5 things I HATE: Sony a7R IV
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- Опубликовано: 14 июл 2024
- UPDATE IN DESCRIPTION BELOW. The Sony a7R IV (sdp.io/a7R4) is, for me, the greatest camera ever made... but it's also DEEPLY flawed. In this video I count through my 5 biggest complaints so you can decide for yourself whether you can live with the problems BEFORE you spend thousands on a new camera.
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UPDATE: You CAN program the back dial to do exposure compensation - Camera 2, page 9, first Custom Key, set 1 to Exposure Comp. Then, just lock the EC dial at 0.
The reason I thought you couldn't do it is that Camera 2 , page 10, “Dial Ev Comp” lets you pick the front dial or the rear dial to act as exposure compensation, but not the d-pad rear dial, so I assumed it wasn’t an option. It's another example of poor design in the menu system: there are two menu items in different places that do almost, but not exactly, the same thing.
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1 thing I hate about it : I can’t afford it
Admiral Akbar that’s the dumbest excuse I heard unless you know how to use the camera you might as well stick to a budget DSLR
I hate you too
problem is not really the price of the body, it's more the price of the lens in my opinion with nikon you have more cheap used option
@@nevakee716 I just underwent that painful proces... if you don't do video Nikon has much more affordable lenses.
the problem is that the ztf adapter make the lenses sooooo noisy. unusable for video.
I hate that. I had to go sony
@@bobceffo ah ok, didn't really do video, I plan to buy dji ronin sc and start a little bit, I mainly plan to use the 24-70S
Sony please put a locking button on the exposure compensation dial. Sony why did you put an annoying locking button on the exposure compensation dial 😂
These reviewers are really just here to put up a show.
I think the point here is, "Fix the ex comp so that it doesn't accidentally change, but (at the same time) keep the process of shooting natural". Perhaps a solution like, depressing the knob to twist would have been a better way to address it. Yeah, his response sounded a bit ... crazy lol, but I get what he's saying. The request was actually "fix the problems, but don't break up any natural flows that happen during creativity". Now, there will be trollers who say, "I have no problem pushing a button and then twisting, and then re-pushing the button..." (and for tech guys, we can always figure it out...) but i don't believe that's what he was trying to suggest. Just my thoughts...
I have a button assigned to Exposure Comp. I keep the dial locked and use the button/software to change setting. I can see what I'm doing in the viewfinder ... I very seldom us the rear LCD.
I must not be the only one that keeps hitting it (I have a a7ii). Caused more bad shots than any other tech problem.
It is VERY annoying when on a strap I have to check my A7iii to see if I accidentally adjusted my exposure compensation. Thank God for the dynamic range or I wouldve lost a lot of photos.
Tony : Why don't you put a locking button in exposure compensation dial in order not to change it accidentally?
Also Tony : Why did you put a locking button in exposure compensation dial, now i have to unlock it first and i missed my shot.
Yep. Waiting for him to complain that it can't drive his car for him.
Also, the lock is a switch, you can put it in either locked or unlocked positions.
I love that the Canon R body closes the shutter when the lens is removed to prevent dust from getting in. I'm surprised Sony doesn't do anything like that.
Just pull the battery out before you swap the lens, and dont turn off the camera with the switch. The shutter will be down. ;)
@@chrnaf that isn't convenient on wedding shooting 🤣
And what a beautiful colours Canon R creats right out of the camera in video that recorded this review
So you always complained about not having a locking exposure compensation dial, but now you're complaining that you have one? And now you want them to.... add a second unlocked dial next to it to do the same thing? 🤔❓
Tinderbox it's totally ridiculous. And the Canon shutter curtain doesn't block sensor dust, Tony is mistaken, it's made to block light for decay, not dust. I don't buy his complaint at all, DSLRs had tons of dust, try using a magnifying LED loupe that technicians use to clean sensors, your DSLR will have dust.
I think what he means is that they should change it to a hold and turn mechanism. So you have to keep the button pressed down while turning it. That way it's fast but still protected.
I think the problem is that many of these buttons move easily when you bump the camera. Like my Canon body, I can have it powered on at my hip all day and the shutter/aperture/Exposure Compensation stay set. After 5 mins of walking with the Sony, anything set to a wheel will likely have changed.
I look forward to the lock button, but I think requiring a bit more pressure to turn the buttons would help too.
@@CharlieVN Where do I buy this magnifying LED loupe? I need to assess my sensor's hygiene
@@thestevewood Sony got it right, press and hold is annoying, but it works well for some things, not with others. For event photographers where light conditions can change minute to minute, having it fully unlocked to change on the fly is crucial. The only time it really has trouble with accidental movement is when you put in or take out of your camera bag, those are the times it should be locked, especially with a tight bag. To claim it it normally wanders around is laughable.
For an expensive camera, why can't Sony add streaming capabilities. Not be able to watch my favorite Netflix shows on it is a deal breaker.
😂
You would at least think they could build a camera I can blow up Canada with.
This made me laugh
🤣
Right! Ridiculous.. He wants another cellular monthly bill for his camera! 😂
You're reminding me why I love film. Aperture, shutter speed, manual focus, auto exposure if I'm lucky, and only one exposure mode. So simple.
the sensor dust thing is driving me nuts........ so true.......
2019, they should have a tiny little reservoir of isopropyl alcohol and a teeny tiny windscreen wiper in there to keep the sensor clean.
Or air compressor with HEPA filter inside to repell the dust when the lens is off. :D
The camera should cremate the dirty sensor and then a teeny tiny sensor factory inside the camera will produce a new image sensor that replaces the old one. Problem solved!
Wiktor Nowak maybe that’s what the speculated fan on the upcoming a7siii will be for?!!
Dust eating amoeba's chained to the sensor.
@@wikrap1 Compressed air isn't a good idea with photographic equipment.
The Sony menu is a work of art.....abstract art!
Alan Ho-Yee 🤣
It’s such low hanging fruit. You could give this to a high school design student and it would be improved
Oh man that certainly is an appropriate description of it.
LMAO
That's not fair to abstract art - A Jackson Pollock painting makes more sense than the Sony Menu...
Is this person using reverse psychology to sell me a Sony camera?
LOL!!
He's incredibly smart, but equally stubborn/impatient.
Yeah, if these are the 'worst' issues with this high spec camera, it must be very good!
Tony, all good points and Sony can and should address all of them. The one that surprised me was sensor dust. My wife and I have been shooting the Sony a7r since, well the a7r. We have purchased a pair of each version and currently, both have and shoot the a7rIV. We get sensor dust, but no more than when shot Canon up to and including the 1DX. I have all of the fancy sensor cleaning tools and have always kept our sensors clean since there were sensors to clean. We are not particularly careful other than turning the camera off and pointing the body opening down when switching lenses which we did with our Canon digital lineup as well. I have a lighted loop that I use to inspect our cameras, but no more than every 3 or 4 months. Sensor dust just has not been a problem in our experience, but we only have about 200,000 Sony shots between us.😎
I have commented before on one of Tony's videos about sensor dust on A7* cameras. I swap lenses regularly on my Sony bodies and dust is a minor issue for me. I have to clean the sensor sometimes; say once every three or four months when I notice a dust spot on my images. I wonder whether this is due to different atmospheric conditions, centrally heated homes (which dries the environment) or different materials used in camera bags that are more or less prone to static charge.
I've only just switched to Sony, but already got dust in my A7Riii. I'm actually going to clean it tonight, so I'll have to see if it gets any more dust than I saw on previous brands(Fuji, Olympus, Nikon)
I've also personally noticed that I somehow end up with sensor or lens dust more often with the a7r iv than I did with my old Canon DSLR.
I even get sensor dust on my A7 IV, which has a sensor protection. It’s not as bad as it was in my old A73 and A7R3, but i still have to clean the sensor every few weeks
You hate your camera because it doesnt backup raw files to the cloud? lol if you thought the buffering to memory cards was bad... I'd like to see it buffer 50 100MB raw files over cellular.
:D :D :D :D
@@MerveDemirci or the poor batter having to power wifi/cell signals ......... no thanks i can deal with HOOKING up a usb C cable to my computer i dont know why he must take out his "floppy cards"
@@MerveDemirci Aha :). Özür dilerim ama bir pop şarkıcısının burada olmasını beklemezdim. Saygı duydum ve tüm şarkılarını büyük bir bekleti ile dinleyeceğim (progressive rock dinleyicisiyim).
rofljao write to a built in SSD, then sync to the cloud at your leisure...
@@DeadLead Selam :) Pop şarkıcısıyım ama yıllarca rock da söyledim, progresif olmasa da :) yakında pop ama biraz da rock bir şarkım çıkacak, teşekkürler destek için :)
Mr. Northrup, you have a love/hate relationship with your subscribers. Sometimes they love you, others times they hate your guts. But that's because you are honest. I know, you are not perfect, but one can rest assured that you are going to call things as you see them. And if it turned out that you were wrong about something, you never hesitate to own it. Kudos to you, my friend.
Hi Tony, I really appreciate you detailed reviews like this where you gnaw on the flaws even though you love the camera. Gives us the info necessary to make the informed decision re: purchasing new equipment. FYI, many of us live with somewhat flawed equipment because we can only afford new equipment every 4 or 5 years. For me now, eye AF and 5 axis stabilization are big deals. I will give up time in preparation (sensor cleaning, menu setup, etc) for a smoother shoot with use of those desired features. I really, really appreciate your reviews. Keep them coming.
When I started learning about photography I looked up to you but now I feel different. The capabilities of this camera are unimaginable 5 to 10 years ago. What else do you need for a product which has excessive specs for what it is intended for? Yes,to take photographs and video.
We're product designers and we hate to hear people defending products by saying the user should adapt; The point of a product is to make work better and every criticism is valid. Otherwise we'd still be using flip phones in 2019.
Spot on where were the UX/UI designers and beta testers for this camera? Not just the menus but the whole body ergonomics are sub optimal.
@@peterlemke3468 Agreed , and coming back to the wifi functions , Bluetooth and interconnectivity and user friendliness with other devices , it really is just bad .
what in blazes is this nonsense? Apple does things differently than Android and vice versa. Surely, both have flaws, but complaining about certain issues like the expo comp or youtuber screen without context is bonkers. I'de love to have the S1H screen, but pick between articulating screen vs tilt is fairly easy for me, tilt all day. Panasonic recognizes this issue very well, the tilt screen is MUCH faster for dynamic shooters. it also lowers your footprint, but it also has flaws. Pick your poison or the S1H, best of both worlds. Even canon doesnt do articulating screens all the time, their M cameras offer tilt screens..... so Canon must be doing it wrong......
Coincidentally, the a7r iv uses the flip phone keyboard
W N You actually make phone calls with your smartphone? How... quaint
I’ll take a computer that happens to also make phone calls over a dedicated phone that can’t do much else any day of the week.
I appreciate the video, but a lot of these felt like an old man yelling from the porch (and I think I'm older than Tony, so I'm familiar with the practice).
And for those who want the TL;DR version:
#5 Buffering - 1:40
#4 Lack of Connectivity - 4:13
#3 Controls are bad, mmmk - 8:57
#2 Sensor dust - 12:11
#1 Menu system - 15:15
All valid criticisms. It just depends on what you're used to how much it would annoy you. Having never had sensor dust on any camera, that would put me off instantly. I think the rest I could live with.
@@cooloox Thats impossible with digital camera's unless you never changed a lens in the wild. I never noticed much difference with Canon, Nikon and Sony. I got dust with all of them.
Thankyou!! Finally someone addresses the dust issue. It's the number one and only reason stopping me from getting a sony. I do mainly nature based video where I change lenses outdoors, and pretty much every review I see of a sony camera done with a sony, has dust on it. That would do my head in coming from a DSLR. I hope that sony can fix it, because I otherwise love the specs and lenses.
nice ignore the negative post ....
Some of these dislikes were just plain dumb.
Don't take 80 photos in burst mode and it wont buffer for so long.
. . . and don't use the A7Riv as a pro sports camera. It was not intended for that.
Datta Groover That’s fine you can use it for that. Definitely not a first choice, but it’ll do great. But no one shots sports like that.
send me your Sony a7R IV, i will love it
As an iPhone user of course you love it!
r/choosingbeggers
He loves it, too. Just not unconditionally.
yep that won't happen !
exactly..send it to me and watch me make it work well...
That buffer-complaint is hilarious. You’re shooting off 40+ 61 megapixel photographs in RAW+JPEG to 2 cards! In a camera that fits easily in regular bags. Of course it buffers! What planet are you on?
It's not the issue that it buffers but that it locks of some functionality which it could not to. For example when Canon DSLR is cleaning buffer You can change ANYTHING like AF mode, point, exposure parameters etc. As opposite Canon M5 was not able to even take another photograph. You need to wait for the full buffer clean until You could take another image which was ridiculous. Normal camera let you take a picture as soon as there is any place in buffer and let you change settings normally.
@@wikrap1 GTFOOH, normal camera's, which the a7riv kill, don't do even close to what this thing does, so who cares if they allow you to shoot while buffering. Tony is nitpicking for the purpose of making a video.
@@craiggagnon8407 But he is mostly right - there is no ideal camera system at the moment. Anything has some flaws even if it's the best on the market. I care if I can shoot while buffering cause I'm a reporter and it was holding me back.
I found this complaint ridiculous... if you shoot sports properly you don’t even fill the buffer. Tony literally just filled the biofeedback on purpose, what is this 10fps or something? He shot for 5 seconds lol, what sports do you shoot for 5 seconds haha... crazy complaint
@@kevchallis2371 I write again it's not the matter of fully filling the buffer but that some options are unavailable if anything is in the buffer so if You shoot a 5 shots seriers You are freezed for a couple of seconds before You can for example switch to APS-C or change AF mode and there is no reason for it because it's technically possible to handle it. It's a software weakness and it is serious in some situations.
After shooting away dozens of 61MP images in machine gun style, the buffer has to clear. What about only shoot as much as you need? I mean even in sports? Who wants to wade through hundreds of nearly identical photos to find out the 3 or 4 perfect ones? Those are ridiculous expectations. Probably it is a RUclipsrs job to complain for the sake of complaining. Nothing to do with good or less: with professional photography.
A pro shooter does not have hours of time to transfer and select in hundreds or thousands of photos what he hasn't got right at the time of shooting. If this goes on, in a few years people will shoot 20fps for 2 minutes to cover an entire race or whatever, they will then have 2400 shots. Then they will complain that after 2:01min the new Sony will start to stutter whereas the Nikon (if they are still around) will go on shooting at slow 6fps till the card is full. Then they complain that they cannot let the camera select the best pic via A.I. and automatically get it edited in- camera and uploaded to the web. Then why can the camera not simultaneously shoot stills at 20fps and record video at 4k 120p??? What a lamer. By the way 4k is so 2016, I expected 6k by now, what is Sony thinking?
"Deeply flawed"? Honestly, I think this kind of apoproach to photography is "deeply flawed". But this is - of course - only my personal opinion, and yet have a nice Christmas. Those are only first world problems.
Well said.
He rapid fired like 30 shots 😂 it seems like he is a perfect customer for the A1
@@sergiogonzalez618 😂🤣😂
I do Motorsports and Airshows. Not unusual to do 5,000 plus images in a week. Buffering is a huge deal to me. This is why i use Nikon D5 and D500 bodies. Yes the buffers fill but they right quickly and I can still access menus and shoot during the coping to cards. With Nikon now support CF express cards buffering has become a thing of the past.
Thank you for such an honest report. Totally agree that these should be simple fixes as firmware update!
You may have accidentally hit the sensor dust switch to ON. They should put a lock on this.
As someone who has used a Sony camera extensively for the past three years, I can say that going to a used Nikon DSLR system for surf photography has been just as bad if not worse than you describe Tony. The Nikon menus are crazy compared to the Sony. Thankfully, I can reference one of your time-stamped videos for help, but they initially made little sense to me. After a few weeks, I got used to them. As far as sensor dust, I've had to clean my Sony twice in three years. I always turn the camera off when changing lenses, and it may be helpful to remove the battery to remove any static charge from the sensor. My Nikon gets dust on the sensor too. It's just harder to clean with the mirror setup. My Sony has a nice wireless remote for off-camera triggering, while my Nikon uses a cable. For time exposures, I have to remember to lift the mirror and close the viewfinder; otherwise, I get blur and light leaks. Mirrorless doesn't have that problem.
For street photography and shooting in churches, the ability to use a silent shutter on the Sony is terrific. My D800 shutter is so loud, it's embarrassing. Definitely not a street camera. Sony has a tilt screen, the D800 doesn't. My back appreciates that. But the most significant difference is the weight. Carrying a backpack with my Sony and a couple of lenses is nothing. Carrying my Nikon and some big glass is a whole lot heavier. Bottom line, a used Nikon is a great option when you want to use more expensive lenses as there are many more used lenses to choose from. Sony is a great all-around camera. It's perfect for street, fantastic for weddings, and gives excellent results in low light. It really comes down to what you get familiar with. Just create a time-stamped video on the A7R4, and you'll get fantastic traffic.
You're comparing a Sony last generation camera VS a 2012 dslr...
I don't know how you can say that. My D750 is WAY easier.....
You’ve made the great mistake of giving Tony’s very reasonable video a very reasonable answer. I share your feelings about Nikon menus, which I find just as frustrating as Sony’s. The saving grace for Sony is its configurability. Taking into account the TWO quick-menus (one for video, one for stills), the many configurable buttons, the my-dial and the my-menu, I hardly even need to use the “regular” menu during a session-and I love being able to switch between crop-mode and full-frame with the press of a button. My only real complaint is that I’d like 3-5 more configurable buttons or an extra dial, which would be the equivalent of 5 more buttons.
That's weird, I've always shot SLRs/DSLRs (Canon in my case) and I've literally never had dust on a sensor. On the mirror, a couple of times, on the sensor, never!
You mentioned surf. If I was shooting surfers everyday then I'm sure dust would become an issue. I'm super careful to change lenses quickly (one in my hand ready to go on before the other comes off) and to have my back to the wind.
If you compared this Sony to a D850 and not a dinosaur you wouldn’t have those complaints. Pressing 1 button to lock the mirror up (which protects the sensor) makes it harder to clean? The one time in 2 years you need to do it? I had a wireless trigger even back when I owned the D800. D850 shoots silent, has a tilting touchscreen, automatically sends your photos & videos to your phone, has dual cards, backlit buttons, fast and accurate focus tracking, huge buffer that doesn’t cripple the camera, long battery life, etc. You said carrying a “Sony with a couple of lenses is nothing” yet carrying a “Nikon with Big Glass is a whole lot heavier’. Since the glass is the heavy part of your gear, of course if you take Big Glass for the Nikon and small glass for the Sony it will be heavier, and you will get way better results with the big glass. LOL - try comparing the same things. When you carry Big Glass the difference in the weight of the body is meaningless. In fact the smaller mirrorless bodies do not balance as well when using Big Glass, and are much harder to hold and operate unless you have small hands. I don’t have small hands. I always have the grip on my D850 bodies. That’s one of the reasons why I bought the D850 after trying out the Z7 ... but there are a lot of advantages that made it an easy decision. One day Nikon will release a mirrorless that is geared for pros, capable of matching the performance of the D850. Hopefully it will be the same pro size as the D850.
Excellent Review, Tony... Thank You !!!
Oh man, you really hit the nail straight on its head. Thanks!
Did he just call an sd card a floppy disk?
may be this guy don't know about modern technology!!!!!! watch his go pro fusion video, he uses an under powered slim hp laptop that doesn't even have graphic card to render 5k video files
may as well be, every other device has gone microSD card format but good ol' camera tech still has the 5.25" floppy disk equivalent.
@Nature Photography Show Should be sinch with the new DNA altering 5G :D
If one of the meanings of "floppy" is "flexible", then an sd card is a floppy disk.
He was obviously being facetious. He was comparing smartphones where you don't even see how files are managed to the camera that has physical things that you have to move between the phone and your computer. The difference is comparable to going back to floppies.
Tony, can your next video be about not overusing a shallow depth of field?
That was soooo annoying!
Tooo much
Fantastic and informative review. If only everyone could highlight such issues in products that we just want to use and love. Many thanks. Great work.
Great video. I appreciate the critical and nuanced evaluation. Distinguishes your content from that of many others!
I think you need a board meeting with Sony about these issues. I mean a real board meeting, not a Camera Conspiracies board meeting.
Lol right
Have a real board meeting and show them a camera conspiracies board meeting 😂
Board meeting inception! 😂😂
HAHAHAHah good one man also Sony should bring Camera conspiracies on the board meeting aswell
Had some thoughts after watching:
1) Yeah, sure, the buffer fills up. But consider you took at least 45 continuous shots at 61 megapixels and it doesn't seem so crazy. I shoot sports and RARELY, EVER shoot more than 15-20 continuous frames. You just don't need to hold that button down like that. And if you are, that's another issue entirely.
2) You made a lot of comparisons to the fact that your phone wireless backs up pics to the cloud. Again, going back to 61 megapixels, and it doesn't seem so crazy that the camera is missing that wireless feature. iPhones, for all of their photographic power, are not professional cameras. They don't have the settings, functions, pixels, and overall customization that is housed in a pro body. I'll admit they should have GPS on a camera like this, but comparing the A7R IV to your Apple Watch -- which I don't think takes pictures -- is a bit of a stretch.
3) 360 flip touchscreen should be universal at this point. People don't mind the extra heft on a camera body if it means they don't have to lay on the ground and navigating menus is easier. Trust me.
4) Yeah, that menu sucks. UNTIL you set it up yourself.
The best camera is the one you know how to use. But, it's important to remember pro cameras are complex computers. They take time to get used to. When I switched from my little Rebel T3i to the 5D lineup, there was a learning curve. Even in the same camera ecosystem. Flipping back and forth between different camera manufacturers means you won't ever have everything you want in a camera.
For some, and for me that are really annoying though.
I can live with small buffer, but not able to change a lot of function while it is clearing the buffer just doesn't make sense.
Also as for menu and how deep it is just doesn't make sense. Sure, it will be only if you are the only user for the camera but it doesn't happen if it is in company and shared between different videographers/photographer.
What he said about it is a pain to change MSAP in menu for movie doesn't make sense neither.
Hey Matt. . .I'm an older photographer (started out in the film days) and I absolutely LOVE the advancements in camera tech . . .You're comments are some of the best I've read, but I must say that many of the others really sound almost silly. The ability to take fantastic photos with almost any camera these days is terrific. But the complaining and nit-picking that I read in many comments sounds like a spoiled child stamping his feet because he didn't get everything he wanted for Christmas. If someone considers themselves a good photographer they should be able to take an "older" DSLR out and still come back with some amazing photos. Yes, the newer "higher-tech" cameras will make it easier to do that, but it almost sounds like people aren't going to be happy until their camera damn near does everything for them. Don't get me wrong, I really love all the new advancements, I just think people should really appreciate how great cameras are these days, and quit complaining so much. Technology will continue to evolve, cameras will keep getting even more amazing, but in the meantime just get out there and get some great shots with the cameras you already have (or can afford). I have a young neighbor who is just getting into photography. She cannot afford the latest and greatest equipment and she's wondering if maybe this just isn't something she should pursue. She showed me her camera and some of her photos. . .No, she doesn't have the latest and greatest camera and lenses. . .BUT what she does have is a great eye and visual talent. I've encouraged her and told her NOT to listen to the people who have told her she can't get great shots because her camera isn't the latest or as good as theirs. I told her to just continue to develop as a visual artist with the camera she has, and when she can afford the latest tech she'll really be ready for it. It just seems the obsession with specs and tech these days has kind of gone over the top. I work with a guy who constantly talks about the specs of his camera. He showed me some of his photos and believe me they were NOT special in any way. He laughed when I told him the camera I was using at the time. . .and he NEVER asked to see any of my work. He just assumed my photos couldn't be any good and he wasn't interested in seeing them. . .And he then started spouting the specs of the newest camera he was going to buy next. I'm just getting tired of that kind of attitude that I'm running into more often these days. But you made some good points, especially that the best camera is the one you know how to use. . .You're so right!
@@BluesImprov It's just that the tech is so amazing but there are some limitations which are not the tech limitations but kind of a bad design and could not exist. That's the frustration. I don't know the solution to get additional 5EV of dynamic range but can imagine that fully articulating screen would be helpful and can't imagine why it's not there as it's not a rocket science. Just a simple hinges and flexible signal tape. That's the source of frustration.
Great breakdown !
BluesImprov - When you go from a DSLR that has a huge buffer that doesn’t cripple the camera, to a newer model that does, you obviously miss the feature. Could be nit-picking but only if you don’t care about the feature. For many it is a deal breaker.
All of these things are so, so true. This is one of my favorite videos of yours. Thank you for saying what needs to be said... most RUclipsrs are way too scared of offending companies and won't be straight up with their audiences. A+
Absolutely the best and most useful review I have ever seen of anything! Thanks Tony! Your discussion of the sensor dust was especially eye opening! If Canon has the sensor shutter when the lens is off in their coming high megapixel camera like they have in the ESO R that will be the camera for me no matter what else Canon screws up. Sensor dust is by far the biggest problem with digital and to me it's more important than everything else put together. Thanks again Tony!
The exposure compensation lock makes sense to me! I’m assuming you can leave it unlocked by just not locking it right?
Rocket science.... I came from cameras that this dial didn't exist...
@@CockpitScenes maybe he means a lock button that you have to hold down while turning it. Quick and safe!
Didn't Tony say his problem with the dial was that one could accidentaly turn it if not locked and when locked it took an extra second or so to change it. Maybe the solution here would be that Sony made the dial a bit less sensitive to turn?
Carl Bergsdorf the dial is already recessed and not sensitive.
@@CockpitScenes I was expecting the dial will work only as long as you keep the lock button pressed for example. Don't really know if will be worse though, don't have this problem with the normal dial.
I get so tired of hearing about the Sony Menu. Yes there are a ton of options on it, but if one option was missing boy would people complain. I use a custom Function menu, custom buttons, and use the My Menu feature and hardly ever have to go digging through the remaining menu. I really don't get the constant complaints about it. My only complaint is some of the options are a bit cryptic as to what they actually do. If you shoot Sony for a while and set up My Menu with the options you use it really should not be an issue anymore.
I feel that the "Sony menu" hate comes from people not wanting to learn how to work the menus. I feel the same frustration when I got a Panasonic camera and even Canon. Hated the menu system from them when I first opened them. Then I still used it, and got used to them, learned where to find what I needed.
This is coming from me having used Sony since the NEX period. So I've been accustomed to their menus, and find them easy to navigate.
100% agreed. Even as a hobbyist I go crazy with the complicated menus. My OMD-EM5II now feels clear and simple after Sony's mismatch menus.But you nailed it on the head with the compressed font and iconography issues. They need to reprogram the entire system for a clearer icon based menu option or at least a check box on the existing menu items when you hit the back dial (right click) to add all needed preferred items to an icon based system with touch screen ability. Then allow one to flip back and forth between scrolling old menus and touch based icons. Memory chips are cheap and available and compact enough to have onboard storage for the buffer to flush faster and then slow write to sd card afterwards. Imagine a 1 gig memory chip with fast access to the sensor output, that then frees up shooting and camera operations, as it then buffers from internal memory to slower storage (sd cards). Olympus' sensor shake tech is excellent to Sony PAY Olympus big bucks for access to it (thus helping Olympus bottom line) but tell me why a reverse drop down protection cannot be made to work to protect the innards from dust when ever the lens release button is used. Make it tacky enough to trap dust and dirt then on lens attachment snap back up out of the way. It's not like there is an optical pathway being used on a mirrorless system. Jeez even a Pentax K1000 slr had flocking inside to trap dust. And move that release to the other side of the camera to prevent accidental lens removal please. I have large hands and 3 times now have pressed the shallow button only to have my left hand grab a falling lens in a panic. And lastly make the flip screen OLED based for a brighter (but not washed out) low energy use display matching the viewfinder resolution... How is it they can create a miniature super high rez finder monitor but still use a 2K low rez back screen? It's like buying a Porsche but it only comes with Civic eco tires. Let's hope Sony is listening.
Too late canon about to take it away from sony..sony had a good run while it lasted.
Thanks for this helpful rant Tony! I’m glad I don’t have to do it now. Very thorough. Let’s hope Sony really works on these things.
The exposure compensation dial seems ideal to me. You can have it locked OR unlocked with a simple button push of a button.
Exactly. Why would you want to reprogram it to another, NON-lockable dial? His argument made no sense at all.
I never use it. It's on the back dial as it was on my 7AIII.
Tony, all I want is a PREFECT CAMERA lol.
A good UX designer could fix most of those issues... the sensor dust one is the real dealbreaker here...
It’ll never happen! I’m pretty sure that the camera companies work together to make sure. In fact, there was a board meeting about that… * fade to black *
winner :)
Tony seems to want to make a living from his videos rather than making them to make me personally happy! Bastard!
TexMex, the comments on this post are referencing the ultra-hilarious Camera Conspiracies RUclips channel.
As a hobbyist, I would think that most of these would not a problem but for a professional, I get that these shortcomings can be a real pain in the patootie!
You are SO RIGHT. These are major frustrations. I hope Sony listens to you.
Sony in case you are reading this, I own the A7r IV, A7r III, A9, A6400, (with A6600 on order), and RX100 Mk VII. There is much to love about what you are doing, and in many instances you are listening to your users. But this list of complaints has been around for a while, and has not yet been fixed. One of my top complaints, covered by Tony, is the poor way in which you handle the switch between stills and video. I far prefer what Nikon has done on the Z7 and Z6, where you have a switch to move between the two modes, and all the settings for each mode can be different. Of course as a video shooter, I want to fix my shutter speed at 1/50th or 1/60th of a second, but when I am shooting stills, I want to use Aperture priority mode. Trying to use the 1,2, and 3 settings on the mode dial is only a partial solution, and drives me mad. Despite all of this, I still love your products, - but PLEASE fix these issues. Thank you!
CameraConspiracies hate incoming with that constant raising things to the camera.
Crystalix007 I was thinking that too 😂😂
And that's why Tony is going do this more often 😂
Camera Conspiracies the only real camera review
I don’t get how you have such an issue with sensor dust, I’ve owned these Sony cameras for a long time and only once had to clean my sensor after a windy day at the beach. Just be more careful when switching lens and get an air blower.
Wildlife Photography: A7iV vs. A9 - Your opinion/ review/ comparison. Also using A99ii+Kenko MC7 x2+Minolta 300mm f2.8 - which seems to work very fast & sharp, and although heavy, it seems that the main tiring effect and feeling of "cumbersomeness" is more related to torque than actual weight for me (ditched the Sigma 500mm f4.5+Kenko MC4 x1.4 for the Minolta - 600mm vs. 700mm, seems just as sharp to me so far, is much faster and less prone to philosophy (wandering focus). Originally meant for low-light photos/ night wildlife photography without the Kenko...-Again, your comments are much anticipated.
Tony you're freaking awesome. Love the no bullshit review. The dust killed it for me. I can live with the buffering and the PlayStation Japanese Logic menu system but dust...no way. Wow! Thanks man. Keep them coming!👍
I agree I can't live with having to clean my sensor once or twice a day that would get on my nerves real quick
@@ryansatterlee1278 it can also get expensive as the good swabs to clean em aren't cheap either. sometimes u need to use multiple sensor swabs to get it completely clean because after one use its contaminated
Oh you poor bastard thinking this was a legit review. Lol. The sensor dust thing is complete garbage. Shoot landscapes and wildlife and never once had issues even chasing lenses while out. So many other shooters have the same dealing except for Tony mr RUclipsr first photographer second. Lol.
Well that's something to think about. 🤔 But that aside what's it like on the 200-600mm 😁
Thank you Tony, now am sure to be very amazed when i pick it up friday :)
Coming from the A7r II
One of your best Videos Tony... Spot on
Another great video Tony! Do you know what the maximum SD card speed the camera can write to? I am looking at grabbing a pair of UHS-II SD cards but they can be had for up to 300mb/s variants which I'm not sure the 7R4 can actually handle.
When you do these types of videos, can you put the “list” in the description with time stamps? That would be helpful!
I spent 7 hours at an air show Saturday in windy conditions using an A9 and 4 different lenses. No noticeable sensor dust. I have yet to use more than air on my A9 and A7RIII after almost a year using them for outdoor weddings and portraits.
But I don’t shoot video.
mark cowart if you have dust you will only see it if you stop down your lenses. Best way to tell if you do is to shoot a blue sky at f8 or higher.
Hi, most relevant review video ever. I totally agree on your “connectivity” & “menu” critics. Thanks!
Thanks for this video, Tony. Always good to hear the bad as well as the good. That sensor cleaning issue would drive me insane, but fortunately I don't shoot Sony.
I'll be interested to hear what you think about the EOS R's face and eye-detection AF after the soon-to-be-released firmware update. It looks amazing from what Canon shows in its ad. If you test it side-by-side with the A7R4, please check image sharpness, not the face/eye-detection AF box on the screen. That is no guarantee of focus, it simply confirms the camera detected a face or an eye.
Nope been with Sony for 4 years and these are all legit. You may be slightly fussy about the exposure button, but the rest is true. Funny the menu used to be easier back with NEX series. Sony tech is great but it’s like the language used in the camera was translated like 6 times before it ended with English.
it's only gotten more complex because they listen to huff'n'puff reviewers. I mean, they're Japanese... they have a totally different view of the world. "What do you mean you need an icon, you can't read?"
Ok...... the menu thing... I've been shooting Sony now for about three years. I hardly ever need to go into them. I have my setup, and it works for majority of conditions. The exposure compensation know complaint is a bit odd - you decide if it is locked or not... not a camera problem.
That said, dust is a bonafide issue. Its one that almost had me leave Sony. Dust in images is such a time waster. And sometimes is to the level that it damages the images to the point of not being worth fixing. I've kinda solved the problem by using anti-static air spray to clean the sensor. Works every time, and sensors stay clean for a lot longer. But I also know it isn't advised to spray concentrated air directly on the sensor.... but it works so I keep doing it.
You are so right about their confusing menu and settings naming my god
Great video Tony. These things needed highlighting. Let’s hope they’re listening
Coming from a Sony, i understand what Tony says, but even with that-the Sony's are the best out there. The dust issue isn't as bad as he made it out to be, i always hold the sensor down when swapping lenses-never had a dust issue, yes the sensor is always exposed but hence the mirrorless. I also have a blower that i just blow it out every now and then between lens changes. Also the buffer issue, i think its not fair-you're asking a 61MP camera to do an A9's job.
Sony is so good that its the favorite camera to hate on.
Just my 2cents. Tony is hiting some good points and i agree with some of them.
the dust is worse than both of you make out. im totally sick of it. my advice is exhaust all options on other cameras before purchase
I have the rII - it’s a sometimes problem for me. And I’ve not experienced the phenomenon where I’ve cleaned the sensor and dust appears by the end of the shoot. Also, I’m assuming that by “cleaning” Tony refers to using a blower rather than wet cleaning. Which is rarely necessary.
@@godsinbox yes, if you swap lenses in a dust air, the sensor will collect a whole bunch of dust. My personal tip is to find a point light source and check the air before taking off the lens at any time, but it might not be possible in certain conditions.
The best - cripples your camera when the buffer is writing? OK.
#4 i just push one button on camera to transfer a photo to my phone on a7iii
care to share the setup? video? TIA
@@godsinbox I don't remember how did i connect camera to phone when i bought it, but i can show it how it works now.
Yeah, it’s really quick actually.
I go to the image I want to share, hit the Fn-menu button. Grab phone, open the app, scan QR code.
@@HesselFolkertsma i do it differently i click fn, than on my phone-app i just click on the name of camera wifi, no scan needed, and even if i'm on home wifi, it just skip to this one and when image is transferred it goes back to my home wifi
Exceptionally well done!! ✨ Let’s hope the Sony engineers are paying attention ! Thanks for your summary it applies to much of the A-9s as well.
Hi Tony, thanks for this detailed appraisal, is the regular sensor cleaning you have needed to do a quick session with the blower brush, or more involved cleaning?
Hate is such a strong word for a camera.
Bigg Papa behave fan boy 😘
Bigg Papa wrong again bigg papa 😂😂😂
Sony, will you please snap a 5G modem, a Sony Xperia phone as a display, get rid of the card slots and put a second battery there instead. Thanks
Thank you for a straight forward honest review. Goods and bads ... very direct! Thank you.
Hi Tony. Love your videos. Question: I’m having a tough time deciding what Sony camera to buy. I already have the a7iii and I mostly shoot weddings. I’m happy with 24 mp, but would love to have additional reach with my lenses (Super 35 mode) with a good amount of MP. I can’t decide between the A7riii and the A7Riv. I would appreciate your input. Also does the A7Riv allow us to switch how many MP we can shoot with in RAW? Thank you.
So glad you mentioned the horrible app! The first time I used it, I thought I was the problem. Now only use cable or dongles to transfer.
The sensor dust is the only real problem here.
Imagine Apple making a mirrorless interchangable lens camera with the A13 chip on it.
$1000 for the eyecup every time you lose it.
You couldn’t use it though since every Apple device has only 1 button on it.
That S&Q option description had just killed me.
The fact that it's more like $4200 in Europe is pretty... hateable.
E-Infinity is your friend, they sell it for 3471 USD equivalent at the moment
That's just VAT. We pay our taxes different but we pay about the same amount in the end.
Try $5200 in Australia
Or $4690 in Russia, lol. Where's average monthly wage is about $400-500
Currently sony a7 r4 is 4950 USD in Turkey, while a fujifilm gfx100 is 9900 usd, a gfx50r is 3750 USD and a Fujifilm xt3 is 1350 USD. So Fujifilm sells for US prices with all tax included, while sony, nikon and canon dont. At launch, Nikon z7 preorder was 5200 usd here, body only.
8:16 there's your answer for why there isn't better "smartphone-like" connectivity options on the cameras. Better to use the stored amps to power the camera to take more pictures, than to be syncing with cloud services. That said, I agree that there's still room for overall improvement and the current state of the app is just embarrassing.
You speak my language here. I have the A7RIII and A9 - all of these issues are so prevalent on these bodies as well - in particular sensor dust and hitting that exposure adjustment dial - I had thought the lock on the IV would have fixed it, but clearly has just introduced new issues. All of the other issues are so true for the older bodies as well - and it is a shame Sony has not addressed these. BUT, I love the cameras. I was a dedicated full-frame Nikon user and I loved those cameras, until I switched to Sony. Design wise, terrible, but as a basic photographic tool ,they are great. Finally, I cannot agree more about binary reviews - thanks for being so pragmatic and "human". Good stuff.
I inherited a Zeiss Ikon camera from my father. He obtained it in Germany in 1952, many years before my birth. He took the most beautiful pictures I've seen with it when I was home from college in the eighties with my lovely partner. He had the exposure and details in his heart. Auto meant to him that he didn't have to shift gears in his car.
I agree on the dust issue. They should have made some mechanism that closes when you go to change lenses. But the exposure wheel lock is fine, I accidentally hit my A9's exposure wheel constantly lol
I've never understood how anyone can accidentally turn a dial. Is this when using the camera, or when pulling it out of (or putting it into) your camera bag?
@@cooloox It's not while using the camera, it's while taking it out of the bag, walking around with it on my hip, etc etc. It happens literally every time I use either of my A9's lol
Heck yes. I mostly shoot with an A7iii and often click the exposure wheel taking it in/out of a bag or walking around while it’s resting on my hip.
I hate dust. Sensor dust problem is really a deal breaker for me. Thank you for that honest review.
i don't have sensor dust problems. it probably means he's changing his lenses in really dusty areas , or his lens is already releasing dust from the USM movement.
@@LadyFairChildVideo same man i dont get why people say this. Wipe down the areas where the cameras are? I stay wiping my place lol
Wow, this video is so spot on! I’m so glad to hear someone discuss the connectivity, app/software, and menu issues with Sony Alpha cameras. Sony could be light years ahead if they spent as much time on software as they do on hardware. Just look at how software is propelling mobile phone cameras. Computational photography is the future, and Sony’s software and connectivity are stuck in 2010. Thanks for such a a great video!!
Love this vid. Subscribed to your channel. Now it would be nice to have a comparison on the newer A7R V and see how many issues listed here Sony has fixed.
There's a self-cleaning vibration feature in the alpha cameras that you can use before and after shoots, that might take care of most of your dust issues on the sensor.
The average ISP uplink in United States is 3Mbps-10Mbps. It will take 1 week to upload 1 x 128Gb RAW file photo session into a cloud without an SD card.
You don't have to eliminate a feature because the worst case scenario isn't ideal. 5G upload speed is 1,250 MB/s. a7R IV JPG files are 28 MB. So, you could upload 45 JPG files per second across cellular. My home WiFi does 500 Mbps (62 MB/s) so I could still do 2 JPGs per second. You could choose to upload more compressed JPGs while storing raws locally, or they could upgrade to a more modern compressed image format, like HEIC, which would greatly reduce the bandwidth requirements.
@@TonyAndChelsea that 5G speed is a theoretical limit and even then only on the wide band mode which basically requires line of sight to the tower (you can block it with your hand!).
Tony & Chelsea Northrup when 5g becomes ubiquitous that would be great. As it is however, 5g only exists in a few US cities and isn’t even supported by the iPhone 11 pro.
@@siyangqiu1 true.. ISPs wont even give average consumers even a fraction near that. lol!
@@TonyAndChelsea what happens when you are in a desert? come on....
Thank you so much for this straightforward no sugar review..
Great video. Your delivery is super authentic. Oh, and I ended up buying the Riii. :-)
For me, the connectivity complaints are valid, as well as the functionality lock on buffering, and flip-screen limitations.
The exposure lock complaint sounds like complaining for the sake of complaining.
Ditto with the menu system. I learnt the Sony menus, and between the customisable quick menus and just learning where my most used items are kept, I really have no issue with Sony menus. In fact, if I had to choose between Sony menus and Olympus menus, I much prefer the Sony.
Sensor dust issue? I don't know if you're just unlucky or if I'm lucky (or more careful), but I've only had to clean my sensor twice in a year's worth of use of my Alpha cam.
I’ve never seen such an assortment of silly complaints.
Sensor dust is a real problem on A7RII.
Exactly Molon!
The non articulating screen is not a silly complaint. I would never buy a camera that didn’t have one.
@@Jim1971a And yet most don't give a damn about that and don't use it. It's a silly complaint when there are more than a few with that feature built for video. The A7RIV was not.
@@DmitriNesteruk Not any more than any other mirrorless. That's why It's a silly complaint.
Tony Yes! I agree; Menus really need to be improved. Dust can be a problem especially if one makes a living with their photography. Post process take time and time is money. With your evaluation of the Sony system ,hopefully,Sony will make the necessary changes to improve work flow. After all these Sony camera aren’t cheap. I shot Nikon and Canon in the past so much easier to navigate and understand the menu system. I’m locked 🔒 into Sony , so I have to make the best of it and hopefully Sony will address some of the issues you pointed out with software or next model updates. Meanwhile let’s keep doing what we love , photography. Good job 👍
You're hysterical. Great review work!
Hope Sony will do a software fix to keep the shutters down when changing lenses for all models!
Damn that's genius
I'd rather have a removable gasket that can attach directly to the camera so that you don't have get "weatherproof" lenses to keep dust out
But it doesn't have mechanical shutter at all, that's why it is completely silent, but easy to get dust
@@marinlukas3112 It definitely has a mechanical shutter. The A9 is the only camera they sell that is specifically designed to be used silently, and it still has a mechanical shutter that you can choose to use.
Cloud solutions S U C K !!!!!
Monthly subscriptions S U C K even more !!!!
Tony, you are a smart guy so stop bashing the SD Cards!
Nice job on this one Tony!
Love this review! Your discussion of the menu interface made me cry with laughter!
who TF tries to record something after shooting that many stills?
Some wedding photographers. In fact, Tayler Jackson said exactly this in one of his videos. He's using Nikon or Canon because he cannot switch from still to video mode quick enough when using Sony
me....
I got my camera just last Thursday and was so worried when I read the title of this video that you would reveal something that would make me regret my purchase. But I had been prepared by you and others already for these five things beforehand. I can still love my new camera!!!
Best part of the whole video 18:29. Very good and detailed review and it makes lot of sense pointing these small things for the upgrade. Really liked the video
😂😂😂 Tony when I hear about you talk about the menu , I have to close the video and laugh so hard
That sound effect you overuse with your transitions: that hurts my brains. It's cheap, everyone knows how to do it, it doesn't help with anything, but it's horrible. Please stop.
never cleaned a sensor and dust is not an issue with my A7RIII , being on the street, Iceland, beach and events.
you might have to visit an optician
@@_rhapsodist u might go and f urself
Well that escalated quickly
I have only occasionally had a problem. But I am paranoid when I change lenses. Always turn the camera off (if I remember) and have the replacement lens ready and in hand. There is a sensor cleaning function. Just shakes the sensor. But I think you can only configure it to automatically work when you turn it off. Would be better to have it operate when you turn the camera on; after changing lenses. But I worry that shaking the lens only moves the dirt around. Maybe off the sensor, but still in the camera. Same with the shutter closed of course. The dust lands on the curtain, but then what?
Thanks for picking these issues. I am actually suffering these sony's issues for long years, especially the ancient menu which is exactly the same as 20 years old camcorder.
Great review, as always. Out of curiosity, if you could only choose one camera between the A7r iv and the D850 (with relevant 200-600 or 200-500 lens), what would you choose?
I love the specs of the A7R ivA but the ergonomics are not as good as the D850. Your thoughts would be very welcome.
Thanks, David