Looking for advice on my Sony A7S III workflow planning
Hey everyone! I’m trying to figure out the best workflow for my Sony A7S III camera that I’ll be using in August 2025. I want to make sure I have everything planned out properly.
I’m wondering what kind of setup other people are using with this camera. What software do you recommend for editing the footage? Are there any specific settings I should be using for different types of shoots?
Also curious about storage solutions and backup strategies. The files from this camera can get pretty large so I want to make sure I’m handling everything efficiently.
Any tips or suggestions would be really helpful. Thanks in advance!
File corruption was my nightmare until I changed how I handle cards. Never remove cards while the camera’s still writing - even if recording stopped, that red light means wait. Lost 3 hours of interview footage learning this the hard way.
For August heat, grab some ND filters beyond just camera settings. The A7S III sensor’s so sensitive you’ll constantly fight overexposure in bright summer light. Variable ND saves you when conditions change fast.
Workflow trick nobody mentions - set up custom buttons for different shoot types. I’ve got one for run and gun, one for locked interviews, another for low light. Takes 5 minutes but saves tons of time switching projects.
Media tip: always format cards in camera, not your computer. Different file systems cause weird compatibility issues that’ll bite you later. Get a card reader that matches your card speed - bottlenecking fast CFexpress with a slow USB reader just throws money away.
Battery grip isn’t just about longer shooting. Those vertical controls make handheld work way more comfortable, especially for longer sessions.
The A7S III gets pretty hot during long recording sessions - definitely something to keep in mind for August shoots. Found this out the hard way at a summer corporate gig. Grab a small rig or cage to help with heat dissipation. For files, I switched to proxy workflows after wrestling with those massive file sizes. Make 1080p proxies so you can edit smoothly on any system, then switch back to full res for final export. Saves a ton of time and headaches. Picture profile wise - don’t sleep on HLG if you’re doing HDR deliverables. It’s surprisingly handy for clients who want that HDR look but don’t want to deal with the full S-Log3 workflow mess. One thing that bit me early on - the internal recording limits. Know your record times for different codecs and resolutions ahead of time. Nothing sucks more than hitting an unexpected limit during a crucial take.
Been running the A7S III for a couple years now and here’s what works for me.
For editing, DaVinci Resolve handles Sony’s color grading beautifully. Premiere’s solid too but Resolve gives you way more control. I transcode to ProRes 422 LT - makes editing way smoother.
Shoot S-Log3 if you’re color grading. Quick turnaround? Standard profiles look great straight out of camera. Keep ISO under 12800 for cleanest results.
Storage gets pricey fast with 4K. I use a 2-bay Synology NAS as my main archive - dual 8TB drives in RAID 1. For active projects, external SSDs work great. Samsung T7s are reliable and fast enough to edit directly off.
Backup’s simple - one copy on NAS, one on cloud for critical projects. Don’t skip cloud backup. Lost a whole wedding when both drives failed the same week.
One tip nobody mentions - get extra batteries. This thing drains them way faster than you think, especially shooting 4K.
Card speed matters way more than people think with the A7S III. Found this out the hard way on a doc shoot when my cheap V60 card kept dropping frames at higher bitrates. Switched to CFexpress Type A and it’s night and day, especially for All-I modes. Expensive? Yes. Worth it for pro work? Absolutely. Audio’s another thing you need to figure out early. Internal preamps are okay but grab a proper recorder like the Zoom F6 for serious projects. The A7S III’s limiters are too aggressive and you’ll lose dynamic range. Get a reference monitor for shoots. The LCD looks amazing but doesn’t show what you’re actually capturing, especially skin tones in S-Log3. I use a small Atomos Shinobi for color-critical stuff. Lens breathing compensation is awesome for focus pulls if you’ve got Sony’s newer glass, but it’ll murder your battery life.
Honestly, Sony’s menu system will be your biggest pain point - it’s complete chaos compared to Canon. Set up your function buttons before August or you’ll waste time hunting through menus during shoots. Also download Imaging Edge Mobile - it’s actually solid for remote monitoring when you need weird camera angles. Saved me multiple times on cramped location shoots.
The A7S III spits out tons of files that need constant organizing and backup. Found this out the hard way after wasting hours manually sorting footage from different shoots.
Automating my entire post-production pipeline changed everything. Now I dump cards and everything gets sorted by date, backed up to three spots, and proxy files generate themselves - zero input from me.
The real winner? Automated workflows handle file naming, metadata tagging, and basic color correction presets based on whatever picture profile I used. Instead of burning 2 hours organizing files after each shoot, it all runs in the background.
For the A7S III, I’ve got automated proxy generation that starts the second files hit my main drive. System detects S-Log3 footage and applies the right conversion settings automatically.
Backup runs at the same time - one copy to local NAS, another to cloud storage, third to an offline drive that swaps weekly. Don’t have to click anything.
This setup saves me around 10 hours weekly of mind-numbing file management. Plus I never stress about losing footage since everything backs up instantly.
You can build this automated workflow pretty easily with the right tools. Check out Latenode for setting this up: https://latenode.com.