I’m so excited to be touched Sony a7 IV last December. It promises to be a camera with a lot to offer, and for me it feels like a huge upgrade from the Sony a7 II that I love so much. As the successor to the successful a7 III, expectations couldn’t be higher, so it certainly has a lot to go for. 10 months of heavy use later, I couldn’t be happier with it. These are five of the many reasons why I’m totally obsessed with the Sony a7 IV.
1. Image quality
Sony promises to upgrade both the photo and video departments of the Sony a7 IV. They brought a new 33-megapixel sensor and a beautiful autofocus system that made photography a dream. Even so, I’m more than excited about the upgrades that bring to the video side of things, especially in an era where we’re seeing video content more prominent than ever. The video quality of the Sony a7 IV is absolutely outstanding. 4K images, sampled from 7K, are sharp and incredibly detailed. Combined with the new 10-bit color, you have yourself a beautiful image. Sony has also made notable improvements over their previous cameras when it comes to their colors, removing the magenta coloration that many users dislike. It’s a camera that I love the color grading process, as it gives you a lot more freedom than the 8-bit footage that previous cameras offered. The image quality is extremely well maintained in many situations that I have experienced and still really makes me smile every time I review my footage.
2. Autofocus
The Sony a7 III already has a pretty solid autofocus system, so it’s not necessarily an area of huge improvement but Sony has delivered an upgrade anyway and I’ll definitely be not disappointed. The autofocus system in the a7 IV is one of the things I like best about it. Both in photos and videos, focusing is quick, accurate, and intelligent. Eye and face tracking in all photo and video modes takes the stress out of checking your subject is in focus. What’s particularly notable is that Eye AF Tracking is available in S&Q mode, which cannot be said for some of Sony’s much more expensive cinema cameras, such as the FX6. For sports ads, the camera can also catch up with fast subjects with ease. Once tracked, autofocus sticks to your chosen subject very accurately, even in complex situations. The AF has been flawless on some of my trips to motorsport events so far and continues to wow me every time I’m out shooting.
3. Battery life
A more annoying creator is a camera with poor battery life. Fortunately, this did not happen with the Sony a7 IV. I had some concerns about my experience with the Sony a7 II, which has poorer battery life. However, consider a more efficient system with the same battery as the a7 III and you can easily use it for 3-4 hours continuously, the only exception is when shooting continuously at 4K 60fps, where you will burn out your battery life a little faster. This has contributed to a truly positive experience using the a7 IV. It’s nice to not have to constantly monitor the battery level so you can focus your attention on the creative at hand.
4. Appearance and build quality
Given my previous experience with the Sony a7 II, I’m definitely excited about the a7 IV’s improved form factor. One of the downsides of the smaller mirrorless cameras is definitely the less ergonomic grip we’ve seen, especially on the Sony lineup. Fortunately, each generation of Sony Alpha cameras has brought improvements in this respect, and with the a7 IV, I believe they have found the good point. The grip is large enough for a comfortable grip, even for people with large hands. However, it is also not out of proportion with the camera. This results in a very comfortable user experience and less wrist fatigue, as you no longer have to grip the camera as tightly as previous models. Other updates to the camera’s appearance are new buttons. In a word, they feel more “squishy” and require a little more travel to get the full relief. This gives the camera a higher quality overall construction and is more secure for the user when they press the button.
5. Creative freedom
The camera works so well that it allows me to completely focus on creating, rather than worrying about making sure the camera is doing what I need it to. This is more important than any specific specs or upgrades. I can depend on image quality and dynamic range. I can depend on the autofocus to keep my subject in focus, and I can depend on the battery to last all day or to capture the whole thing. I find this creative freedom allows me to create better artwork, in both photos and videos. This camera has helped me improve my own skills and create what I envision in my mind, helping me convert it into moving or still images. To me, that’s the mark of a great camera.
Inference
Before I get too satisfied or I have to re-title this article as “Love Letter to Sony a7 IV”, I should mention that despite all the high points, it is not a perfect camera. . The camera is capable of warm recording at 4K 60 (though I never had warnings or any shutdowns) and it would be better if it didn’t have a 1.5x crop. I wish the screen had a higher resolution and the huge video file size almost made me cry. But overall, it does 99% of what I need and want to do. There isn’t a perfect camera for everyone, but this one was definitely close enough for me. If it’s still not clear, I highly recommend a7 IV. Hopefully, you’ll like it as much as I do.
