Sony introduced this week the next addition to its series of Alpha 7R full-frame mirrorless cameras in the high-res Alpha 7R IV. The advanced pro-level camera will capture up to 4K Ultra HD video at 30p with support for hybrid log-gamma (HLG) and S-Log3 gamma high dynamic range covering up to a 15-stops.
The Sony Alpha 7R IV (model ILCE-7Rm4) is billed as the company’s highest resolution full-frame camera to date with 61 megapixels (35mm equivalent frame) using the company’s new Exmor R back side illuminated (BSI) CMOS image sensor. Sony also includes its BIONZ X image processor with front-end LSI.
The Sony A7R IV carries a $3,500 suggested retail price and will hit store shelves in October. Pre-orders begin today.
The advanced camera features a 567-point phase detection AF system supporting up to 10 fps burst shooting with full AF/AE tracking and up to 240MP images captured in pixel shift mode. The AF system also includes real-time eye AF (humans and animals) for both still and video shooting.
Amazon’s Best Selling 4K Ultra HDTVs
Amazon’s Camera, Photo & Video Deals
Amazon Fire TV Cube Media Adapter with Alexa
Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote
Amazon Echo Plus Voice Controlled Wireless Speaker and Home System Interface
Amazon Echo Dot Voice Controlled Home System Interface
Amazon Echo Spot with Alexa and Screen
4K Ultra HDTV Specials From Abt
Best Selling Soundbars and 5.1 Surround Systems
The higher AF sensor density and refined tracking algorithms of the new camera produce a notable improvement in tracking performance, allowing complex subject motion and sudden subject movements to be reliably tracked.
The Alpha 7R IV also supports Real-time Eye AF, which employs artificial intelligence to detect and process eye location data in real-time, locking and maintaining focus on the subject’s eye with extreme precision. This is available for both animal and human subjects.
See What Your 4K UHD TV Can Really Do With The Spears & Munsil 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc, $39.99.
Among the biggest attributes of the camera, Sony said, is the new BSI image sensor that includes effective noise reduction techniques for extremely low-noise and high-sensitivity results. For HDR, the camera offers up to 15-stops of light capture range at low sensitivities, for smooth natural gradations ranging from deep black shadow details to bright, unclipped highlights. Sony said the camera uses “algorithms from many of the latest Alpha cameras to maintain outstanding color reproduction.”
For tack-sharp focus of hand-held portraits and fast moving subjets alike the camera is equipped with a 5-axis, optical in-body image stabilization system that Sony said it has fine-tuned to support this level of high-resolution shooting, resulting in a shutter speed advantage of 5.5-steps.
The 5.76 million dot UXGA OLED Tru-finder EVF., the A7R IV About 1.6x the resolution of the EVF in the Alpha 7R III, Sony said the new viewfinder produces “true-to-life depiction of the scene being framed.” The display quality can be set to ‘Standard’ or ‘High’ mode, and to either 60 fps or 120 fps refresh rate to best match the subject and shooting conditions.
Additionally, the new camera features a Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode that composites up to 16 full-resolution images. In this mode, the camera shifts the sensor in one pixel or half-pixel increments to capture 16 separate pixel-shifted images containing a total of 963.2 million pixels of data. These are then composited into a 240.8 million pixel (19008 x 12672 pixels) image using Sony’s “Imaging Edge” desktop application.
The Alpha 7R IV can shoot full resolution images at up to 10 fps with continuous, accurate AF/AE tracking for up to approximately seven seconds in full-frame, full-resolution mode (JPEG / RAW formats).
Animal or human Eye AF modes are selectable depending on the shooting situation. Real-time Tracking is available as well, and utilizes a newly developed subject recognition algorithm for greater accuracy.
The higher AF sensor density and refined tracking algorithms allow complex subject motion and sudden subject movements to be reliably tracked with greater precision, Sony said. The real-time eye AF employs artificial intelligence to detect and process eye location data in real-time, locking and maintaining focus on the subject’s eye.
Meanwhile, an anti-flicker shooting mode automatically detects the presence of fluorescent or artificial lighting in a shooting environment to minimize any impact on the final image.
The Sony A7R IV body features an improved sturdy, moisture and dust-resistant design and has a 5.76 million-dot UXGA OLED viewfinder. It is equipped with a USB Type-C connector and supports both 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
On-board storage is supported with dual SDC UHS-II memory card slots.
Sony said it designed the Alpha 7R IV to give profesional photographers, videographers and advanced enthusiasts the ability to capture images in ways that have not been possible before.
Among the biggest attributes of the camera, Sony said, is the new BSI image sensor that employs effective noise reduction techniques for results with extremely low-noise and high-sensitivity. For HDR, the camera offers up to 15-stops of light capture range at low sensitivities. This produces smooth, natural gradations ranging from deep black shadow details to bright, unclipped highlights.
Further, Sony said the camera uses “algorithms from many of the latest Alpha cameras to maintain outstanding color reproduction.”
For tack-sharp focus of hand-held portraits and fast moving subjets alike the camera is equipped with a 5-axis, optical in-body image stabilization system that Sony said it has fine-tuned to support this level of high-resolution shooting, resulting in a shutter speed advantage of 5.5-steps.
The 5.76 million dot UXGA OLED Tru-finder EVF has about 1.6 times the resolution of the EVF in the Alpha 7R III, Sony said. The viewfinder produces “true-to-life depiction of the scene being framed.” The display quality can be set to ‘Standard’ or ‘High’ mode, and to either 60 fps or 120 fps refresh rate to best match the subject and shooting conditions.
Additionally, the new camera features a Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode that composites up to 16 full-resolution images. In this mode, the camera shifts the sensor in one pixel or half-pixel increments to capture 16 separate pixel-shifted images containing a total of 963.2 million pixels of data. These are then composited into a 240.8 million pixel (19008 x 12672 pixels) image using Sony’s “Imaging Edge” desktop application.
The Alpha 7R IV can shoot full resolution images at up to 10 fps with continuous, accurate AF/AE tracking for up to approximately seven seconds in full-frame, full-resolution mode (JPEG / RAW formats).
There is also an anti-flicker shooting mode, which automatically detects the presence of fluorescent or artificial lighting in a shooting environment to minimize any impact on the final image.
By Greg Tarr
Have a question for the HD Guru? HD GURU|Email
Copyright ©2019 HD Guru Inc. All rights reserved. HD GURU is a registered trademark.
Stay connected