Buying adviceUsed A7 III or used A7 IV for indoor basketball? About £2,200 with a lens

Hello all. I've been reading for a few days and the A7 V thread was really helpful. I photograph my son's basketball and some of the club's events for their website, and my phone isn't keeping up anymore. Total budget is about £2,200 for a body and one lens, maybe a little more if it's worth it.

I can see plenty of A7 IIIs on MPB and someone mentioned they were about £899 new over Black Friday. Would an A7 III with a better lens be the smarter choice, or should I put more into the body and get a used A7 IV? Thank you in advance.

I'll be the one to say it... A7 III. Still a cracking camera, and the money you save goes on glass, which matters more indoors than anything. A used A7 III and the 70-200 f/4 G II would sit right around your budget. Just saying

tomthurlow said:

A used A7 III and the 70-200 f/4 G II would sit right around your budget.

In a typical sports hall f/4 is going to push ISO high. That's ok on either body. But the IV's tracking is clearly better on erratic subjects, and basketball is nothing but erratic subjects. I would go IV used, then the 70-200 f/4 G II, or a used 85mm f/1.8 if you're close to the court.

I shot my son's matches with an A7 IV for two years before the A7 V, so this is from experience, not a spec sheet. Set it to AF-C, tracking with a zone, human subject detection on, and 1/800 minimum. Let auto ISO go to 12800. At web size nobody will see the noise.

ravenshoots said:

Would an A7 III with a better lens be the smarter choice

Doesn't matter as much as this thread will make it sound. Whichever one, buy it used. You'll get most of it back if you change your mind.

Thank you. The club lets me stand right at the baseline, so I'm usually quite close. Does that change anything? I'd rather not carry something huge, I'm also keeping score half the time.

ravenshoots said:

I'm usually quite close

Then both work. Honestly from the baseline the 70-200 is easier, you can go from the whole key to one player without moving. The 85 is lighter but you'll miss some because you can't zoom out.

One thing nobody's said: this is for the club's website. Nobody looking at it will know or care which body you used. Get the one with the better AF so you miss fewer shots, and buy a second battery.

The other thing, since you're doing it for the club: decide now how you'll deliver. Sports parents want pictures the same night, not a week later. Shoot JPEG plus raw, pick fifty on the drive home, send them. Turnaround will get you more thanks than any sensor ever will. I've had clients come back for years because they got photos fast, and not one ever asked what I shot them on. Volunteering is the same, people remember the person who showed up and delivered. That's also how volunteer gigs turn into paid ones, if you ever want that. Half my first-year clients came from a youth football club I shot for free.

Fair, I'll concede the baseline point. IV then. My A7 III's nose is slightly out of joint, but it's never been to a basketball game in its life so it can hardly complain

Thanks everyone. I've ordered a used A7 IV and the 70-200 f/4 G II from MPB. Came in a bit over budget but I think it's the right call. It arrives on Thursday and the next home game is Saturday, so I'll find out quickly. I'll set it up the way dmitri said.