Sony A7IV Hands On Review // The Dream EVERYTHING Camera 

Thanks John!

Means so much!

Really appreciate that!!!

Appreciate that Jon

Appreciate that!!! We try to always actually shoot awesome things when we get new gear. There are things you learn about the camera with actual experience that you won't with studio tests. And yeah, this Audi was insane!

@@learningcameras thank you! That’s what i wanted to hear. That alone is enough to get the 7iv vs the 7R4

That is so kind to say 😭 thank you SO much!

Sorry for the late reply! Yes, you do get full frame in 4k30 and 4k24. For longer takes, the R6 could be an issue with overheating but for shorter clips with the camera off in between, it should be fine

Thanks so much Pia!

Appreciate you watching!!!

So which is preferred the A7R4 or the A74? They similar in cost. I’m debating between the two.

@@Oakcitymedia the R4 is a high resolution stills only camera, while the A74 is a good hybrid camera

Sally: I wouldn't say prefer but I absolutely can make my favorite images with either camera! Dan: The Sony touch screen still lags behind the R6 both in quality and in touch lag. But the lag is low enough that I wouldn't call it an "issue" anymore but I'd still give the edge to the R6 with screen tech

Thanks so much!

Stay tuned...doing a video centered breakdown next so I'll have the ability for those details

@@learningcameras really interested in that Dan - my D750 does really nice 1080 maybe because there is no 4K. Im happy with good quality HD with sharp lenses for social media.

Really thats very helpful - have you used 10 bit 1080 on the A7S3.

Same here. I really want to see how its 1080p performs, especially 60 and 120 fps.

Is the sony AIV 1080 10 bit or 8

Means so much Ben!!!

I don't think this will happen, probably it would overheat or something, I think they just looking to save money on it and now I feel like back when I was pissed at Canon when they were pulling this kind of crap and moved to Sony...

One other negative they didn’t mention is the rolling shutter!! 😥

@@EduarFilms Definitely feels like a Canon move! With the A1 processor this should be possible. I would take overheating seeing as how most people aren't doing long takes with slow motion.

Yeah it is why I won't get this camera.

@@brandonmurray3629 It will not be possible, especially from a marketing standpoint. Getting a 4k image from a 7k 24mb sensor requires alot of processing power and surly will overheat but if it was possible then it will render the a7siii useless because now the only reason to get an siii is because of 4k 120

Hey! So I have and for basic point to point autofocus, it's usable but if you want continuous autofocus or focus during video, definitely go native lenses

That's a good point. I like my G9 where I barely have to touch it and it shoots.

Thanks! I mean there are actually quite a few areas where the A7IV is actually better. The only big weaknesses of the A7IV are rolling shutter in full frame, no 4k120, and 4k60 is cropped. Otherwise there are a a few areas it beats the A7SIII. The only reason I use the A7SIII is that I often need 4k60 and 120fps but I just bought the A7IV as a good photo camera that can also shoot video

Awesome! Hope you enjoy

Awesome! Really appreciate that

Same battery but I'm not sure if it's the same battery grip. Rolling shutter is not better...usually more resolution doesn't help unless it's a faster sensor and this is not. The shutter sound is basically the same as the A1 and A7III but those are MUCH louder than Canon's newer cameras like the R6 and R5. I don't even need silent shutter on those cameras

@@learningcameras Thanks! I took a pass on the R5 after renting it a few times. It is quiet, but lacking in other areas for me.

Thanks so much!!! Agreed

@@learningcameras you’re welcome!!Looking forward for more review videos like this one in the near future!!Glad to be part of your community!!Salutes 🙌🏾🙏🏾☺️👊🏾

Don't worry Sony will give full frame in coming firmware updates and this is just pre production and Sony know that they 99% Negative feedback from customers except Sony sponsors RU-vidrs.

Thanks! That was the SIII shooting B-roll

@@learningcameras It looked incredible! You think you could do an S3 vs a74 4k 60 comparison? I'm still conflicted though I still want to pull the trigger on the 4.

@@eazymac71 Coming later this week!

Would be nice, if there is some kind of AA filter, as all the R-series camera have major problems with heavy moiré. I shoot a lot of product stuff, and it is crazy how much additional work in post is nessacceary to get high quality images without moiré. It's not just a slider... .

@@Benjamin_Jehne answering my first question, the answer is yes, this new a7iv has AA filter, but I don’t how much is the shutter life

Again, having the shutter exposed is an OPTION in the menu. You can set it either way so you can turn this feature off if you want. I personally would rather not having my photos/video ruined by dust so I turn it on if I know I'll be changing lenses on location

@@learningcameras Is it true it takes 4 sec to close after power-off?? If true, doesn't that hamper quick lens changes to get a shot?

@@mem5922 4 seconds sounds about right but usually it takes me way longer to get the lens out of my bag or even take the rear cap off so 4 seconds wouldn't bother me. Shut camera off, get lens, take back cap off, remove lens, attach new lens

Hey! I mean both cameras are solid and I don't think there is a wrong way to go and tend to prefer the A7IV in most situations but, the Canon R6 bests the A7IV with IBIS and also with the amount of lenses with built in stabilization for extra power so for handheld stable footage, the R6 with a stabilized lens would give you better results

Hey! Working on a few...just finished writing out one of them but in the meantime, this will help a little: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oeZQzYJWbvE.html

So for now, only Capture One can open RAW files so that's what I used. Lightroom support should be coming soon...usually takes 2-4 weeks after the launch

I'm with you and I certainly hope they can add it in. It's literally the only thing that made this camera not perfect for me

@@learningcameras Same here.. and looking at the Canon R6 photo and video capabilities I find it's a really strange decision from Sony.. I think they decided to protect the SIII sales instead of going 24MP-4k 60p in ff and killing the competition.. so now I think I will simply wait a bit more, collect the money and buy a second A1 body.

Great review Dan and Sally!! l think that the a74 would be great for weddings,which is what l desire to get into.l only wish that the 4k60 wasn't cropped.l guess you can't have everything.

@@simonomis5246 they actually did not protect A7SIII in any way, they just pushed away potential buyers from their ecosystem, for example 20 people already are leaning towards getting Canon Eos R6, because A7SIII 12 megapixels are too low, but 20 at Eos R6 is good enough and 4k ff 60fps with almost unnoticeable crop, so not only they ruined few sales for A7IV, but probably few hundred people will invest in competing ecosystems. New to Sony gear, who buy A7IV, for them next logical step would be to upgrade to A7SIII if they need more on video side, or to A7R, A9 if they need more on photography or A1 for ultimate solution once they grow to it. But why bother, let these potential buyers look elsewhere. I am a small fish, can't afford A7SIII nor A1, but I am invested in Sony system, this move by Sony makes me doubt. The only reason I would upgrade to A7IV is just because changing systems is expensive deal to me. And as a hybridshooter, I am not impressed with A7IV. A7III for it's time was a wow and what made me go with Sony, A7IV on the other hand is rather disappointing only because of 4k 60fps crop. While I greet the increase of megapixels, 24 in A7III is plenty enough, so if they went 24 megapixels but 4k 60 fps no crop, that would have been a lot more exciting. A7IV is great camera though, however, that one thing makes me doubt, I am in a really big need for a second camera and was expecting A7IV to be it, even was looking into getting a loan, but A7IV doesn't seem worth this commitment. And I don't know what to do, I need a camera that can do 4k 60fps no or very small crop, I also need it for photography, A7SIII while perfect for video, doesn't fit my photography needs, Canon Eos R6 makes more sense in this case, but I already invested in FE mount lenses and switching systems is a pain. So did marketing guys save sales of A7SIII or did cause some potrntial damage to the sales of Sony Alpha ecosystem in general. I know A7IV will sell as hot cakes anyway, but doesn't seem it will be to the extent they could. Unless they do a firmware update to bring 4k 60fps no crop in some way.

Yep, not a stacked cmos sensor so still slower readouts which could have issues with electronic silent shutter

Absolutely, with the new 10bit 422 profiles, the A7IV now works well alongside the S5

First of all...jealous! Hahaha. 2nd, I'd absolutely think of replacing the a6400 first with the A7IV as that will be a massive upgrade with 10bit 4k 422 or 420, new picture profiles, and big AF/hardware improvements. While the A7IV is technically better in most ways than the A7R3 for photos, it's not an image quality upgrade and the features are not night/day different so I'd only replace the A7R3 with the A7IV if you could also then use the camera as a 3rd video camera if it wasn't being used for photo

​@@learningcameras while i love the a7r3 and 42mp I only got the a6400 for the video tracking. a7IV looks like the focus and tracking is way better than the r3? yes i would be using it for 2nd video camera at weddings if we aren't doing photo.

Thanks! Looks like it's about 15mp

@@learningcameras Ok.Thanks!

I had the same issue, but the balance tipped towards the a7 IV because of the complete rotating screen

So sure I guess, if you are making all those other assumptions and that you are choosing a focal length randomly. But assuming you are choosing a focal length based on distance to subject and framing (usually how I pick a focal length), then changing the sensor size changes depth of field. Put another way, if I'm shooting with a 50mm because I want that particular focal length and then decide to switch to 4K60, I'll be forced to switch focal lengths in order to maintain the same perspective thus changing my depth of field. That's a more likely scenario assuming I'm not shooting the entire time in the apsc mode.

Awesome!!!! Thanks. This is the music service: geni.us/mymusic and the song is called Bridges

@@learningcameras Thanks!

Hey! So definitely tough choice and both are great cameras. I will say because the R6 has a 30 minute record limit on video, a pretty low resolution sensor, and more expensive lens options, I'd lean towards the A7IV

@@learningcameras appreciate the reply!

The focus lens compensation is a very small crop...pretty much insignificant because all its doing is adjusting for the change in focal length that already exists in the lens

@@learningcameras I just tried (bought and returned) the Sony FX30, I didnt know that no flash photo was possible. Now, trying to decide between Sony A74 and Canon R6mk2

​@@bobmusikk Interesting...didn't know that. I mean the biggest weakness to me on the A74 was that it was APSC only in 4k60 but if you were good with the FX30 being APSC, no bit loss there

It has it but this is an electronic shutter which is not something you should be using often on the A7IV. You should only use this in natural light with non moving or really slow moving subjects or you will get banding, distortion, or rolling shutter

Yep!

So yes, color science has been tweaked a bit more since the A7III so you will notice the difference. Colors on the A7IV are good but obviously there is still some personal preference involved

Sorry! Yes, 2nd one is on

Almost the opposite actually. The A7IV is better than the R6 in just about every area for the same price. The only exception is that the R6 is lower resolution which means faster especially when shooting with slower SD cards. Now video the R6 has full frame 4K60 which is a big advantage

@@learningcameras wow every other area???? Let's check on that.. 10fps vs 12fps or even 20fps on silent mode. Not even close specially on how much the sony slows down in uncompressed Better lcd on the R6 Less rolling shutter on the R6 easily Better animal eye AF with the R6 Much bigger buffer in the R6. 4k60p full frame vs the crop with the Sony And if the A1 is an indication, the R6 has more accurate eye AF. The Canon can focus at lower light levels as well. Less rolling shutter for photos too. So tell me again how is the sony superior as your boldly claim???

@@shaolin95 it makes his wife happy!

No way. The sensor readout speed is too slow.

Definitely possible...Nikon added 4k60 via firmware with the Z6II. However, it will most likely be pixel binned and not oversampled so not quite as much detail as we would have with 4k24 which is 7k oversampled.

Thanks! It is a slight improvement to the RIV but the RIV was already amazing

So I will add that the R6 ONLY shoots 20fps in electronic shutter and you absolutely should not use electronic shutter for fast moving subjects on either one of these cameras due to the slow sensor scan speeds. The R6 only shoots 12fps and even slower with full AF in uncompressed RAW with real time viewfinder though it is still slightly faster than the A7IV

It does have but almost useless because banding issues for fast pacing, not great Under artificial lights indoors.

It still gets slow pretty quickly...I think I got about 35 images tops on fast UHSII SD cards. If you use CFexpress though you can shoot like 800 images before filling the buffer

@@learningcameras using CFexpress A car 800 or until fill cards means only jpeg and lossy compressed Raw???

@@pematamang9268 You can shoot 400+ images straight in compressed RAW with a CFexpress A card

@@learningcameras What about Uncompressed and Lossless compressed. If Sony doesn't listen and this times this camera doesn't make profit like Sony a7iii did. 4k60p full frame less rolling shutter in 4k24p, 15fps and lcd Resolution is basic for decent 2022. Sony a7iii does have 0.94millions Lcd Resolution and this camera had 1.03 millions dot, I absolutely this is not improvement. We don't ask same or cloning A1 and we don't wisg 4k120p full frame in this price. For example Ferrari and Toyota is price difference but still we reach same destination without issues. Sony Cripple hammer. Only RU-vidrs are not complaints because RU-vidrs shut by Sony.

@@learningcameras Is that write to both slots or just the CFexpress?

I’m wondering that too. Given this comes in at $2500, and I don’t do video, I’m wondering if going with a used a7riv for $2600 is a better option

Absolutely. This camera and the Canon R6 are great for that type of work with the Sony having more lens options

Most was shot on the 50mm F1.2 with a few on the 35mm F1.4GM

This is just for video and the fact that you need to use an APSC crop mode to shoot 4k60. The sensor itself has nothing to do with it. For stills, having 33MP means you can actually use an APSC mode if you wanted to with 14MP resulting images. So for photography it's an optional feature but for video at 4k60, there is a mandatory APSC crop that takes away from shallow depth of field

@@learningcameras Oh gotcha. Thanks for the response!

They better do that. Even if it was 8bit only. Better than no 4k ff 60fps

@@DanasAnis Yes it is true but we are not in 2008. We can't shoot video because Rolling shutter not allow to make great video without rolling shutter control and indoor Lights. It is great film dead people, sleepy subject, non moveable subject. Any moving subject is pointless for 4k24, 30p oversampled from 7k due to rolling shutter.

I agree, I think they’re going to in like 6-12 months so people tend to go towards the Siii if they REALLY want video quality

Interesting. I don't have the A7III anymore (sold it a few months ago) so I'll have to see if I can test but it had more detail than the 20MP Canon R6. I do have a 24MP Nikon Z6II so I'll test that too. The color science has improved from the A7III...I believe it is the same as the Sony A1. The camera does have a silent mode but ever camera (other than the Sony A9, A1, and Canon R3) use standard sensors so the readout speeds are slow thus shooting electronic/silent shutter can show rolling shutter with moving subjects or banding in artificial lighting so not always usable

@@learningcameras Thank you so much for your input.

They crippled it on purpose. Dirty move by Sony. Just make the camera that people want.

That 5-6 fps burst for uncompressed raw is pretty pathetic too.

@@kifley19 So you want Sony to add another $500 U.S. dollars to the already $2,500 price tag? You all are basically wanting Sony too sell their A1 at $2,500 which they are not going to do

Very similar...probably the same shutter but Sony is definitely louder than Canon & Nikon. The Canon is so quiet I never even need silent shutter...it's not distracting at all

Supposed to be the end of this year but not sure if there will be shortage issues

Then the Canon R6 and Sony A7IV would be the top 2 choices for that. Both work extremely well with the R6 being the simpler option with lower resolution/smaller files and the A7IV having way more options, more lenses, with a larger resolution sensor but larger files so more space required. Both are the same price so personally I'd go A7IV but if it's a first camera and you don't want to bite off too much, maybe the R6

@@learningcameras thanks for the advice! I either might get the a7 iv and get started before i go crazy and buy two different focussed cameras 🤪🤪🤪

Your product reviews really helped a tonne!!!

Have a look at the Fuji Xt4. Costs nearly half of the A7 or R6. Amazing Sensor, beautiful colours, great lowlight, flip screen, 4k60, 10 bit and great AF. Fuji just opened the X mount to 3rd partie lenses so there is a lot to come. You`ll have a awesome camera with a lens for the same price.

So not really. I mean you can but you shouldn't. This camera does not have a Stacked cmos sensor so the readout speeds in electronic shutter are pretty slow and can show banding and flicker in artificial lighting and rolling shutter with faster moving subjects. Obviously the A7IV isn't the only camera with those issues when using electronic shutter but E shutter (silent shooting) should only be used with mostly still subjects in natural lighting for best results. I tend to use e shutter with timelapses for example to not get shutter wear but I will not use it when shooting weddings because I'm usually in artificial crappy lighting

Thanks so much!!! We really appreciate that. You absolutely get "clean HDMI" from the camera and when you are using HDMI with it, it does't disable any autofocus features like the A7III did. I actually have a video coming out this weekend on the A7IV for video and I go more indepth with things like HDMI for monitors and recorders!

Dan/Sally! Thank you for respond, very helpful. You and Sally so beautiful couple. I love video(s). The colour of videos are beautiful! Everytime I watch your Video, I run off and show my wife your Video quality/colour. We love you guys