Following our recent microphone pre-amp shootout there was a lot of controversy surrounding the results from the Sony a7 III, so our team went to work.
Alex, our audio engineer, repeated his tests on a second Sony a7 III body. Using the same Zaxcom URX100 receiver ($ 900) he repeated his original test and got the same result as the first time. In an effort to rule out the Zaxcom as a potential source of error, he repeated the test with a second URX100 and once again got the same result.
Alex then repeated the test using a Rode VideoMic Pro + ($ 300) and saw similar results. However, when he did the test again using a Rode Wireless Go ($ 200) and Rode VideoMic Go ($ 59) the results were noticeably better. He also notes that in response to DPReview’s video, Gerald Undone performed a similar test and saw good results using the Rode VideoMic NTG ($ 250).
How does this affect the rankings from first video? When used with a microphone that pairs well with the camera, Alex placed the Sony a7 III in the #2 position (in a tie with the Panasonic S1H).
Alex’s advice is that if you’re planning to use a particular piece audio gear with the Sony a7 III it’s a good idea to test it first to make sure it works well with the camera.
Finally, Jordan notes that they have seen some inconsistent results from the Nikon Z6 as well. As a result, they’ll be doing some additional tests on that camera to better understand its performance.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
