I Was WRONG About This Camera... || Sony a7 IV One Year Review

[@ruff1draft]

I personally see the Sony A74 as a Super 35mm cinematic camera with full frame photography capabilities

[@andrewsaraceni]

That's a really interesting way to think of it. Though the full-frame video capabilities are a nice bonus too. 🙂

[@bobtronic73]

That's also my take on it and how I use it. In Super 35 mode the rolling shutter is much improved and not an issue.

[@jeremybeal23]

Interesting point!

[@jbe1official]

​@@andrewsaraceniuj😢i

[@carltonjones2915]

I think it's a great hybrid camera but I really don't see the cinematic part of it.

[@vampolascott36]

I was using an a7III and bought the a7rV. I'm still using my a7III, but once I started using the new autofocus on the a7rV, it's hard to go back to the older camera. These newest Sony cameras like the a7IV and a7rV are amazing.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Yeah, I remember going from the a7 III to the a7S III a couple of years ago, and even then it was amazing how much of an upgrade the newer bodies and features were. Even more so the case now...

[@RandumbTech]

I bought the A7RV to replace my A7iv, but ended up selling it after a few months because it was overkill for most situations. Now that I’m back using the A7iv, I really appreciate just how good it is. And one of the things that I like much better on the A7iv is the sound/feel of the mechanical shutter compared to the mushiness of the A7RV. For video, I use the FX3 so 4K/60 is covered.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Yeah, it's a much more capable hybrid than people give it credit for. Interesting, never really compared the shutter sounds between the models, though now I'm curious to try... 🤔

[@lewcehjitl3282]

Hey do you shoot Electronic first curtain on your A7iv? Or do you turn off this feature? It messes with your bokeh I can’t see a difference sometimes but it makes your mechanical shutter clack 2 times instead of 1.

[@andrewsaraceni]

@@lewcehjitl3282 Good question - I leave it on as by default, since I don't shoot much with extremely fast shutter speeds (e.g. 1/1000 or more).

[@RandumbTech]

@@lewcehjitl3282 I turn the E Front Curtain OFF. It's one less thing to worry about while shooting. I did have a few situations when I first got the camera where the image suffered. However, I do have a button dedicated to activating silent shooting if I'm somewhere that I need to be discreet.

[@ChrisReganOrlando]

Thank you for sharing this. Can't wait to get my a7iv!

[@andrewsaraceni]

No problem Chris, congrats on the purchase!

[@2cats1guy]

I will never sell my a7iv. It’s the perfect hybrid and eventually will become a b vid cam for me. It’s the first camera that’s felt like an intuitive extension of my hand. I ended up selling my a7siii because it just felt slow and cumbersome after using the a7iv for a week. It’s absolutely brilliant. My only gripe is the random overheating in normal environments and temp.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Yeah, the newer features and enhancements over the a7S III really do make a difference. I would definitely set the Auto Power Off Temp to High re: overheating if you haven't done that.

[@paulcain548]

The Sony A7iv is my first full frame camera and switched me from canon 😱Never been happier. Very underrated. Great review 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@andrewsaraceni]

Thanks Paul! You picked a great camera and time to make the switch.

[@SmileyBoy]

It’s the only camera I own outside of my iPhone. Was my first buy and I’m so glad I chose it.

[@andrewsaraceni]

You made a great choice!

[@99unclebob]

Great review, I have had my A7iv since Dec.2021 and live in central Canada and the 2nd day owning it used in -28 temps and it didn't fail , no battery degradation or fogging up of my lenses that i changed in the cold outdoors and the the pics were clear/crisp and last summer in heat right around 90 degrees/35% humidity it shut down from this in the afternoon and found out it was actually 100 degrees not 95, it went into protection mode, which is what is built in and 5/6 minutes later it was all good, the camera had been sitting in the trunk of the car for 2 hours , so really started out with practically overheated body, it covers all the bases for me, from wildlife pics to car racing, and i am just a hobbyist who loves his A7iv, my first full frame camera body 👍

[@andrewsaraceni]

Thanks Bob! Definitely a versatile camera, and interesting to hear how it handled some of the more extreme temperature situations you mentioned.

[@janisbalcuns89]

I came from Nikon d750 ! And autofocus is superb + u can crop any image and get completley different mega crisp photo for eyes and so on! Just wow !

[@andrewsaraceni]

Congrats on the upgrade! 33 megapixels definitely gives you a lot of room to play with (and APS-C crop mode also).

[@GoWrightReviews]

I enjoyed the video content. Also a super happy user of the Sony A7iv. I noticed you used Native Sony lenses for your setup. Maybe you could do a video on some great budget options? I use the tamron 28-75 G2. Happy with it, but the footage you’re getting does seem a touch better. Would like to get your input on this 👍🏾

[@andrewsaraceni]

Thanks! Would love to do some more non-Sony lens reviews, mostly it's just getting my hands on them. Possibly some plans for the future though...

[@KnightmareOX]

I love my A7iv. Upgrading from an A6400 was a night and day difference for me. Even though I’m trying to focus more on video now, this camera is still so capable. I wont be upgrading for a few years and even then the A7iv will stay as my photo cam/B cam.

[@andrewsaraceni]

I hear you, the a7 IV is a big upgrade from any of the a6000 series bodies - I used to own an a6500. To your point, it'll be a great camera/value for years to come.

[@xElectricblaze]

Just bought a A7IV a few days ago and its awesome! Wish the 4k60 wasn't cropped but I work around it just fine. Whenever the A7V comes out they will have to make the 4k60 uncropped, Canon has a 1500 dollar camera with uncropped 4k60 they would need to to stay competitive

[@andrewsaraceni]

@@xElectricblaze Congrats on the purchase! Yeah, I wouldn't be shocked if we see a1-like video specs (e.g. 4K 120p, 8K 30p) by the time we get the a7V...

[@KnightmareOX]

@@xElectricblaze yeah it would be nice if it was uncropped but for me personally it’s not an issue since i already had my tamron 11-20mm f2.8 to cover me on the wide shots. Anything else i can use a full frame lens.

[@POVwithRC]

It's been a year. Time sure flies.

[@andrewsaraceni]

In the world of camera releases, that's definitely true. 😀

[@lewcehjitl3282]

4k HS 24fps 4:2.0 10bit 30mb PP[off] is so good!!! The file sizes are less than 1080p also Sharper! So happy with this camera 😊

[@andrewsaraceni]

Great point - XAVC HS in general is a solid codec option people rarely talk about.

[@xElectricblaze]

Just bought the A7IV a few days ago. My first ever real camera purchase! I'm using for real estate photography. Only downside is the 4k60 1.5x crop, But I just have to be extra slow with my shots on 4k30 and slow it down to 80%!

[@andrewsaraceni]

Congrats! It's a great camera for real estate. The 80% speed hack for 30p (in a 24p timeline) is a great idea.

[@ReganRoss]

Personally I think this is the best photo camera ever made. Strong statement but they got the color right, the res is perfect, focus is insanely good. For video it’s insanely sharp and you negate the slow read speed (only visible in whip pans) by using dynamic stabilization which is not an issue due to the high res. Just amazing.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Great points - it's a fair argument to make for the photo side:;33mp covers a lot of bases. I love the 7K downsampled image too for video.

[@IMDABROWN]

After watching this, I realized I rarely do video on my A7iv. I've been stuck on my FX3 for the last 6 months or so. I think its because being in south FL and shooting basketball outside in the heat was limiting my 4K60.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Yeah I hear you, the a7S III and FX3 are hard to ignore video-wise. I think it's the hybrid gigs that have made me use/appreciate the a7 IV more, but in hot climates with direct sun, that's a tougher call to make.

[@AlexKim-po5lx]

Thank you very much! Good luck to you, I will be waiting for new videos.

[@andrewsaraceni]

No problem Alex, many more on the way!

[@stkuj]

I'm a bit surprised that you're not using your a7rv as your main (not knocking the a7iv b/c its a great hybrid)... it excels in every way, the crops are 25% less, the AF is far superior, both the EVF & Rear Screen are better, IBIS is better, WB is better, etc.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Well at this point, I'm using my a7R V probably more than any of my other bodies, but my a7 IV easily served that role before it was released. So it's still early, but a lot more videos/content to share on the a7R V in the coming weeks...

[@stkuj]

@@andrewsaraceni while I feel the best overall camera for me would be the A1, I just can’t afford it. So, the a7Rv is it for now. Definitely like to see more a7rv content from you.

[@soholingo]

Rolling shutter in the A7R5 is horrendous unless you get down into apsc mode. Otherwise, I go to sleep dreaming about it... :)

[@andrewsaraceni]

@@soholingo It's been a great camera so far. 🙂From what I've noticed, the rolling shutter on the a7R V is similar to the a7 IV, or slightly better in some cases (e.g. any of the binned 4K modes).

[@Giovanni-Giorgio]

Doesn't the a7iv have more usable dynamic range than the a7rv and produces sharper images in the 4k modes?

[@switchunboxing]

I’m really considering this to replace my iPhone for the videos on my channel. Even with the ZVE1 out now, which is tempting. But the a7iv with that 7k sensor is nice. The ZVE1 crops in with nearly every feature. Not to mention just having the superior photo capabilities in case I ever decide to go into photography. At that point having 2 card slots will be nice as well.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Great points - the ZV-E1 looks nice, but I agree that for a few hundred more, you get a lot more photo and just general professional features out of the a7 IV.

[@CartyCantDance]

The a7IV is a clear upgrade for me from Sony APS-C. If only it wasn’t so expensive 😂

[@andrewsaraceni]

Yeah I don't think price will be changing anytime soon, sadly... But it's great camera to step into from APS-C.

[@FitsTube]

I have two, they're great for run and gun ENG, you can shoot usable still and video. If it weren't for the overheating it'd be the perfect camera for my application (and yes I have experienced overheating in long interviews shooting 4k30 10bit).

[@FitsTube]

Also, you're a great videographer. I'd hire you for my wedding.

[@andrewsaraceni]

@@FitsTube Thanks, I appreciate that! Glad to hear you've found it useful on the ENG side; that's a use case I don't hear about often for these bodies. I mostly shoot in 4K 24p and 60p, but that's good to know re: overheating.

[@sebasfilmedit]

What is ENG?

[@andrewsaraceni]

@@sebasfilmedit Electronic News Gathering

[@gemwebb]

I love my A7iv ❤❤ Glad I moved from Canon.

[@andrewsaraceni]

It's a great camera, I think a number of folks made the switch to Sony on this model alone.

[@jaymills1720]

For personal work like mini docs, sports, travel, narrative what’s a good all’s round lens? 35? 25-105? 24-70?

[@andrewsaraceni]

I probably use my 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II more than any other lens in my kit, and the same was true when owned the GM I. It's a great all-rounder for all types of work. Hoping to do a review of the GM II soon (I have one for the GM I on my channel).

[@robertlong9552]

Hello just found your channel great content. I am just about to buy one of these cameras and will be using it predominantly for fishing videos and pics .do you think this is a good choice ... ?

[@andrewsaraceni]

Welcome, and thanks Robert! The a7 IV is a great choice for photo and video alike, I think you'll love it for capturing fishing content. Lens selection will also play a big part in that too, so I'd give that some thought.

[@robertlong9552]

@Andrew Saraceni thank you for the reply man . Yea man I will do some research into that . Would you think that there is 1 which every photographer should have in there bag that suits a lot of different types of sinarios?? Thanks again

[@andrewsaraceni]

@@robertlong9552 No problem! I'd definitely look into a 24-70mm (e.g. the original GM, GM II, Sigma, Tamron 28-75) - probably the most versatile lens I have in my kit.

[@robertlong9552]

@Andrew Saraceni great stuff man thanks very much 📷 🇮🇪

[@electricalservicesmaroc]

@Andrew Saraceni I have Sony A7IV I make vedio for my job electrician all my shoot is in interior. What is the best lens for filming,?? Please help

[@andrewsaraceni]

Hey, see my previous answer in the thread to your first comment.

[@AlexKim-po5lx]

Hi. Great review. I have a canon 5 dm3, I want a mirrorless camera. Sony. Tell me, is Sony a7 5 better than a7m4? By focus, shooting. I want to shoot more pixels and videos. Is it worth overpaying and taking P5?

[@andrewsaraceni]

Thanks Alex! Are you referring to the a7R V? I think unless you need a really high res sensor (61mp vs. 33mp) or 8K video, the a7 IV would more than meet your needs and be a huge upgrade over the 5D mIII.

[@AlexKim-po5lx]

Thanks. I took a sony a7m4 for 2 hours, the screen is really not very big, of course there are more megapixels than on mine. I have enough money for Sony a7r 5, the screen is more convenient, and the status of the camera is probably much higher. I want to buy a camera for a long time, and a good one. I want more megapixels, landscapes look better. Well, the video probably does not shoot worse than A7m4? Autofocus interested me more than in the A7m4.

[@andrewsaraceni]

If you have the funds for it, the a7R V is a nice complement/upgrade to the a7 IV. The 4-axis tilt screen is a big help for photo, and video specs are at least on-par or arguably better.

[@fuzzytalz]

Synonyms for “elongate:” drag (out), draw out, extend, lengthen, outstretch, prolong, protract, stretch

[@andrewsaraceni]

Am I the only one who uses that word? 👀

[@VibinOnTheTube]

Did the hdmi chord come with your monitor, what kind is it? I have an a7iv and just got a feelworld monitor, but the chords that came with it don’t fit so I haven’t been able to use it.

[@andrewsaraceni]

No, that's a good question though. I purchased mine separately; I have a couple recommendations in my a7R V rig build video description that I use (from Atomos, Kondor Blue). kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4q3lWBmrct4gZI

[@VibinOnTheTube]

@@andrewsaraceni Thank you!

[@Valleedbrume]

It’s by far the best bang for the buck camera Sony has released along with the a7-3 wich still does a great job.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Completely agree, and yes the a7 III is still a great buy today!

[@k1k13004]

basically : I was wrong, I thought I bought a piece of crap and it's actually ok. I thought I'd do crazy pan and the rolling shutter will bother but I actually can pan smoothly and the quality of this camera is ok.

[@andrewsaraceni]

Rolling shutter is definitely a thing, but I think people overestimate the impact of it in a lot of cases; I know I did...

[@k1k13004]

@@andrewsaraceni yeah these rolling shutter experiences are making me sick. Litterally. I start to vomit before the rolling shutter bothers me

[@Day1Adventures]

Thank you 🙏🏽

[@andrewsaraceni]

No problem!

[@mausie1967]

Thans you from the Netherlands

[@andrewsaraceni]

No problem!

[@TwentyEightStreetMedia]

Wait how many times did this couple get married?

[@andrewsaraceni]

haha 3-4 times, depending on how you look at it. All based on traditions/customs though.

[@iamwannabefilmmaker]

Man this camera would be my perfect b cam if..... F.. Overheating 😢 I shoot weddings in greece so the temperatures here in summer are quite high that mean’s this camera is a now go for me. So sad

[@andrewsaraceni]

Yeah it could be an issue in hotter climates, though it does depend on how long you're shooting for also (and in what frame rates, etc.).

[@iamwannabefilmmaker]

@@andrewsaraceni a fellow videographer has this cam and he’s had overheatings so.. he shoots 4K 50fps imagine outdoors ceremony in Greece . Taff ! I would prefer to buy the fx 3 as a cam the s3 as bcam and fx 30 as c if needed for a videographer not for photography. But I cant afford the fx3 right now

[@electricalservicesmaroc]

🎉🎉🎉

[@andrewsaraceni]

Thanks!

[@electricalservicesmaroc]

@@andrewsaraceni I have Sony A7IV I make vedio for my job electrician all my shoot is in interior. What is the best lens for filming,?? Please help

[@andrewsaraceni]

@@electricalservicesmaroc Check out my real estate photography tutorial when you get a chance - a lot of the lenses I recommend there would be a good choice. e.g. 16-35 f/2.8 GM, 20mm f/1.8 G, etc. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zl63ZmCjbs6Cmas

[@electricalservicesmaroc]

@@andrewsaraceni thanks

[@ar.rashidvlog]

@@andrewsaraceni true 16-35 gm