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Mario Beaklini photo
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1278 Review
34 Karma

Review on πŸ“· Sony Alpha 7R IV Full Frame Mirrorless Camera: High Resolution 61MP Sensor, 10FPS with Continuous AF/AE Tracking by Mario Beaklini

Revainrating 3 out of 5

A headline rush and a missed opportunity for a true 4th Gen A7R.

I have had all 4 generations of the A7R. I liked the A7R II for its amazing sensor, massive auto focus improvement and memory playback app. But I was disappointed with the battery life. The A7R III has improved battery life by taking a big leap forward in endurance. The new battery is still the best among mirrorless cameras. The third generation also improved ergonomics, button layout, etc. using the same sensor as the previous generation. The A7R III is an amazing camera and it's really demanding. The only drawback was the slow reading of the sensor, which led to streaks during silent shooting or the electronic shutter. Maybe you've already seen it in the videos. But this sensor was still better than anything else. Unfortunately, Sony has decided to meddle or speed up the megapixel war for the 4th gen (A7R IV). That means a trade-off in terms of noise, ISO sensitivity and slower sensor reads. The A7R IV sensor reads 50% slower than the A7R III and has more noise than the A7R III at the same ISO. Lever. Here's my take on the body changes: 1. I actually prefer the A7R III's grip, but I'm sure I'll get used to the new one over time.2. The buttons, while large, feel soft when pressed. This is a step back.3. I really like the exposure compensation dial lock as I would accidentally rotate the dial on the A7R III.4. I prefer the locking mechanism of the old storage door, but the new one seems more weatherproof.5. I prefer new port doors to old ones.6. I hope the weather protection is really improved here. Photography is not just the art of good weather. Other features: 1. Same old video codec and only 8 bit. But I think it's good that the recording time limit has been removed. So positive.2. Improved menu options (AF color options, other settings)3. Real-time tracking is expected. But I did find my A7R III to be faster and slightly more accurate overall. I hope future firmware will improve it.4. I have to admit that increasing the resolution by 50% gives incredible detail. However, this comes with a greater likelihood of blurring. You have to be very careful with your shutter speed and techniques to avoid being struck by lightning. Unfortunately, Sony was extremely short-sighted when developing a high-megapixel sensor by not programming losslessly compressed raw files. Smaller, lower-resolution raw files are also not an option. It actually makes me feel like this camera was a rush into the market to demonstrate technological prowess.6. They did not fix or improve the speed of buffer writes on SD cards. Another soulless solution given the amount of data that needs to be written at 61MP. This makes the camera unusable for buffer shots like the Mark III. I think Sony missed the camera upgrade and took a big step forward. Why did I buy this camera? I actually bought it to complement, not replace, my A7R III because of the following features: 1. There are no more restrictions on 4K recording, allowing me to record long classical concerts.2. New digital interface for Audio3. The ability to use the SAL 135mm 1.8 A-mount lens with this camera using the forthcoming LA-EA5 adapter. This is my favorite lens and I prefer it over the E-mount GM lens. This was the main reason I bought this camera.4. Price: Sony dropped the price of the Amazon Prime Day sale by $500. So in the week I've had it I can say this is a reliable camera. I hope Sony improves the firmware like they did with the Mark III. I feel like it's a much more specialized camera than the A7R III due to the massive increase in resolution. If you're looking for the best all-round high-res camera, I'd go with the A7R III. For those looking for a great all-round camera, the A7 III is the best choice. I hope Sony pays more attention to the development of its successor (A7 IV). Note. I have found the perfect Arca Swiss plate for this camera and all other A9, A9 II, A7R III, A7 III etc - Arca. -Swiss 802225. It's a little pricey, but it allows you to fix the camera on its horizontal axis, which allows you to use larger adapters, lenses, etc. without hindrance. It also doesn't frizz. I use it on all my Sony cameras. The best straps I use are Gordy's camera strap.

Pros
  • Sturdy construction
Cons
  • Not all will fit