Filmmaker Brandon Li creates dynamic and award-winning short films. He also creates tutorials and answers questions about his gear and techniques on his YouTube Channel. Li is a global traveler and filmmaker and he's highly demanding of all of his gear. He put the Sony α7S III through rigorous real-world testing when he used the new camera to create, “Crossroads.” See why short film’s stunning results have Li calling the Sony α7S III the camera to get.
“This is a camera that just gets out of the way and lets you stay creative.” – Filmmaker Brandon Li on the Sony α7S III
After using the α7S III extensively and creating a variety of footage, Li created his own in-depth review of the camera – starting with why he loves using Standard Creative Style.
“The difference between shooting standard color on the α7S III vs. the α7 III and other previous Sony mirrorless, is that this is 10-bit footage,” explains Li, “which means I have a whole lot more grading opportunities even though I’m not shooting in a LOG format.”
He dives into the different features of the camera that would matter most to a filmmaker, sharing his thoughts on everything from the auto focus and dynamic range to sharpness and stabilization. Many of these features he says allow for him to freely create without worry, including the significantly reduced rolling shutter effect.
“Now with the α7S III, I can honestly say that rolling shutter is not a problem anymore,” says Li. “As you can see in this footage, straight lines stay straight. And when I shoot handheld footage that’s shaky, the subject doesn’t become distorted or squashed. So I think there’s really not a whole lot more to say about rolling shutter because it’s basically just fixed. It’s one more worry I can cross off my list when I’m shooting.”
“So do I recommend the α7S III? Yes, I recommend it. It has all the features I need. It doesn’t cripple anything. And even though not all the features are 100% perfect, they’re about as good as anything else on the market right now. So, especially for run-and-gun shooters like me, this camera’s the one to get. I used it for two months, and it was completely reliable. This is a camera that just gets out of the way and lets you stay creative."
Watch Li's complete in-depth review, including test footage:
