Sony A7R IV

 

61.00 Megapixels	Sony E	35mm size sensor

Basic Specifications
Full model name:	Sony Alpha ILCE-A7R IV
Resolution:	61.00 Megapixels
Sensor size:	35mm (35.7mm x 23.8mm)
Kit Lens:	n/a
Viewfinder:	EVF / LCD
Native ISO:	100 - 32,000
Extended ISO:	50 - 102,400
Shutter:	1/8000 - 30 sec
Dimensions:	5.1 x 3.8 x 3.1 in. (129 x 96 x 78 mm)
Weight:	23.5 oz (665 g) includes batteries
Availability:	09/2019
Manufacturer:	Sony

A7R IV SUMMARY

The Sony A7R IV is a thoroughly impressive camera. Its high-res 61MP sensor captures images with incredible detail. Plus, with swift burst shooting, top-notch high ISO performance, fast AF, Real-Time Eye AF tracking, 4Kp30 video and in-body image stabilization, the Sony A7R IV is way more versatile that one might think. The image files, however, are cumbersome, and the resolution is likely more than what most people need. And at around $3500 body-only, the A7R IV certainly isn't cheap. However, given all that it offers, it's hard not to recommend the A7R IV if you have the cash and need the resolving power.

PROS

Outstanding image quality; Excellent high ISOs; Fast AF performance with Eye-AF tracking; 10fps bursts at full-resolution; Improved ergonomics; Dual UHS-II card slots; Higher-res EVF.

CONS

Expensive; No 4Kp60; Buffer clearing could be faster; Menus are still frustrating; Touchscreen underutilized; No built-in flash.

Camera design: Redesigned front grip, enhanced durability, new high-resolution EVF and more

The Sony A7R IV looks quite similar to its predecessor, but the Sony design team has gone back to the drawing board in a number of key areas. For starters, the camera has enhanced dust and moisture resistance, which should mean improved ruggedness and durability. Further, many Sony shooters have long remarked that the A7 series of cameras don't offer quite enough comfort with respect to the grip. In response, Sony has revised the design of the front grip. The new grip has been designed to be more comfortable, particularly when using longer, heavier lenses. Further, the overhang area for the middle and little fingers has been increased, which should benefit users with larger hands and/or longer fingers.

There have been additional refinements to the layout and design of the camera. The AF-ON button's location, dimension and "feel" have been revised to offer smoother control. The Multi-Selector has also been revised, featuring a different shape and texture plus improved response in all eight directions. The exposure compensation dial has a new locking mechanism. Further, the touchpad autofocus responsiveness of the 3-inch type 1.44-million dot touchscreen LCD is now 1.5 times faster. Speaking of the display, it can tilt upward 107 degrees and downward 41 degrees.

The rear LCD is not the only improved display on the A7R IV. The electronic viewfinder has undergone a significant change. The new OLED Tru-Finder features 5.76 million dots and can refresh at up to 120 frames per second. Further, the 1.3-centimeter (0.5 type) UXGA OLED has 0.78x magnification, 100 percent frame coverage and a "High" quality mode, which promises a sharper, more natural viewfinder experience with reduced moiré and "jaggies." The eyepiece window is coated with fluorine to help repel dirt, grime and grease and make the eyepiece easier to clean.

In total, the Sony A7R IV weighs approximately 23.5 ounces (665 grams) with a battery and memory card included, which is less than 10 grams heavier than the A7R III. The new camera is approximately 128.9 millimeters wide, 96.4mm tall and has a maximum depth of 77.5mm, which is slightly larger than its predecessor in each dimension.

RESOLUTION KING? First Look at Our Sony A7R IV Images

Shooting Features: Brand-new 61-megapixel image sensor, improved autofocus, speedy performance and more

Image sensor and image capture

The Sony A7R IV includes the world's first 61-megapixel full-frame image sensor. Specifically, the sensor is a 62.5-megapixel back-illuminated Exmore R CMOS sensor with 61.0 effective megapixels. The sensor offers a native ISO range of 100 to 32,000, which can be expanded to a low of ISO 50 and a high of ISO 102,400. The image sensor, paired with a front-end LSI and Sony's latest BIONZ X image processor, processes 16-bit images which are then output at up to 14 bits. Output remains at 14 bit, even when shooting in silent mode or using continuous shooting modes, save for when shooting continuous compressed raw files, which are 12 bits. Like previous Alpha models, the A7R IV does not offer a lossless compressed raw recording option.

In addition to the 61-megapixel raw image capture, the A7R IV can also shoot composite images using Sony's Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode. The camera offers 4- and 16-shot composite options, with the latter using 0.5-pixel and 1.0-pixel shift increments to allow the creation of a 240.8-megapixel composite image (this image is 19,008 x 12,672 pixels in total). As has been the case with this feature in prior Sony cameras, you will need to use Sony software on your computer to composite and utilize the files.

Looking at aspect ratio options, the A7R IV offers its standard 3:2 (9,504 x 6,336 images) and 16:9 (9,504 x 5,344 -- 51 megapixels) aspect ratios, but also adds new 4:3 (8,448 x 6,336 -- 54 megapixels) and 1:1 (6,336 x 6,336 -- 40 megapixels) options.

Leveraging its high-resolution image sensor, the A7R IV also offers an APS-C capture mode, which comes with unique autofocus advantages which we will discuss in the next section. The APS-C mode produces up to a 26-megapixel image (6,240 x 4,160) in 3:2 mode.

In addition to the new sensor, Sony has added additional sharpness/clarity picture controls, which now offers +/- 5 steps of sharpness versus the previous 3. Additional creative style settings include contrast and saturation, which are still offered in +/- 3 steps. The full list of Creative Styles includes: Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black and White and Sepia. The A7R IV also includes Picture Effects, which are comprised of: Posterization (color and black and white), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color, High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera and Soft High-key.

Like the prior Sony A7R Mark II and III cameras, the A7R IV comes equipped with in-body image stabilization. The 5-axis SteadyShot system promises up to 5.5 stops of image stabilization. In addition to stabilizing at image capture, the IBIS also stabilizes the real-time view on the display and through the electronic viewfinder, which should prove especially helpful when framing images while using a telephoto lens.

The A7R IV introduces a new shutter unit, which has been designed to capture sharp images, even at fast shooting speeds. Specifically, the shutter mechanism employs a new design and fast-response coreless motor. The new shutter features a brake and dampers, which reduce mechanical front and rear curtain vibration and absorb mechanical shock. The shutter is rated for 500,000 cycles. The top shutter speed remains 1/8000s with an X-sync speed of 1/250s.

Autofocus: 567 phase-detect autofocus points, real-time tracking and Eye AF and more

Building upon Sony's existing Fast Hybrid AF, which utilizes both phase-detect and contrast-detect autofocus points, the A7R IV offers improved autofocus performance in numerous respects. The focal plane phase-detect AF system has 567 phase-detect autofocus points and 425 contrast-detect AF points, which are 168 and 170 more autofocus points than the A7R III offers, respectively. The A7R IV's autofocus points cover approximately 99.7 percent of the vertical image area and 74 percent of the horizontal image area when shooting full-frame images. When using the APS-C shooting mode, the autofocus points cover more than the entire vertical area and nearly all of the horizontal area, allowing for improved subject tracking, especially when continuously shooting.

The A7R IV includes real-time, artificial intelligence-based autofocus, including real-time tracking. The camera utilizes color, pattern (brightness) and subject distance (depth) data in real time as part of its subject recognition and tracking algorithms. Further, the camera has real-time face detect and eye autofocus, including automatic real-time switching between face-detect and eye-detect, plus automatic (with available manual selection) left/right eye autofocus. Further, Eye AF also works with animals, which should excite pet and wildlife photographers.

Additional autofocus features include low-light autofocus down to -3 EV in AF-S (f/2.0 at ISO 100), the ability to switch between vertical and horizontal AF areas and adjustable AF tracking sensitivity. There are also some new features, including the ability to circulate the autofocus area through the four bounds of the frame, the ability to select between white and red focus frame colors and improved focus peaking detection (plus a new blue peaking color, which joins the existing red, yellow and white options).

Performance: 61-megapixel image capture with AF/AE at up to 10 frames per second

As discussed earlier, the A7R IV now includes dual UHS-II SD card slots. This in conjunction with the new sensor, improved processing and the new shutter mechanism results in impressive shooting performance specifications. The A7R IV offers up to 10 frames per second continuous shooting, even when capturing full-resolution 61-megapixel files.

At 10 fps, the camera continues to deliver real-time AF and AE. If you want "Live View", the maximum speed is reduced slightly to 8 frames per second. With respect to the buffer depth, buffer memory has been increased by 1.5 times, which allows for a total of 68 Extra Fine/Fine JPEGs, 68 compressed raw images or 30 uncompressed raw frames to be captured in a single burst. When using the APS-C image area, buffer depth is increased by approximately 3 times.

Considering battery life, the A7R IV promises up to 670 still images on a single charge when using the rear display and 530 shots when using the electronic viewfinder. For video, the A7R IV is rated for up to 170 minutes of continuous recording when using the monitor. When needing additional battery life, you can attach the new VG-C4EM vertical grip, which holds a pair of NP-FZ100 batteries roughly doubling battery life, or charge the camera using a mobile battery via its USB Type-C and Multi/Micro USB connectors.

Connectivity and workflow features

The A7R IV has been designed to offer better connectivity and workflow options for working professionals in particular. We have already touched on the dual UHS-II SD card slots, although these have come at the cost of losing Memory Stick Duo support (a feature we suspect few will miss), and the A7R IV also offers new wireless features. The camera has built-in Wi-Fi (with NFC), which now comes with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band support, Bluetooth version 4.1 (2.4 GHz band) and a new wireless tethering option. The A7R IV supports a new wireless remote commander, the RMT-P1BT, over Bluetooth as well.

For wired connections, the camera has a Multi/Micro USB terminal, USB Type-C, HDMI micro (Type-D), a sync terminal and 3.5 mm microphone and headphone terminals. Further, the camera features an enhanced Multi Interface Shoe, which supports a new digital audio interface -- more on that in the next section. When considering image transfer options, there is a new FTP background transfer and the USB Type-C port offers 2x faster transfer speeds than the A7R III.

In terms of the user experience, the A7R IV now includes the ability to assign custom functions to the front and rear command dials plus the control wheel on the rear of the camera. This means that when using My Dial custom settings, you can choose from 113 different functions to assign to these three dials plus any of the other user-assignable buttons on the camera body. The user can create independent function sets for stills, movies and playback. Further changes include expanded setting registration options, auto white balance lock and expanded white balance control.

Video: 4K video at up to 30 fps, 120 fps Full HD and real-time eye AF highlight impressive video features

The Sony A7R IV can record 4K (3,840 x 2,160) video at up to 30 frames per second in XAVC S and AVCHD video formats. Bit rates are offered up to 100 Mbps in XAVC S 4K format. While full sensor width recording is available for 4K video, when using Super 35 mode, the camera captures 6K footage and downsamples it to 4K, utilizing full pixel readout without pixel binning or line skipping, for improved detail and fewer artifacts.

Regarding autofocus performance during video, the A7R IV utilizes a refined autofocus system, which promises faster, smoother and more stable autofocus during video recording. Further, the camera introduces real-time Eye AF and Touch Tracking autofocus features during recording.

While video quality is important, audio quality matters a lot too. The A7R IV's enhanced Multi Interface Shoe adds a new digital audio interface, which gives users the option to record digital audio directly into the file when recording.

The A7R IV offers the new ability to assign XAVC S file name prefixes, which should prove helpful for pros using multiple camera bodies as part of their video workflow. Additional workflow features include a Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) picture profile, S-Log 3 for 14-stop dynamic range, picture profiles, clean HDMI, time code/user bit, REC control, Gamma Display Assist, zebra function and more.

For users demanding high-speed video in addition to pure resolving capability, the A7R IV can record Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) video at frame rates ranging from 1 frame per second to 120 fps. This allows for up to 5x slow motion video and 60x quick motion video.

Sony A7R IV Performance

Timing and Performance

Generally very good performance for its class, though buffer clearing is sluggish.

Startup/Play to Record
Power on to first shot	~1.3 seconds	Time it takes to turn on and capture a shot.
Play to Record, first shot	~1.5 seconds	Time until first shot is captured.

The Sony A7R IV's startup time (power on to first shot) was pretty fast for mirrorless camera, though still slower than most DSLRs. Switching from Play to Record mode and taking a shot was oddly a bit slower in our tests.

Shutter Response (Lag Time)
Mechanical Shutter (EFCS On/Off)
Full Autofocus, Center AF area AF-S mode	0.205 / 0.278 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, with the lens already at the proper focal distance setting.
Manual Focus	0.124 / 0.194 second	For most cameras, shutter lag is less in manual focus than autofocus, but usually not as fast as when the camera is "prefocused".
Prefocused	0.022 / 0.093 second	Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.
Electronic Shutter (Silent Shooting Mode)
Full Autofocus, Center AF area AF-S mode	0.406 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, with the lens already at the proper focal distance setting.
Manual Focus	0.327 second	For most cameras, shutter lag is less in manual focus than autofocus, but usually not as fast as when the camera is "prefocused".
Prefocused	0.207 second	Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.

The Sony A7R IV's full-autofocus shutter lag (with the subject at a fixed distance) was good, measuring in at 0.205 second in Single-area (Center) AF mode with the Sony Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 lens. This was with electronic first curtain shutter (EFCS) enabled by default. With EFCS disabled (fully mechanical shutter), full AF shutter lag increased to 0.278 second. In Silent Shooting Mode (fully electronic shutter), full AF shutter lag increased to 0.406 second.

When manually focused, the Sony A7R IV's shutter lag dropped to 0.124 second with EFCS, and 0.194 second without. With the fully electronic shutter, manual focus shutter lag was 0.327 second.

The Sony A7R IV's prefocused shutter lag was only 0.022 second with EFCS, which is very fast. Without EFCS, prefocused shutter lag increased to 0.093 second, but with the fully electronic shutter, it tested at 0.207 second.

To minimize the effect of different lens' focusing speed, we test AF-active shutter lag with the lens already set to the correct focal distance.

Cycle Time (shot to shot)
Single Shot mode Large/ Extra Fine JPEG	< 0.3 second	Time per shot, averaged over a few frames (we no longer test for buffer depths in single-shot mode).
Single Shot mode RAW + LEF JPEG	< 0.3 second	Time per shot, averaged over a few frames (we no longer test for buffer depths in single-shot mode).
Early shutter penalty?	No	Some cameras don't snap another shot if you release and press the shutter too quickly in Single Shot mode, making "No" the preferred answer.
Continuous Hi+ Large/Extra Fine JPEG	0.10 second (10.0 fps); 70 frames total; 62.3 seconds to clear*	Average time per shot. Slowed to an average of 0.98s or 1.0 fps when buffer was full with a fair amount of variation.
Continuous Hi+ Uncompressed RAW	0.14 second (7.2 fps); 32 frames total; 14.3 seconds to clear*	Average time per shot. Slowed to an average of 0.65s or 1.5 fps when buffer was full with a fair amount of variation.
Continuous Hi+ Compressed RAW	0.10 second (9.9 fps); 74 frames total; 25.8 seconds to clear*	Average time per shot. Slowed to an average of 0.35s or 2.8 fps when buffer was full with a lot of variation.
Continuous Hi+ Uncompressed RAW + LEF JPEG	0.14 second (7.2 fps); 32 frames total; 29.3 seconds to clear*	Average time per shot. Slowed to an average of 0.94s or 1.1 fps when buffer was full with a lot of variation.
Continuous Hi+ Compressed RAW + LEF JPEG	0.10 second (9.9 fps); 68 frames total; 60.5 seconds to clear*	Average time per shot. Slowed to an average of 0.99s or 1.0 fps when buffer was full with a fair amount of variation.
*Note: Buffer clearing times measured with a Sony 64GB SF-G UHS-II SDXC card (R:300MB/s, W:299MB/s). Slower cards will produce correspondingly slower clearing times. Slow cards may also limit length of bursts in continuous mode. ISO sensitivity and noise reduction settings can also affect cycle times and burst mode performance.

Single-shot cycle times were very fast, at under 0.3 second for both Large/Extra Fine JPEGs and RAW + Large/Extra Fine JPEG frames. (Note that we no longer test single-shot mode with just RAW files, as the results are usually somewhere in between JPEG and RAW+JPEG modes.)

In Continuous Hi+ mode, the Sony A7R IV's top burst speed is a claimed 10 frames per second, and that's with continuous AF/AE. In the lab, the A7R IV essentially met that spec with JPEGs and compressed RAW files, but the speed dropped to about 7.2 fps with uncompressed RAW files. In Continuous Hi mode which updates the viewfinder image between captured frames for easier subject tracking, the Sony A7R IV met its spec at about 8.0 frames per second with JPEGs and compressed RAW, but it also slowed down when shooting uncompressed RAW, to about 6.4 fps. The A7R IV also offers Mid and Lo Continuous modes rated at 6.0 and 3.0 fps respectively, however we did not test those modes.

Buffer depths were quite good when shooting best quality JPEGs, at 70 frames in Hi+ mode, increasing only slightly to 72 frames in Hi mode in our tests. Uncompressed RAW buffer depth was pretty good, at 32 frames regardless of the mode. Switching to (lossy) compressed RAW mode increased buffer depths to 74 RAW files and 68 RAW+LF JPEG and also exhibited almost no reduction in burst rate. Sadly, the Sony A7R IV still does not offer a losslessly compressed RAW option.

Unfortunately, even with one of the best performing UHS-II cards on the market (a Sony 64GB SF-G UHS-II SDXC card), clearing the buffer can take a long time, particularly with best quality JPEG files. Buffer clearing ranged from 14.3 seconds after a max-length burst of uncompressed RAW files to a worst-case of 62.3 seconds after a max-length burst of best quality JPEGs in Hi+ mode. The A7R IV does let you change some settings, access the menus and view just-shot images while the buffer is clearing, though.

Bottom line, the Sony A7R IV generally offers very good performance for the class and resolution, with relatively quick startup speed, good AF speeds, low shutter lag, fast burst speeds and generous buffer depths, however buffer clearing can be slow, particularly with JPEG files.

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Battery

Battery Life
Excellent battery life for a mirrorless camera.

Operating Mode	Battery Life
Still Capture, (EVF, CIPA standard)	530 shots
Still Capture, (LCD Monitor, CIPA standard)	670 shots

The Sony A7R IV uses a custom NP-FZ100 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack for power and comes with a single battery, a dedicated battery charger, and an AC adapter for in-camera charging via USB. While CIPA-rated battery life is well above average for a mirrorless camera, it's still well below most prosumer and pro DSLRs when using their optical viewfinders. We recommend purchasing a second battery and you may want to consider getting the optional VG-C4EM portrait battery grip which doubles battery life with a second battery installed.

The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of on fully-charged battery, based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions. While real-world battery life tends to be much better for mirrorless cameras, CIPA-rated battery life is still very useful for comparison purposes.

(Interested readers can find an English translation of the CIPA DC-002 standards document here. (180K PDF document))

 

Digital Cameras - Sony Alpha ILCE-A7R IV Test Images

Not sure which camera to buy? Let your eyes be the ultimate judge! Visit our Comparometer(tm) to compare images from the Sony Alpha ILCE-A7R IV with those from other cameras you may be considering. The proof is in the pictures, so let your own eyes decide which you like best!

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All images copyright © 2019 by The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved.

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A7R4hSLI000100NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI000100NR2D.ARW 42,500,096 bytes 9504x6336 1/13 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 100	A7R4hSLI000200NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI000200NR0.ARW 48,365,568 bytes 9504x6336 1/25 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 200	A7R4hSLI000200NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI000200NR2D.ARW 44,957,696 bytes 9504x6336 1/25 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 200
A7R4hSLI000400NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI000400NR0.ARW 50,659,328 bytes 9504x6336 1/50 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 400	A7R4hSLI000400NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI000400NR2D.ARW 41,418,752 bytes 9504x6336 1/50 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 400	A7R4hSLI000800NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI000800NR0.ARW 45,350,912 bytes 9504x6336 1/100 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 800
A7R4hSLI000800NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI000800NR2D.ARW 43,450,368 bytes 9504x6336 1/100 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 800	A7R4hSLI001600NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI001600NR0.ARW 49,152,000 bytes 9504x6336 1/200 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 1600	A7R4hSLI001600NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI001600NR2D.ARW 44,072,960 bytes 9504x6336 1/200 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 1600
A7R4hSLI003200NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI003200NR0.ARW 43,319,296 bytes 9504x6336 1/400 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 3200	A7R4hSLI003200NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI003200NR2D.ARW 41,615,360 bytes 9504x6336 1/400 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 3200	A7R4hSLI006400NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI006400NR0.ARW 44,498,944 bytes 9504x6336 1/800 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 6400
A7R4hSLI006400NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI006400NR2D.ARW 41,123,840 bytes 9504x6336 1/800 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 6400	A7R4hSLI012800NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI012800NR0.ARW 47,775,744 bytes 9504x6336 1/1600 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 12800	A7R4hSLI012800NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI012800NR2D.ARW 42,565,632 bytes 9504x6336 1/1600 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 12800
A7R4hSLI025600NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI025600NR0.ARW 49,938,432 bytes 9504x6336 1/3200 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 25600	A7R4hSLI025600NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI025600NR2D.ARW 46,759,936 bytes 9504x6336 1/3200 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 25600	A7R4hSLI032000NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI032000NR0.ARW 51,871,744 bytes 9504x6336 1/4000 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 32000
A7R4hSLI032000NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI032000NR2D.ARW 46,858,240 bytes 9504x6336 1/4000 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 32000	A7R4hSLI051200NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI051200NR0.ARW 45,252,608 bytes 9504x6336 1/6400 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 51200	A7R4hSLI051200NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI051200NR2D.ARW 47,087,616 bytes 9504x6336 1/6400 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 51200
A7R4hSLI102400NR0.JPG A7R4hSLI102400NR0.ARW 49,152,000 bytes 9504x6336 1/8000 sec f10.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 65535	A7R4hSLI102400NR2D.JPG A7R4hSLI102400NR2D.ARW 50,429,952 bytes 9504x6336 1/8000 sec f10.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 65535	A7R4hSL_ADOBE.JPG A7R4hSL_ADOBE.ARW 41,222,144 bytes 9504x6336 1/13 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 100
A7R4hVFAI000050.JPG A7R4hVFAI000050.ARW 36,110,336 bytes 9504x6336 1/15 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 50	A7R4hVFAI000100.JPG A7R4hVFAI000100.ARW 36,208,640 bytes 9504x6336 1/30 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 100	A7R4hVFAI000200.JPG A7R4hVFAI000200.ARW 38,436,864 bytes 9504x6336 1/60 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 200
A7R4hVFAI000400.JPG A7R4hVFAI000400.ARW 35,160,064 bytes 9504x6336 1/125 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 400	A7R4hVFAI000800.JPG A7R4hVFAI000800.ARW 37,879,808 bytes 9504x6336 1/250 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 800	A7R4hVFAI001600.JPG A7R4hVFAI001600.ARW 38,993,920 bytes 9504x6336 1/500 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 1600
A7R4hVFAI003200.JPG A7R4hVFAI003200.ARW 39,026,688 bytes 9504x6336 1/1000 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 3200	A7R4hVFAI006400.JPG A7R4hVFAI006400.ARW 41,123,840 bytes 9504x6336 1/2000 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 6400	A7R4hVFAI012800.JPG A7R4hVFAI012800.ARW 43,122,688 bytes 9504x6336 1/4000 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 12800
A7R4hVFAI025600.JPG A7R4hVFAI025600.ARW 48,234,496 bytes 9504x6336 1/8000 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 25600	A7R4hVFAI032000.JPG A7R4hVFAI032000.ARW 48,332,800 bytes 9504x6336 1/8000 sec f6.3 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 32000	A7R4hVFAI051200.JPG A7R4hVFAI051200.ARW 48,988,160 bytes 9504x6336 1/8000 sec f8.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 51200
A7R4hVFAI102400.JPG A7R4hVFAI102400.ARW 51,970,048 bytes 9504x6336 1/8000 sec f11.0 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 65535	A7R4hVFAL.JPG A7R4hVFAL.ARW 35,553,280 bytes 9504x6336 1/30 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 100	A7R4hVFAO.JPG A7R4hVFAO.ARW 36,077,568 bytes 9504x6336 1/30 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 100
A7R4hVFA_ADOBE.JPG A7R4hVFA_ADOBE.ARW 34,144,256 bytes 9504x6336 1/30 sec f5.6 0.0 EV 55.0 mm focal length ISO 100

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Sony A7R IV Print Quality & Image Quality Comparison

 

Sony A7R IV Print Quality Analysis

Print Quality Summary: Yet another fantastic showing for Sony's A7R-series in our print quality analysis! The 61MP sensor inside the A7R Mark IV is a print-making powerhouse. The end. All the way up to ISO 1600, you're basically limited by your creativity and printing needs in how large you can print. Our print testing tops out at 30 x 40 inches, and the A7R IV easily makes fantastic prints at this large size from extended low ISO 50 up to ISO 1600. Noise remains extremely low throughout this ISO range, fine detail is excellent and colors are vibrant. As the ISO rises, the image processing and in-camera noise reduction with JPEGs does an excellent job of controlling noise while retailing lots and lots of crisp detail. As such, even up to ISO 25,600, the A7R IV can print up to an 8 x 10 inch print -- a rare feat for the vast majority of cameras. Going further up the ISO scale, noise does start to take its toll on resolving power, with a 4 x 6 print being the maximum print size at ISO 51,200 -- which is still quite impressive given that this is also an extended high ISO. At the highest ISO of 102,400, the images are very noisy and too soft overall to be usable for print-making.

ISOs 50 through 1600, much like with the predecessor, look fantastic and offer an incredible level of crisp fine detail and vibrant colors. Across this wide ISO range, noise remains very well controlled. At ISO 400, we start to notice the faintest increase in noise in the background/shadows, but it's really only visible with a close, side-by-side comparison to a lower ISO print. As before, from ISOs 400 to 1600, at each ISO step, we can see a very subtle increase in shadow noise. However, it's a very minimal level of noise, such that it doesn't impact our recommended print size. From extended low ISO until ISO 1600, prints look fantastic up to 30 x 40 inches, the maximum print size we test. With the A7R IV's new 61MP sensor, even with a massive 30 x 40 print, we don't observe even the slightly bit of pixelation that we can usually see with lower resolution sensors. The Sony A7R IV is clearly capable of much larger prints beyond what we're capable of testing in our lab.

ISO 3200 images look fantastic but now display enough noise to impact print quality, though not to a significant extent. Noise is really mainly visible in the shadows and background areas, while prints show lots of sharp, fine detail, allowing this ISO level to make excellent prints up to 24 x 36 inches -- a still-impressive print size and a size larger than the predecessor at this ISO! What's more, a 30 x 40 inch print might be possible, too, with careful post-processing and noise reduction.

ISO 6400 prints begin to show some detail loss, particularly in our fabric swatches, but detail elsewhere in our test image, particularly higher contrast areas, are still pleasing and sharp. Noise is definitely noticeable in the shadow areas. Again, the A7R IV can print a size better at this ISO than the former model, allowing for a very good 16 x 20 inch print. A 20 x 30 might be possible with careful image editing and processing.

ISO 12,800 images provide an impressive level of detail and colors, despite this relatively high ISO level. While detail is generally good, noise is becoming a bit too strong for our liking to make an acceptable 13 x 19 inch print. Therefore, we're calling it at 11 x 14 inches here. A print size larger might be doable for less critical applications.

ISO 25,600 prints still offer a lot of fine detail, but noise is quite visible in the shadows, and the processing is definitely reducing detail in the image overall, making for a usable 8 x 10 inch print.

ISO 32,000 images, the camera's native ISO, work well up to 5 x 7 inches. Noise is quite strong now, but an 8 x 10 might work for less critical applications or with careful post-processing.

ISO 51,200 prints are right on the cusp at being acceptable at 5 x 7 inches, but noise is strong and impacting detail quite heavily at this point. We're more comfortable putting the stamp of approval for a 4 x 6 inch print at this ISO.

ISO 102,400 images are, unfortunately, simply too noisy and soft to consider usable for print-making. A 4 x 6 inch print may work for casual prints or less critical purposes, but this ISO is best avoided if you can help it.

 

Sony A7R IV Image Quality Comparison

Below are crops from our laboratory Still Life target comparing the Sony A7R Mark IV's JPEG image quality to its predecessor, the A7R Mark III. We've also compared the A7R IV to a couple of high-resolution cameras from Canon and Nikon, namely the Canon 5DS R and Nikon Z7, as well as to Fuji's GFX 50S and the Panasonic S1R.

NOTE: These images are from best quality JPEGs straight out of the camera, at default settings including noise reduction and using the camera's actual base ISO (not extended ISO settings). All cameras in this comparison were shot with our very sharp reference lenses. Clicking any crop will take you to a carrier page where you can click once again to access the full resolution image as delivered straight from the camera.

 

Sony A7R IV vs Sony A7R III at Base ISO

Sony A7R IV at ISO 100	Sony A7R III at ISO 100

Sony A7R IV vs Canon 5DS R at Base ISO

Sony A7R IV at ISO 100	Canon 5DS R at ISO 100

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Sony A7R IV vs Fujifilm GFX 50S at Base ISO

Sony A7R IV at ISO 100	Fujifilm GFX 50S at ISO 100

Sony A7R IV vs Nikon Z7 at Base ISO

Sony A7R IV at ISO 100	Nikon Z7 at ISO 64

Sony A7R IV vs Panasonic S1R at Base ISO

Sony A7R IV at ISO 100	Panasonic S1R at ISO 100

Sony A7R IV vs Sony A7R III at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV at ISO 1600	Sony A7R III at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV vs Canon 5DS R at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV at ISO 1600	Canon 5DS R at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV vs Fujifilm GFX 50S at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV at ISO 1600	Fujifilm GFX 50S at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV vs Nikon Z7 at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV at ISO 1600	Nikon Z7 at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV vs Panasonic S1R at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV at ISO 1600	Panasonic S1R at ISO 1600

Sony A7R IV vs Sony A7R III at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV at ISO 3200	Sony A7R III at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV vs Canon 5DS R at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV at ISO 3200	Canon 5DS R at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV vs Fujifilm GFX 50S at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV at ISO 3200	Fujifilm GFX 50S at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV vs Nikon Z7 at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV at ISO 3200	Nikon Z7 at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV vs Panasonic S1R at ISO 3200

Sony A7R IV at ISO 3200	Panasonic S1R at ISO 3200