- So after what feels like months waiting
and many videos and blog posts later,
Sony has finally released the Sony A7IV.
And if you're a Sony shooter just like me,
you might be due an upgrading.
So I wanna give you a broad perspective
as a landscape photographer.
Hi everyone, I'm Adrian.
And if you're new here, on this channel,
we talk about tips and tools to help you improve
your own landscape photography
from an Australian perspective.
Like a lot of you,
I've been waiting for the Sony announcement
for a number of months now.
Having owned the Sony A7III for the last three
and a half years,
it's a camera I thoroughly enjoyed using for landscapes,
for woodlands, I've even used it for portraits
and headshots.
It's an amazing camera.
I really enjoyed the experience of having it.
But I'm excited with the upgrades
that have been announced today.
So I wanna talk you through my perspective
as a landscape photographer.
So if your interests in say, the filmmaking
or the video capabilities of the camera,
this is probably not the video for you, but of course,
you're welcome to stick around anyway.
So what I wanna share with you today
is some of the key things that I think are really important
from a landscape photographer's perspective.
Now that the Sony A7IV has actually been announced.
So it's worth pointing out that this is just my opinion
based on the announcement.
I don't actually have the camera right now.
And so I've ordered one.
So hopefully once I get it,
I'll be able to do a real world review.
So quite a few things that I was hoping for in the Sony A7IV
that Sony has confirmed this morning
and straight off the bat,
the first thing I hope is my order comes before Christmas.
But beyond that, one thing that was really important
was higher resolution.
So it's been weighing on my mind quite a lot
over the last few months,
debating between waiting for the Sony A7IV
or investing in a Sony A7RIV.
I spent a lot of time reading blogs, watching YouTube videos
and speaking to other photographers
as to which way I'd actually lean.
So the question I've been asking myself is,
how often would I need 61 megapixels?
Isn't really worth the extra dollars to invest in the A7RIV?
Now over the last little while,
I've been using the APSC Crop Mode
or cropping in post a lot more than I ever did previously,
as I've been taking different types of images
that require me to crop in, in infield,
using APSC Mode or when I get back in post.
So the A7IV coming in with a new sensor of 33 megapixels,
I feel this is a big enough upgrade from the Sony A7III,
24 megapixel, that doesn't give me ginormous file sizes
and still gives me the ability to crop more
than I can today.
So I feel as a landscape photographer,
this is probably all I actually really need.
So the Sony A7IV will have an improved AVF
of 3.69 million dots and at an improved LCD screen
of 1.44 million dots.
Now, what does that actually mean in practical terms?
Cause I've never actually felt I was lacking with the AVF
in the Sony A7III.
I think in simple terms, for me, looking through the AVF,
obviously I'll be able to get a clearer image.
Is it as great as the high end cameras by Sony?
The AI or even the A7SIII?
No, it's not,
but is it enough worry, in practical terms until I see it,
yes, but if it's an upgrade from what I've got today,
it's very welcomed.
We also heard today that the Sony A7IV
will have a fully articulated screen,
which is absolutely fantastic for hybrid shooters
or filmmakers, whilst it won't really apply so much
for landscape photography, still worth knowing
cause that was one of the drawbacks of the Sony A7III.
I'm gonna move to the A7III to my main filmmaking camera,
which I'm filming this video on right now.
So let's talk about image stabilization.
So the Sony A7IV come with five and a half stops
of image stabilization, an active steady shot.
Which is up from the Sony A7III's five stops
of image stabilization.
So in practical terms, you know,
I'm actually quite comfortable lugging around a tripod
up a mountain, along the beach.
However, the fact that I can shoot handheld,
it's something I would like to do a lot more of
and free myself from that tripod.
So let's talk about ergonomics.
So the Sony A7IV will have a bigger grip to hold onto
based on the Sony A7SIII,
which will certainly make it a bit more comfortable to hold
when using it handheld.
So, truthfully,
I'm not sure this is actually that big a deal for me.
I didn't find the Sony A7III to be uncomfortable to hold
or to use, both handheld and on the tripod,
I thought the buttons and the layout
of the actual camera itself was actually well designed.
They're all body design are the same,
A7IV is based on the Sony A7SIII.
The improved menu system.
So having used a Sony A7III over the last three
and a half years, fair to say,
it's a steep learning curve to use the menu.
However, in terms of proving the user experience
and being on the forefront of innovation,
if Sony have addressed those concerns
and adopted a menu from Sony A7SIII
and the feedback has been great about that,
then that's something I'm really looking forward to using
as well.
So let's talk about auto focus,
so I know using the Sony A7III's auto focusing system,
it's absolutely incredible.
And across the entire Sony lineup,
it's something that Sony's well-known for now.
Now, mainly as a landscape photographer,
I use manual focus a lot
and just try to get sharp images, et cetera,
but I often default to auto focus.
And so I know that it can nail a shot for me.
So, and on occasions,
when I take photographs of say portraits or my kids,
or even the occasional animal,
I know that the auto focus is fantastic,
both the eye auto focus
and the animal eye auto focus were absolutely sensational.
And you really do get a sharp shot.
So let's talk about dynamic range.
So Sony's announces that Sony A7IV
have 15 stops of dynamic range,
which is the equivalent of the sunny A7III.
Now many people will argue online and then, plenty have,
that the Sony A7III only has 14 stops of light.
And to be honest with you, as a landscape photographer,
it's not a lot of something that I think a lot about
or fuss about.
And whilst it's great to know
that I can bring down my highlights, open up my shadows.
These are not things I think a lot about,
but if it's building onto what the Sony A7III does already.
So I wanna talk about the 10 frames per second.
So I know some people might be disappointed
by this decision.
But as a landscape photographer,
I don't often use the burst function anyway.
Well, recently I've been doing some wildlife
and bird photography,
that I agree that that would've been handy, to have 12,
14, potentially, but in a day-to-day situation,
we're photographing grand landscapes,
in woodlands, even seascapes.
I'm not convinced that I need more than 10 frames
per second, even that in itself seems really generous.
So what did you think of today's announcement by Sony?
Did it meet your expectations
were there anything else you were hoping for?
Leave me a comment below.
I'd be interested to have a discussion with you
around what you were looking for from Sony today.
And if it did meet your expectations,
I'd be keen to hear from you about that as well.
Potentially, if you're new to landscape photography
or considering moving to Sony,
or whether you're looking to upgrade to your first,
full frame camera,
I did a video a little while back ago around the Sony A7III
from a landscape photographer's perspective.
I'll leave a link in the description below
because that might be a video worth checking out
to compare today's announcement by Sony.
I'll see you in the next video.
Bye for now.