Fifty One East launches Sony Alpha 7III in Doha

Fifty One East, Qatar’s leading department store, and Sony Middle East and Africa have unveiled an impressive addition to Sony’s full-frame mirrorless camera line-up, the entry level Alpha 7III (ILCE-A7M3), at an exclusive event in Doha. Members of the Youth Hobbies Centre along with shortlisted contestants of the Doha Night Photography Competition and professional photographers based in Doha attended. The Alpha 7III has incorporated many of the features and improvements from the famed Sony Alpha 9 and Alpha 7RIII cameras. It features a brand new 24.2MP back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor, which is paired with a front-end LSI that effectively doubles the readout speed of the image sensor. It also has an updated BIONZ X processing-engine that boosts processing speed by approximately 1.8 times compared to the a7 II, allowing for faster shooting speeds while maintaining exceptional ISO range. The camera also features a massive 15-stop dynamic range at low-sensitivity settings, ensuring outstanding overall performance at all settings and in all shooting conditions, with significant advancements in accurate colour reproductions of skin tones and the vibrant colours of nature. The Alpha 7III also includes the addition of 4D FOCUS capabilities with 425 contrast AF points that work with a 693-point focal-plane phase-detection AF system, which cover approximately 93% of the frame for reliable focusing and tracking of subjects. This new full-frame model can output 14 bit RAW format even in silent and continuous shooting modes, and is equipped with a 5-axis optical image stabilisation system that results in a 5.0 step shutter speed advantage. It offers 4K video recording which uses full pixel readout without pixel binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, resulting in clearer images, better colours and enhanced detail. Taro Kimura, managing director, Sony Middle East & Africa, said: “The photography scene in Qatar is growing at a rapid pace and the market continues to remain a key growth area for Sony. As we continue to redefine the boundaries of photography, we are delighted to launch, together with Fifty One East, the a7III, our latest entry level camera in the full frame mirrorless segment, for photography enthusiasts in Qatar.”Fifty One East, in collaboration with Youth Hobbies Centre, also announced the winners of the Doha Night Photography Competition at the event, who were awarded the Alpha 7RIII and SEL2470Z; a6500 and SEL1670Z; and RX100V for the first, second and third prizes, respectively. In addition, the event served as a platform to showcase Sony’s latest full frame mirrorless cameras in the market, including the a9 that offers a high level of imaging performance, including high-speed, blackout-free continuous shooting at up to 20fps; the Alpha 7RIII that delivers the ultimate combination of resolution and speed, combining a high-resolution 42.4 MP back-illuminated Exmor CMOS image sensor with impressive shooting speeds of up to 10 fps; and the a6500, with its unrivalled 4D Focus system that can lock focus on a subject in as little as 0.05 seconds. Sony’s fixed lens cameras from the RX series were also displayed at the event such as the RX10 IV that is built around a dust and moisture-resistant DSLR-like body with a fixed Zeiss lens; and the RX100 V with a 20.1-megapixel 1-inch sensor and an autofocus system that is equipped with a Fast Hybrid AF system shooting 24 frames per second. The FDR-AX700 4K Handycam video camera that combines fast and reliable AF function adapted for shooting with a 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor was also featured at the event. Sony Alpha ambassador Abdel Rahman Gabr also hosted a photography workshop at Youth Hobbies Centre’s office at the Katara Cultural District yesterday. He discussed the advantages of Sony’s mirrorless technology, as well as shared his techniques for shooting landscapes in low light conditions. Gabr is working across a broad range of media, generating original creative insights and executions in TV ads, photography and advertising.