
3840x2160
Video format
MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
489 gr (1.08 lb)
Dimensions
127 x 94 x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9")
Other
Battery life
360 photographs
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Battery model
NP-FW50
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec; continuous (3 or 5 exposures))
Time lapse recording
With downloadable app
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
One
Retail pricing
$1,998