Sony A7 IV review: PHOTOGRAPHY vs A7 III vs EOS R6 part ONE

[@cameralabs]

My in-depth review of the Sony A7 IV for stills photography! Sony A7 IV at B&H: bhpho.to/3G4L4dc // WEX UK: tidd.ly/3vzrq4n Buy Gordon a coffee: www.paypal.me/cameralabs Gordon's In Camera book: amzn.to/2n61PfI / Amazon uk: amzn.to/2mBqRVZ Cameralabs merchandise: redbubble.com/people/cameralabs/shop Gordon’s retro gear channel: kzbin.info Equipment used for producing my videos Sony A6400: amzn.to/3hul53c Sony e 24mm f1.8: amzn.to/2TqWNzk Rode NT USB mic: amzn.to/3AdHcUp Rode Wireless Go II mic: amzn.to/3xkCvGo Rode Lavalier Go mic: amzn.to/3ygzzKY Godox UL150 light: amzn.to/2VpVbXE Godox QR-P70 softbox: amzn.to/3yQfGdF MacBook Pro 13in (16GB / 512GB): amzn.to/3hrwMYD 00:00 - intro 01:27 - A7 IV vs A7 III design and controls 03:19 - A7 IV vs EOS R6 design and controls 04:23 - A7 IV controls and exposures 05:50 - A7 IV screen and menus 06:58 - A7 IV viewfinder EVF 07:33 - A7 IV card slots 08:26 - A7 IV battery 08:47 - A7 IV ports 10:09 - A7 IV sensor 11:09 - A7 IV vs A7 III vs EOS R6 resolution 12:06 - A7 IV vs A7 III vs EOS R6 high ISO noise 14:00 - A7 IV stabilization IBIS 14:49 - A7 IV focus and burst speeds 18:02 - A7 IV rolling electronic shutter 18:47 - A7 IV samples and verdict Music: www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

[@marcelopradostudios2719]

Hi good morning Gordon, in your opinion what is the best camera to buy, nikon Z5 or Z6? Please me help, thanks…

[@yourmommashouse]

did you shoot this on 6400? I noticed in the section showing the doors opened to show the ports like headphone jack, the AF wasn't uniform. one time it showed the port, but the other times the doors edge. surprised you use AF while locked off on static shots

[@cameralabs]

@@yourmommashouse yes I shot on the A6400. i often use a mix of MF and AF on the details, as I sometimes need to change the exact focusing point mid-shot. I had to change it for each of the ports as they were at slightly different distances.

[@foxtowercommunications]

Hey @GordonLaing - Thorough and insightful review as ever. ** Two issues I am curious about. Can you please ask Sony if it's the same problem--prone shutter as the A7III. Also, do you know if it has the same striping issues with heavily backlit subjects. Thanks so much! -C.M.

[@cameralabs]

@@foxtowercommunications what was the problem with the older shutter? And no I didn't see any striping issues, but then I also didn't try it with heavily backlit subjects.

[@atalk143]

Gordon - All I can is say "holy bleep". Your videos continue to be the most thorough and objective on YT. Much appreciated.

[@cameralabs]

Thanks, they take a 'bleeping' long time to put together!

[@wilhelmgzh_8573]

FINALLY!!!!!! Deep handgrip, smooth touch menu and BIG AF-ON button!!! That is a good camera

[@MaverickChristian]

One notable thing about the electronic shutter is that you can fine tune the shutter speed to fight against banding. I can see that being very useful for e.g., wedding photographers who want to be discreet.

[@alsteiner7602]

No doubt! I know I will use it

[@hardywoodaway9912]

only stacked sensors are fast enough to shoot in that scenarios. I personally would never use the electronic shutter in the a7iii or iv. Also the mechanical shutter in the a7iv is very quiet anyway

[@MaverickChristian]

@@hardywoodaway9912 Only stacked sensors are fast enough to shoot in most situations _without_ requiring fine-tuning the shutter speed. (Even in that case though, there are exceptions.) Best I can tell a relatively slow sensor can fight banding with the right shutter speed (you can do that with the Sony a7iii, for example, but its flexibility is very limited so that you can't do it in all banding situations).

[@willidevegt8831]

Gordon your camera reviews have always been the best and it still continues to be the best. Thanks for the upload

[@cameralabs]

Thanks!

[@chriss2295]

Gordon does the most comprehensive and insightful videos…Always. Thank you, Gordon! Long time subscriber.

[@danivar86]

This was the most informative review of the camera of all I've watched so far, which are quite a few. Especially with the comparisons against its biggest rival, the R6. Great work!

[@cameralabs]

Thankyou. I wish it had more views, some of the others have 10-15x more.

[@danivar86]

​@@cameralabs That is disappointing. I suspect some amounts going into boosting their reach but I guess everyone does these days. I can't change the numbers but what I can do is buy you a cup of coffee. Cheers from Sweden!

[@cameralabs]

@@danivar86 much appreciated, cheers!

[@3VAudioVideo]

@@cameralabs I would run an IT Load Test to give you 15X more hits (or even enough to crash the KZbin servers) but don't want to go to jail ;) Your videos ROCK! Especially since you do Astro stuff too. I wonder if the mark IV is still a Sony Star Eater camera :( Hope not. I was planning to get the R6 as my 1st FF but this one looks like a better fit, for me. Thanks, Gordon.

[@KONAMAN100]

Staggering detailed review in such short time since launch. Tremendous work.

[@cameralabs]

Thanks, but I did have it for over a week before the launch, as did the other reviewers, so we all had the same time. I worked 12 hour days while I had it.

[@KONAMAN100]

@@cameralabs yeah, but even so... That was detail man. Brilliant.

[@madenluvdesign]

Thanks!

[@madenluvdesign]

Gordon, your videos are always so detailed and thorough. I am considering this body with the lowa 12 zero d on ronin sc for interior real estate video, but I’d appreciate your view on older lumix gh 4 with Sam yang 12 mm f2.0 as an entry option, or 7.5 f3.8 cine

[@tscott6843]

This might be the first t8me I have been the 1st viewer of a video. Love your content.

[@cameralabs]

Thanks for your support!

[@muznahid]

I bought my canon eos 500D in 2009, I used to watch your reviews on your website. Fast forward many years, I’m watching your reviews for my next camera. Thank you Gordon 👍🏻

[@PK-ql5en]

I am not sure I followed this correctly: is the exposure bracketing available with the interval like with Nikon z7II and Z6II? I agree that it is a huge disappointment that they didn’t include any extended times beyond 30 sec like the new Nikons nor programmable bulb mode like Canons.

[@cameralabs]

Are you asking if there's a delay between each shot in exposure bracketing?

[@AustinRoss]

@@cameralabs I think he's asking if there's a multiple exposure mode, and the answer to that is likely yes just like there is on the A73

[@ondrasheq21]

You are a rare phenomenon who knows how to do good in-depth review :) Thanks

[@cameralabs]

Thankyou!

[@woodyyu3945]

The one key advantage of the Canon R6 over the a74 is the burst speed: 20fps versus 10fps, that is SIGNIFICANT. Like, night and day significant. This huge R6 advantage is not even mentioned in Gordon's review, why? How can the a74 "take the lead" while falling so short in this key area?

[@IustinPop]

Don’t forget the Sony drops to 6 FPS if you enable any kind of compression for the RAW files (either lossless or lossy compression) - according to Jared.

[@michaelbell75]

@@IustinPop Also, the rolling shutter on the a7IV looks awful.

[@FantabMedia]

@@michaelbell75 It's 26ms. That's not great but it's better than the R6.

[@JordanCS13]

@@FantabMedia No, it's not. Other tests have shown the A7IV electronic readout is 1/15s, vs 1/50s and 1/60s on the R6 and R5, respectively.

[@cameralabs]

Well it depends which features are most important o each person AND also how practically they can be achieved. As you know, the 20fps on the Canon is with the electronic shutter, so prone to skewing AND it only works with a full battery and specific lenses. Once you take everything into consideration, the R6 becomes most commonly closer to 12fps, which is its top mech speed.

[@sjsphotog]

FANTASTIC. The BESTdetailed IN DEPTH review over all the upgrades and features of the new A7iv Ive seen to date. Greta job Gordon!!! you rock. This camera ticks all my boxes that I wanted and gave some extra surprises I didnt expect (dust prevention over shutter when off!!!) . I cant wait to have enough $$ to be able to get my own a7iv down the road.... looijung forward to part 2 (even though I dont care about the video side of things as im a photo centric shooter, and your more detailed review once hyou get a real production model in house for real world testing and can get Adobe to edit the RAW files.

[@cameralabs]

Cheers!

[@acme9538]

Great review once again Gordon. I appreciate the straight forward approach, and that you remain honest with what you like / dislike. Great that you compare it to Canon as well. I'm an 'enthusiast' with an a7iii, and while I appreciate all the significant upgrades, my budget doesn't allow me to upgrade to the a7iv at this time. It will be interesting to see how much of a price-drop we will see on 'used' a7iii bodies with the release of the a7iv . . . . .thank you for putting out a great review!

[@cameralabs]

You're very welcome!

[@dpfreedman]

Another stellar effort, Gordon. Thank you. Sony seems as reluctant to give us focus bracketing as they have been with the rear touch screen. The in-built focus bracketing on my Fuji camera is outstanding. One other observation: While the fully articulating screen is very appealing for video makers, that feature totally kills the possibility of using "L" brackets on the camera. For some of us firmly rooted in the stills world, that is a not insignificant issue. Looking forward to part 2.

[@NeXMaX]

That last bit is why I didn't like fully-articulating screen mechanisms, despite their objective benefits in flexibility.

[@cameralabs]

Thanks.

[@brianlaunchbury4491]

I don't have any issues using a fully articulated screen with an L bracket, not having it would be a deal breaker.

[@dpfreedman]

@@brianlaunchbury4491 Waist level landscape orientation with the screen angled is most definitely not possible with an "L" bracket + fully articulating panel.

[@ozwrangler.c]

Great info, thanks Canon R6 is cheaper in 🇦🇺 , but not when you factor in cost of Canon lenses

[@DWDW-t3h]

That's why I made the decision to switch from R6 to A7 IV. The lens selection is way better than Canon so far. R6 is a great camera though.

[@SwapnilBhartiya]

Lens prices are same. Canon is known for it's glass.

[@SwapnilBhartiya]

@@DWDW-t3h LOL . I went for Canon purely for their best of breed glass.

[@DWDW-t3h]

@@SwapnilBhartiya They are both great systems with great glasses. Just personal taste. Here in Australia, Canon lens are way more expensive than Sony lenses.

[@akkarparkiamopas3401]

Honestly, Your review is the best among other youtubers. Clear in detail in each section. I am looking forward to seeing DR test and Noise handling when you have RAW available. Cheers

[@cameralabs]

Thanks, I put a LOT of work into it!

[@oasean]

A big letdown, for me, is the raw stills maximal frame rate being no better than the model III's-in effect, 8 fps for critical action-and now 10 fps raw needs a CFexpress A card [15:57]?!

[@longrider9551]

likely more of them will be sharp in focus, due to the improved autofocus system so the end result may be the same or better

[@oasean]

Yeah, except in the many cases where the III already had them all in sharp focus.

[@cameralabs]

You only need CF Express for 10fps RAW. SD will do 10fps JPEG.

[@oasean]

Please, excuse me for technically misrepresenting your video. (Now editing my original post, I've added the word _raw_ to prevent potential confusion by other readers.)

[@Seitenwerk]

@@longrider9551 maybe but the competition like the R5 can do the same at double the speed

[@glenhar1225]

Refreshingly concise and to-the-point reviews. No fluff, right stuff.

[@cameralabs]

Thanks, that's what I aim for!

[@vpr5562]

Best camera value - 2nd hand a73. Thnx Gordon!

[@joits]

Really appreciate the review being in two parts. I don't do video at all, have no interest in it now or in the future so I am glad just to focus on reviews on the photography aspect of the camera rather than sit through the portions that focus on the video capabilities.

[@mrmeowpuss]

Really great review Gordon, I really appreciate these photography only reviews! I had the A7III but decided to swap over to the Canon R6 and I'm glad I did as I don't feel I'm missing out on anything with the A7IV, especially at $4000 AUD.

[@cameralabs]

The R6 is a really good camera...

[@dandelionestudios]

Why did you change from a7iii to r6? What differences do you find?

[@mrmeowpuss]

@@dandelionestudios At the time, The R6 had a few features the A7III didn’t have like the fully articulating screen and much better AF (Since the A7III never got the real time tracking update). Also because I had too many lenses on Sony, I could make the swap without any loss so that made it easier. Now the A7IV is out I wouldn’t mind the 33mp but it isn’t something I really care about but there’s small features on the Canon like the Bulb Timer that I find really useful. Lens wise Sony has some really great options and if I had the money I’d honestly own both systems but here in Australia the A7IV is a few hundred cheaper than the A7RIV so I don’t feel it’s as good value.

[@indranarayan8716]

If a7 iv have no crop 4 k 60 then similar to r6 , r6 drawbacak only overheating ; 4k60 - 38 minute , 4k30- 40 minute , 4k 24 - 55 minute and 1080 -60p can record in overheating signal too , in my experiment. Im not professional but hobby its enough to me . if need to buy i will get r6 .

[@fwfeo]

A very informative and thorough review! Thanks Gordon!

[@RumourHasitYT]

Great review Gordon. Very informative as usual. But topping out at 10fps and cropped 4/60 means it’s hardly a worthy successor to the camera that ate Canon and Nikons lunch three years ago

[@cameralabs]

Thanks! Depends, really, how much you value all the small video enhancements. For me they did everything they feasibly could for the money, as stacked CMOS or 4k 120 remains higher-end.

[@RumourHasitYT]

@@cameralabs they are finding themselves struggling with canons dilemma. How to upgrade a camera without damaging the other tiers

[@lionellow105]

@@RumourHasitYT They honestly did everything they could without overlapping with other tiers. What else would you have done if you were the company?

[@F1REBEARD]

Leaving 4k60 uncropped would not eat market share of their high end cameras, as they also can do 4k120

[@alsteiner7602]

@@lionellow105 easy--10 fps uncompressed. That compromises nothing

[@longrider9551]

Gordon as always great work, I use Sony but I am passing on this model. I was hoping for a more usable electronic shutter for wildlife. I wish they would make an "A9 crop camera". This is a great camera for video folks with a nice bump in resolution, good to see all these companies pushing the envelope and competing for our hard earned money.

[@bioliv1]

I follow you, I'll wait for the a7V, if my a7III breaks I'll get another.

[@cameralabs]

Thanks, a more affordable model with a stacked sensor would be nice. Maybe the GH6 will be it? PS - thanks for the coffee and all your support!

[@shahabh2108]

I double that! The alpha apsc line is too crippled rn. Even the dials and body shape is far from a convenient shape sony already had in their slt models like a77... It's funny how A77 had 12fps back in 2011! Shake a leg Sony!

[@ZOB4]

Excellent information as always Gordon. I am pleased to see your attention to detail goes all the way to having a typography/font manual.

[@akkarparkiamopas3401]

We are looking forward to seeing the comparison between a7RIII and a7IV in term of Dynamic Range. I think this will answer if A7RIII owner should swap to A7IV. So far, the only thing we can see is just the megapixels, the thing that we gonna lose if swap to a7IV.

[@TTWGD3]

I honestly find it insulting Sony is still using those shite screens at 1 million dots on anything costing more than 2 grand. I thought they finally learned their lesson when they upgraded the screens on the a7rIIIa and the a7rIVa but no they did not.

[@kifley19]

Thats unacceptable in 2022 since that's when the camera will be delivered. Plus the 4k crop is bogus.

[@eos1d3]

They just lose a customer 😂 The LCD and 6fps is deal breaker. Very likely to get R5 after waiting this.

[@AustinRoss]

@@eos1d3 you won't be disappointed... but don't expect Adobe to support your files lol ... 3 year old camera the EOS R / RP and they still don't support it lol

[@eos1d3]

@@AustinRoss all Canon cameras are supported since 1D by Adobe. Which universe are you from?😆

[@thehishamahmad]

I've never own any Sony camera before. Before this I'm mainly use my camera for photography only and your review makes me one to have one. Looking forward to test this camera when its available in my country. Thanks Gordon!

[@lhenaremos9762]

Great review. Just wondering if you can do on screen "pinch zoom" during image review to quickly check sharpness of your photo.

[@cohoonatube]

As always, great job Gordon! Ticked off every box for me aside from a higher rez rear LCD and Stacked sensor (one can hope :D). Still loving my stop-gap Z6ii and waiting to see if the Z9 brings the lower models some firmware af improvement, otherwise I'll be on a Sony & Tammy bandwagon soon. The colors also seem improved to my eyes... I was surprised I liked the Sony better than the R6.

[@AustinRoss]

I definitely think you should rent both the R6 and the A73 (A74 likely won't be available for some time). I had (have the R6) both and the color science on the Canon is just no comparison. Sony takes good looking photos, but if you're going to be shooting people or animals or anything... color just isn't there.

[@robmcd]

@@AustinRoss thanks for this comment. I left Sony for the colours but I’m dreaming of a lightweight weathersealed 35mm.

[@antant06]

As a pure hobbyist in Australia taking photos during vacations and family events, I'll stay with the a7iii, because the cost of upgrading to an a7iv will mean at least one additional GM lens purchase for me.

[@rickymcc8624]

Thanks Gordon. Another great, informative review. Just sold my a7r4 body as no option to save Raw at less than full 61Mp, which for many use cases was complete overkill. Now pre-ordered an a7iv - as you say it's the one to beat. Canon R6, although good, is academic now as I'm circa 10 lenses into the Sony ecosystem. 3 years back I switched from Nikon after 28 years and couldn't contemplate doing anything like that again wirot the being a substantial advantage Vs Sony. So most unlikely now I will ever switch again as Sony appear to want to remain a serious camera player.

[@nogerboher5266]

A 2,700 EUR camera that can't shoot 10 FPS uncompressed, has no focus stacking, no focus bracketing, no top LCD, no vehicle tracking and so on and so forth... I am not sold on this camera. In fact... I am disappointed. Looks like I will be waiting 2-3 more years to upgrade or will just switch to Canon.

[@1barnet1]

Damn Gordon you work fast. Such an long extensive test ready right on the review embargo. Enough information available for informed buying decissions before they can be found on the shelves. Good good job.

[@cameralabs]

You're very welcome! Make sure you watch both videos!

[@ofmetalphilosophy4837]

Thank you for the detailed review Gordon

[@cameralabs]

You're welcome, part two coming very soon!

[@paulechaperon]

I intend to buy a new camera and I find your reports very useful. So far the Sony a7 iii surpasses all my expectations. I watched your report on the Olympus OM-1 iii and two features that I liked on that camera are the best In Body stabilization and the Live ND (Neutral Density Filter) in camera setting. I wished that the Sony had both handy and better features. Your reports are very clear and helpful. I have also been impressed by the Fujifilm XT-4. You see I have been a Sony digital and DSLR camera person and Minolta film camera person.I dropped my 15 year old Sony a350 at the beginning of 2022 and broke it and now I am on the prowl for a new and updated camera. Photography has been a passionate hobby of mine since the B&W film days together with developing and printing my own. Thank you for all your reports.

[@cameralabs]

You're welcome, hope you find what you're looking for!

[@HuntaDaKilla-b5i]

I think we are coming to the point where all mirrorless cameras are doing a great job. They are finally catching up with Sony. The big advantage for Canon is their lens quality. I still think it is the best in the full frame cameras. If you can afford those pricey L lenses. I am waiting to see what, if any, big differences will come with Micro 4/3 cameras before ditching it and changing to something else. I just hope they can improve low light performance, but we'll see. As always, great video Gordon. Very detailed and nothing left out. Always appreciate your channel.

[@sh8736]

But there are no third part lenses for Canon which is a big draw back for many, although I think I’ve dozed off during reviews of about 5 or 6 reviews of 50mm e mount lenses! Lol

[@FantabMedia]

The Sony 24, 35, 50 1.2 and new 70-200 are without question best in class. They don't have an 85 1.2 or 28-70 2 yet so it depends on what your needs are but I wouldn't say their quality is worse at all.

[@shahabh2108]

Recent GM glasses by Sony can beat Canon's chunky lenses in performance! Update your knowledge!

[@FantabMedia]

@@shahabh2108 Agreed. Both systems have great lenses but as I said above, the Sony 24, 35, 50 and new 70-200 are class-leading.

[@Pisceanboi]

I would've thought the Zeiss lenses also available for the Sony would outdo anything Canon have to offer.

[@tekguyphoto]

Hello. I just got my A7IV and I can not figure out how to have the EVF information show horizontal when shooting vertical mode like my R6. I would like the screen info to rotate in the EVF but it doesn't. Would you know the setting to make this happen. It silly to see the info sideways where shooting vertical.

[@cameralabs]

I don't think it allows it

[@tekguyphoto]

@@cameralabs Hi Gordon. I have dilemma with the A7IV. Seems the bracketing and the delay timer is in the same options. How can i continuous bracket with a delay timer. My Canon has this. This for me is huge. I let the camera settle with the timer and then I take 3 bracketed continuous photos. Since I need to re align these photos I cant have movement when i release the shutter on the first photo.

[@cameralabs]

@@tekguyphoto I agree, it's a pain. Lots of cameras have got themselves into similar catch-22's, I remember Nikon putting bracketing and the self timer on a dial, so you could only have one or the other. Olympus had them on the same menu too, but you could add a shutter delay that proved equally effective. I can't remember what's the best option with the A7 IV but you can use your phone as a remote release, which is an option.

[@GregThurtle]

Hi Gordon - I shoot RAW to card 1 and JPG to card 2 - I have seen the buffer is approx 50 shots if using dual UHS-ii at 10fps with raw to both.. but unlimited with CF-A in slot 1 - any idea if you put raw to 1 jpg to 2 you'll get unlimited if you use cf-a or will it be like older Sony's where it's limited by processor and writing smaller files to the second card doesn't help?

[@cameralabs]

Hi Greg, I'm afraid the camera has been returned, so I can't try that out for you, sorry.

[@GregThurtle]

@@cameralabs no problem it's a bit of an obscure test and in reality 50 shots is enough :D

[@DimitriD71]

Excellent review as always Gordon. Much appreciated.

[@richmediafilms]

Very in depth. Now time for the part 2

[@cameralabs]

Thanks, hope you enjoy part 2!

[@rockutron9000]

Great review and camera. The A7IV is definitely one to consider for a shooter like me who wants bang for the buck and is not a pro but enjoys the hobby. Gonna check out part 2 now and see how the video features are.

[@cameralabs]

Cheers!

[@madenluvdesign]

Thanks Gordon. Helpful review as I decide on A7iv or Lumix S5 for hybrid commercial work

[@NatsWright]

Fab video, this camera is a very compelling release by sony! Plus, your videos help me relax as I get better from covid, had a lot of anxiety lately, so need as much help as I can get!

[@cameralabs]

Hope you feel better soon Nat.

[@NatsWright]

@@cameralabs Going to be a tough ride this, but I think i'm doing it slowly. Tough day yesterday, but today is day 3 out of hospital and the longest i've been out, so a milestone! Your content really helps keep me going.

[@marcuschay8962]

Hi Gordon, It is a great video. Thanks. In my area the A7 IV and A7R IVA are same price. I am 30% video and 70% photography. In your opinion how is the autofocus performance between the A7 IV and A7R IVA in both video and photography?

[@cameralabs]

The newer model is definitely snappier at AF and better at recognition. If you're shooting lots of fast moving subjects then the A7 IV will be better. But the A7r IV still isn't bad and it does have that monstrous resolution.

[@marcuschay8962]

@@cameralabs Thanks for your reply.

[@marcuschay8962]

​@@cameralabs Do you have any idea what is the AE AF calculation per second for A7 IV? For A1 and A7S III there are 120x per second. A9 is 60x.

[@cameralabs]

@@marcuschay8962 it'll be on a presentation somewhere but I tend to gloss over those specs and actually try to see how it performs in practice. In which case it's below the A1 and A9 in my tests, but still good enough for casual sports and wildllife. It kept up with our school teams and the local seagulls, but I wouldn't use it for pro sports.

[@marcuschay8962]

@@cameralabs Thanks. Just bought an A7R IVA for landscape and portraiture. I did watched your A7R IV review. Now considering to change my A7 III to A7 IV for video.

[@phillgriffith]

I loathe the lockable mode dial of the A1. Why does this need to be lockable? It is far from any accidental finger knocking. This A7IV version seems a sensible compromise, with only the (now programmable) Exposure Compensation Dial with a lock. Am I alone in my dislike of the lock on the A1?

[@Elazarko]

How does the EVF on the Sony a7 IV compare to the EVF on the Canon R6 or even R5?

[@cameralabs]

Didn't I talk about the EVF in the review?

[@Elazarko]

Right, you did. But is the A7iv EVF actually close to the same level as Canon R6? EVF is a very important part to me. I'm glad it's better than the a7iii, A7iii EVF legit looks to me like an old CRT monitor...

[@cameralabs]

@@Elazarko yes, it's definitely better than the A7 III and roughly similar to the R6. Each camera drives their EVFs differently though when it comes to brightness, refresh and focusing, so there are differences. I'd advise checking them in person if possible, but generally speaking the A7 IV and R6 EVFs are on a similar playing field.

[@zolwikwkurwik]

How long is the shutter life on a7iv? 200 or 500k?

[@cameralabs]

I don't know, I'd have a look at Sony's specs.

[@gereon4468]

Best reviews on the web. Thanks!

[@cameralabs]

Thanks!

[@LuisPerez-fy6up]

Dose it have an AA filter like the a7iii that produces very Noisy images??

[@cameralabs]

Not sure about the filter but I show a complete ISO comparison, so you tell me.

[@8bittim]

Hoping to get a response, any idea on how robust the weather sealing is?

[@cameralabs]

Impossible to say until they've been used for months in a wide range of conditions.

[@ozwrangler.c]

What the hell with the loud mechanical shutter 😳?

[@KONAMAN100]

I thought someone was digging the road up, yuck.

[@MarianMoisii]

I hay very bad colour banding in long exposure .My settings is: iso 100 , aperture between f8 and f16 and shutter speed between 10 and 30 sec or Bulb .

[@joewellham1]

Good honest review, looks to be my perfect camera except I don't have £2600 spare. I need a new car for the dreaded ULEZ starting on Monday, as a lowly paid creative that needs to move equipment regularly its a killer especially combined with the CG, £27.5 a day aghh.

[@sedgemorrison9217]

Feel your pain, same boat, it's a tax on the poor.

[@youknowwho9247]

I wish someone would test the e-shutter under various artificial light sources. I suspect quiet indoor situations are a bigger deal to most people than fast action.

[@TrivisualsCreativeAgency]

Yup would love to know whether the silent shutter works with flash🤔

[@misreb1]

Thanks for the detailed review. You are the only review to address the evf lag in wildlife/sport! Thanks for that. Would you say the lag is better or worse compared to a7iii?

[@cameralabs]

It's similar in that regard...

[@jeffrydemeyer5433]

Glad to see 33mp for the mainstream. I hope canon and nikon quickly follow in bumping up the resolution. I went from a d810 to a z6 and I miss the extra resolution. I'm very interested in seeing the raws, always disappointing it takes a couple of weeks before that is available

[@oasean]

The 33% rise in resolution helps, in itself, but when it basically downgrades frame rate, increases rolling shutter, crops 4K 60p to Super35mm format, and omits any 4K 120p at all, this no longer feels like the Sony redefinition of "basic" model-much less, now, "beyond basic"-and makes me wonder if they could, instead, have reused the α9's sensor, 24 MP yet _stacked_ and thus very fast, while lowering the frame rate to make the camera ISO invariant.

[@skakdosmer]

My Canon Eos 90D has 32.5 mp. And yes, M Tech, it is a pretty big deal. Big enough to make a lot of people suddenly very unhappy with their Canon EF 100-400 version 1.

[@chrisgibbsphoto]

Excellent review once again Gordon. Thank you!

[@VasiTeoca]

Does it have high res mode where it stitches 16 photos to create a photo with huge resolution like the A7R IV ?

[@cameralabs]

Sadly not, I should have mentioned that

[@VasiTeoca]

@@cameralabs It's sad to hear that. Even my Olympus Pen F has a high res mode and can make stills at 80mpx. Very nice feature for still frames and even astro fotography on a star tracker

[@jacobnathanielzpayag3885]

It seems like Sony is using less DRAM cache compared to other models in their lineup and the competition. Those raw burst speeds are a bit concerning. Did the R6 also suffer from buffering issues and FPS drop with raw? Aside from the drop in FPS when the battery is below a certain level.

[@momchilyordanov8190]

Honestly, for such a highly anticipated camera, I cannot go over two things - Severely limited silent shutter (remember that is supposed to be a major advantage of mirrorless, right?) And measly 5 (yes, five!) fps for uncompressed RAW shooting. Why? It's 2021 ffs!

[@cameralabs]

Are you saying the e shutter is limited because of the skewing? That applies to pretty much every mirrorless camera apart from the A9, A1 and EOS R3.

[@oasean]

For 2500 USD, you don't get a flagship camera.

[@momchilyordanov8190]

@@cameralabs I'm reading spec on DPreview. They say the sensor in 7IV is scanned for 1/15 second and the one in R6, for example, for 1/50. A big difference and that's supposed to be the direct competitor, right? If these numbers are true, the silent shutter of 7IV is only good for buildings or rock formations. And the one in R6 is actually usable for many things. I mean, my E-M1 II had a sensor that was scanned in roughly 1/50 and was perfectly usable for people having conversation or a slow going ceremony. And the Canon RP had one, that was like 1/10 and was unusable for anything, that moves even a little bit. For me, that's a huge deal in a mirrorless camera. "The benefit of shooting in complete silence". Or not.

[@cameralabs]

@@momchilyordanov8190 I prefer to test things in real life rather than relying on written specs. In my tests both the A7 IV and R6 suffered from quite visible rolling shutter that made shooting anything moving with their electronic shutters skew. I show it in my R6 review.

[@nathanmorgan3647]

@@oasean Just a couple years ago, you got a flagship camera from the same company for only 2000 USD

[@charliipresley]

Still seems like the Canon R6 is a better “box” than the a7 iv for the same price. But when you factor the lenses and ecosystem as a whole the Sony a7iv is probably a better choice …

[@georgecherish]

Thanks for honest review! one question why is alpha1 $6500 is it just due to the faster speed , distortion free silent shutter mode , 4k 120p+8k ?

[@cameralabs]

It's a combination of it having everything in one

[@joelgreen1802]

Fantastic video! I have the A7R4 and as a hybrid shooter, the large file sizes and inconvenience of having to change setting when switching from photo to video are problems. Would you recommend the switch to this camera?

[@cameralabs]

It could be a good choice for you then!

[@slottyken]

Do you do workshops in Brighton?

[@TomStian]

Can you shoot 1080p in 10 bit 60/120 fps? and if does the 1080p look good?

[@cameralabs]

You can do 1080 in 10 bit up to 60p, but 100-120p are 8 bit only. And yes it does look good. Please do watch my second review on the A7 IV which is all about video.

[@ruff1draft]

Gordon on the Sony A74 in full frame can I film in 15 megapixels aswell as the 33 megapixels

[@Someone-lc6dc]

Thanks for the review, Gordon. For me the question is... What's better for stills (landscapes, street, people - in that order) now - a7r3 or... a7m4?

[@cameralabs]

I'd suggest comparing still photo samples from each body. I'd probably go with the newer model as it will have newer tech all round.

[@Matty00B]

Hi Gordon Great review and very interesting! Im a little worried about the 6 fps on compressed files how did you find that shooting wildlife/ birds? You mentioned you were shooting on the sigma lens for all 3 cameras was that the exact same lens for each one with an adaptor? I a concerned as I have the Sigma 150-600mm lens for my previous Canon DSLR, will an adaptor work for Sony or the Canon without affecting my pictures? I don't have the money to buy the new E or RF mount lens at the moment so need to work with what I have. Thanks so much again for the great video!!

[@cameralabs]

the fps limit doesn't bother me as I rarely shoot RAW, and for sports / wildlife, I never shoot RAW.

[@cooloox]

Great review, as always, Gordon.

[@cameralabs]

Thanks, I feel a bit burned out now!

[@tennissir1986]

I am not a professional photographer. Could someone explain if the 1.5 Crop in some of the video modes would have a large or small effect on the video quality ? Thank you.

[@andy.photoandfilm]

great review! Are the top and front dials still restricted to SS and Aperture? Or can they also be set to +-EV for A and S Modes?

[@cameralabs]

You can customise them to loads of different things, including AF areas and audio levels! And remember there's that third control dial on the outside edge too.

[@andy.photoandfilm]

@@cameralabs thanks Gordon! Your reviews and feedback are great!

[@B-kl8vj]

Excellent review! How does the weather sealing appear compared to R6?

[@cameralabs]

Impossible to tell without breaking both under controlled conditions

[@sailonstellarwinds]

You're a beast, so exhaustive and diligent! Super useful. Did you get a chance to compare IBIS to the mark 3? Is it improved?

[@cameralabs]

It was similar in the same modes, but Active has the benefit for video.

[@mikldude9376]

Good video mate as always , as purely a hobby shooter with an A73( i still love my old A73) , it does seem sony did a decent job of fixing a lot of the A73 little niggles , the port doors , the menu , the touch screen ( or lack of touch on the oldie :) ) , more hand grip area for those of us with big mitts , and improved layout of the controls , and some more MP is nice. Cheers.

[@cameralabs]

Yes, there's actually quite a lot to like over the III

[@sedgemorrison9217]

Good review and sound conclusion.

[@ChrisColeman1962]

What a fabulous informative video, thank you so much

[@cameralabs]

You're welcome!

[@GiannisChas]

Thanks for the review Gordon. So, if you want to shoot compressed RAW to both card slots simultaneously, you only get about 20 shots before the buffer fills up even with the fastest SD cards? That sounds like a big step back from older Sony cameras that can do 70-100 compressed RAW to both cards like the Sony A7III, A7RIII, even the A7RIV with the huge 61MP.

[@cameralabs]

It's pretty confusing! If you're shooting compressed RAW with SD cards, you should be able to maintain 8fps for long bursts. The 25 frame limit only affected me when shooting uncompressed on SD.

[@GiannisChas]

@@cameralabs Thank you, if I can do long bursts of compressed RAW to 2 fast SD cards simultaneously (even at 8fps), I am happy with that.

[@cameralabs]

@@GiannisChas I haven't tried with with two cards at the same time for that burst but I see no reason why it wouldn't work. i can try it out again in a couple of days

[@GiannisChas]

@@cameralabs Hi Gordon, I was wondering if you had a chance to test this. I am on the edge of pre-ordering! Thanks.

[@cameralabs]

@@GiannisChas sadly not, I had to return it to Sony as my loan was over.

[@olesheim]

Great reviews as usual! What does Sony say about weather sealing?

[@cameralabs]

The usual - similar to the III, so yes in theory, but no to bad conditions!

[@ahmonon4352]

Great review. I really want this camera with 70-200 GM ii

[@maxwellwellmax878]

Came to see how good this new sensor is and hoping it makes its way to a Nikon body 🙂.

[@robertbohnaker9898]

Hi Gordon. Nice thorough review. One question. For EVF lag at high frame rates, which is better ? The Sony a7 IV or the Canon R6 ? I’ve never heard anyone address this . Thanks .😀

[@cameralabs]

That would be a good test to see

[@kaseyalbayati6403]

I saw your iso testing here, but shouldn’t the a7iii be better in low light because of the lower megapixels? I mainly do astrophotography and am looking at upgrading to either the iii or iv, what are your thoughts on which is better at higher ISO’s?

[@cameralabs]

Lower res isn't necessarily better. A newer sensor technology will often beat an older tech even if the pixels are smaller. Plus when the pixels are smaller, the noise artefacts are finer too. As for which is better at high ISOs, just check my results here.

[@rogerhollingsworth]

Thank you Gordon, very informative. I have never used a Sony camera so am unfamiliar with its menu functions. Does the Sony have an equivalent to the Canon FV mode and is it possible to adjust aperture, shooting speed and exposure compensation without taking ones eye away from the viewfinder? Does one have the option of an histogram in the viewfinder? And can one change from single shot to af servo whilst using the viewfinder. For me the advantages of the R6 over its DSLR predecessors is that one reviews the image before taking the photo instead of my previous practice of review afterwards and possibly having to make image optimisations before having to take a second shot? Thanks Roger

[@cameralabs]

Thanks! No, the Sony doesn't have the FV mode.

[@TrivisualsCreativeAgency]

Aren't all mirrorless cams doing that now, the wysiwyg evf?

[@pianofinger]

You can get iso 50 on the R6 Gordon.

[@cameralabs]

Yeah, I didn't have it enabled.

[@louispasdeprenom9950]

hi on interval shooting can i use AFC ? On the 73 this function is now availaible.

[@cameralabs]

Hmm, good question, but not sure.

[@michaelbell75]

Its interesting how its now Sony playing catch up to Canon and the R6. I would still take an R6 over this. Better video, much better stabilization, better EVF and rear display and the biggest one 20fps mechanical, the a7IV can only do 10 and only in JPEG or C-RAW. Drops to 5 in any other mode which is sad. Its overpriced at $2500, should have been around $2k.

[@FantabMedia]

Agreed on the better IBIS and other comments but the R6 has worse rolling shutter and 10.5 stops of usable DR (the worst on any modern FF camera) compared to 12.8 on the 7IV. Ask most cinematographers what they'd choose and I doubt it would be the R6.

[@bioliv1]

Agree, I'll drop this release and wait for the a7V, if my a7III breaks I'll get another one.

[@FantabMedia]

Oh and the R6 doesn't do 20fps in mechanical shutter. It's 12fps.

[@michaelbell75]

@@FantabMedia We are talking about photography here

[@bioliv1]

@@FantabMedia Yeah, why didn't the a7IV at least match that? Just two more frames to match the competition. What happened to Sony?

[@flemmingmorgan1929]

Thanks Gordon for another superb review! Coffee coming up for you.

[@flemmingmorgan1929]

Can I get you a coffee with a credit card? I don’t have PayPal

[@cameralabs]

@@flemmingmorgan1929 paypal lets you pay with a credit card if you like?

[@flemmingmorgan1929]

Just sent you a contribution for many coffees in appreciation of the excellent work you do. Please confirm receipt as I had to open a PayPal account and want to be sure it worked. Many thanks!

[@cameralabs]

@@flemmingmorgan1929 thanks! Nothing come through yet, but if you paid by credit card, sometimes it takes some time for paypal to process it. If you used the 'buy me a coffee' link in the description, it should eventually get to me! Cheers!

[@flemmingmorgan1929]

Just did it again as it hadn’t worked. Hope you get this one through!

[@ZOB4]

As always, great content Gordon. I have pre-ordered this body to add to my stable. I do have a question though - you mention in your conclusion that the A7iv will be the "entry level full frame" camera in Sony's line up - I would have thought the A7c would be the entry level model, since it's still a current model. Perhaps you're aware of a replacement for that camera that you can't tell us about?

[@cameralabs]

No, you're right, I forgot about the A7c!

[@billpeters9266]

Great review,thanks. I have an EOS RP as my intro to FF mirrorless. It’s focus tracking and frame rate are now hindering me in my wildlife photography. Mainly use EF/Sigma lenses with adapter. Familiar with Canon from use with old Elan 2E film, how I got into Canon digital. My main concern going to the R6 is cropping for wildlife pictures. Main concern going to Sony is changing everything. Quite the quandary you present here!

[@cameralabs]

I know a few people in your position. The R6 is a great camera, but many people are inevitably put off by the res and if you're cropping a lot, it can be a concern. You could of course adapt your EF lenses to the Sony, but the AF won't be very fast..

[@Paulus449]

I transferred from the rp to a Sony a7iii. Absolutely superb camera and definitely recommend the upgrade! I'm currently thinking of upgrading my a7iii to this a7iv

[@nyax4361]

it seems to me that, like Canon, Sony is pushing for a lens upgrade, since the original 28-70mm kit lens only serves about 27 to 30MP. for the Mark IV, the bottom line moves to 24-105mm f4 G, like the Canon EF L II or RF lenses, a premium compared to older versions.

[@Speak_Out_and_Remove_All_Doubt]

Best review I've seen, and I've watched A LOT!! I was really disappointed to see Sony not use a stacked sensor though, this is a massive letdown imo. Was banding still really bad on this brand new camera when using SS? I would really love to see an A7iv Vs A9 (first one) as they are both the same price right now.

[@cameralabs]

Yes, that's a good point about the A9 Mark I. Sadly there's no new stacked full-framers at this price yet.

[@Speak_Out_and_Remove_All_Doubt]

@@cameralabs I know Sony needs to keep separation between the A9 and the A7 series but give the hefty price increase we have seen with this new model I think Sony could/should have incorporated a stacked sensor, even if they still limited it to 10fps. You would expect this model to see Sony through to well into 2024 but with an often unusable Silent Shooting mode it's just not going to cut it.

[@parshua]

Hi Gordon, thanks for your thorough review as always! I have a question: Does A7IV still correct vignetting in RAW files when enabled?

[@cameralabs]

Hmm, not sure, sorry!

[@gameoverc6]

How does the auto focus behave with sigma lens and the mc11 adapter?

[@cameralabs]

On other bodies it's been slower and also less featured for CAF / eye detect/ video etc than native mirrorless lenses.

[@gameoverc6]

@@cameralabs darn I was hoping the eye focus was working good because I have alot of sigma art glass that I use with my 5dmkiii Guess I'll get the r6 and stay canon

[@cameralabs]

@@gameoverc6 it seems to vary depending on the lens, adapter and camera, plus which firmware they're all running. You may need to experiment / trial it in person in a store or on a rental.

[@KeithCarmichaelInFL]

So glad to see them finally letting us keep that shutter closed for lens change dust protection!

[@bioliv1]

Yeah, for me the only reason to upgrade, but this is not enough!

[@tsizzle]

Hi Gordon, is it a worthwhile upgrade from the a7c?

[@TTWGD3]

Depends on what you are using it for

[@gemini-mg6sc]

If you're a stills guy then get the a7riii and riv. If you want 4k60p then get the a7iv.

[@davidcoorey423]

Very informative - thank you, Gordon! And while I realise I might be asking how long is a piece of string, how inferior, in general, is lossy RAW compared to lossless RAW? Would you ever really notice a difference in 99.9% of "typical" cases? The reason I'm asking is because I need 10FPS, but this is only available with lossy RAW with the IV. Thanks for any advice :). Regards, David.