Sony A7 IV + Atomos Ninja

Sony A7 IV + Ninja

An all-rounder that goes beyond the basics, the SONY Alpha a7 IV does double duty with solid stills and video performance. An advanced mirrorless hybrid camera, the a7 IV has the resolution and AF performance that appeal to photographers along with solid 4K 60p video recording for filmmakers and content creators.

The newly developed 33 MP Exmor R CMOS sensor combines with Alpha 1's BIONZ XR processor for fast shooting at up to 10 fps and 4K 60p video recording, along with wide sensitivity up to ISO 51200 and a wide dynamic range of more than 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 higher-resolution 3.68m-dot EVF, vari-angle touchscreen LCD 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 CMOS Sensor

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

• BIONZ XR 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 rolling shutter and other motion blur for clean reproduction of moving subjects.

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

• Advanced external flash control

Suitable for working with flash while shooting fast-moving subjects, P-TTL flash metering is possible between each exposure when working with low, medium or even high-speed continuous shooting modes. This helps maintain stable illumination if shooting bursts in low light and greatly benefits work in changing light or low-light conditions. The updated flash control system also helps reduce flash trigger lag, utilizes the camera's AWB information for natural color reproduction, and supports setting selected flash and transmitter units directly from the camera interface.

• 10-bit 4K 60p video recording

1. By taking full advantage of the high-resolution 33MP sensor and fast processing capabilities, 10-bit UHD 4K 30p XAVC HS recording is possible using the full width of the sensor, which offers 7K oversampling for stunning sharpness and realism.
2. There is also oversampled 4K recording, across a 4.6K capture area, with a Super 35 crop, which offers 4K UHD output up to 60p in 10-bit.
3. No recording time limit allows unlimited clip lengths and the camera's physical design features an improved heat dissipation structure to promote longer recording times; over an hour of continuous 4K 60p 10-bit 4: 2: 2: 2 recording, 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 intra-frame 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 provide distinct colors and healthy-looking skin tone reproduction to match FX9 and FX6 cameras, along with a1 and a7S III cameras, and is based on technology from professional Cinema Line cameras such as VENICE. This color profile offers natural mid-tones, smooth colors and particularly well-controlled highlights.
2. HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) support allows recording 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 to mid-tone regions 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, accurate focusing in 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 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 lock onto subjects quickly and refine focus precisely on recognized subject eyes and faces:

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

Beyond simple subject tracking, real-time Eye AF adjusts focus accuracy and recognizes human, animal and bird eyes for critical sharpness. Real-time Eye AF even maintains focus on a subject's eye as it leaves and re-enters the frame, allowing you 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.

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

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

Focus Map is a unique way of displaying depth of field and works similarly to Peaking with a color overlay of the scene indicating which parts of the scene are in front of and behind the focus point depending on the aperture chosen.

A feature carried over 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 switch selective focus between multiple subjects in a scene during shooting.

• Viewfinder and LCD display

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

Perfect for vlogging or other self-recording needs, the 3.0" 1.03m-dot articulating variable-angle side-aperture screen can be used in a front-facing orientation or can be tilted up or down to accommodate working 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 is a convenient still image / movie / S&Q dial, below the shooting mode dial, which allows for quick switching between different recording modes. When switching between still image and movie recording modes, the menu system and custom buttons will change for more intuitive and convenient use.

The customizable interface allows 169 functions to be assigned via 18 different buttons and the new rear R dial.

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

The updated menu structure is more intuitive and complements having different workflows and setup selections for movie recording and still shooting. The menu system also works in conjunction with the rear LCD touch screen design.

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.

• 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 tethering support. The USB Type-C connection allows the camera to be charged or powered from the host power supply while connected.

Both 3.5mm headphone and 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 triggering or FTP transfer.

• 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization

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

For long focal lengths, the system will correct for pitch and yaw adjustments. Macro and high-magnification images, on the other hand, will benefit from the inclusion of horizontal and vertical shift 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 straight out of the camera.

• Streaming and wireless connectivity

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

Use of the Imaging Edge mobile app takes advantage of Bluetooth to maintain a reliable connection between the camera and 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 with 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.