Sony Alpha 7 IV With 33-Megapixel Sensor, BIONZ XR Image Processor Unveiled

Sony Alpha 7 IV interchangeable-lens camera has been unveiled. It comes with a new 33-megapixel full-frame back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, wide ISO sensitivity range expandable to ISO 50-204,800, wide 15-stop dynamic range, latest BIONZ XR image processing engine, and two new flashes — the HVL-F60RM2 and HVL-F46RM. The Sony Alpha 7 IV has 10 presets including S-Cinetone, S-Log3, and Creative Look for different creative outcomes. The Sony camera claims to offer up to 2.5x slow motion with 4K 60p movies. It integrates a 10-bit 4:2:2 All-I XAVC S-I for smoother gradations.

Sony Alpha 7 IV price, sale

The new Sony Alpha 7 IV is priced at $2,500 (roughly Rs. 1,86,900) and CAD 3,200 (roughly Rs. 1,93,700). It will be available sometime in December this year. Sony says that a kit version with Sony’s FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS zoom lens will also be available for approximately $2,700 (roughly Rs. 2,02,000) and CAD 3,400.00 (roughly Rs. 2,05,800).

Coming to the new flashes, the new HVL-F46RM will be available in November for $400 (roughly Rs. 29,900) and CAD 550 (roughly Rs. 33,300). There is also the new HVL-F60RM2 flash that will be available at the same time frame for $550 (roughly Rs. 41,400) and CAD 750 (roughly Rs. 45,400). All of this will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorised dealers throughout North America. India availability of the new camera and flashes has not been announced.

Sony Alpha 7 IV features and specifications

The Sony Alpha IV comes with hybrid autofocus with improved speed, AI-based real-time Eye autofocus, and real-time tacking for photos and videos. It offers continuous shooting at up to 10fps with AF tracking and tracks subjects with 759 phase-detection AF points in a high-density focal plane AF system that covers approximately 94 percent of the image area. Sony says that the camera can now track birds’ and animals’ eye for both still images and movies, in addition to humans. The Alpha 7 IV is also said to come with face and eye detection accuracy for humans that is improved by approximately 30 percent compared to the Alpha 7 III.

In addition, the camera has an optical 5-axis, in-body image stabilisation for 5.5-step compensation and hand-held movie shooting with Active Mode. As mentioned, the Sony Alpha 7 IV is integrated with a 33-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS image sensor and BIONZ XR image processor for up to 8x processing speed. It is also said to achieve wide ISO sensitivity range expandable to ISO 50 – 204,800, and has a 15-stop dynamic range.

There’s a vari-angle LCD touch monitor on the Sony Alpha 7 IV for flexible positioning. It has an OLED quad-VGA viewfinder that is 1.6 times the resolution of the Alpha 7 III viewfinder. There are over 10 presets and 8 parameters to choose from. Presets include S-Cinetone, S-Log3, and Creative Look, Creative Look IN, and Creative Look BW. The camera has a dial for quick access to still, movie, and S&Q modes. The rear dial is also customisable and the camera offers new, mode-specific menus in the interface.

As mentioned, the Sony Alpha 7 IV claims to offer up to 2.5x slow motion with 4K 60p movies and integrates a 10-bit 4:2:2 All-I XAVC S-I for smoother gradations. Connectivity options include in-body wireless LAN (2.4GHz and 5GHz bands), Bluetooth, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port. It also offers real-time livestreaming via USB connection including high-resolution 4K video.