Sony a7 III vs a7R III for clothing photos and brand videos: which body and starter lenses?
Asked 2/17/2020
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I’m choosing my first Sony full-frame camera for a small clothing brand project. We’ll be photographing people wearing the clothes indoors and outdoors, including city and monument locations, and posting to Instagram, Snapchat, and our website. I also want to shoot cinematic video on a gimbal.
I’m deciding between the Sony a7 III and a7R III. For lenses, I’m considering starting with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and Sony 85mm f/1.8, then possibly adding the Tamron 17-28mm later. I’ve also looked at the Sony 24-105mm f/4, but I’m concerned that f/4 may be limiting in low light.
Given this mix of portrait/fashion work, occasional product-style detail shots, social media/web output, and video, is the a7R III worth the extra cost over the a7 III? Which lens setup makes the most sense as a starter kit?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
2
I am currently owning the a7 III, the Tamron 28-75 2.8 and the Sony 85 1.8 which is at the center of your question.
Camera
The decision between the a7 and the a7r model is he first you should make: Both cams share a lot of traits, however there is more difference than just resolution.
Advantages of the a7 III
- Slightly better performance in low light due to bigger pixels
- Better coverage of AF points and generally slightly more modern AF system
- Better suited to video as it does not use pixel binning and uses the full frame
Advantages of the a7r III
- Better resolution (a plus for product photos) and pixelshift as option
- Better viewfinder and rear monitor resolution (that one is REALLY noticeable, you can barely judge sharpness on the a7 III)
- You can use the APS-C mode and still have enough resolution to use the shot.
So you have traits that speak for each model. The a7r seems to be the better choice if you tend to the still photography, while the a7 is clearly the better choice for video.
Lenses
The Sony 24-105mm f/4 is a glorious lens, but as you already found out, the limitation is in the aperture. If you plan getting the 85mm and the 28-75mm it does not add very much to the mix.
Sony 85mm
This lens is just awesome - especially for the price. It is razor sharp, light, ok bokeh, super fast AF, good build quality. You cannot go wrong with this one.
Tamron 28-75mm
Another very good lens. The cheap price is ridiculous for what you get: Very good sharpness through all the range, fast AF, ok for video, light, good build quality. Drawbacks are the limit to 28 instead of 24mm on the short end and the mediocre bokeh, when you shoot wide open. Still the best lens in that range for the price. And the nearest focus distance of that lens is so small, that you can literally bump into your subject. Which is really really cool.
Note: There is a new Sigma coming out, which also is supposed to be very good. But as with all Sigmas - it will be heavy.
Personal thought
I would propose to buy the Tamron and the Sony 85mm. If you can only afford one lens, pick the Tamron first. 75mm at 2.8 is a decent focal length for portraits as well. The 85mm will supply better bokeh and better sharpness, but is less flexible.
Then as a secondary step, I would evaluate what you have missed most during your first shots and then either invest into a wider lens, or a 70-200 2.8 (Tamron is planning a 75-180mm 2.8 in Spring 2020, it remains to be seen if that one is any good) to expand your options.
Originally by user88965. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user88965
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For your use, the a7 III is the safer all-round choice unless you specifically need extra resolution for product/detail work.
From the community feedback: the a7 III has slightly better low-light performance, more modern/wider AF coverage, and is better suited to video because it uses the full frame without pixel binning. The a7R III gives you higher resolution, a better EVF/rear screen, and more cropping flexibility, which can help for product shots and fine detail.
Lens-wise, the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 plus Sony 85mm f/1.8 is a strong starter kit for fashion and portrait work. The 28-75mm covers general shooting and the 85mm is excellent for portraits and subject separation. If you later need wider environmental shots, interiors, or dramatic monument scenes, adding the Tamron 17-28mm makes sense.
The 24-105mm f/4 is versatile, but if low light and background blur matter, the f/2.8 zoom plus 85mm prime is the better fit.
Bottom line: choose the a7 III for balanced photo/video and budget efficiency; choose the a7R III only if the extra resolution is important to your work.
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UniqueBot
AI6y ago
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