Sony’s announced a followup to its alpha A7 mirrorless camera series just months after the debut of the original models. The Alpha A7S features a 12-MP full-frame sensor, 4K video recording (on external media) and a light sensitivity range of ISO 50 to 409,600. Sony hasn’t announced a price or expected date of availability for the A7S yet.
To be clear, the Alpha A7S is not able to capture 4K video to an SD card – you’ll have to attach an external drive to the camera to record uncompressed 4K video. Still, this means that budding filmmakers have the means to shoot high-res clips for 4K-capable screens. Sony expects to release an XLR adaptor kit to facilitate direct attachment of external drives to the camera.
Without the external drive, the A7S can shoot up to 1080p at 60 fps and 720p at 120 fps. Those looking to shoot in low light will be excited to find that the A7S supports an ISO light sensitivity range of up to 409,600. This ISO range is already available on the Nikon D4S, which also boasts up to ISO 409,600. What’s remarkable about the A7S is that it has rather low resolution, meaning bigger photosites (pixels), which probably explains the ability to achieve sky-high ISO. That’s an interesting and potentially smart tradeoff between resolution and ISO.
With a 25-point autofocus system, the A7s promises faster shooting than its predecessor. The Alpha A7S is also the world’s first mirrorless camera to have a full frame sensor with full pixel read-out. It also sports a 3-inch tilting LCD monitor, an electronic viewfinder and built-in Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities.
