Sony a7iii Video Setup Guide (Full Beginner's Walkthrough)

If you need help setting up your Sony a7iii or similar Sony based DSLRs and cameras (a7siii, alpha, etc) for video recording and not photography, then follow along with this step-by-step guide. I go through all the menu settings for movie mode, videography, and audio recording. Make sure you have your Sony a7iii optimized for filming instead of using the default settings.
Get more tips and tutorials at:
Website: www.sidneyreed.com
Instagram: / hellosidneyreed
Facebook: / hellosidneyreed
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Welcome to your a7iii full walkthrough
1:47 Image 1 (red menu)
9:56 Movie 1 (purple menu)
19:06 Network (green menu)
21:02 Playback (blue menu)
22:00 Toolkit (orange menu)
26:15 Request a video
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LINKS TO ALL GEAR MENTIONED
This video isn't sponsored, but below are affiliate links to gear that I personally use. I earn a small commission when you buy at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting this channel!
Sony a7iii: amzn.to/3rolqYJ
Lens used to shoot this: amzn.to/3tmOJNf
Lens shown on the demo camera: amzn.to/3tra6wM
Shotgun mic: amzn.to/3jkVZEQ
Fluidhead Tripod: amzn.to/3rfv002
Smartphone Mount: amzn.to/3pQREvs
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ABOUT
I’m a full-time filmmaker and a professor of film at the University of Colorado - Denver. My mission is to teach new and upcoming filmmakers, youtubers, and artistic entrepreneurs how go full-time doing what they love and making an impact through the power of film making.
Questions about Video Production, Film Making, or Anything Else? Post in comments section of this video!
#a7ⅲ #a7iii #a73 #sonycamera #sonysetup #camerasetting #camerasetup

[@sidneyreed]

What can I help you learn next? Post your request below!

[@hxphopepeter]

Thanks for the indepth content, I just got the Sony A7riii and this is my first ever camera. Will these settings work for the kind of video you have above?

[@sidneyreed]

@@hxphopepeter I owned the a7riii last year, and I believe the menu layout was different. However, the actually concepts will be very much the same (as in, still check you white balance, picture profiles, frame rate, etc). There may be a few unique settings but when I bought the a7iii it didn’t feel very different from Sony’s other DSLRs or bigger camcorders.

[@KerriRusnak]

Great video!! I looked through your playlists but couldn't find a video about the frame rates. There's two and I'm not sure how to set and use them. Help!

[@PopGoesTheWorld2023]

I have watched every single A7iii settings video by all these ‘famous’ youtubers. And you are so right about that many tend to be extremely crazy about pp settings and such. Your walkthrough is by far the most usefull and honest. Really glad that I found your channel 🎉👍

[@sidneyreed]

Thanks and I’m glad you liked it! I’m trying to make filmmaking easy and accessible for anyone. It can feel a bit elitist in the industry but it honestly doesn’t have to be. Hobbyists, casual photographers, pros, it’s all the same gear just how you enjoy using it. :)

[@MatthewRathbun]

Thank you for thie tutorial. I've watched a few of these with overly-caffinated middle-aged guys run through the settings and never explain why. I've been shooting with this camera for over a year and the settings you suggested significantly improved my videos. Your approach is awesome, thanks for taking the time to make this!

[@sidneyreed]

Thank you! I think you can carry the principles over to any camera once you nail the basic settings. :)

[@ninathecrab]

Hey Sidney, loved this video. The Camrote app was MIND BLOWING I record all my videos myself and I thought I needed to get an elaborate setup with cords and a computer to see what I was recording. Im so happy I can do this all from my iPhone. I would love to hear in your next video more about frame rate, all the fancy terminology you used in this video!

[@alrashidadamu7985]

Newbie here. Was following up just fine . Got lost around page nine. Talks fast and doesn't sometimes wait for you to be in the right page before going ahead with explanations. Will try again...

[@joe_a_photo]

The quality and the value of this video is totally awesome. I’m incredibly grateful that you made this video

[@sidneyreed]

Thank you! I'm glad it helped.

[@annuartv]

Amazing walkthrough!! Best video out there :) Thank you very much for getting us up to speed. I come from Canon so this new world is taking a bit to catch up to but you made it that much easier!

[@chaueter1041]

Great video! Just now figuring out my a7-III THANKS!

[@SWERBZ420]

Best cinema macro tips ,I have 90mm macro and a7iii

[@josedeleon9426]

thank you for the video.. I just got my camera so perfect timing to come across your videos.. thanks from SWFL

[@boscoe2]

Best out of the box video setup guide I've seen -- and I've seen quite a few!

[@patriciamoore2996]

Loved the video! Thank you!

[@HornHippieMedia]

Thank you for this! Love the explanation of "why" you have your settings the way they are, which is missing from most of these.

[@sidneyreed]

You are welcome!

[@ajmeetsrussia5780]

Awesome tips! Subscribed

[@cdavey7654]

Great video, Thanks! 😊

[@jessekasten1295]

Very helpful, thanks 😊

[@divinesutra8652]

Great work. Thank you

[@sidneyreed]

Glad you liked it!

[@cosentinoproductions601]

great video thanks!!

[@terrylaster3606]

you are awesome! great Teaching

[@ryanbiotoxicexotics]

Thank you for the helpful information

[@alizyaad]

Thank you for this Video...

[@chiphelfilms8987]

I love this camera 📷

[@BigJoeWalker]

Thank you! Best video ever!!!

[@dsk7777]

Hi sidney reed nice video i m a wedding photographer i m useing sony a 7 iii tq for setting nice one

[@darrene.mathews5566]

Beautiful video!

[@sidneyreed]

Thank you very much!

[@kinproductions8873]

Thank you !

[@BenjaminWhittaker-zb6kt]

Thank you so much for helping me !

[@sidneyreed]

Glad to help!

[@jerardogomez1724]

thank you for this its my first time having a camera

[@lahjohnson1612]

Excellent 👍

[@NayomyRolon]

Best Video EVER!! helped me sooo much :)

[@thelogros8717]

great vid

[@deepakm4404]

thank u for this amazing video ma'am and u look soo cute

[@stephenrichards4175]

i like 1080 for black and white 4K has a lovely depth of field

[@redsparrow7279]

THANKS DEAR

[@corydwyer377]

Sidney is so pretty I had a hard time focusing

[@DANMCMAHON08]

Thankyou the best clear guide for beginners just one question on focal point I’m going to be using a Sony SEL35F18F FE 35mm F1.8 large-aperture wide-angle prime lens so simply put in 35mm in settings ?

[@Sancheznews]

Good job 👏 24p100m it’s better in 4k ?

[@jimmychua8]

just some questions, for file format, xavc s hd, the file extension is mp4, any ways to have file extension mov ? for recording setting, what is 30p 50m ? is this 30 fps and 50 minutes ? thanks.

[@Dawry]

With Tamron 28-75mm 2.8f and Sony a7iii at 4k 24p, when panning in low light, the image gets choppy. With 30p its okay. I think i stay with 30p then? Im more into car vlogs and so on.

[@priyanka_paul]

Amazing video 😍, would like to request a video on how to stop Canon R6 from overheating and shutting down while shooting in 4k. I have been shooting in Canon R6 for a while and everytime it shuts down after 10-15 minutes of recording.

[@josedeleon9426]

Hola and Feliz Navidad. Thank you so much about your video and it is amazing.. I have a quick question, around 19:56 you mentioned Camrote but I believe it is for IPads etc.. Which one you recommend for smartphone?? thank you and again, love your videos.. new to Sony A7iii

[@sidneyreed]

Hello! There is a Camrote for the iphone but I believe it’s equivalent is Camoodoo? I haven’t used it myself but it was mentioned for Sony cameras in a forum I’m in. If not, Sony’s official is the Imaging Edge Desktop, which I like for my laptop (using a cable) but isn’t great over wifi.

[@fotabrollop]

Great video, thanks! I was surprised and super excited to understand how to use a laptop to view 4K in real time but I did not understand how to accomplish that. Have you made a video about that that I can watch?

[@sidneyreed]

I do not but maybe I can help here. You’ll go to PC settings and make sure that connection is on (while the remote control with smart phone setting is off). Then you can use the desktop Imaging app by Sony and connect via USB.

[@fotabrollop]

@@sidneyreed Thank you. I will try that

[@amiterez2115]

A newbie question. Does the camera save setup per shooting mode? in other words - if I follow this and than want to shoot in some other mode will it use this setup? Many thanks.

[@sidneyreed]

If you're referring to turning the dial at the top, then yes it will preserve your video settings if you want to swap to portrait or another mode.

[@princeargon6508]

When I have exposure mode on manual exposure it tends to be really dark and I need to set the ISO really high to have some lightning which I think it makes it look weird. For lenses I'm using Sony FE 35mm F1.8 Mirrorless. Is that because of me? Did I make a mistake? It's my first video camera so I'm very new to this type of stuff, I bought it to film video vlogs inside a room where I just talk. Also, you're very beautiful. By saying this, at least I'm giving an honest compliment if I ask questions without giving much back in return. :p

[@Anna-gv7vo]

Hello Sidney, do you use the Cine4 default settings (like they are when you open PP1) or did you change any of the settings? Thank you so much

[@sidneyreed]

I tend to use the default settings for each. The only one I’ll occasionally adjust is s-log 2.

[@Anna-gv7vo]

@@sidneyreed thank you so much for answering!

[@ronyjohncreation968]

🧡💜💚❤💙💛

[@oscarromero5234]

Can you do one for photo

[@sidneyreed]

I am not too familiar with photo, since I’m a filmmaker. But I could look into this for you!

[@andreaxleste]

Do I have to have a lense for it to work?

[@andreaxleste]

I just bought it and all I see is blur without the lens

[@ianhorner7019]

What phone app???

[@mmtv4608]

What frame per seconds do you used ?

[@sidneyreed]

I personally like the look of 24fps. Might be because I originally learned to shoot film at that frame rate!

[@mmtv4608]

@@sidneyreed thank you...can you tell me also what setting i need to do with automatic the color already , i dont want to edit color 😁i dont know how to do that so im looking for the settings that the color is already done or atleast close to reality 😊 thank you so much

[@sidneyreed]

@@mmtv4608 I shot this video in Cine4, and no other color settings other than white balancing. I also did ZERO color grading or color correcting in post. As you can see, if you just want to grab and film, the Sony a7iii does a pretty good job already!

[@stephenmarqueskamanga1422]

Am from zambia, and i am a content producer but i usually hire out equipment whenever i shot and am yet to get paid for my work. equipment here is bloody expensive. If anyone here has a sony a7iii or any, that you are not using, even a bad one, please help a brother out.

[@J.Polyakov]

"This is not a DSLR it is a mirrorless camera" - This was my comment right when i started watching the video and now i finished it i want to add to that. The woman in the video clearly desn't know much about Sony MIRORRLESS cameras. From the way she speaks about the settings and why she is setting everything up like that she shows that she has some basic knowledge, but most of the time she is talking complete nonsense. She claims she is teaching people filmmaking but i can not imagine her doing that. The way i see it there are a few possibilities - either she actually knows how to work with cameras and she is bullshitting people on youtube on purpose, or there is someone else making the videos and telling her what to say and she is only the face of the channel, but its weird so i doubt that. In most of the information she provides is just wrong. Im sorry i have to say that but what she does is simply wrong!

[@Mario88881000]

Any recommendations or maybe a link to YOUR channel?

[@J.Polyakov]

@@Mario88881000 The point is not to make a channel and talk whatever so you can just get some subscibers... and i'm not saying i want to promote my channel or someone esles. I am just pointing out something wrong here.