Sony A7 IV Review: One of the few full frame mirrorless cameras that can be purchased at a reasonable price in India is the Sony A7 IV. The Canon EOS R6 is it superior? Continue reading.

Looking for a 4K camera this year, there were few affordable full-frame mirrorless models. Fujifilm X-T4 (crop), Canon EOS R6 (which I purchased), and Sony A7 IV, which I just evaluated and found superior than the R6 in several areas. Sony’s A7 isn’t its greatest mirrorless camera. The A1 is a pro-level camera, while the A7 IV is a solid all-arounder. It also contains great video. More soon. First, a few key points.

Sony A7 IV costs Rs 2,42,490 (body) and Rs 2,62,490 (with 28-70 mm lens) in India. It has a 33MP sensor, Bionz XR processor, and improved video capabilities over 2018’s Sony A7 III. The camera offers 10-bit video and new techniques like focus-breathing correction.

Sony A7 IV Review: Design

Design first. The A7 IV mimics its predecessor’s design. It appears comparable to the A7 III, but it’s more pleasant to use and carry. The top sports a 3.69-million-dot EVF with 120fps refresh rate. While typical at this price range, the A7 IV does it effectively. Sony integrated a vari-angle touchscreen that may face the shooting direction. Vloggers and self-shooters benefit.
UI is now more responsive. The body has several handy buttons. I easily navigated menus. A redesigned top dial lets you choose between stills, videos, and ‘S&Q’ mode (for recording slow-mo footage and timelapses). New video record button and exposure compensation dial.

C1 to C4 are assignable buttons. It simplifies everyday life. Even when hand-held, the camera lasted longer than competitors. Only one card slot supports faster CFexpress Type A cards. HDMI, Type-C (charging and file transmission), audio recording, micro-USB. It has WiFi. We transferred 10GB in 3 to 4 minutes.

Sony A7 IV Review: Dependable performance

Bionz XR processor, same as the flagship A1, helps the Sony A7 IV. It compensates for a slow CPU and boosts visual quality. Improves auto-focus and shooting depth. This is paired with a 10fps, 33MP sensor. The A7 III. A7 III was a fast full-frame mirrorless camera. No more. Canon R6 and Nikon Z6 II shoot faster.
Speed of A7 IV varies on mode. Lossy compressed JPGs, HEIFs, or Raw may be shot at 10fps, however lossless compressed or uncompressed Raw is limited to 6fps. The A7 IV isn’t the quickest camera, but it’s still competent. 100-1,02,400 ISO. It supports RAW, JPEG, XAVC, etc.

Camera’s low-light capabilities are awesome. With the correct lens, it produces clean photos without raising the ISO. Images aren’t as pixelated. The A7 IV can capture 4K video at 25fps or 50fps. 4K 60fps is only available in ‘Super 35’ crop (which is similar in size to an APS-C sensor). So, you must compromise. The camera also records high-quality films and lets you trim them without losing information. 10-bit colour sampling beats A7 III’s 8-bit. Camera captures genuine colours. Videos aren’t overloaded. Contrast exists. A7 IV auto-focus is more constant. Fast. Cameras don’t readily lose focus. R6 loses focus more often than A7IV. If you concentrate the A7 IV on a topic then move anything in front of it, the focus remains. Also, switching subjects is smooth.

Excellent image stabilisation, even without a tripod. The camera’s speaker is loud, so you can easily view recorded footage. The A7 IV fixes R6’s overheating. Canon R6 gets hot fast. But the A7 IV had no problems. Compared to the R6, it enables 15 to 20 minutes of recording
A7 IV’s sophisticated imaging technology reduces battery life. The Canon R6 can record 40 to 45 minutes of video whereas the A7 IV can only record 25. Still-photo backup is superior.