Impressive sensitivity creates a new world of pictorial expression – the Sony α7S features a newly designed sensor with a wide dynamic range, opening up exciting artistic possibilities for serious photographers and videographers.
From the starry skies to the mysterious candlelight ambiance: Now there’s a camera that gives you creative freedom to capture emotionally rich, flawless video and professional quality photos.
Continuing the series of enthusiastically received α7 and α7R – the world’s smallest[1] full-frame interchangeable-lens cameras – Sony’s α7S puts exceptional sensitivity, low noise and impressive 4K image quality QFHD: 3840×2160 in the hands of serious photo and video enthusiasts.
– Wide ISO range from 50 to 409600* and impressive dynamic range
– The world’s first full-frame sensor capable of full pixel readout without skips and summation for video and HDMI output for 4K-compatible devices QFHD: 3840 x 2160
– Professional video features, including 50 Mbps XAVC S Full HD recording, timecode and optional XLR audio inputs
– High ISO sensitivity lets you reduce the shutter speed when shooting in low light.
– The α mount system is compatible with a wide range of high quality lenses, including a powerful zoom lens ideal for movies
– Enhanced Fast Intelligent AF performance in low light up to EV-4
– Ultra-compact lightweight body for easy shooting at a professional level
*Standard ISO: 100-102400 for stills, 200-102400 for video, extended ISO: 50-409600 for stills, 200-409600 for video
Great for still photography and low-budget film production, the α7S delivers stunning artistic capabilities in the world’s smallest body of a full-frame interchangeable-lens digital camera.
Key to the α7S’s exceptional sensitivity is the newly developed full-frame 35 mm Exmor CMOS sensor.
With an effective resolution of 12.2 megapixels, the size of each light receiving element is greatly increased to increase its light capturing capability. Combined with the powerful BIONZ X image processor, this reduces image noise and increases the α7S’s effective sensitivity range to ISO 50 – 409600 in extended mode ISO 200 – 409600 for movies .
This unmatched sensitivity and ultra low noise allows the α7S to produce great low light shots where slow shutter speeds would be needed for conventional cameras. The camera’s high sensitivity captures clear, low-noise photos and videos at slower shutter speeds. Its immense dynamic range is also ideal for capturing high-contrast scenes, where the camera effortlessly handles bright highlights and deep shadows in the same frame.
Because the sensor is supersensitive, the amount of light it can capture is significantly greater than with conventional cameras. The redesigned sensor gives photo/video enthusiasts a wide dynamic range in all conditions, from the weakest light to the brightest sunlight.
Since the camera reads every pixel of a 35mm full frame sensor 24p and 25p frame rate , the 4K[2] images produced by the α7S offer impressive detail, remarkable rich color, and vivid texture in every frame. High-speed data streaming processed by the BIONZ X processor allows the α7S to output 4K resolution video via HDMI output with 4:2:2 color switching for recording to an external device or viewing on a compatible monitor[3].
The full pixel readout of the full frame 35 mm sensor eliminates the unwanted moiré and jagged lines of low resolution video. Deliver stunningly sharp images in XAVC S[4] memory card in Full HD quality at bitrates of 50 Mbps, a feature highly valued by professional videographers.
In “truncated” APS-C mode, the α7S supports a high frame rate of 120 frames per second with HD resolution 1280 x 720 pixels . Play back your footage at 24p with 5x slow motion – perfect for watching athletes move in detail or ballerinas dance gracefully.
And there are plenty of other special features to satisfy professional videographers, such as Picture Profile™ for extensive control of how an image looks and S-Log2’s logarithmic gamma function. Timecode/bit user functions additional user information provide professional-style editing, while an optional microphone kit with XLR adapter[5] provides high quality audio recording.
Fast Intelligent AF High Accuracy Fast Intelligent AF, already proven in the α7R, has been further enhanced to take full advantage of the new camera’s extraordinary low-light shooting capabilities up to EV-4. Other features familiar to α7 users include a high-contrast XGA OLED Tru-Finder viewfinder, Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity and compatibility with a growing collection of downloadable PlayMemories Camera Apps.
A growing family of lenses will let you take full advantage of the camera’s almost limitless creative potential. A brand new full-frame 28-135mm, F4 E-type zoom lens is currently in development, which will appeal to those video enthusiasts who value quality. In addition, Sony is working in cooperation with other companies to support professional-quality video processing technology with 4K resolution. A new XLR adapter kit is also in development.
The new full-frame interchangeable-lens digital camera Sony α7S will go on sale in America in summer 2014.
Basic specifications
| Basic | ||
| Lenses | Lenses α with E-mount | |
| Matrix | ||
| Type | 35mm full frame 35.6 x 23.8mm Exmor CMOS sensor | |
| Number of pixels effective | approx. 12.2 megapixel | |
| Recording photo | ||
| Recording format | JPEG DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver. 2.3, MPF compatible , RAW Sony ARW 2 format.3 | |
| RAW output | 14 bit | |
| Recording video | ||
| Recording format | XAVC S AVCHD format Ver. 2.MP4 | |
| Video codec | XAVC S: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 | |
| AVCHD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 | ||
| MP4: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 | ||
| Audio Recording Format | XAVC S: LPCM, 2-channel | |
| AVCHD: Dolby Digital AC-3 , 2-channel, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator | ||
| MP4: MPEG-4 AAC-LC, 2-channel | ||
| Image size pixels | 1080 60i compatible devices | XAVC S: 1920 x 1080 60p|50Mbps, 30p|50Mbps, 24p|50Mbps , 1280 x 720 120p|50Mbps |
| AVCHD: 1920 x 1080 60p|28Mbps [PS], 60i|24Mbps [FX], 60i|17Mbps [FH], 24p|24Mbps [FX], 24p|17Mbps [FH] | ||
| MP4: 1440×1080 30k/s|12Mbps , 640×480 30k/s|3Mbps | ||
| 1080 50i compatible devices | XAVC S: 1920 x 1080 50p|50Mbps, 25p|50Mbps, 24p|50Mbps , 1280 x 720 100p|50Mbps | |
| AVCHD: 1920 x 1080 50p|28Mbps [PS], 50i|24Mbps [FX], 50i|17Mbps [FH], 24p|24Mbps [FX], 25p|17Mbps [FH] | ||
| MP4: 1440×1080 25 fps|12Mbps , 640×480 25 fps|3Mbps | ||
| Video Functions | Audio level output, Recorded audio level output, Auto slow shutter, HDMI information output On./Off., selectable , Timecode/User bit, HDMI Clear output for 4K, Picture Profile, Artistic Styles, Picture Special Effects, Record Control, Dual Video Recording Function, Marker Setting | |
| Image Profile | Yes Off. PP1-PP7 Parameters: Black Level, Gamma Video, Photo, Cinema1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2 , Black Gamma, “Knee” Color Mode, Color Level, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset | |
| HDMI clear signal output | ||
| HDMI clear output | 1080 60i compatible devices | 3840 × 2160(30p/24p 1920 × 1080(60p/24p 1920 × 1080(60i ,YCbCr 4:2:2 8bit RGB 8bit |
| 1080 50i compatible devices | 3840 × 2160(25p 1920 × 1080(50p 1920 × 1080(50i ,YCbCr 4:2:2 8bit RGB 8bit | |
| Carriers | ||
| Media | Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, SD, SDHC UHS-I , SDXC UHS-I memory cards | |
| Focus system | ||
| Type | Contrast AF | |
| Number of focus points | 25 dots | |
| Measuring range | EV -4 to EV 20 at ISO 100 equivalent with F2 lens attached.0 | |
| Exposure | ||
| Exposure metering | 1200-zone | |
| ISO sensitivity range recommended . exposure value | Photo: ISO 100-102400, Video: ISO 200-102400 equivalent extendable to 409600 for both stills and video | |
| Viewfinder | ||
| Type | XGA OLED, 1.3 cm 0.5″ electronic color | |
| Total number of points | 2,359,296 dots | |
| Frame coverage | 100% | |
| Magnification | approx. 0.71x (With 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1 | |
| LCD screen | ||
| Type: | 7.5cm(3.0″ TFT | |
| Total number of points | 921,600 dots | |
| Tilt angle | Approx.Up to 90 degrees, down to 45 degrees | |
| Other Features | ||
| Camera Apps | Yes | |
| Interface | ||
| Wireless network support built-in | Wi-Fi compliant, IEEE802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz *1 Playback photos and videos on smartphones, PCs and TVs | |
| NFC™ support | Yes NFC Forum Type 3 Tag compatible, One-touch remote, One-touch exchange | |
| Multi-interface accessory pad | Yes | |
| HD output | HDMI Micro Type D connector, BRAVIA Sync via menu , PhotoTV HD, 4K photo playback | |
| Shutter | ||
| Type | Electronic control, vertical shutters, in-focus plane | |
| Shutter speed | Photo: 1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb Video: 1/8000 to 1/4 in 1/3 stop increments , up to 1/60 in Auto up to 1/30 in Auto mode. slow shutter | |
| Electronic front curtains | Yes, On./Off. | |
| Power | ||
| Battery | NP-FW50 | |
| Number of shots from one battery charge | approx. 320 shots with viewfinder approx. 380 shots with LCD screen CIPA standard | |
| Movie recording time from one battery charge | Actual*2: approx. 55 min. With viewfinder, approx. 60 min. with LCD screen CIPA standard Continuous*3: approx. 90 min. with viewfinder, approx. 90 min. With LCD screen CIPA standard | |
| External power supply | AC-PW20 AC adapter sold separately | |
| Weight | ||
| With battery, Memory Stick PRO Duo | approx. 489 g | |
| Body only | approx. 446 g | |
| Dimensions | ||
| W x H x D no protruding parts | approx. 126.9 x 94.4 x 48.2mm | |
| Operating Temperature | ||
| Range | 0-40°C | |
| Specifications and features are based on data available at the time of printing and are subject to change without notice. | ||
| *1 Configuration/Access: WPS or manual/infrastructure mode. When connected to smartphones, the camera can always work as a base without a wireless access point. Security: WEP/WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK | ||
| *2 The specified recording time is determined by repeating the following sequence: turn on the camera, start recording, zoom, standby, and turn off the camera. | ||
| *3 The specified recording time is determined by repeating the following sequence of operations: Pressing the MOVIE button. No other operations, such as zoom, are performed. |
[1] Among interchangeable lens cameras equipped with a 35 mm full-frame equivalent sensor – as of press date.
[2] QFHD 3840 x 2160 pixels
[3] Not available with α7S camera
[4] SDXC memory card higher than class 10 is required when shooting in XAVC S format.
[5] XLR-K1M
Is the Sony α7S mirrorless camera capable of capturing the mesmerizing beauty of a starry sky in all its glory with its full-frame sensor?
This Sony α7S mirrorless camera sounds amazing! I’ve always wanted to capture the beauty of a starry sky on camera. Can anyone tell me how this camera performs in low-light conditions and if it has any specific features suitable for astrophotography? Additionally, I’m curious about the image quality and how it compares to other mirrorless cameras. Thanks in advance for sharing your insights!