Leaked: Full review of the Sony A7 IV goes live prematurely

Sep 20, 2020
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I currently own an EOS R and a GH5. I will sell my GH5 to get a camera that supports ProRes RAW. I would love that camera to be the R6 but seems likes Canon won’t be adding it to the R6. The R5 is out of my budget, if the A74 supports ProRes RAW I’m in, if not, I’m upgrading to the GH5S or GH6. I still prefer my Canom EOS R for photography though. :)
So far it seems to me that only Panasonic and Canon support ProRes RAW correctly.
Everyone else has oversampled, binned, or line skipped RAW which is RAW in name only.
I am not sure there is much advantage over ProRes at that point.
 
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Sep 20, 2020
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This video comes as a surprise to me, because on several occasions The Northrup’s have clearly stated they wont review pre-production model cameras, and insisted on waiting for the retail version to arrive, but now, here they are on launch day with a A7 IV in their hands reviewing it.

Is this because previously manufacturers wouldn’t give them a camera body before launch day.

Or as I suspect, Tony and Chelsea finally figured out by not doing reviews on pre-production camera bodies on launch day, they were losing out on so much traffic to other popular and competing YouTube reviewers.
I do not recall them mentioning preproduction.
I guess it could have been a production model.
 
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Sep 20, 2020
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It is stunning how reviewers (including Gordan Laing) gloss over the R6's 20fps advantage over the a7iv, and it is a curious omission by Sony not to have a faster silent shooting option. 10fps versus 20fps is SIGNIFICANT. It is much more significant than 20fps versus 30fps. It's the difference between getting a fast-moving shot or not, almost the speed difference between an M6 from 2017 to the current 1DXIII. The R6 was a game-changer to introduce this speed with AF at its price point. (yes there is distortion with electronic shutter, but it is certainly far from unusable)
It barely even does 10 fps.
He also failed to mention DCI vs UHD 4K.
For UHD 4K the Sony definitely has the advantage (ignoring image stabilization).
 
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pauloancarvalho

Skimboard athlete from Portugal.
Jan 3, 2020
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So far it seems to me that only Panasonic and Canon support ProRes RAW correctly.
Everyone else has oversampled, binned, or line skipped RAW which is RAW in name only.
I am not sure there is much advantage over ProRes at that point.
Seems like that either Canon or Panasonic are both the best right? I would love to go for the R5 but it's out of my budget, that's why I'm considering a GH5S or even the GH6 if it comes out with ProRes RAW as well. Man, I wish the R6 supported it!
 
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Sporgon

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On a completely different point, I am one of the few who consider 20mp ‘enough’ 99% of the time as I am never focal length limited. Yesterday I made my first commercial customer prints at 30” x 20” using Photoshop Enhance, and wow! What a difference, it might be the subject matter but I now have pin sharp detail in 30”+ prints at close up viewing distances from 20mp files,freaking awesome!
I agree, the Enhance mode is indeed scary !! It also tends to reinforce my feelings of recent years that in a practical application a 50mp FF camera is really just offering a greater output size over a 20mp one, and not really showing more detail.
 
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GoldWing

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How funny. I'm on the Canon Rumors site and they are gushing about SONY.

The R3 is an abysmal zzzzzzz out of the gate.

Perhaps CR can do a fan boy review of the new GoPro?

Canon is in deep doodoo, the Z9 is about to blow away their R3 as an insignificant foot note of low resolution yesterday's news.

I have less and less faith that the R1 is even worth waiting for.
 
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Canon is in deep doodoo, the Z9 is about to blow away their R3 as an insignificant foot note of low resolution yesterday's news.
Let us know when Canon actually starts losing market share, or Nikon starts gaining back any of the substantial share they’ve lost to both Sony and Canon. Until then, you’re the insignificant footnote.
 
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Berowne

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The problem I find with even the very few reviewers I trust, and I include Jan amongst them, is that case use and personalization makes such a difference to user experience and subsequent results as to nullify the small differences we see in systems now.

For instance it seems all reviewers are very keen on back button focus, I hate it, using a camera optimized for BBF that reviewers love just doesn’t work for me. Or a better example would be AF settings, if you take the time to find custom settings appropriate for your personal acquisition speed etc then it will gel, if not you will always wonder how others get ‘better’ results than you.

On a completely different point, I am one of the few who consider 20mp ‘enough’ 99% of the time as I am never focal length limited. Yesterday I made my first commercial customer prints at 30” x 20” using Photoshop Enhance, and wow! What a difference, it might be the subject matter but I now have pin sharp detail in 30”+ prints at close up viewing distances from 20mp files, freaking awesome!

PS Enhance works nice for me with the 20 Mpx of the R6. Funny! :)
 
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Feb 14, 2014
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As an owner of the a7 III, I'm just upset about the a7 IV in many ways.
Nothing "WOW" anymore about this iteration.

Can't wait for Canon EOS R5 II.
It’s the base model Alpha camera (at least it used to be). Of course people want it to contain features from the A7SIII and A1 so they can save a fair amount of money but that will never happen. I also think it’s impossible for camera companies to produce ‘wow’ cameras every time. Sony’s A7III was a one off in that regard which tempted a lot of people over to the platform. Canon are still completing their mirrorless lineup and within a few releases will likely produce incremental updates too. Saying that, there are still plenty who think the A7IV is a worthwhile upgrade.
 
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We will.
Most YouTube reviewers seem to be team Sony.
I do not expect a fair fight.
I am planning to review it vs my R5 and R6 as I shoot both systems right now (well technically only Canon currently as I sold my A9 which now seems like a mistake based on the A7 IV rolling shutter and 10fps lol).
I do not get the benefit of early camera releases but I am also don't feel any pressure for making sure Company X is happy with me to keep sending me gear early. I will be working with B&H directly for loaners instead.
I still want to grab the A9ii for a good comparison review vs the R5 and R6. I did a quick test before selling the A9 vs the R6 and the results of a model jogging towards the camera were unexpected, to say the least, with the R6 actually getting more eyes in focus. That was a defining moment for me,
To clarify, the A9 did beat the R6 in tracking in other situations so as expected the A9 is still a monster tracker and with the nearly perfect silent shooting but for MY needs, the R6 is just superb as my 2nd body.
Regards
 
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It’s the base model Alpha camera (at least it used to be). Of course people want it to contain features from the A7SIII and A1 so they can save a fair amount of money but that will never happen. I also think it’s impossible for camera companies to produce ‘wow’ cameras every time. Sony’s A7III was a one off in that regard which tempted a lot of people over to the platform. Canon are still completing their mirrorless lineup and within a few releases will likely produce incremental updates too. Saying that, there are still plenty who think the A7IV is a worthwhile upgrade.
Sony made quite a few waves with the A7III. Probably wanting to frantically try and get more FF customers in the door before the larger more established players like Canon and Nikon came to play. They've really slowed down the superlatives and gimmicks of late, and have been focused more on reliability/usability and refinements. I think that is a good sign that a company's product line is maturing and seemingly well reflected in recent BCN MILC trends. That being said, the A7IV is now "more of the same" so to speak.
 
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LogicExtremist

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Sep 26, 2021
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How funny. I'm on the Canon Rumors site and they are gushing about SONY.

The R3 is an abysmal zzzzzzz out of the gate.

Perhaps CR can do a fan boy review of the new GoPro?

Canon is in deep doodoo, the Z9 is about to blow away their R3 as an insignificant foot note of low resolution yesterday's news.

I have less and less faith that the R1 is even worth waiting for.
Newer cameras do tend to leapfrog previously released ones from other brands when they're in the same tier, but I wonder how much of a difference that actually makes for camera sales between competing brands

Do hobbyist photographers (who tend to buy gear more frequently and want the latest and greatest) really jump brands that often when another company produces a higher spec model, or do they just stay brand loyal and wait for their company to top those specs in the next model they release?

If we consider the phenomena of brand loyalty and fanboy culture in photography, the people involved would be the least likely of people to jump ship to another brand.

Investing in lenses ties most people to a brand, unless they want to run multiple platforms (and lens collections) or don't care about the money lost when selling and replacing lenses for another brand.

It would be great to be able to get some data that shows how many people actually change brands because a competitor has a better camera, and what percentage of the total camera market these people comprise.

FWIW, I don't think that people are exactly gushing over Sony here. What I believe we're seeing is people being able to appreciate a fairly decent camera, no matter who makes it. Cameras at the Canon R6 and Sony A7 IV tier and higher are damn good cameras! Obviously, they meet certain needs cases or they dont. To me, that's a sign of intelligent discussion, of a much higher standard than in some other forums where people tear each other apart in tribal flame wars. It's a good thing that people can appreciate a decent Sony cameraa on a Canon forum! :)
 
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entoman

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May 8, 2015
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Newer cameras do tend to leapfrog previously released ones from other brands when they're in the same tier, but I wonder how much of a difference that actually makes for camera sales between competing brands

Do hobbyist photographers (who tend to buy gear more frequently and want the latest and greatest) really jump brands that often when another company produces a higher spec model, or do they just stay brand loyal and wait for their company to top those specs in the next model they release?

If we consider the phenomena of brand loyalty and fanboy culture in photography, the people involved would be the least likely of people to jump ship to another brand.

Investing in lenses ties most people to a brand, unless they want to run multiple platforms (and lens collections) or don't care about the money lost when selling and replacing lenses for another brand.

It would be great to be able to get some data that shows how many people actually change brands because a competitor has a better camera, and what percentage of the total camera market these people comprise.

FWIW, I don't think that people are exactly gushing over Sony here. What I believe we're seeing is people being able to appreciate a fairly decent camera, no matter who makes it. Cameras at the Canon R6 and Sony A7 IV tier and higher are damn good cameras! Obviously, they meet certain needs cases or they dont. To me, that's a sign of intelligent discussion, of a much higher standard than in some other forums where people tear each other apart in tribal flame wars. It's a good thing that people can appreciate a decent Sony cameraa on a Canon forum! :)
I agree with every word of that analysis. Personally I like reading about other brands and comparing their specifications and performance, and I’d much rather read about them and discuss them here, on a site that hasn’t yet been afflicted by the flame-war fanboyette mentality that is so very prevalent on dpr.

I tend to upgrade cameras every 2-3 years, but I always retain one of my older bodies as a backup. Currently I have the R5 and my backup 5DMkiv is hardly ever used. I’m not tempted by the R3 as I don’t want a gripped camera, so I won’t be tempted by the R1 or Z9 either.

I’m hoping that Canon will launch a pro-grade ungripped APS-C body in RF mount, which would make the ideal 2nd body to my R5, but it makes more sense to me to (if/when I can afford it) expand my small collection of lenses.
 
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Jack Douglas

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Haha, I’m so glad that I’m not the only wildlife photographer who hates back button focus. I’ve tried it a few times as all the top bird photographers tell you how good it is, but I just can’t get on with it.

FWIW, my AF set-up for birds and animals with my R5 is this:
  • AF case 2, but tracking set to lock-on, and acceleration set to maximum.
  • Default AF method SERVO = C-AF in Sony/Nikon speak
  • Default AF zone is “face and tracking” with with eye-AF turned OFF
  • Animal AF
  • Shutter button normal (AF and metering start)
  • AF/ON button - eye-AF
  • *button - switches to spot AF and ONE-SHOT = S-AF in Sony/Nikon speak
  • Mfn button to switch between AF zones.
With the above set-up I only hit the AF/ON (eye AF) button if the bird/animal is filling about a third of the frame width.
I hit the * button (spot AF and ONE SHOT) when the subject is half-hidden by twigs or foliage.

I have all the above saved as a custom mode, and I meter manually.

I agree that 20MP is “enough” if you are able to compose tightly, but for fast-moving subjects I need a safety margin around the subject, and I enjoy experimenting in post with different crops and aspect ratios.
And you don't call that BBF?

Jack
 
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Indeed fanboys are just gear collectors to me. Unless you are getting free gear from a company, I don't see why would anyone create such misguided loyalties forcing them to choose a lesser piece of equipment just because of the a brand label lol
I shoot whatever fits my needs, and the last thing I will take into consideration is the brand label.
I shot Sony for many years because I didn't see anything from Canon that made me feel it was going to improve my shooting at all..
that was until the R5 dropped.
Now the R5 is the one that fits my needs best so why in the world would I not change because of some weird loyalty to Sony??
As I always say...when it's to buy gear, I have to do it with my own hard earned money so I owe no company any loyalty :)
 
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entoman

wildlife photography
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And you don't call that BBF?

Jack
I hear what you’re saying, buy with traditional BBF, the shutter button is only used for activating the shutter, and AF is activated only by using the AF/On and/or * buttons.

With my method the shutter button activates metering and AF, so if I quickly raise the camera and half-press the shutter it is instantly ready to fire, without having to also press the AF/On button. I find this much better for grabbed shots.

I like to keep the AF active as default, and use the AF/On to activate/deactivate animal-eye AF.

If I need to focus/recompose, I press the * button, which switches to smallest AF spot and locks focus distance.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
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I hear what you’re saying, buy with traditional BBF, the shutter button is only used for activating the shutter, and AF is activated only by using the AF/On and/or * buttons.

With my method the shutter button activates metering and AF, so if I quickly raise the camera and half-press the shutter it is instantly ready to fire, without having to also press the AF/On button. I find this much better for grabbed shots.

I like to keep the AF active as default, and use the AF/On to activate/deactivate animal-eye AF.

If I need to focus/recompose, I press the * button, which switches to smallest AF spot and locks focus distance.
All good, but I think that's your definition of BBF. Most folk who claim they don't like BBF simply don't use their thumb from what I've gathered. Regardless having eye AF on the shutter leads to problems so it's better as the second instantaneous choice as you've suggested.

Jack
 
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