The a7 III closed the gap between Sony's entry-level and flagship full-frame bodies, borrowing the 693-point phase-detection autofocus system from the professional a9 and pairing it with a redesigned 24.2MP back-illuminated sensor. Five-axis in-body stabilization delivers roughly 5 stops of shake compensation, useful with non-stabilized lenses as much as handheld shooting.

Ten frames per second continuous shooting with full autofocus tracking, dual SD card slots, and internal 4K video using the sensor's full width made it a genuine hybrid stills-and-video body at the time — and its combination of image quality, autofocus, and price kept it a working photographer's default choice for years after release.