IS SONY NOW leading the DSLR/mirrorless campaign with its latest Alpha α7R IV? It may well be with a newly developed 35mm full-frame, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor with a resolution of 61-megapixels, the first of its kind.
The new sensor’s back-illuminated structure and noise reduction techniques combine to deliver extremely low noise and high sensitivity performance, ensuring maximum image quality, Sony claims. We have yet to test the camera ourselves, but suggest that new owners pay particular attention to precise focus and reducing camera shake as any minor deficiencies in camera technique will unwantedly show up in the high resolution files.
The α7R IV also boasts an impressive 15-stop dynamic range at low ISO sensitivities, resulting in smooth, natural gradations from deep shadows to highlights and maintaining excellent colour reproduction.
The camera is equipped with a 5-axis, optical in-body image stabilisation system that has been fine-tuned to support its highresolution shooting capacity, resulting in a shutter speed advantage of 5.5-stops. Additionally, the shutter unit assembly has been redesigned to reduce even the slightest vibration that could cause blur.
The α7R IV also includes Sony’s highest resolution viewfinder in any camera, a 5.76 million dot UXGA OLED Tru-finder EVF. About 1.6x the resolution of the EVF in the Alpha 7R III, this new viewfinder provides a very accurate, 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 an evolved Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode that composites up to 16 full-resolution images. In this mode, the camera precisely shifts the sensor in 1- or 0.5-pixel increments to capture 16 separate pixel-shifted images containing a total of 963.2 million pixels worth of data, which is then composited into a 240.8 million pixel (19008 x 12672 pixels) image using the “Imaging Edge” desktop application.
So, does this mean we don't need medium format anymore? Sony says it's ideal for photographing architecture, art or any other subject that doesn't move!
For more information, visit www.sony.com.au