SONY

7 IV Mirrorless Camera: Beyond Basic

An all-arounder that pushes beyond basic, the Sony a7 IV does double duty with strong stills and video performance. An advanced hybrid mirrorless camera, the a7 IV has resolution and AF performance that appeals to photographers along with robust 4K 60p video recording for filmmakers and content creators.

Sensor and Processor...33MP Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor...Newly developed 33MP Exmor R full-frame sensor features a back-illuminated design that promotes high clarity, low noise, and vivid color rendering. This design benefits working in low-light conditions and works in conjunction with a broad sensitivity range of ISO 100-51200. The sensor's design also achieves an impressive dynamic range of approximately 15 stops and files can be recorded in raw, JPEG, or the 10-bit HEIF format.

BIONZ XR Processor...Using the flagship-class BIONZ XR engine, high-speed image processing capabilities are available for fast continuous shooting, 4K video recording, and advanced AF tracking performance. The quick processing also helps to reduce rolling shutter and other motion distortions for clean rendering of moving subjects.

In terms of shooting speeds, the sensor and processor enable up to 10 fps shooting, using either the mechanical or electronic shutter and with AF/AE enabled. Also, the buffer allows recording up to 828 consecutive uncompressed raw + JPEG frames when using a CFexpress Type A card.

4K 60p Video Recording in 10-Bit...Making full use of the high-resolution 33MP sensor and fast processing capabilities, 4K 30p XAVC HS 10-bit recording is possible using the full width of the sensor, offering 7K oversampling for impressive sharpness and realism. There is also an oversampled 4K recording, via a 4.6K capture area, with a Super 35 crop, that offers 4K UHD output up to 60p in 10-bit.

No recording time limit allows for unlimited clip lengths and the camera's physical design features an improved heat-dissipating structure to promote longer possible recording times; longer than one hour of continuous 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, for example. The a7 IV employs a pair of codecs to suit different workflows: XAVC HS, which uses HEVC/H.265 encoding to retain more detail at smaller bitrates and XAVC SI, which is an intraframe codec for consistent performance and quality at bitrates up to 600 Mb/s.

AI-Based Autofocus...Covering approximately 94% of the image area, a Fast Hybrid AF system incorporates 759 phase-detection points for quick and precise focusing on a variety of lighting conditions with sensitivity down to -4 EV. This focusing system is available for use in all recording modes, to benefit both video and stills applications.

Body Design, Connectivity, and Streaming...Viewfinder and LCD Screen...An improved QVGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF features a 3.68m-dot resolution that is approximately 1.6x higher in resolution than its predecessor for sharper, clearer viewing. This viewfinder supports both standard 60 fps and 120 fps frame rates for smooth motion rendering and its physical design has a long 23mm eye point, 0.78x-magnification, and 37.3° field of view.

Perfect for vlogging or other self-recording needs, the side-opening 3.0" 1.03m-dot vari-angle articulating screen can be used in a front-facing orientation or can be tilted up or down to suit working from high or low shooting angles This LCD is a touchscreen, too, for intuitive shooting control and menu navigation.

Ports and Interface...Full-size HDMI A port offers a more reliable connection when working with external recorders.

The USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port has been added, in addition to the micro-USB port, for faster, more reliable tethering support. The USB Type-C connection allows the camera to be charged or powered from the host power source while connected.

Both 3.5mm headphone and external microphone ports facilitate greater control over audio recording.

Multi Interface Shoe supports working with the optional ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone or XLR-K3M XLR Adapter Kit, which provides improved clear audio recording sound by sending a digital audio signal to the camera, opposed to an analog signal.

USB Type-C port can be paired with an optional Ethernet wired LAN adapter to provide 1000BASE-T connectivity, wired remote shooting, or FTP transferring.

5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Image Stabilization...Enhanced 5.5-stop effective 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization system compensates for five different camera shake encountered during handheld stills and video and allows users to confidently use any lens, even adapting lenses, for shooting without encountering blur from camera shake.

For long focal lengths, the system will correct for pitch and yaw adjustments. Macro and high-magnification imagery, on the other hand, will benefit from the inclusion of horizontal and vertical shift compensation. All shooting styles will get usage out of the roll compensation. All 5 axes of stabilization will function at all times, even when used with third-party lenses and adapters or lenses with built-in optical stabilization.

Additionally, specifically for video, there is also an Active IS mode that adds even more need Stabilization methods for even smoother footage straight out of camera.

Advanced External Flash Control...Suiting working with flash while photographing fast-moving subjects, P-TTL flash metering is possible in between each exposure when working with lo, mid, or even hi-speed continuous shooting modes. This helps to maintain stable illumination if making low-light bursts and greatly benefits working in changing light or low-light conditions. The updated flash control system also helps to reduce flash trigger lag, uses the camera's AWB information for natural color rendering, and supports adjusting select flash and transmitter units directly from the camera's interface.

Wireless Connectivity and Streaming...Built-in Wi-Fi enables the remote camera control and instant sharing of imagery to mobile devices for online direct sharing, and support for both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands also enables wireless tethered shooting support. This connectivity also provides remote camera control. Use of the Imaging Edge mobile app is benefitted by Bluetooth to maintain a reliable connection between the camera and mobile device. Supports Visual Story for easy cloud-based deliver of photos and videos immediately after shooting. Live streaming is possible directly from the camera simply by connecting the camera to a computer or compatible mobile device via USB, allowing the camera's video and audio capabilities to be used for live social media and video conferencing.

4K 15p, FHD 60p/30p, and HD 30p recording settings are available and there are also internal Creative Look and Soft Skin effects for a refined image quality straight from the camera.

Internal recording is supported to a memory card while live streaming.

UVC and UAC standards are supported for improved picture and sound quality during streaming.

Source: T.K-H (video and imaging specialist)