Sony a7S full frame mirrorless camera

see also:

• Sony NEX E-mount camera system
• Sony NEX FX full frame mirrorless cameras
• Sony FE E-mount full frame lenses

• announced Oct 2013
• has been replaced by the Sony a7S II full frame mirrorless camera
• who is it for?
  • low light photographers - eg. astrophotographic landscapes of the Milky Way
  • 4K videographers (but need external 4K recorder)
  • videographers using image stabilisation gear or tripod
• newly developed, 12.2 mp 35mm full frame Exmor® CMOS sensor
• class leading high ISO performance
• 1st full frame camera with full pixel read out in movie mode (ie. no pixel binning) which allows videos with much reduced aliasing, moiré and false color artifacts
• 4K video output to a external recorder
• http://blog.sony.com/press/28061/

• new 12.2 mp sensor
  • 25 CDAF points
• no PDAF
• 5fps burst
• shutter 30sec - 1/8000th sec but loud
  • electronic first curtain mode, which allows for a quieter shutter, and reduces the potential for 'shutter shock' vibration
  • electronic silent mode
• flash sync 1/250th sec
• no built-in flash but multi-interface flash shoe
• exp. compensation ±5 EV
• Auto ISO usable in manual mode via exposure compensation dial
• awesome high ISO performance:
  • ISO 50 – 4096002 (but lowest in movie mode is 200 ISO)
  • lower dynamic range but 1 stop better noise than the Sony a7 II full frame mirrorless camera up to 6400 ISO, and 2 stops better at 102,400
  • similar high ISO performance as Nikon D750 full frame dSLR and Nikon D4s sports dSLR
• 3“ tilting 1.23m dot LCD but not touch sensitive
• XGA EVF
• awesome video capabilities:
  • excellent high ISO videos
  • 1st full frame camera with full pixel read out in movie mode (ie. no pixel binning) which allows videos with much reduced aliasing, moiré and false color artifacts
  • 4K (QFHD 3840 x 2160 pixels 4:2:2 8-bit) video using the full width of the sensor, this can be output to a 3rd party external recorder (eg. Atomos Shogun ~$2000) but cannot be saved to a memory card
  • 1080 HD video at 60p, 60o, 30p and 24p direct to memory card
  • video can be cropped to Super 35mm (APS-C) and at this crop can shoot at 120fps
  • S-Log2 gamma for expanded dynamic range
  • XAVC S recording format at 50Mbps in HD video mode in addition to AVCHD and MP4 codecs
  • video mode picture profile that can adjust settings like gamma, black, level and color adjustment
  • time code/user bit
  • various marker and zebra displays on both the LCD screen and viewfinder
• no timelapse recording
• USB 2.0
• weather sealed, composite body
• WiFi with NFC
• 489g
• 126.9 x 94.4 x 48.2mm (approx. 5 x 3 3/4 x 1 15/16 in.)
• NB. does not ship with a proper battery charger, instead it comes with a Micro USB cable and the AC-UUD11 AC Battery Charging Adapter (a USB to AC converter)

• dpreview.com's review
  • lower dynamic range and resolution than immediate peers
  • raw compression can lead to posterization at high contrast edges
  • overly sensitive eye sensor is annoying
  • 4K footage from APS-C region of sensor is disappointing
  • small battery can be restrictive, especially for video shooting
  • ergonomics poor for video work
• EOSHD Sony a7s vs GH4 vs Nikon D750 for HD video
  • issues with Metabones adapters
  • more film-like and shallower depth of field (DOF) than the Panasonic GH4 4K video stills camera which was important at 35-50mm focal lengths but not at telephoto
  • GH4 still has many advantages the A7S doesn’t have, like longer battery run-times, a better screen, quicker boot time and of course an internal 4K codec
• http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/08/sony-a7s-adventure-tested-ultimate-low-light-mirrorless/