The official compatible battery for the Sony A7 III is the Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (2280mAh).
The official battery charger for the Sony A7 III and the NP-FZ100 battery is the Sony BC-QZ1 Charger.
Unfortunately Sony only includes 1 x Sony NP-FZ100 in the box and no external battery charger. So out of the box your only option to charge the NP-FZ100 battery is in-camera via USB.
In this short guide I’ll be taking a look at both the official and third party battery options for the Sony A7 III, along with battery chargers and battery grips.
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Official Sony Batteries
If you want the best possible battery life from your a7III and guaranteed compatibility then I would highly recommend sticking with the official Sony NP-FZ100 battery.
However, please be aware that Sony has issued a warning regarding counterfeit NP-FZ100 batteries which bear the Sony logo and look very similar to the genuine Sony battery pack.
To avoid purchasing counterfeit NP-FZ100 batteries, I’d recommend only purchasing from official Sony approved dealers. Also, if buying from Amazon make sure they are coming from Amazon directly and not a third-party seller.
Sony NP-FZ100 Battery
The Sony a7III uses the new NP-FZ100 which doubles the battery life compared with the smaller NP-FW50 battery found in the a7 II. Still, if you are shooting all day then you will probably go through at least one battery. Personally I’ve never gone through more than two NP-FZ100 batteries in one day whilst shooting wildlife and motorsport (stills) with my a7III. If you are shooting a lot of video then you may well go through more than two batteries.
Capacity: 2280mAh
Battery life stills: 2000 shots (best I’ve got when shooting sports/wildlife).
Battery life video: 2.5 to 3 hours (approx)
Recharge time (with Sony BC-QZ1 charger): 150 minutes (approx)
Recharge time (in camera via USB-C): 285 minutes (approx)
Third Party Batteries
Very Important Note: With recent firmware releases and new cameras Sony has really gone to war with third-party batteries. When used many third-party NP-FZ100 batteries will display a warning message stating that the operation and safety of this battery cannot be guaranteed. You can ignore the warning by pressing OK and the batteries will still work, however the percentage indicator next to the battery icon also disappears so you will not know how much battery you have left. My advice would be to stick to the official Sony NP-FZ100 batteries, saving a few dollars by purchasing third-party batteries that could potentially damage your $2000 camera is not worth the risk.
NP-FZ100 RAVPower
If you do insist on using third-party batteries in your a7III then the RAVPower NP-FZ100 are reported to work well and not throw up any error messages at this time (this could change with new firmware updates). These batteries are also bundled together with a dual charger.
Capacity: 2000mAh
Battery life stills: 1500 shots (approx)
Battery life video: 2 to 2.5 hours (approx)
Recharge time (with Wasabi charger and wall adapter): 180 minutes (approx)
Recharge time (in camera via USB-C): 300 minutes (approx)
Price Check & Buyer Reviews for RAVPower NP-FZ100
At: Amazon
Official Sony Battery Chargers
Unlike the Sony a7R III and a9, the a7 III does not include the Sony BC-QZ1 charger in the box. I can only guess Sony needed to save a little money somewhere with all the technology they packed into the a7 III, and so the charger was dropped. You can still charge in camera via USB-C, but this takes approximately 285 minutes to fully charge one official NP-FZ100 battery, compared with only 150 minutes when charged via the Sony BC-QZ1 charger.
Sony BC-QZ1 Battery Charger
The Sony BC-QZ1 is Sony’s official battery charger for their NP-FZ100 battery, it will charge a single battery in approximately 150 minutes.
Sony BC-ZD1 Dual Battery Charger
The BC-ZD1 is a high-speed charger for Sony’s NP-FZ100 batteries. It can simultaneously charge two batteries in approximately 155 minutes when connected to a USB Power Delivery (PD) compatible power supply with 30W or higher output and a USB cable with USB PD support (3A) or higher current.
- Charges two NP-FZ100 batteries simultaneously in approximately 155 minutes when connected to a USB PD compatible power supply
- Equipped with an indicator lamp that shows the battery charging status in 5 stages
- Width approx. 84.5 mm x Height approx. 29.2 mm x Depth approx. 70.0 mm, weight approx. 149g
- With heat dissipation measures plus built-in heat monitoring and control
Check Price & Reviews: BC-ZD1 Dual Battery Charger
At: B&H Photo | Amazon
Sony NPA-MQZ1K Multi Battery Adaptor Kit
The Sony NPA-MQZ1K multi battery kit might be a very useful addition to your a7 III if you shoot very long video sessions and need as much power as possible. This kit can charge four batteries (NP-FZ100) in approximately 480 minutes. It also allows you to power two USB devices as well as the camera at the same time. The NPA-MQZ1K also includes two NP-FZ100 batteries, a cable protector and a mounting plate. You can find full details on Sony’s website here.
Third Party Sony Battery Chargers
If you aren’t keen on paying for the official Sony charger or would like a dual charger, then there are a number of third party chargers on the market. My personal preference is again to stick with the official Sony chargers, especially when charging the official Sony NP-FZ100 battery.
Watson Mini Duo Charger
If you are after a low cost dual charger then the Watson mini duo charger is one of the better options. It’s a USB charger so isn’t the fastest, but will still charge two NP-FZ100 batteries in around 5 hours. So more of a charger to leave on overnight than for a quick charge during the day. The charger features built-in overcharge, short-circuit, and power surge protections.
Price Check & Buyer Reviews for Watson Mini Duo Charger
At: Amazon | B&H Photo
Continuous Power
If you need to provide power for longer shoots then here are your options.
Sony DC-C1 DC Coupler
The DC-C1 DC coupler allows for a stable power supply during long shoots or streaming by providing continuous, reliable power to cameras compatible with NP-FZ100 or NP-FW50 rechargeable battery packs using an external power source such as a USB PD (65 W or more) compatible AC adapter and USB cable with USB PD support (5 A).
- Supplies power directly from an external power source such as a USB PD compatible AC adapter (65 W or more) to a camera body that supports NP-FZ100 or NP-FW50 batteries
- To prevent accidental cable disconnection, the DC-C1 is equipped with the locking screw hole, or an anchor loop can be used to secure the cable to the USB port
- 1.6m cable connects plug-in plate to the power supply assembly for flexible setup during shooting
- Equipped with Power Indicator Lamp that shows the power supply status
- Width approx. 52.0 mm x Height approx. 70.6 mm x Depth approx. 32.0 mm
Check Price & Reviews: Sony DC-C1 DC Coupler
At: B&H Photo | Amazon
Sony A7III Guide & Resources
Sony A7III Forum & Facebook Group
If you are looking for further help and advice on the A7III or would simply like to share your photos, then please head over to our friendly full-frame Forum. If you prefer Facebook then I also run the Sony A7III Shooters Group.
It seems K&F Concept make a compatible battery. It also has a USB-C port in the battery itself so you don’t need a separate charger. I would like to know if anyone has tried these. Do they charge as quickly as in a standard external charger if you do this; ie 150 minutes?
Hi. I am having trouble with the batteries that came with my camera. I took what I thought were charged batteries, but the monitor was blank. I tried charging a battery in the phone in my car, but that did not work. I tried charging my batteries at home with two different chargers, and they do not work. The off brand battery that was given to me at the point of purchase does work. I purchased this kit Sony Alpha 7 III, batteries, chargers, lens and a lens adaptor in March. Are the little window/holographic stickers? on the batteries indicators of some kind? Is something wrong with both batteries? I see that my battery needed to charge much longer in the camera….
Did you receive the Sony BC-QZ1 Battery Charger in your kit? This is the charger that’s normally included with the a7III and can be used to charge the official Sony NP-FZ100 battery. The official Sony batteries do have a small holographic sticker on the front. Unfortunately there are counterfeit batteries out there, please see this article: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/camera-camcorder-accessories-batteries-chargers/np-fz100/articles/00200832. I’d recommend contacting the store that you bought it from and see if they will change the battery. Charging in-camera via USB will normally take around twice the time it takes to charge via a mains powered charger such as the Sony BC-QZ1.
Hi Timothy,
Is there a facility anywhere in the a7m3 menu to turn on a warning sound/light when the battery level is low?
I get so absorbed when I’m out shooting that I don’t think to check battery level and twice I’ve been caught out at a crucial moment as I press the shutter and see the dreaded “battery exhausted”. I know I should build a battery check into my routine but you know how it is when you’re “in the zone”…
Thanks
Hi Susan. Thanks for your comment here! Unfortunately I don’t believe there is an option to sound a warning when the battery drops below a certain level. If you are often exhausting the one battery when out shooting then it might be worth adding a battery grip do double the battery life. Of course, this does add more weight and bulk to the camera unfortunately. Have a nice week! Tim
Really helpful, need to add some additional batteries for coming trip. Much appreciated post!
Glad to hear that it helped you out! 🙂
Thanks for the useful info, Timothy! Just wondering, why do you prefer sticking with official Sony chargers when charging the official Sony NP-FZ100 battery?
I just feel more comfortable with the official Sony charger knowing that it’s unlikely to ruin those expensive batteries. I have been using the Newmowa dual-charger a bit and one of my batteries casing has cracked. Although I can’t say for sure if that was the fault of the Newmowa or not, it could have been the Sony charger or something completely unrelated, but I’m very careful with my gear and it hasn’t been dropped.
Thanks for the reply. I went and ordered a Nitecore charger. Does two batteries at once, and it seems legit. Nice price too. But if it fries a battery I will report back!