Sony tech - How to use the A7SIII with an APS-C / Super 35mm lens?

During training with the Sony A7SIII a common question I get is: since you can't use Super 35 mode in 4k video,  can you still use APS-C lenses to film with?

It's logical that you can't use Super 35 mode (= APS-C sized video mode) in 4k since the A7SIII films 4.2k in full sensor readout. Hence you can only use the Super 35 mode in FHD (1080p).

In Sony full frame mirrorless cameras you can always switch between using the camera full frame or in APS-C. For photo you always sacrifice megapixels. The A9/A9II/A7II/A7III's 24MP becomes 10MP in APS-C, A7RIII's 42MP becomes a usuable 18MP in APS-C, A7RIV's 61MP becomes a very decent 26MP in APS-C. The advantage for photo is that you can turn a 600mm lens into a 900mm lens without teleconvertor.

All info about this feature in this article + video

The A7S-series have a 12MP sensor (to be used as a lowlight behemoth with those giant-sized photocytes in the sensor - factcheck: https://www.digicamdb.com/specs/sony_a7s-iii/ ) so that would result in a very poor APS-C sized picture.

But what with people who are using APS-C lenses on their A7III full frame cameras and want to use them on their new A7SIII for video?

HACK: Select in the menu "Zoom", activate "Clear image zoom", and add the option "Zoom" to 1 of your programmable C-buttons. Once you film, you can push the C-button and zoom in (using the touchscreen) until the vignetting from the APS-C sized lens is gone.

Yes, you can also use this hack for photography with an APS-C lens. However, you can't make RAW pictures. You'll have to set the camera to shooting JPG/HEIF only (in that case it's very important to tweak your Creative Look to get the shot in camera looking the way you like, but with all the adjustable parameters of the new Creative Looks, that's easy.)

And yes, you can use Clear Image Zoom on all Sony ILCE-cameras (from A6000 up to A9II) to get extra reach from your lens.. you can even turn a prime lens into a zoom lens with minimal quality loss.
For photo I would recommend it in cases of emergency, or for shoots where you only need JPG's (webcontent?)
For video however it's already becomming a rather popular feature ever since the A6400/A7III generations of ILCE-cameras.

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Source: https://www.flickr.com/gp/redcathedral/2g7QQ7

 

A video test (Sigma APS-C 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary 017 - with and without Clear Image Zoom)

A photo test (Sigma APS-C 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary 017 - with and without Clear Image Zoom)