The Sony a7S is an interesting departure for a camera company: a model where possibly more of the emphasis during the design process has been placed on video capture, rather than stills. This is made easier to see by the existence of its sibling models.

Impressive image quality; Superb; detailed; essentially moiré-free 1080p footage; Outstanding 4K (UHD) video when used with external recorder; Useful; high resolution electronic viewfinder; Completely silent shooting available; Microphone and headphone ports; Useful tools; such as focus peaking and...

Limited to contrast-detect AF; while a7/II siblings have on-sensor phase-detect AF; Lower dynamic range and resolution than immediate competitors; Sony's Raw compression scheme can lead to posterization at high contrast edges; Small battery can be restrictive; especially for video shooting; Lack of...

In 2013 the Sony Alpha A7 convinced our team and a panel of tech-savvy judges that it was system camera of the year. Not because it had the most lenses available, was the fastest, nor because there weren't other great new cameras coming out, but because it broke the mould and stepped up where other...

Great full-frame image quality; sturdy build and small scale design; great electronic viewfinder quality; tilt-angle LCD with large view; two batteries included

Poor battery life; no wall charger means slow charge; full-frame lens range is lacking; AF-C not comparable to ￡2k DSLR; 4K capture off-camera only; much pricier than standard A7

The Sony Alpha 7S ($2,499.99, body only) is the third camera in Sony's full-frame mirrorless family. The 12-megapixel shooter joins the 24-megapixel Alpha 7 and 36-megapixel Alpha 7R , but its resolution isn't the only differentiating factor.

Amazing high ISO capability; Full-frame image sensor; 5fps burst shooting; Sharp, tilting rear LCD; Excellent OLED EVF; Great control layout; Compact, dust and moisture-resistant body; Vertical shooting grip available

4K recording requires external recorder; No PC sync socket; No built-in flash; Limited native lens selection; Overactive EVF eye sensor

A filmmaker's dream – but still photographers may be better off looking lower down Sony's range

Shoots 4K video; Excellent in low light; Huge; bright OLED viewfinder

4K recording requires external device; 12.2MP sensor seems limiting for stills; Very expensive

Shoots 4K video; Excellent in low light; Huge, bright OLED viewfinder;

4K recording requires external device; 12.2MP sensor seems limiting for stills; Very expensive;

The Sony Alpha 7S ($2,499.99, body only) is the third camera in Sony's full-frame mirrorless family. The 12-megapixel shooter joins the 24-megapixel Alpha 7 and 36-megapixel Alpha 7R , but its resolution isn't the only differentiating factor. The 7S can be pushed all the way to ISO 409600, and although image quality suffers at that extreme setting, its capabilities at less-staggering sensitivities outpace the competition. It can also record video in 4K resolution, but you'll need to add an external recorder to do that. If shooting in dim light is a must, the Alpha 7S may be the best of the trio for you. But we still prefer the high-resolution 7R as our Editors' Choice, and recommend the Alpha 7 for shooters who require quick autofocus or want to get the best quality out of adapted lenses. Build The Alpha 7S is, aside from its name badge, physically identical to the Alpha 7 and 7R. It's compact when you consider that the body houses a full-frame sensor, measuring just 3.75 by 5...

The Sony Alpha 7S full-frame mirrorless camera offers incredible performance in low light, but you'll need an external recorder to take advantage of its 4K video support.

Amazing high ISO capability; Full-frame image sensor; 5fps burst shooting; Sharp, tilting rear LCD; Excellent OLED EVF; Great control layout; Compact, dust and moisture-resistant body; Vertical shooting grip available

4K recording requires external recorder; No PC sync socket; No built-in flash; Limited native lens selection; Overactive EVF eye sensor

The concept of a 36.4 mega pixel, full-frame, compact system camera is great. I was looking for a light, high quality product for travel photography - I'm really fed up of heavy cameras. Unfortunately, this is not the answer.

Sony caused a major stir in the photographic world when it introduced the 24Mp Alpha 7 and 36Mp Alpha 7R because they were the first compact system cameras to have full-frame sensors. This is something that has still yet to be done by any other manufacturer.

Here is what I remember most about film: anticipation. Film added something to every shot, a tilt of color or light, a dash of magic that took the mundane and made it art.

Sony A7s review: The Sony Alpha 7s adds a slew of new professional features to the company's popular full-frame compact camera. Our head of testing put it through its paces in her latest review video.