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Best Way to Use Sony A7 III as a Webcam – USB VS HDMI

From at-home zoom calls to live streaming on Twitch, there are plenty of situations where a high quality webcam is needed. 

Luckily you can use your Sony a7 III (also known as the ILCE-7M3) as a high quality webcam to level up your footage.  

You can use the Sony a7 III as a USB webcam without a capture card or you can use the Sony a7 III as a webcam using a HDMI output and a capture card

It’s important to know the differences between these methods to know which method is best for YOU. 

Here’s a quick summary: 💡

  1. Use the HDMI cable capture card method if you want Full HD (or better) quality for your live streams and video calls.

  1. Use the USB method if you want to keep costs lower and don’t need Full HD quality

Ways To Use The Sony a7 III as a Webcam 

You can use your Sony a7 III as a webcam using either the ‘USB + Imaging Edge Webcam’ method or the ‘HDMI + capture card’ method. 

USB with Imaging Edge Webcam Software (No Capture Card)

Requirements:

  1. The correct USB cable – Micro USB Cable or USB C cable (you may need an adapter depending on your setup)
  1. The correct software – Imaging Edge Webcam
  1. A compatible webcam application e.g. Zoom, Skype, OBS Studios

If you want more details on how to do this I’ve got some instructions towards teh end of this post.

HDMI with Capture Card Method

Requirements:

  1. The correct HDMI cable – Micro HDMI (Type D) to HDMI (Type A)
  1. A suitable capture card e.g. Elgato Cam Link 4k
  1. A compatible webcam application e.g. Zoom, Skype, OBS Studios

You can see more details about this method in this post on how to use the Sony a7 III as a HDMI webcam

USB vs HDMI Methods Compared 

The USB with Imaging Edge Webcam method is a cheaper and simpler set up. 

However, you will have better quality by using a capture card with the right HDMI cable.

USB with Imaging Edge Webcam

  • No capture card required.
  • This method will provide better quality than a standard webcam, but not as good as the capture card method. 
  • Lower quality than HDMI – the maximum resolution when using Imaging Edge Webcam is 1024 x 576 pixels.
  • You cannot use audio from the camera or any external mics that are attached to the camera.
  • You may have some issues with frame rate and choppy footage.

HDMI with Capture Card

  • Better quality – you can get both Full HD and 4K footage from this method. 
  • You are able to use audio from the camera or any external mic attached to it.
  • You should get very smooth footage without issues in frame rate (as long as you get a decent capture card).
  • More costly as you will need a capture card.

Which Method Is Right for You? 

If you just want better quality video calls with an easy to use set up, then go for the USB with Imaging Edge Webcam setup.

This is also the best method if you want to keep costs very low.

If you want Full HD (or better quality) streams or video calls then go for the HDMI cable with capture card method. 

In the video below you can see a visual comparison between the two methods.

How Do I Use My Sony A7 III as a USB Webcam?

To use your Sony A7 III as a USB webcam you will need the correct USB cable and the correct software.

Here I’ll show you how to achieve high quality video by using your Sony A7 III as a webcam using USB. 

What USB Cable Do I Need to Use My Sony A7 III as a Webcam?

The Sony A7 III has ports for both Micro USB and USB Type-C.

To use your Sony A7 III as a USB webcam you will need to use one of these ports.

You should have been supplied with a Micro USB cable when you bought the Sony A7 III. 

If you have lost the USB cable the camera was supplied with, then you should be able to use any replacement Micro USB or USB-C cable that has data transfer capabilities.

Just make sure that you get one that can also fit into your computer/laptop.

It’s likely your PC either uses ports that fit USB Type-A or USB Type-C.

Below are some example cables yuo could use for different scenarios.

What Software Do I Need to Use My Sony A7 III as a USB Webcam?

You will need to download and install the latest Imaging Edge Webcam software.

Here’s how to install Imaging Edge Webcam:

  1. Go to the support website for the Imaging Edge Webcam software.
  1. Click on ‘Download’.
  1. Scroll down to the section where it asks you to choose your camera model. You will want to choose the ILCE-7M3 which is the product code for the Sony Alpha 7 III.
  1. Scroll further down and click on ‘Download Windows’ or ‘Download Mac’ depending on what type of device you have. 
  1. Choose a suitable location to save the application on your device. The file should look something like ‘IEW111_2108a.exe’ if you are on Windows. The file will probably end in ‘.dmg’ if you are on Mac.
  1. Once it is downloaded, open up the downloaded file and it should start going through the installation and setup wizard. 
  1. Follow the instructions that are shown until setup and installation is complete.
  1. Once installation is complete you should restart your computer.

Now we will move on to show you how to set up your Sony A7 III to work as a USB webcam with the software you just downloaded.

How to Set up Sony A7 III as a USB Webcam

There are specific instructions you need to follow to ensure that the Sony A7 III can work with the Imaging Edge Webcam software.

  1. Make sure the Sony A7 III camera is not connected to a smartphone. You can do this by doing both of the following on the camera:
    • MENU -> (Network) / (Wireless) -> [Ctrl w/ Smartphone] -> [Ctrl w/ Smartphone] -> [Off]
    • MENU -> (Setup) -> [USB Connection] -> [PC Remote]

Now that the settings are correct you can move on to the next step.

  1. Adjust the camera settings until you have your desired look in ‘Movie’ mode.
  1. Connect the USB cable we mentioned above to the Sony A7 III.

    Connect the other side of the cable to your PC.
  1. If you are unable to connect, then make sure you are not using ‘Imaging Edge Remote’.

    If you are then exit ‘Imaging Edge Remote’ and try to connect the camera again.
  1. Now open up your compatible application on your computer.

    This could be something like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype etc. Most video conferencing/streaming programs should work fine.
  1. Locate the Imaging Edge Webcam feed in your video settings for your webcam app.

    This should connect your camera’s video feed to your live streaming or video conferencing app.
  1. You should now have a much better quality image for your online video conferences or live streams.