Adobe isn’t the first software manufacturer to bring us AI-powered upscaling, but being able to increase the resolution of raw files suddenly makes the Sony a7S III arguably the best-value hybrid camera on the market, giving you a massive 48 megapixels. Is it too good to be true?
The a7S III is Sony’s latest mirrorless full frame hybrid geared towards shooting video, and one of the compromises made to give the camera its fantastic 4K features is that the sensor is a rather puny 12 megapixels. For many, trying to choose between the a7S III and the a7R IV is a bit of a challenge, as although the raw files coming out of the a7S III are great, they’re pretty tiny for a camera in 2021, and it’s a significant trade-off for anyone who is looking for one camera to suit every job.
Once Adobe’s new Super Resolution comes to Lightroom (it’s presently only been introduced to Adobe Camera Raw), it’s possible that some of those concerns will disappear as, in the event that you need to shoot some decent res stills, you can simply pick your favorites and create a DNG file — complete with any existing edits carried across from the original — that’s four times the resolution in a matter of seconds.
Obviously, this will need some more testing to really understand where the limitations of Super Resolution kick in, but it seems that the a7S III just became a much more viable option for hybrid shooters looking for one camera to do everything.
Be sure to check out the experience of Fstoppers’ Alex Coleman by reading his latest article.
Have you tried Gigapixel AI or Adobe’s Super Resolution? Do your results match those of Chris Brockhurst in this video? Let us know your experiences in the comments below.