Testing the ISO Performance of the Sony a7S III in Low Light

As the years roll by, one constant remains in all forms of tech: consumers (and in particular, prosumers) demand more and more from equipment. One area videographers will always cast a critical eye, is low light performance.

The Sony a7S III has been met with largely an excellent response. It has been called everything from a "technical masterpiece" through to many videographers' "new favorite camera." Hands-on reviews of the body have yielded impressive results, with many comparisons of the a7S III's footage with much more expensive cinema cameras falling favorably towards the Sony. With regards to the old adage of "bang for your buck," the a7S III is proving to be a strong return on investment, despite being nearly $3,500.

This video by videographer and cinematographer, Sidney Diongzon, is exactly what I look for when I'm interested in upgrading equipment. There's no talking, no opinions, and no gerrymandering of information. We are shown footage straight out of the camera, then levels-adjusted, then color graded. At 3,200 ISO, the a7S III shows almost no noise whatsoever. I watched the video full screen, on a 4K monitor, in 4K resolution, and the quality is superb. While that may not be the ultimate litmus test for low light performance, it's enough for most.

The a7S III continues to impress, though I'd like to see Diongzon push the ISO higher to see when the footage becomes unusable.