A few weeks ago, I started drafting a list of everything that Sony needs to fix on the a7 III. Then suddenly, in a move that caught everyone off guard, Sony announced the a7R IV. Have many elements on my list been resolved by this new generation of camera, or has the rush for an insane number of megapixels meant that certain details are being ignored?
Having bought my a7 III in December last year, it’s been something of a revelation, and the move to mirrorless (though with a few drawbacks) has made a difference in my work. However, the a7 III is certainly not a perfect camera, and there is plenty of room for improvement. With the a7R IV, Sony has made some changes, but in its desire to take the camera industry by surprise with claims of medium format quality, has the manufacturer forgotten to address certain aspects and forgone upgrades that many were expecting?
Speaking to a lot of Sony shooters — admittedly mostly a7 III shooters rather than a7R III shooters — megapixels have not been mentioned. While some are welcoming the 19 extra megapixels that Sony has managed to pluck from out of nowhere through some dark wizardry that’s been implemented into a completely new sensor, no one I spoke to said “I wish it had a higher resolution.” Perhaps, then, there are other reasons that Sony has suddenly dropped this bombshell (as will be discussed later), or maybe it’s a case of another camera manufacturer giving the market something it didn’t know it wanted.
The freshly-announced Sony a7R IV. Easier to hold. Allegedly.
Certain elements have been addressed: the autofocus box is no longer a color so drab and so hard to spot that it might well have been wearing a ghillie suit. The entire camera is slightly larger, and those who’ve been lucky enough to wield it have reported that it sits slightly better in the hand, especially thanks to its slightly deeper grip. There is a pair of UHS-II cards which perhaps should have been XQD, but at least the old UHS-I slot will no longer undermine the UHS-II slot. And the ports seem to have been reshuffled, meaning that the USB port may no longer be on a par with Joyce’s Ulysses in terms of accessibility.
In asking a7 III users what they’d like to see in the a7 IV, you’d expect to see a huge amount of overlap with what Sony users want to see in the a7R IV. A few are minor: from my straw polls, people want to be able to change drive modes more easily and would prefer not to have to wait for the buffer to empty first. We want a mechanical shutter that closes while we’re changing lenses so that the sensor is easier to keep free of dust. We want a lens release button that’s not on the wrong side (I think that ship has sailed), built-in ND filters, and improved IBIS. It remains to be seen whether any of these aspects have been addressed, but it’s worth noting that none of them has been mentioned.
Some things are already certain. A familiar refrain from users of third-generation Sony a7 shooters is the lack of a functional touchscreen. The first DSLR to boast a touchscreen was the Canon EOS Rebel T4i, and that was released in 2012. Given that many owners were looking forward to a bigger rear LCD with twice the resolution, there will no doubt be some disappointment that Sony has not offered any sort of upgrade, especially when other mirrorless manufacturers are demonstrating how it’s done. Furthermore, the screen still doesn’t fully articulate. Admittedly, this is a camera designed more for still shooters rather than videographers, but this does not bode well for those waiting for the a7 IV, not to mention the long-awaited, much-anticipated, and arguably overdue a7S III. If the a7R IV doesn’t have a funky flippy screen, those waiting for Sony’s other forthcoming releases might want to brace themselves for some bad news.
The humble Canon EOS Rebel T4i, the first DSLR to rock a touchscreen. Sony, take note: this was released in 2012.
The fact that the menu system doesn’t seem to have been addressed is a massive disappointment. As detailed in this article, the menu has long been an afterthought in Sony’s R&D departments, cobbled together by a jaded intern who, after a night on the town, managed to grab a quick coffee with a stressed technician before designing something that’s just about comprehensible but sits a country mile from acceptable. Refinement of user experience is an alien concept among Japanese camera manufacturers, preferring to leave it to their European counterparts. I’d be happy to have a whip-round and see if we can treat a handful of folk from Sony/Nikon/Canon to a trip to Germany and Denmark so they can see how it’s done.
Some of the comments in this aforementioned article suggested that photographers would be happy using a computer that has nothing more than MS-DOS command prompt rather than the GUI that modern operating systems offer. Usability is not a concern for many customers. By contrast, if I'm spending thousands of dollars on a tool, I want it to feel refined, especially as I’m using it to achieve something creative. My camera is not a photocopier (and now that I think about it, photocopiers have touch screens and menu systems that make sense).
Quite why user interface is so absent from anyone’s radar in Sony is a mystery, and I’m asking anyone who has their hands anywhere near an a7R IV to do one quick test for me. Bring up the histogram and then change the ISO. If the histogram disappears, to me, it’s another nugget of proof that Sony has been in a hurry to get this camera to market. Refinement is one thing; fixing elements of basic functionality is something else.
So, why are megapixels more important than refinement? Why has Sony made this announcement now, when the a7S III, the a7000 (a.k.a. the a6700), and the entry-level full-frame camera (a5?) are still waiting in the wings? I have a few theories.
The first is simply because it can. Sometimes, it feels that Sony is a giant corporation that makes sensors and that its cameras are almost a byproduct. If it can undermine other camera manufacturers by releasing a product that blows theirs out of the water (while overlooking so many other aspects), then why not? Four years on, it’s still not clear whether Canon will be able to match the performance of the sensor in the a9. Imagine what the a9 II might be about to offer.
A second option is that Sony has caught a scent of what Canon and Nikon have been cooking and has moved quickly to undermine them. If Canon was brewing up a 50-megapixel beast that was about to go head-to-head with the a7R III, why not fart out a 61-megapixel camera simply to screw with them? Why do product cycles have to climax in dramatic events that Canon and Nikon have decided should take place once every three to four years? Maybe incremental improvements are Sony's next move in claiming market dominance.
With some hot shoe trickery, Sony just released upgraded audio features on a camera that is designed for stills. Why?
Thirdly, the pricing of the a7R IV is a little ridiculous. It might not exactly be all of the “medium format quality” that Sony’s marketing department would like us to believe, but it’s certainly pushing the envelope. The pressure on Canon and Nikon to price their forthcoming high-resolution mirrorless cameras aggressively is now even greater. Certainly, the model of loss-leading with the bodies and creaming a profit from the lenses is one that Sony seems to be embracing wholeheartedly.
The other aspect of this aggressive pricing is the impact it will have on the price of the a7R III. As it stands, B&H Photo has it listed at just shy of $2,500. Arguably, its main DSLR competitors are the Nikon D850 and the Canon 5DS which are currently selling at $2,996 and $3,499, respectively, while the Nikon Z 7 sits at $3,396. If those are your choices right now, Sony is coming for you.
There might be a handful of other good reasons as to why Sony is pushing out a camera that doesn't feel like an upgrade beyond one significant headline. If you'd like to offer your thoughts, be sure to leave them below in the comments.
It seems that this article is written because something had to be written, whether it is true and relevant does not matter!
Hahaha you should ask the question to all the other companies that are far behind Sony trying to catch up. Typical canikon butthurt anti sony article from fstoppers. Nothing to see here...again
You used the word butthurt, an absolutely brilliant way of removing all respect from your comment.
Thanks Andy.
I had the original A7R on order when they were first coming out, it was on back-order for awhile and I decided to go to our local store and try to hold a similar model. Ergonomics were horrible, and lens selection was almost non-existant for my needs, and I would have to adapt Canon lens's. Metabones at the time was working on an adapter and still was at least 6 months away from having something.
I decided to go with a Canon 5DSR (also just being released) instead and cancelled my Sony order.
I have not regretted my decision since then, with ergonomics always being my main bitch with Sony. I think Sony has listened to their customer base as a lot (maybe all?) of my original issues or complaints with the camera have been addressed or improved with the mkIV.
If this was the camera that was coming out originally, with the lens selection that they now have, I probably never would have cancelled the original Sony order.
Some fair points but aren't we at the point where we sorta know what we're getting buying into Sony? IQ above everything else. If people want a "user experience" buy Fuji. If they want weather sealing buy Pentax or Olympus. But if IQ is at the top of the list and you can put up with a few quirks, not sure you can beat what Sony has been doing over the past 4 years. After this announcement I'm in no hurry to upgrade my 7R3. I might in a year or so if the 7R3 stops getting updates, but I'm very interested in what the next gen A9 and A7S will bring. Totally cool if the quirks overwhelm some people but for me I'm excited about all of the invasion that Sony DOES hit on.
My issue with Sony lies well beyond their cameras. For as long as I remember they have been churning out products with more interest in winning the stats war than the actual experience of using the device (see hifi, car stereo, PlayStation, TVs, phones etc etc).
2 things that immediately spring to mind are the awful PS controllers that they haven’t bothered to change in 25 years and also the fact they sell the PS at a loss just win the console war in the hope they make money from the licensed games.
I can’t help but think that besides their presence causing other companies to up their game the photography world would be a better place without this company inflicting itself on it. They are updating camera models at the same pace they do with mobile phones, hardly the perfect environment for outstanding design choices.
OK, I use the Canon 5DSR and have no plans to change in the immediate future. Nevertheless, I understand marketing. Remember, Sony cut its teeth in the very competitive electronics industry long before it got serious about cameras. It has a huge share of the flat screen TV market. In the beginning, Sony sold their TVs through higher end electronic retailers. Finally, it succumbed to the almighty Walmart which forced them to cut their margins to increase volume and market share. Having said all of that, Sony comes to the table with far better education in marketing than Canon or Nikon. It found that the camera market has a huge base of gadget freaks and early adopters who have money to spend. A huge number of these folks buy the "first" of anything. By offering this camera, they absolutely out maneuvered all of the "camera companies". Moreover, they are going to steal market share from the medium format companies. To me this is a stroke of genius and a reason to buy Sony stock. In pure marketing, you don't have to be 100% correct. You just have to be good enough down the middle, and you will beat the competition every time. The author's nit picks about what didn't get fixed doesn't apply to Sony. They sold TVs to millions of consumers worldwide with a significant number complaining about features. They learned that roughly right is right enough.
This is a well written article, but I think you're looking at this camera from the wrong perspective. First, there's no perfect camera. Every camera makes trade-offs and sacrifices. So, to expect Sony to magically fix every problem is silly. I would guess that a larger than expected number of problems are just the cost of building the camera the way they have decided to design them.
Secondly, the megapixels aren't for the current Sony owners. They are for the medium format users and enthusiasts. Anyone who was looking to buy a new medium format camera now has an option that's significantly cheaper, shoots faster, and is a smaller, more compact option. By marketing it as a medium format alternative they have telling camera buyers in that space there are other options. And let's be honest, the more Sony (and Fuji) plays in that space the more changes you'll see there, just like with DSLRs.
Where are the apps? I'm a very serious art photographer. I used the camera apps through Playstation on my A7II. There were crude but offered some in-camera creativity and the promise of an exciting future. Things like multiple exposures, ND filters of unlimited range - and a host of things that creatives app designers were likely to come up with. But when I got the A7III, access to the apps is gone. Does Sony think apps make the camera less serious - less professional? Canon lets a photographer merge up to 14 exposures in camera. We can't even take two. Seriously? Sony needs an advisory panel of active shooters in all genres to give them feedback. It's clear the engineers working on this are ultra conservative and narrowly focused shooters - if they shoot at all. The phone cameras with their computer algorithms are coming. They are going to offer boundless diversity with app store offerings. If Sony wants to hold on to more of the market, they need to open these cameras to apps and rake in some $$$ from the sales. They are missing the boat in more than one area here on cash flow and customer loyalty. Pay attention, Sony!
Re: the menu system. I've ready countless opinions from people coming from Canon or Nikon who preferred those menu systems and can't find things in Sony's. But from my (limited) experience with Canon/Nikon, there are a lot fewer options for those cameras, and I'm not surprised that "harder to find" is a consequence of "many more options." So what I'd REALLY like to see, is for one of these complainants to put their money where their mouth is - or at least their time. Please, please, PLEASE, give us an article that lays out, clearly, with sufficient and actionable details, how you would design Sony's menus. Where would everything go? What's the UI?
Until then, anybody who complains that they can't find things, I just assume they can't cope with either change or options.
Hope Sony's next release is a firmware update that fixes the following issues on a9:
- allow you to shoot video while camera is buffering stills
- allow you to switch between apsc and full frame while camera is buffering
- Allow you to shoot if you have only have a card in slot 2. there are times i am downloading slot 1 card to computer and something happens. I now have to put slot 2 card in slot 1 card while i am downloading card 1 slot.
- ability to dial down the brightness of the viewfinder. right now properly exposed image looks slightly washed out in viewfinder. if you change brightness of viewfinder it just changes the contrast in the viewfinder. not good.
- RED AF POINT
- also the af point nub is a little too easy to move. i often find the af point at one of the exteme corners
OMG Sony shooters have to be the most quarrelsome and contentious camera operators around. Just look at the comments! I think, and I dont say this lightly, I think they might be worse than Pentax shooters! GASP!!!!
You're just turning a blind eye for the non Sony shooters coming in here and instigating the quarrels. Of course we're going to respond.
Notice on this recent Canon article, you don't see Sony shooters going in there and kicking down their sand castles. It's fairly quiet.
https://fstoppers.com/gear/professional-level-canon-mirrorless-body-its-...
So you say that the Canon article the comments section is fairly quiet, and somehow that is evidence that Canon shooters cause trouble in the Sony articles??? Kinda contorted logic.
"The reason why sony articles are so quarrelsome, and Canon articles are not, is because those peaceful Canon shooters come into the sony articles and start problems...."
LMAO no man, ask anyone that writes anything photography related, sony shooters are by far the most contentious shooters out there, except Pentax shooters, who usually cant stir up enough trouble as there are only a couple left.
Seriously, joking aside, open both eyes. Whenever someone writes something positive about Sony, the Canikons are in frenzy.
Someone writes something positive about Canon (or Nikon someday),....crickets.
The Sony/Canon articles in the last week or so are pretty evident of that.
ROFL LMAO, your paraphrasing, "peaceful Canon shooters". And, there in lies the problem. "My little Johnny can do no wrong, officer."
I actually shoot nikon and have for about 15 years since before digital. FYI. I make fun of canon shooters all the time as well. But watch any review that is critical of sony equipment, and you will see the most warsome comments you have ever seen like someone just smashed a baby.
The realities that exist in today's interchangeable lens cameras are the maker that closes the gap from phone to cam body in its use is winning. If you've never been a Nikon or Canon shooter (or others) and started with Sony, half the nits you mention would be non issues. Sony has made Canikon look foolish with how they have listened to their user community.
Having been 17 yrs on Nikon I had a hard time transitioning, but with the A9 forward Sony has created a viable system that has greatly expanded my ability to create, and reduced my workflow time. Neither Canon nor Nikon can boast that even with their latest crop. Sad really. But Sony is behind in video, that, has to be fixed. I own the A9, 7riii, a6500, and a backup 6300. I never had a well rounded stable with Nikon, from overpriced behemoths to constantly in the shop mid sizes. Maybe Canon users have had different experiences
I switched from Canon to Sony full frame in 2013 and now use the A7S and A7R II, as well as a RX10 III & IV. I've also owned an A7R and A7 II. Once you're used to Sony's menu system (and other foibles) their cameras are quite usable.
As for the A7R IV, yes, I do believe it is corporate one-upmanship. I certainly don't require 61 MP. In fact I'm thinking of selling my A7R II and acquiring an A7 III.
And yes, one can always find shortcomings in camera technology but in general they more than serve the purpose.
I haven't even read the article (about to) but I checked the comments first because I knew after only reading the headline that the comments would be a crapshow. Lo and behold they were! To nobody's surprise.
This is not exclusive to Sony fans. I made a post about how the "touch and drag AF" could be fixed on the DPR EOS R forums and got mobbed by people that cannot admit there's even a single fault with their camera, and don't want even a VERY SIMPLE fix that would make the camera more usable done, because then they would have to admit that a fault exists or that they were wrong. This is because for most people, cameras are ego purchases rather than art purchases.
Great article. One of the most "true to life" I have read lately here. I own several Sony cameras including an A7R3, so I know what you're talking about. I don't fully agree that the A7RIV is a camera for stills. If that is the case, then Sony once more failed by not implementing a fully articulated screen. Not talking about selfie position, I'm talking about vertical shooting. The digital era is an awkward time for visual creatives. Manufacturers pushed the (ridiculously constrained) vertical video and keep on severely limiting vertical framing in photography. Strange times indeed.
Andy Day what do you shoot with?
a7 iii, as mentioned in the article. :)
Then why are you complaining? The A7RIV is not a replacement for your camera.
Now if there are so many "issues" that need to be fixed with your current camera, why not get something that works for you then?
If you can't live with the UI or handling, why on earth are you shooting Sony still?
Any professional would just get the tool that works for them, instead of trying to convince others there are issues that need to be fixed before the camera is even released.
I love my a7 III. It's possible to use and appreciate something and be critical of it at the same time.
Sure you do, but you can't stand the menus...
Also impossible for you to understand that everyone does not share your opinion, which you clearly displayed in your first response to Deleted User.
Being critical is not the same as writing snarky opinion pieces on a camera you never used.
As a "writer" I'm sure you could do better.
"Sure you do, but you can't stand the menus..."
Yes. Not sure of your point here.
"Also impossible for you to understand that everyone does not share your opinion"
Not sure how that comment clearly displayed that. You can read Pat O'Connor's response if you want to get my view.
"As a "writer" I'm sure you could do better."
Lol. Ok.
My point being you wrote a whining piece on camera you never used, and then tell us you love your A7iii which is not even the predecessor of the aforementioned camera. You "love" your camera but goes into detail regarding how poor the menu system is ...it's an afterthought, ms-dos, etc.
So Pat O'conner is who we should read to get your "view" Hmm I thought that was the purpose of this article... but I take it you share Pat O'coonors rambling about happiness and market shares which were as clear as a pool of mud...
How many generations of cameras have you shot Sony Andy or Pat O'Connor for that matter? Some of use, believe it or not, have shot Sony way before mirrorless was introduced. So while you might not like the menu system, many of us have no issues with it at all. In fact, I think Canon's UI is utterly bonkers, that doesn't mean it's universally is so or most people think so, simply means I think so and that mainly because I'm not used to it.
No product is perfect, professionals buy the camera they believe will work best for their business. If one goes into the purchasing a camera with as many objections and whining points as you have, it's quite clear you need something else.
Should we look forward to reading and article for every camera you won't buy?
I think there is something to being the MP king, even if there are other issues with the camera. There are times I reassure clients by telling them that my 5DS has the highest MP count in the SLR industry. Of course I leave out the fact that the IQ seriously lags behind the A7R3 and the D850. It gives them some confidence. When the A7R4 ships, that argument goes out the window.
Some valid points, but clearly sour grapes over your opinion not be in the last word on Sony's ear. So, go back to Canon.
I see your point. I hate the menu system on my A7r III. The new focus point is a welcome improvement. Also, yes. A 61mp sensor is pretty incredible and maybe overkill, but the practical application of having an APS-C option with over 20mp essentially means you have 2 cameras in one.
Theres a lot to be annoyed with I agree, but theres a lot of practical improvements that would make my job easier at the end of the day. They definitely didn't fix everything but neither has anyone else. You could literally replace Sony in this write-up with any other manufacturer and have a similar article with their respective qualms.
Panasonic release of the SL1 being too bulky having less than perfect AF-C.
Nikons release of the Z7 with a single card slot and pretty bad rolling shutter
Canonʻs release of the eos EVERYTHING having issues with ALL OF IT!
Sorry for that outburst... Somehow Canon can drop the ball in unspeakable ways, yet I still derive such a sense of joy when using their camera systems. Its infuriating.
I am a Sony shooter. Was shooting for nearly 20 years with Canon. Canon and Nikon didn't really produce much positive change in the marketplace over the years. Some minor fixes and advancements here and there. I stayed with Canon because I wasn't prepared to spend gobs of money to move to another system that really wasn't any better. I moved to Sony 3 years ago. It was an excruciating move due to the replacement of my glass. I hated it but also realized it was needed.
I understand the article's complaints. However I think the analogy of MS-DOS to Windows is quite inequitable. You shoot with a camera, not play games, use a word processor, or surf the internet with it. Because you don't have a full touch-screen display does not stop you from making settings changes in a GUI. Yes it is quirky but I can't see how that is far more important than delivering a performance change... namely in resolution. Ask anyone... would they prefer the touch screen or the added resolution? And 2 fast card slots... and the improved body grip?
Pardon me if I am way off but do you happen to be either a Canon or Nikon shooter who feels uneasy that your trusted brands have been wallowing in idle for years?
I'm still hoping Canon can get their head back on straight. I still have a nostalgic connection with the brand.... and if they can actually finally make a leap that would meet the new standard of mirrorless technology, I would consider buying into the system if for any reason but to own a Canon again.
1. Despite slight changes in camera body ergonomics with the A7R IV, the front control dial is still a disaster. The tendons on the back of my hand actually hurt when I reach my index finger down to manipulate that dial, and so then it requires a complete change of grip on the camera... terrible. The dials themselves are too small and recessed into the body too much. They're probably nearly impossible to turn with gloves on.
I don't understand how any industrial designer/engineer could think this insult to the human hand is a good control layout.
2. I'm stunned Sony hasn't learned the lesson of offering S,M,L RAW options, such as 20MP, 40MP, 61MP. Even Nikon figured it out beginning with the D810 (it was poorly implemented, but the option is there) and improved it in the D850. Canon has offered this idea since at least the 5D Mark III. Not everyone needs 61MP all the time.