Sony a9 III sample gallery: Global shutter has arrived

Earlier this week, Sony announced the a9 III mirrorless camera, the first full-frame camera to feature a global shutter, which can capture images at up to 120 fps with no blackout at a maximum shutter speed of 1/80,000 sec. We had an opportunity to shoot with a pre-production a9 III for a few hours following the announcement, including indoor sports and outdoor portraits along the High Line in New York’s Hudson Yards neighborhood.

A few of the photos in this gallery were captured with Sony’s new 300mm F2.8 GM OSS lens, and we also took advantage of the global shutter to take some flash photos at high shutter speeds. Since we were shooting an early pre-production unit, we were asked not to publish Raw files from the camera.

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We’re a long way from being able to review a production model of the a9 III, but our first impressions were generally positive. The updated grip represents a noticeable improvement compared to previous Sony models, and the custom function buttons on the camera’s top plate have more contour, making them easier to find quickly without looking.

Additionally, the new C5 custom function button on the front of the camera, set by default to activate the a9 III’s Boost Mode, seems relatively easy to reach while shooting. I found it helpful when photographing sports, shooting at one of the camera’s standard burst rates, then mashing the C5 button just as I sensed a decisive moment of action.

We look forward to getting our hands on a production a9 III as soon as possible to test it thoroughly. For now, look through the gallery and let us know what you think of the image quality in the comments.