In The Field Review of the Sony a7R Mark IV paired with the Sony 200-600mm Zoom Lens

[@dr.akshayanarayana7984]

Please do a head to head comparison between a9 &7 riv, for pure wildlife purpose with 200-600mm lens. Thanks!

[@6gwilliams]

Thanks Juan, I am loving my own A7RIV and using it with the Sony 200-600mm lens with great results. Cheers

[@JuanPons]

Great to hear

[@johnvandenbroek9753]

I have the same setup..... I’m using the a9 less now that I have the 7r4.

[@wawanbalik]

One of my latest favourite channels in YT. Thank you for all the videos Juan!

[@JuanPons]

Thank you!

[@southpaww]

Thank you for this video - I'm renting a 200-600 for my trip to YNP and GTNP this September for my aRIV.

[@JuanPons]

You won't be disappointed.

[@keving54]

Hello Juan - Great channel and videos. I was directed to this video by someone who is experiencing the same focus issues as you describe here. I might be late to the game here, but I have experienced something similar which might apply to you. I think by default, the buttons around the 200-600mm are set to Lock Focus, so that when you press one of them, the focus stays locked on that distance. Release the button and Lock focus is off. What I did was program my buttons on the lens to engage Tracking for whichever Focus area I am using. If I am using Zone, then by pressing the lens button, Zone Tracking will engage. Release the button and it'll go back to Zone only. I have found that occasionally even when I am NOT pressing the lens button to engage Tracking, the view finder says I am in Zone Tracking! When I go to my menu setting to see what Focus area I have set, it says Zone, not Zone Tracking! It seems to be a miscommunication from this lens button to the camera. I found that pressing the button on the lens re-sets it somehow and disengages the Tracking. Perhaps if your lens button is programmed to Lock Focus, this is the reason for the occasional inability of the camera to focus? It might be worth it to try and re-set the lens button to do nothing as an experiment.

[@JuanPons]

Hi, and thanks for the kind words. This is not the issue many of us where experiencing, my lens buttons are programmed to hold for manual focus, but when this issue was happening the buttons where not being pressed. I did mention in a comment earlier that the issue has been fixed by Sony in the latest a7RIV firmware. So it appears that it was a firmware issue after all. Thanks.

[@joesb1]

Juan, I think the focusing issues is with the lens. I’ve found the limiting focusing distance if at their “ limits” don’t work so well.

[@sjm.photos]

yes because they hit the limit and cant go past can only go back

[@JuanPons]

I have the same suspicions.

[@youuuuuuuuuuutube]

It's still a bug and hopefully a lens firmware update will fix it.

[@CJamesPhoto]

Im not having this problem on my A7iii

[@steveg2417]

Please add this to the list on focusing issues. I was using the Sony A7RIV with Sony 90mm macro and shooting outdoor portraits. Continuous autofocus + eye autofocus + I had registered the face. All pictures taken over the two days were perfect, except for two shots that back focused on a tree that the model was standing in front of. Three consecutive shots, one usable, two focused on the tree. ALL had the little green box around the model’s eye. ;) Tack sharp over two days of shooting except for those two pictures. Please pass this on to Sony. I still have the sequence & RAW files if you need them for Sony. Thanks!

[@JuanPons]

2 shots out of 2 days worth of shooting... I would say that is pretty spectacular performance.

[@jeipi22]

Hello, I have had that same combination for a short time and I am learning a lot with your videos. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Spain.

[@gurleyhardin6370]

Thank you for this great review, Juan I thoroughly enjoy all your videos, keep up the good work.

[@JuanPons]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@charlesthomas2237]

Using the A7R4 so far with the MC-11 and Sigma Contemporary 150-600 and no focusing issues as of yet.

[@altusbasson493]

Charles Pittaluga do you get sharp images with that combination?

[@charlesthomas2237]

@@altusbasson493 yes the images are sharp, granted I am only using this combination until my Sony 200-600 gets here but it does get the job done.

[@longdoo1]

@@charlesthomas2237 Oh thank, this is good to know. I am looking for moon shots in the budget with A7rmk3

[@herdingdog1]

Thank you Juan! I also have experienced the focus lock with this lens and the 100-400 so it will be interesting if you get any feedback from Sony. Otherwise, I am quite happy with the combo. BIF are a little bit of a challenge, but I believe one can get more proficient with time and practice and good technique in getting sharp, in focus shots. Thanks! (100-400 locks up on the a9)

[@JuanPons]

I have not used the a7R IV with the 100-400 in any substantial amount, so I will have to test it out. I did encounter this issue with the a7R III and the 100-400 but much less frequently than I saw with the IV. Definitely will have to do more testing. And yes I agree with you, you can get pretty proficient with any camera doing BIF once you learn how to work around the deficiencies of each AF system. But the a9 makes it soooo easy.

[@njrtech]

When you refer to focus lock... Does the back button stop working along with shutter button? It's only happended once...where I was close to focus limit on the 100400gm... For a sec or two the back button focus wouldn't activate, the EVF went black and shutter wouldn't trigger. Then a second or two later after repositioning lense on another object everything resumed as normal. Thanks!

[@JuanPons]

@@njrtech I did not refer to focus lock. I said that the camera would not activate focus when I pressed the back button focus. This is the issue many of us are seeing.

[@njrtech]

@@JuanPons that's also what I experienced...with the one difference in that my EVF went dark. Could be that camera was waking and I was too quick to try to back button focus. Ill be testing more throuroghly and get back to you

[@herdingdog1]

Yes, what I have experienced is the focus actuation not working unless repositioned. I have experienced it on the a9 with the 100-400 as well as the a7RIV with 200-600. I have only used back button focus. I will try it with just the front and see what happens.

[@touchedbynature5445]

Brilliant Video Channel, very Helpful and informative, Juan Have you paired The Sony A7r4 with the Tamron 150-500mm. Many thanks for sharing your valuable information. 🇬🇧

[@JuanPons]

Hi, glad you found the video useful. Unfortunately I have not. I know that Sigma also just released their 150-600 in a Sony mount, so that may be something to explore as well. Best of luck.

[@michaelspivak6697]

I also experienced the focus issue using the A7RIV and the 100-400 GM. I assumed I must be doing something wrong.

[@JuanPons]

Sounds like this is a pretty pervasive issue.

[@MatthewCuda]

I have the same focus issue with my A7 III.

[@LensMasterGimble]

I also experienced the focus issue using the A7RIV but it was me, every now and then I held the lens in a way that pushed a button on the lens in this disengaged the AF - silly but iv not had the problem since .Rob.

[@JuanPons]

That is a good point. I personally made sure that I was not pressing any buttons by mistake, but that is certainly something to keep in mind.

[@JH-ox9kw]

i have the same focus problem with the 100-400 A7r IV

[@brandonjernigan]

JOHN HILLER same

[@robertslaughter628]

Same with 100-400 A7r III

[@santabarbaraphotography4048]

@@bryanstone4310 so out of these two lens with the 7r4 to shoot birds and aligators and maybe deer or outdoor stuff which one do you prefer

[@ArthurPJohnson]

Just an awesome video, Juan. First of all, I was knocked out by the way you managed to pair every one of your critters with an environment that complements the animal’s colors in a,beautifully painterly fashion. Second, you took full advantage of the a7r IV’s 61megapixels -I could count pretty much the hairs on each animal’s coat. Finally, you discovered a focusing flaw that Sony had better fix with a firmware update tout suite! Judging from the comments, it looks like you;re not the only photographer to encounter this lock-up; What puzzles me, however, is that I’ve been shooting wildlife for quite a few hours every day of the past two,weeks --with the a7rIV plus both the Sony 200-600mm and the Sony GMaster 400mm + 1,4x Teleconverter. Not once did it lock up on me in the manner you describe. This leads me to think it might be a problem with the 200-600mm Zoom, because most of my shooting has been with the Gmaster prime. Have you encountered this lock-up problem with lenses other than the 200-600mm? Thanks as always, Juan!

[@JuanPons]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@Leo-jd2ny]

I have the same focus problem with the 200-600 G in combination with the A7R-III.

[@JuanPons]

Seems this is pretty pervasive.

[@chelostgo]

Thanks for sharing. I have seen complains about that lens having issues at the closest focus distance.

[@stephendenagy3396]

I experienced the same thing with 24-70 f/2.8 in medium dawn light when focusing rapidly on close subject and then switching to distance composition. Setting different focus targets didn’t help. A couple of time I manually focused, or restart camera to resume function . Definitely a bug since normally it focuses flawlessly.

[@njrtech]

Juan I love the A7RIV, that said I noticed something during a shoot yesterday. I was shooting some macro and had camera pointed slightly downward, and the EVF went black and I momentarily couldn't shoot. Not sure if the camera went to sleep or if this is the issue you describe. Can you detail the problem you had? I'm curious as I am within return windows and can swap for another copy thanks!!

[@njrtech]

Juan... Could you do is A7RIV owners a favor and Describe the issue you experienced with your A7RIV? I am curious as to whether I experienced the same issue. Thank you

[@JuanPons]

What you describe is not the issue I and many others are seeing. I describe the issue in the video. I suggest you watch the relevant section to understand the issue.

[@njrtech]

@@JuanPons I will watch that section again... I wonder if it was just the EVF /camera waking...

[@petercasey3738]

Juan it’s great being a newbie to photography, the A9 paired with 200-600 is good & ok but still would take A7Rii over it with this lens, maybe this is middle ground for me, yes subjects are more static with A7Rii but if nailed with both no comparison, I do apologise for ignorance, would you recommend this to a beginner

[@JuanPons]

Yes the a7RII is a great camera, but the III is so much better. The AF on the III is so much better that I think it's worth the upgrade specially now with the prices of the III coming down.

[@scaber247]

Good to know that I'm not the only one with this focus problem that you mention. In my case it's also with the 200-600 lens. I flick the range limiter switch and that seems to wake it up again; however, it is a big concern and i have lost some shots due to this. We know that the missed shots would have been the best keepers of the day don't we :-) Please write to Sony and let them know that your experience isn't an isolated incidence. I've been wondering how to give them feedback but it sounds like you may have a direct contact or at least a better idea of how to give them feedback than I have.

[@EthanolEnthusiast]

Hi Greg, Do you still encounter this? Thanks

[@scaber247]

@@EthanolEnthusiast No, it hasn't happened for a long time. Maybe one of the firmware updates fixed the problem.

[@destinationmanjil6852]

I am curious about the gear you have not listed, the side strap ..

[@JuanPons]

Hi, the strap I am using in this video is the Peak Design Slide strap: amzn.to/3523EzN

[@edhughes7880]

Thanks Juan, I've been pretty curious about that lens

[@ajcaiado1]

Thanks for your video. Did you get any response from Sony about your problems in engaging focus? Another question : is Sony a7R4 black out free? Is this issue very important for shooting wildlife? Did you compare Sony a9 and Sony a7R4 for birds (stills and BIF)?

[@JuanPons]

Hi. No response from Sony, but that is not unusual. All we can do is hope for a fix in a future firmware The a7R4 is not blackout free like the a9. It is similar to the a7R3 in that respect. Blackout free viewfinders are awesome and I think they are most useful for fest moving subjects like birds in flight and motorcycle and car racing. In my opinion, as I said in the video, the a9 is still best for birds in flight. The a7R4 autofocus system while good is nowhere near as good as the a9. Still I use the a7R4 for 95% of my wildlife photography and reserve the a9 for the fastest of subjects, like birds in flight. Hope that helps.

[@ajcaiado1]

@@JuanPons Why do you prefer the a7R4 over the a9 for wildife photography?

[@blaizze]

I saw your portfolio on your website and I love it, especially those bison covered in snow. I wonder if you use silent shutter in a wildlife photography? Are those animals are concerned about the shutter sound at all?

[@JuanPons]

Hi! Most animals are not concerned about the sound. Also the mirrorless cameras make much less sound than most DSLRs. For those subjects that are sensitive to sound I typically shoot from a blind (hide) and in those cases the blind muffles the small sound the mirrorless cameras make.

[@ayfj4572]

I think that AF problem you mention is not the camera but the lens. I have an a9II and I purchased a 200-600 a while ago. Straight out of the box the lens would just not AF the afternoon I received it no matter what I did. I turned the camera off, removed the battery, the lens ect. I gave up and tried it the next morning and hey presto it worked, really weird. I was about to send it off to Sony however I had the fault logged and to date the lens has behaved itself.

[@JuanPons]

That is very strange behavior. The issue I spoke about was actually fixed with the latest version of the a7RIV firmware.

[@eliamon593]

Thank you for this video, I recently bought the 7r IV with the 200-600 lens combination and I experienced the same problem with the back focusing button not engaging the Auto Focus, I thought I was doing something wrong but you just showed that it might be a problem with the camera, now i'm pressing the back button harder when inquiring focus it seams to solve the problem so maybe its a button contact issue. please let me know if Sony acknowledged the issue.

[@vikrantrajurs4731]

Once in a while I face the same problem with this lens 200-600 and A9ii.

[@JuanPons]

Read the comments, this was addressed below.

[@muleskinnerpro]

I have no problem with AF on my a7r3 or a6300 and the 100-400 or the 200-600 but the 100-400 seems better for BIF, love them both. Can you tell where you got your camo cover and does it ever get in the way? I can only find one that looks okay.

[@JuanPons]

Yes the 100-400 seems a bit better for BIF, but when used with the a9 both the 200-600 and the 100-400 work just as well. This is the Camo cover I use: bhpho.to/2VjNKg7 and I pair it with the TravelHood zoom , much better than the hood the lens comes with: bhpho.to/31qBahi The Camo cover works very well, no issues with the 200-600.

[@arikleib]

Hi juan, first of all I really appreciate the great information you share here:) I recently sold my Canon 500 F4 lens and bought the Sony A6400 and I plan to buy the Sony 200-600 lens (I take photos - surfing and birding and wildlife photography). Would you recommend buying a filter for the above lens (NiSi HUC UV 95mm Pro Nano). Or is it worth shooting at all without a filter? Thanks in advance - ARIK

[@JuanPons]

@Arik, no I do not. I think in most cases those UV or protective filters can do more damage than good. What I mean is that they can reduce the sharpness and/or contrast of your lens, also they can introduce ghosting if the light angle is in the exact wrong position. I much prefer to use the lens hood to protect the lens. I see the hood as a sacrificial element, if the lens falls chances are the hood will take the brunt of the fall and break while sparing the lens. Hope that helps.

[@SamRino]

Just an fyi the af issue you mention is not an issue specific to the A7r4, I have experienced that issue with my old a7riii, A9, and the A7R4 with the 100-400, and the 200-600, and other lenses. So it's a general Sony af issue not an A7R4 issue imo.

[@JuanPons]

I've never had the issue with the a7R III and I've been shooting with that camera since it first came out. Wonder why some people are having that issue and not others.

[@SamRino]

@@JuanPons Hi Juan , funny thing is I experienced this issue the least on my A7r4, had it happen a lot more often on the A7riii and A9 . Nice video keep up the good work.

[@RezaMirzai]

Hi Juan, great informative video as always! Really appreciate your time and effort in making these videos. Quick non-camera related but wildlife and National Park related: I always carry my bear spray in my vehicle and then when I'm hiking locally in the east coast but I travel across the country which happens often I am not sure what the best solution is when I get there as I can't travel on aircraft with bear spray. I have rented them in the past when I've reached the destination from the rental company (actually campervan rentals) but most don't have option. I saw in this video that you had one on your belt and I know you go to these places extensively. What is your solution? Thank you so much!

[@JuanPons]

Thanks for the kind words. And yes you have found one of my greatest frustrations. You can't fly with bear spray, and it's very difficult to find a place to rent them, and I understand why, they don't want to be responsible in the case that the unit was tampered with or used up by a previous renter. So what to do? Well in Yellowstone I have friends who I can borrow from and such was the case on this video. But sometimes hotels or AirBnBs will have some you can borrow. When none of the above works I resort to having to buy some and then try to find someone to gift it to on my way out. I have spent many hundreds of dollars on bear spray I've never used. However, I rather spend the money on bear spray that goes unused than needing bear spray and not have it.

[@RezaMirzai]

Juan Pons Thank you so much Juan for the great info. Look forward to the next video. Take care

[@bartekimejl]

What about silent shooting mode with this high megapixel sensor? What's the readout speed?

[@JuanPons]

I do not know, have not tested this. I personally never use the silent mode.

[@bartek6900]

Juan Pons Got it, thanks.

[@arjunramesh1280]

Hi I would like to know wether you happen to run into any card write issue or the camera giving a waring no memory card

[@JuanPons]

No issues as of yet. I use the Sony SF-G cards and they have been flawless since I got them over a year ago. Here is a link to them: bhpho.to/30y6E4H

[@coffeemocha]

I've been shooting birds with the a7r4 & 200-600 combo for about 3 months. I bought the r4 because I wanted to crop (as birds are usually not close by). I've tried a lot of adjustments in my technique and talked to a few 'experts' but remain disappointed. Birds that are close or not moving come out sharp and for that, 61MB are fantastic. But BIF are very often not sharp when you attempt to crop. I've used this lens with my a7r3 and seem to get sharper images with similar cropping in post. That is not a scientific test but I'm beginning to question if there really is an issue with the r4 & 200-600 combo that is not yet understood (or made public by Sony). I don't own an A9 but would love to run a side by side test with it and the r4 for BIF (on this lens). I don't need high frame rate. I just want sharp photos.

[@JuanPons]

I would not recommend the a7RIV and 200-600 for BIF. That combination is not fast or responsive enough. If I am shooting BIF with the a7RIV I will use the 100-400 instead. If I must use the 200-600 then I opt for the a9. But in general for BIF I go for the a9. The AF is so much better.

[@coffeemocha]

@@JuanPons Thanks Juan. If I could update either the lens (to the 600mm prime) or the body (to the A9), would you still recommend A9 as the next purchase?

[@JuanPons]

The 600mm is a beast of a lens, and using these supertelephoto lenses requires good technique and a good sturdy tripod and gimbal head. So if you are up to all that then the 600mm is an amazing lens.

[@DalsPhotography-Daniela]

Did you ever got an answer from Sony??? I want that camera and lens, but bringing it out here it's almost 5k usd , so imagine, that I a really finding out the problems before enganging into that cost! Thanks and regards from Uruguay.

[@JuanPons]

Yes, read the comments.

[@dondunning6188]

Juan, another informative video. Thanks. Noticed you are not enthusiastic about A7RIV for bird photography, yet none of your gorgeous sample shots were BIF. If you had taken a bunch of BIF and had problems, it would have been interesting to know what they were. Not expecting it to be as good as A9, but better than my Canon 7D Mark II w/Canon 100-400mm lens in terms of tracking and autofocus. This is not to mention new sensor, etc. Planning to get Sony 200-600 mm w/the camera. Mark Smith, an FLA photographer I also like, did a video w/A7RIV and Sony 100-400mm lens. He said it was closer in quality for bird photography to the A9 than he expected. He got 26 perfect shots (in 5-6 bursts at a time). Would appreciate your feedback on this. Keep the great work coming.

[@JuanPons]

Don, I did do shoot some BIF while in Yellowstone and the reason I did not go into it is because the experience is very similar to the a7R III. Yes you can do BIF with the a7R IV and it will perform much better than cameras like the 7DII, but there is no comparison with the a9 for example. I have gotten many great BIF with the a7RIII and now with the a7R IV, but the ratio of in focus images is about 50%-75% with good technique. Hope that helps.

[@GJP623]

Hey Juan something you may consider is not telling us your photos are awesome before we see them...not ragging on you at all but, one thing my wife taught me, that has been very helpful was to let my work speak for itself. Otherwise, I thought you had some decent content👍🏻

[@StuartSchaefer]

Hi Juan, Nice review. Have been using the same combination and in fact find myself using the A7RIV more then my A9. As you mentioned having more megapixels to work with is great. But as you also mentioned the A9 is much better for tracking birds in flight or really fast moving objects. Now don’t get me wrong as you can get birds in flight with A7RIV and I have got some good shots. Just find the A9 tracking to be better especially with the 20 frames per second. Still have not tried out the pixel shift feature yet with the A7RIV. Have you? Cheers!

[@JuanPons]

Yes you can get pretty proficient with any camera and get some great BIF once you learn about the deficiencies of any particular AF system and come up with workarounds. But the a9 makes it easy, it feels like cheating. I have not tried the pixel shift with the IV but have used it with the III and it's a great feature. However it's not one that I find myself using all that much.

[@TVAprende]

Hola Juan! Are you still having that issue with the focus? I am wanting to get the a7RIV (I currently have the a9) instead of the a9II. And wanted your thoughts on that.

[@JuanPons]

Yes issue is still there. I am seeing the issue on both the a7RIV as well as the a9 so I suspect it's a lens issue. Hoping Sony will come out with an update for the lens soon.

[@saraboy77]

What is best low light /iso/noise performance A9 vs A7R IV

[@njrtech]

Why ask this question? Lower mpx are always better in low light. The R series is about resolution

[@JuanPons]

I have not done head to head comparisons but based on my experience with the a7RIII and the a9 I would say that the a7RIV has significant better performance at higher ISOs than the a9.

[@harryhirs221]

Juan Pons Really? That would be a big surprise, no?

[@njrtech]

@@JuanPons I don't think people understand how high ISO performance is rated. Yes there is noise with higher ISO on A7RIV... But it's not intrusive. It looks more natural than my A7RM3

[@waipahutube]

Do you turn off image stabilization on the lens when using a tripod? Also which is better crop mode to get longer teach or shooting full frame and cropping in post?

[@JuanPons]

I do not turn off IS when on a tripod. IS can actually help quite a bit even when on a tripod. ou can get the same effect by cropping in post processing or engaging the APS-C mode, so I never use the crop mode, I just crop in Lightroom.

[@Celestialrob]

Nice video. My main question is around AF speed for BIF and fast moving animals. My a7r2 handles my 200-600 for stationary shots.

[@JuanPons]

I address this in the video. The AF performance of the a7R IV is similar to the a7R III. so not all that great for BIF.

[@lesjones471]

In Reply To Your Responce I Had Already Updated The Firmwares As Soon I Get The Cameras. Can I Just Mention 1 Thing And It's SONY Is Now Purposely With Every New Camera Holding Back A Feature Which Is Suposed To Encourage People To Buy The Camera Then Once Purchased You Update The Firmaware And Thats It NO MORE Firmware Updates For That Model. The Only Camera I Have Has Had More Than 1 Update Is My Sony FS7. Juan Did You Contact Sony About The Focusing Issue Which I Believe Does Want Sorting As It Is Affecting 2 Zoom Lenses?

[@JuanPons]

In my experience the focus issue was resolved with the firmware update.

[@MrMiguel0130]

Solved with 1.20 firmware to 200-600???

[@stephenmorgan5296]

HI Mr Pons. The focus freezing issue everyone is having problems with also applies to my present amazing camera SONY RX10IV. ( Yes you are thinking ,whats a lowly rx10 owner making comments here for ) By the way , with this camera - Birds in Flight are a DODDLE. Anyway said camera also suffers from focus freezing problems since upgrading to latest firmware to give the camera eye focus, focusing was fine before firmware update. Generally the focus locking was more consistent before update. Only cure when it happens is to switch camera off and back on. Can I also make a comment about viewing images on youtube -- surely everyone must realise that they are not as good a resolution as you view on your own monitor or when making prints (superior in every way) So thats my Pennyworth - Cheers - Steve Morgan

[@JuanPons]

Hey, the RX10IV is a great camera, so no shaming going on here. Strange issue you are seeing for sure. This was fixed for the a7RIV in the latest firmware update.

[@stephenmorgan5296]

@@JuanPons Hi. Good that Sony has fixed problem for a7riv - no firmware update for rx10 as yet. I enjoyed your video on a7riv I'm thinking of upgrading to one but as well as the expense of the body and the 100 x 600 there are other expenses involved, for example upgrading Lightroom because my standalone version (6.14 ) doesn't support this camera, Increasing Ram, and increasing storage for the huge files it produces. I would be heaven to be able to crop and still keep more pixels. Best Regards

[@lesjones471]

I Own A Sony A7R MkII & A7RIV + 200-600 G & 70-200 GM Lenes. I Have Found A Problem And It's To Do With Auto Focusing At Near To Maximum Zoom Which Stops Working With Any Combination Of Cameras I Have. If I Back Off From Full Zoom The Auto Focus Works & If At Full Zoom And Use The Shutter Half Pressed It Works, I Have Used/Not Used A Tripod, The Subjects Are Far Away And Focusable In Manual Focusing Mode, The Cameras Have Never Hunted For Focusing When At Near To Full Zoom, It Seems The Auto Focusing Is Shutting Off At Near To Full Zoom. Now That I Have Mentioned It Has Anyone Noticed It?

[@JuanPons]

Have you tried updating the firmware on the camera? There was an issue with AF on the a7RIV that was fixed on the last firmware update.

[@Teeb2023]

I still get that excruciating autofocus (not-o-focus?) problem, with my A7III and either the 100-400GM or the 200-600G. The only 100% successful solution is to switch the camera off for a few seconds then restart it. This simply is not good enough, and pretty bad show by Sony to not have addressed the issue even now, 4 months later.

[@JuanPons]

I am not aware of the issue, as I don't shoot with the a7. The issue that we where seeing with the a7RIV and the 200-600 has been fixed in the last a7RIV firmware update. So maybe they will address this issue as well.

[@harmv5018]

Hi Juan, great video as always. I heard the Af system is the same as in the A9, but how can the A9 have better focus for BIF then? I also heard taking a sharp image with the A7r4 is more difficult in general than with the A9 because every bit of movement is exaggerated due to the higher pixel count. Do you agree? You were clear you would recommend this A7r4 for wildlife over the A9, but I find the choice so difficult... :-p

[@JuanPons]

I don't remember ever hearing the AF system on the a7RIV was the same as the a9. The a6600 is supposed to have the same system as the a9. I now it's a difficult choice for many, so this is my suggestion, if you shoot primarily birds, specially birds in flight, then the a9 is the camera for you. Otherwise I think the a7RIV is better suited for general nature photography. Hope that helps.

[@saware1]

It seems like Sony's only good camera for wildlife and sports till date is a9.

[@JuanPons]

Not true, the a6600 looks like an amazing wildlife camera.

[@Paul_85-]

Sorry but most of those images were out of focus or that new lens is soft as it's not a prime. I dont think it's the photographer we all know hes an excellent photographer but those images were not sharp at all. Something wrong here with either the camera or the lens.

[@JuanPons]

Paul, the images are as sharp as anything I have shot with prime lenses like the Canon 500mm f/4. This is why you can't really compare sharpness on youtube, the way youtube does compression and your download bandwidth all have an effect on sharpness and the quality of the image you are seeing. If you don't believe this lens is sharp, you are in the vast minority of people that have been using the lens in the real world.

[@Paul_85-]

@@JuanPons are you honestly going to try and suggest that this 200 - 600 zoom lens is as sharp as a 500 l series prime from canon ? If so you should be called out. That is a complete lie. You and everyone else in the photography world knows it.

[@JuanPons]

@@Paul_85- You can believe it or not, no skin off my back. I sold my Canon 500mm f/4 IS that I have used for 15 years a few weeks after I got this 200-600.

[@Paul_85-]

@@JuanPons that's because you love the versatility of the zoom range. It will never will be sharper than that 500 f4. You are being intellectually dishonest.

[@gernerchristensen8114]

I have 2 x 7R3's. One will not focus half the times if not less and the other camera will focus every time. I complained to Sony Service, but my one half of the 8.000 Euro cameras did not have any attention by Sony. The failing one. As I love the cameras I though feel half fucked as I am forced to use the one working and leave the camera which does not AF well, I leave at home. I got 5 years of warranty of the failing camera, but no attention, and no help, attention or any other form of support. Sony you are kind of a scam company leaving people who paid quite an amount in you basked totally abandoned in the shadow.. maybe you are just another selfsat IBM company? Do you think it's shameful of you? Are your proud of this? Will you ever respond and take action? Or are your really the company people says doesn't pay a shit of attention of their faithful customers just they bought some camera? I have far to much money invested in your products and I can't afford to go to your competition. Had I the money, I would certainly do so. Thank you for your eventual attention.

[@ImpartiallySpeaking]

So sad they delivered an antiquated menu system and lousy touchscreen which are nothing short of dreadful.

[@JuanPons]

The menu system has been completely recant, even then it leaves a lot to be desired. However you don't hear many people grumbling about it too much since you can create your own custom menus and that is what most people do anyways even when the menus are more sensible, so at this point it's really a non-issue. On the touchscreen, I don't care for touchscreens on my cameras so for me personally that is a non-issue as well.

[@altusbasson493]

Its because you have the sony 200-600. Its a shitty lens as is the 100-400. Buy the MC11 and a sigma lens and youll thank me. Sony’s lenses are way overpriced and way under performes.

[@blaizze]

I saw your portfolio on your website and I love it, especially those bison covered in snow. I wonder if you use silent shutter in a wildlife photography? Are those animals are concerned about the shutter sound at all?

[@JuanPons]

Thanks for the kind words. I don't usually use the silent shutter. Most animals are not really bothered by the sound and the sound the mirrorless cameras make is much quieter than DSLRs.