Sony A7 IV + 12-24mm f4 G

Sony A7 IV + 12-24mm f4

An all-rounder that goes beyond the basics, the SONY Alpha a7 IV serves a dual function with solid still images and video performance. An advanced mirrorless hybrid camera, the a7 IV has the resolution and AF performance that appeal to photographers along with robust 4K 60p video recording for filmmakers and content creators.

The newly developed 33MP Exmor R CMOS sensor combines with Alpha 1's BIONZ XR processor for fast shots up to 10fps and 4K 60p video recording, along with wide sensitivity up to ISO 51200 and a wide dynamic range of over 15 stops. Beyond image quality, the sensor and processor also contribute to an advanced AI-based AF system that supports Real-Time Eye AF and Real-Time Tracking for intuitive AF control and subject tracking.

This fourth-generation a7 camera also has an updated body design that houses a 3.68m EVF of higher resolution dots, vari-angle touchscreen LCD display, and dual memory card slots, including a dual CFexpress Type A/SD UHS-II slot. Connectivity and streaming are also a key attribute of this camera, and it supports a simple plug-and-play design for live streaming directly from the camera when connected to a computer via USB.

• 33 MP Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor 

The newly developed 33 MP Exmor R full-frame sensor features a backlit design that promotes high clarity, low noise, and vivid color reproduction. This design benefits working in low light conditions and works in tandem with a wide sensitivity range of ISO 100-51200. The sensor design also achieves an impressive dynamic range of about 15 stops and files can be recorded in RAW, JPEG or 10-bit HEIF format.

• XR BIONZ Processor

With 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. Fast processing also helps reduce roller shutter and other motion distortions for clean reproduction of moving subjects.

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

• Advanced external flash control

Suitable for working with flash while photographing fast-moving subjects, P-TTL flash measurement is possible between each exposure when working with low, medium or even high speed continuous shooting modes. This helps maintain stable illumination if low-light bursts are made and greatly benefits working in changing or low-light light conditions. The updated flash control system also helps reduce flash shooting delay, uses camera AWB information for natural color reproduction, and supports adjustment of selected flash and transmitter units directly from the camera interface.

• 4K 60p video recording in 10-bit

1. By taking full advantage of the high-resolution 33MP sensor and fast processing capabilities, 10-bit XAVC HS 4K 30p UHD recording is possible using the full width of the sensor, which offers 7K oversampling for impressive sharpness and realism.
2. There's also oversampled 4K recording, through a 4.6K capture area, with a Super 35 crop, offering 4K UHD output up to 60p in 10-bit.
3. No recording time limit allows for unlimited clip lengths and the camera's physical design features an improved heat dissipation structure to promote longer recording times; more than an hour of continuous recording 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2, for example.
4. 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 bit rates, and XAVC SI, which is an inframe codec for consistent performance and quality at bit rates up to 600 Mb/s.

• S-Cinetone, S-Log3 and other color and gamma controls

1. S-Cinetone can be used to deliver distinct colors and a healthy-looking skin tone reproduction that matches the FX9 and FX6 cameras, along with the a1 and a7S III cameras, and is based on the technology of cinema Line professional cameras, such as VENICE. This color profile offers natural midtones, soft colors and especially well-controlled reflections.
2. HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) support allows you to record within a wide color gamut to produce HDR-ready content directly from the camera.
3. S-Log3 is also available to produce a dynamic range of more than 15 stops with greater gradation control in the shadow regions at midtones of the image.

• AI-based autofocus

Covering approximately 94% of the image area, a fast hybrid AF system incorporates 759 phase detection points for fast and accurate focusing in a variety of lighting conditions with a sensitivity of up to -4 EV. This focusing system is available for use in all recording modes, to benefit both video and still image applications.

Real-time tracking and real-time Eye AF

Borrowing from the flagship AF system, the a7 IV has tuned tracking and subject detection capabilities that fixate on subjects quickly and refine focus accurately on subjects' recognized eyes and faces:

Real-time tracking is an AI-based subject recognition system that recognizes color, pattern, and subject distance information to achieve high accuracy and focusing speed.

Beyond simply tracking subjects, real-time Eye AF adjusts focus accuracy and recognizes the eyes of humans, animals, and birds for critical sharpness. Real-time Eye AF even maintains focus on a subject's eye when it exits and re-enters the frame, allowing it to work in more spontaneous shooting situations.

• AF during video recording and additional focus modes

Real-time Eye AF is fully supported during video recording, for subject detection and eye tracking of humans, animals and birds while shooting.

To have more control over how focus changes appear during recording, seven-step AF transition speeds and five-stop AF subject change sensitivity controls allow you to refine how quickly focus shifts from point to point and how smoothly changes focuses occur.

A unique solution to compensate for the performance of certain lenses when focusing, focus breathing compensation will automatically smooth out focus transitions and maintain a constant field of view when changing the focus position during a shot. This mode slightly crops the image and corrects any changes detected in the composition when it is being focused.

Focus Map is a unique way to visualize depth of field and works similarly to peak with a scene color overlay that indicates which parts of the scene are in front of and behind the focus point based on the chosen aperture.

A function transferred from the FX6 digital cinema camera, AF Assist allows you to intuitively switch to manual focus control to adjust the focus position when working with AF. This is a quick way to shift selective focus between multiple subjects in a scene during recording.

• Viewfinder and LCD screen

An improved QVGA TRU-Finder OLED EVF features a resolution of 3.68 million dots that is about 1.6 times higher in resolution than its predecessor for sharper, clearer viewing. This viewfinder supports standard frame rates of 60fps and 120fps for smooth motion reproduction and its physical design has a 23mm long eye point, a 0.78x magnification, and a 37.3° field of view.

Perfect for vlogs or other auto-recording needs, the 3.0" 1.03m dot side-opening vari-angle articulated display can be used in a front orientation or can be tilted up or down to suit work from high or low shooting angles This LCD is also a touchscreen for intuitive shooting control and menu navigation.

• hybrid body design

New to the Alpha line, there's a convenient still image/movie/S&Q dial, underneath the shooting mode dial, which allows for quick switching between the different recording modes. When switching between still image and movie recording modes, the menu system and custom buttons will change for more intuitive and practical use.

The customizable interface allows you to assign 169 functions through 18 different buttons and the new R rear dial.

Dual memory card slots allow you to flexibly save and handle files and can be configured to partition file types or can be used for overflow recording. One slot is a dual CFexpress Type A and SD slot and the other is just an SD card slot; both are rated to support UHS-II memory cards.

The updated menu structure is more intuitive and complements having different workflows and configuration selections for movie recording and photo taking. The menu system also works alongside the touchscreen design of the rear LCD screen.

It accepts the high-capacity NP-FZ100 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which provides approximately 520 shots per charge when working with the viewfinder or 580 shots when working with the rear LCD screen.

• Ports and interface

The full-size HDMI A port offers a more reliable connection when working with external recorders.

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

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

The multi-interface hot shoe supports working with the optional ECM-B1M shotgun microphone or XLR-K3M XLR adapter kit, which provide clear and enhanced audio recording sound by sending a digital audio signal to the camera, as opposed to an analog signal.

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

• 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization

The improved effective 5-axis, 5-stop SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization system compensates for the five different types of camera shake found during manual photo and video shooting and allows users to confidently use any lens, even adapted lenses, for critical shots without finding camera blur shake.

For long focal lengths, the system will correct pitch and yaw settings. Macro and high-magnification images, on the other hand, will benefit from the inclusion of horizontal and vertical scrolling compensation. All shooting styles will take advantage of roll compensation. The 5-axis stabilization will work at all times, even when used with third-party lenses and adapters or lenses with built-in optical stabilization.

In addition, specifically for video, there is also an active IS mode that adds even more precise stabilization methods for even smoother images directly from the camera.

• Streaming and wireless connectivity

Built-in Wi-Fi allows remote camera control and instant sharing of images to mobile devices for sharing directly online, and support for the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands also allows for wireless shooting support. This connectivity also provides remote control of the camera.

Using the Imaging Edge mobile app benefits from Bluetooth to maintain a reliable connection between the camera and the mobile device.

Live streaming is possible directly from the camera by simply connecting the camera to a compatible computer or mobile device via USB, allowing the camera's video and audio capabilities to be used for live social networking 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 refined image quality directly from the camera.

Internal recording is supported by a memory card during live streaming.

UVC and UAC standards are supported to improve image and sound quality during transmission.

Supports Visual Story for easy delivery of cloud-based photos and videos immediately after shooting.

Features of the 20mm F1.8 lens 

Featuring an ultra-wide field of view, the SONY FE 20mm f/1.8G is a sleek, wide-eyed lens characterized by portability, advanced optical design, and intuitive handling. The optical design incorporates a pair of aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion elements to greatly reduce a variety of aberrations and distortions. A Nano AR coating has also been applied to further reduce reflections and surface flares to improve contrast when working in bright, backlit conditions. For the benefit of optics, this lens also has a dual XD Linear Motor system that is fast and quiet, and also provides more sensitive control for manual focus operation. The lens also has a design sealed against dust and moisture, along with a fluorine coating, to withstand shooting in inclement conditions.

• The ultra-wide main lens is designed for full-frame E-mount SONY mirrorless cameras, but can also be used with APS-C models where it provides an equivalent focal length of 30mm.
• The maximum bright aperture of f/1.8 adapts to difficult lighting conditions and helps maintain a relatively compact form factor.
• Two AA (Advanced Aspherical) elements help greatly reduce distortion and spherical aberrations to accurately depict scenes with a high degree of sharpness.
• Three extra-low dispersion elements reduce color stripes and chromatic aberrations to improve color clarity and accuracy.
• A Nano AR coating has been applied to minimize surface reflections, flares, and ghosting to increase contrast and color reproduction in bright lighting conditions.
• The dual XD linear motor system provides fast, quiet and accurate autofocus performance and also contributes to more natural and intuitive manual focus control. An AF/MF switch is located on the lens body for touch control over this setting.
• Customizable focus hold buttons are present on the lens body for intuitive touch control and quick access to selected settings.
• The physical aperture ring can be clicked for smooth and silent aperture change for the benefit of video applications.
• The dust- and moisture-sealed design allows better working in inclement conditions and the rubber control rings benefit handling in colder temperatures.
• The fluorine-coated front element resists dust, moisture and fingerprints and is easy to clean.
• The rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasant bokeh quality when using selective focusing techniques.