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After years of shooting with various hybrid cameras and experimenting with different accessories, I believe I’ve found the best setup for the Sony A7 III or A7R III.
1. Screen Protector
Sony screens are somewhat fragile, so it’s recommended to consider getting a screen protector. There are numerous options available. One brand I use a lot is Expert Shield, which offers a lifetime warranty. But some brands will include two or three screen protectors, which is also a great deal. The reason I chose Expert Shields is that they offer a nice range of options between glass, crystal clear, and anti-glare, whereas many other brands are now only offering glass.
Expert Shield Screen Protector For Sony A7III, Sony A7rIII Available at Amazon – Crystal Clear.I recommend the Expert Shields screen protectors. They offer a lifetime warranty and do not degrade touch screen performance. I’ve been using Expert Shield on all my cameras for years and have even taken advantage of their lifetime warranty without any hassle. I use the glass screen protector on my A7R III and love it, but glass screen protectors can be very difficult to remove if they ever get damaged. |
2. Memory Cards
I’ve run many of the most popular memory cards through a benchmark to determine the in-camera speeds with the A7 III or A7R III. Check these links to see the individual guides.
Best Memory Cards Sony A7r III
Important: I’ve benchmarked SD cards in the Sony A7IV. UHS-II Memory card performance has improved dramatically. Only a few UHS-II cards perform extremely well in the A7 IV, so I recommend using that guide when buying memory cards, as it will ensure you have a memory card that is future-proof within the Sony ecosystem. Just be sure not to buy CFexpress cards for the A7 III or A7R III.
Check out the Sony A7IV memory card guide. I’ve tested new cards and several more.
3. Best Batteries Sony
The Sony A7R III and A7III also use the same battery as the Sony A7IV.
Official Batteries
For your Sony A7III, the official NP-FZ100 batteries remain the best choice for maximum stability and reliability. In my testing, third-party brands simply do not match the longevity of the official batteries, making the genuine Sony units a much smarter, long-term investment for any dedicated photographer.
Official Battery For Sony A7III – NP-FZ100
Furthermore, a significant concern for serious work is the historical precedent of Sony firmware updates causing operational issues or completely disabling third-party batteries. To ensure consistent performance and prevent unexpected issues in the field, it is highly recommended that you use official batteries as your primary power source. Third-party options should be strictly limited to emergency backups or casual use.
The official Sony NP-FZ100 batteries for your A7III are both powerful and dependable, featuring a high capacity of 2,280 mAh and a voltage of 7.2V. Crucially, these batteries incorporate Sony’s intelligent iNFOlithium technology. This smart feature ensures you always know the exact power status, as it displays precise battery health directly on the A7III’s screen. iNFOlithium also tracks the battery’s usage and charge history, giving you maximum confidence in your power level during any critical shoot.
Best Third-Party Batteries
While the official Sony NP-FZ100 batteries are the gold standard and official batteries for your A7III, third-party options can serve a useful role—primarily as emergency backups once your core batteries are depleted.
I have tested numerous alternatives and found many hold up decently, but there’s a serious caution to keep in mind: Sony firmware updates have historically disabled third-party batteries. Due to this risk, I strongly advise against relying on them as your primary power source. Stick to the official Sony batteries for your mission-critical shooting with the A7III.
If you do choose a third-party option, be aware of a break-in period. Newer batteries often require several full charge and discharge cycles to allow the internal chemistry to settle. This minor inconvenience is necessary for reliability, as these batteries often require this conditioning to perform close to their rated capacity. Ultimately, expect official batteries to outperform third-party units.
SMALLRIG NP-FZ100 Battery with USB-C charging
1 USB-C Battery
The SmallRig NP-FZ100 battery is an excellent third-party power solution for your Sony A7III, offering a significant upgrade in charging convenience.
Its standout feature is the direct USB-C charging capability. This allows you to bypass an external charger and plug a USB Type-C cable right into the battery. It supports a fast charging protocol, making it up to 40% faster than other USB-C camera batteries and up to 65% faster than traditional charging methods.
With a high-current charger (like 5V/2.2A), the battery can reach a full charge in approximately 2.5 hours. A clear charging indicator is built in: a red light confirms the battery is charging, and a green light indicates it is fully charged and ready for use in your A7III.
4. Camera Straps
There are many great straps available, and I’ve tried numerous different brands, sizes, and materials. For my hybrid mirrorless cameras, I consistently return to Peak Design. Their straps are very easy to put on or take off, and they have grips and straps that are all compatible with each other.
Peak Design Slide Lite
The Peak Design Slide Lite is an incredibly versatile camera strap that is a perfect companion for your Sony A7III. Designed to adapt to your shooting style, it can be instantly configured as a comfortable sling, neck strap, or shoulder strap.
Its design combines a smooth side for quick camera access when used as a sling, and a grippy side to keep your A7III firmly on your shoulder. Key features include quick-adjusters for fast size modifications and Peak Design’s famously secure Anchor Link system, which can hold over 200 pounds of weight. With multiple color options available, it’s a secure and flexible way to carry your A7III.
Peak Design Clutch
The Peak Design Clutch is the ideal camera hand strap for securely and comfortably handling your Sony A7III.
It features a low-profile design crafted from premium materials, ensuring a secure grip without adding bulk. Its functionality is centered around speed, offering quick-adjusting capability to cinch the strap tight when needed, and the signature quick-connecting Anchor System for rapid attachment and removal. For maximum convenience with your A7III, it includes an Arca-Swiss compatible tripod plate, allowing you to seamlessly transition from handheld shooting to a tripod without removing the strap
5. Best On-Camera Mic For Sony A7III
Since the Sony A7III is known as a great hybrid camera, it’s nice to pair it with a good on-camera mic.
Not all microphones produce the same sound on all cameras, and some may generate more or less noise with certain camera bodies. The Sony A7III has decent preamps, so with this camera, you can keep it simple and still achieve good results. Here are my two favorite simple on-camera mics that sound good.
Rode NTG Hybrid Mic
The Rode NTG Hybrid mic is a professional on-camera mic that’s an excellent match for the Sony A7III, featuring a low impedance of 10 Ω. It offers significant audio control advantages over the simpler Rode VideoMic GO II, including a high-pass filter, a high-frequency boost, and a variable gain control for precise level setting on the A7III. The VideoMic GO II is a simpler, lighter mic, making it a better choice for casual shooting where minimal weight and ease of use with the camera are priorities.
Rode VideoMic Go II Ultracompact
The Rode VideoMic GO II Ultracompact mic is a perfect match for the Sony A7III when seeking a natural, warm sound quality, which is often preferred over the more “tinny” or empty sound of the VideoMic Pro+. Its key advantage is the inclusion of USB-C output, which not only connects to the A7III’s 3.5 mm input but also allows direct connection to mobile devices and computers for maximum workflow flexibility
6. Camera & Sensor Cleaning Accessories
Here are the essential accessories for cleaning your camera. I have a more detailed list of even more accessories in my cleaning guide.
Micro Fiber Cleaning Cloths 6-Pack
6 individually wrapped Micro Fiber Cloths
Microfiber cleaning cloths are essential for every Sony owner to safely maintain their kit. They are specifically designed to remove dust, dirt, fingerprints, and smudges from your lens or UV filter without scratching or leaving behind residue.
This pack of six micro-fiber cloths is highly convenient for the mobile photographer because they are small enough to keep in multiple places—such as different camera bag compartments, lens pouches, or even a jacket pocket—ensuring you always have a clean cloth handy to keep your optics pristine.
Extras
Sony E Mount Lenses
I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of every Sony E-Mount Lens. You can find any of the official Sony E-Mount lenses for the full-frame bodies in this list, as well as all the available third-party lenses.
Replacement Parts A7rIII, A7III
Sony FDA-EP18 Eyepiece CupAvailable At: AmazonI lost my eyecup the first week of owning my camera. If you end up losing your eyecup for your Sony A7III or A7rIII, this is the official replacement. I have confirmed that this eyecup is compatible with the Sony A7RIII and A7 III. I’ve gone through two of these now. My first one popped off; this new one has torn. |
Best Accessories For The Sony A7III | Conclusions
These are some of the best and most commonly used accessories for the Sony A7 III and A7R III. There are a few other accessories by SmallRig, as well as a few more cases, but they are more specialized items, and I haven’t had a chance to try them out yet. I’ll continue to review new accessories as I find them and update this list accordingly.
23 comments
You mentioned third party batteries. As far as I know there aren’t any yet. If you know of some it would be great to see.
I’m kind of starting to think they may not allow third-party batteries. A couple brands are doing that now. I think GoPro doesn’t let you, and a few Nikon cameras won’t let you. I just got the vertical grip and the two batteries last for days, so I don’t think I’ll need anymore considering I don’t shoot much video. However, I wouldn’t mind having a few more just incase and $70 for a spare battery is kind of steep
my thoughts exactly. thanks for the reply too.
Are there any half cases for the r3??
Yes, Gariz has some now as well as Lim’s on Amazon. They are saying the A9 Cases are compatible with the A7r III body
.
What is idea using these half cases?
What do you mean?
Why do people buy them? Not for the looks I assume (I don’t think they look very good actually)?
I started buying them after I damaged my A7r when I dropped it on concrete. It messed up my screen because the corner hit the floor perfectly. Then later the base got very scrapped up from taking it on and off a tripod plate and setting it down on hard surfaces. So I started using these or vertical grips. I think some of the leather cases do look nice on some cameras like the Fujifilm X100F and they help with the grip of the camera. So for me with a small camera like the A7r or my X100F, they help with grip and keep the camera protected. I often sell my cameras after a few years and it’s easier if they are in good shape. But yes, I agree some cameras look weird with these leather cases. I don’t think the A7 series cameras look particularly great with half cases, but it has helped me keep my A7rII in great shape and it feels better in the hands.
Thanks. I see your point. So it does offer some form for protection. Maybe I should consider one after all.
Have you had a chance to test the screen protectors for Ar7ii? What are the results and your recommendations? Thank you.
Yes, For the Sony A7rII I’m using the Sony PCK-LG1 glass screen protector and for the A7rIII I’m using the ExpertShield glass screen protector and I really like it. I’ve had a few different screens on my Sony A7r and a bunch more on my other cameras and I think these glass screen protectors are the way to go. Especially since Sony screens are not that tough. Also, with the ExpertShield glass screen, the touch screen still works great.
Thanks for replying!
Clarification- !1 even though the Expert Shield product descritpion is
for AR7ii, it will fit the Ar7iii? 2) Or is it a new product that fits the Ar7 iii and accommodates the touch screen feature? Note-I can’t find this new product…
My links should point to the A7rIII screen protectors. The two screens are the same size, I just measured them to be sure. I’m just not sure if they are interchangeable because of the touch screen.
So what bag are you using?…
I have a few Lowepros for different occasions. The Fastpack 250AW which are great, I also have the Lowepro Vertex which I don’t love but it holds a ton of stuff. For shoulder backs I have a bunch of ThinkTank Mirrorless Movers. the 5, 10 and 20.
What about the card readers for the two types of memory cards? B&H has 2 readers: Sony XQD/SD and Sony UHS-II SD. Do I need both?? What about the computer to download the memory cards to? I have a MacPro notebook from 2013. Will it be able to read UHS-II? and UHS-I. I’m assuming “yes to UHS_I” but I’ve learned not to assume anything. Thank you.
That’s actually a good point. So your Mac 2013 has a UHS-I SD memory card reader. You can use that to reader both UHS-II and UHS-I memory cards. You don’t need the Sony XQD / SD memory card reader since the camera does not use XQD memory cards. Only a few Nikons use those right now. There are a lot of good UHS-II memory card readers, most are USB 3.0 which will also work with USB2.0. If you don’t mind waiting a little longer to transfer files to your computer just use the built in SD reader of your computer. Otherwise grab a USB 3.0 UHS-II memory card reader. Sandisk, Kingston, Sony all make good ones. I personally use my computers SD memory card reader even when I’m using UHS-II cards.
New to this system and found your article handy, thank you! Now going to look at the Ravpower battery charger suggestion!
Thanks. Good luck!
Will Foto&Tech Shutter Release trigger Sony a7III with Godox X1T in the hotshoe and few offcamera flashes?
Yes. That’s the one I use on my A7rIII, except I have the Godox XPro. Anything that engages that shutter will trigger the X1T. Keep in mind those are IR shutter releases and the IR sensor on Sony is in front of the camera. If you’re indoors you can get enough bounce and reflection to usually trigger the camera even standing behind it, but if you’re outside you will have to be line of sight of the front of the camera. Otherwise you will need to setup a unit with a radio trigger and a lot of those are designed to sit on the hot shoe. But you can rig them to set off the side too. The other option is to use your phone and the app, which is a pain.