Newly developed 33.0MP back-illuminated CMOS image sensor

The full-frame Exmor R CMOS sensor delivers outstanding speed and superb image quality. The use of copper wiring contributes to higher transmission speeds and faster AD conversion, while fast sensor readout enables 10-bit 4:2:2 4K recording up to 60p. The sensor also provides improved color reproducibility, low-noise performance at all sensitivities, a 15-stop dynamic range on stills, and increased AF precision and focal stability.

BIONZ XR image processor for up to 8x processing speed

The BIONZ XR engine, also used in the flagship α1 and α7S III models provides up to an 8x increase in processing speed. The engine concentrates on real-time processing of AF, image recognition, and image quality adjustment to minimize processing latency, for greatly increased movie and still processing power. User interface, network, and file management processing are distributed to deliver fast response regardless of real-time processing load.

Beautiful image rendering with low noise

The visible benefits of the powerful new 33.0MP sensor and engine go beyond mere numbers. They include soft, natural-looking human skin textures, a stunning level of detail in landscapes and scenery, and better color reproduction, with higher subjective resolution resulting from improved algorithms. The standard sensitivity range of ISO 100-51200 is expandable to ISO 50-204800 for stills and ISO 100-102400 for movies, with low-noise performance throughout.

Set the mood, in-camera, with Creative Look

Broaden your creative palette with a selection of ten Creative Look presets. You can easily impart a particular mood in your still images, movies, and live streaming, and all preset selections are available in-camera without post-editing, so you can share your vision immediately after shooting.

4K 60p recording, 4:2:2 10-bit recording

The α7 IV gives you an impressive range of video recording options. Full pixel readout without binning allows 4K 60p recording, and when recording 4K movies at 30p, full-frame 7K oversampling produces high-resolution, highly detailed 4K. 10-bit 4:2:2 video can be recorded internally, allowing fuller, more natural gradations and greater editing freedom. The XAVC HS file format provides roughly twice the coding efficiency of MPEG-4 AVC/H.264.

Smoother gradation rendering with 10-bit HEIF recording

The α7 IV offers HEIF (High-Efficiency Image File) still-image encoding, in addition to conventional RAW and JPEG. Smooth 10-bit gradations provide more realistic reproduction of skies and portrait subjects, and the use of 10-bit depth minimizes degradation of image quality when editing. HEIF still images recorded in HLG mode can be played back on a compatible BRAVIA 4K TV, via an HDMI connection, to display images with an extraordinarily wide dynamic range.

The beautiful color expression made simple, with S-Cinetone

The α7 IV supports S-Cinetone, based on expertise gained through the development of the VENICE CineAlta camera. This look is responsible for the beautiful skin tones for which Cinema Line cameras like the FX9, FX6, and FX3 are widely acclaimed. It delivers natural mid-tones for healthy-looking skin color, plus soft colors and gorgeous highlights. Because it’s in-camera, it’s easy to create a more expressive look for your movie imagery without post-editing.

Soft Skin Effect for bright and beautiful skin appearance

The built-in Soft Skin Effect makes skin look more beautiful, softening wrinkles, blemishes, and dull patches while preserving liveliness in eye and mouth areas. Complementing the capabilities of the full-frame sensor, this feature can add appeal to live-streamed sessions as well as enhance still shots and movies. Four-level settings are available, so you can adjust the degree of the effect as you wish.

S-Log for color matching with professional video equipment

The α7 IV provides S-Log2 and S-Log3 gamma curves, with the latter allowing the capture of 15+ stops of dynamic range. The S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine color gamut settings make it easy to match α7 IV footage with footage from VENICE digital cinema cameras or Cinema Line cameras like the FX6 and FX3. The native sensitivity when shooting S-Log is ISO 800, and it can be lowered by as much as two stops (ISO 200-640) below the standard range to achieve extra low noise.

Optical 5-axis in-body image stabilization for 5.5-step compensation

The α7 IV’s high-precision stabilization unit and gyro sensors work with stabilization algorithms to achieve up to 5.5 steps of shutter-speed compensation, to maximize the performance of the camera’s 33.0MP sensor. This in-body stabilization allows effective use with a wide range of lenses. The live monitor view shows the stabilized still image while the shutter button is half-pressed, an especially helpful feature when using a telephoto or macro lens, and it can be used in conjunction with the MF Assist and Focus Magnifier features.

Hand-held movie shooting with Active Mode

Active Mode uses the camera’s stabilization unit, gyro sensors, and sophisticated algorithms for highly effective in-camera optical image stabilization during movie shoots. The powerful processing engine precisely detects the required amount of compensation for smooth stabilization in all formats, including 4K, without compromising the α7 IV’s compact size and mobility. And, because the gyro data is also recorded alongside the video, even more, effective post-production stabilization can be applied for ultra-smooth shots using Catalyst Browse/Prepare software.

Buffer memory supports continuous shooting and recording

Both the mechanical and electronic shutters allow continuous shooting at up to 10 fps with AF/AE tracking. The latest powerful processing engine and increased buffer memory allow faster writing to memory cards, so you can shoot more than 800 uncompressed RAW+JPEG frames (more than 1600 altogether), or more than 1000 compressed RAW+JPEG frames (more than 2000 altogether, up to full memory card). Increased processing power also allows you to change menu settings even while data is being written to the memory card.

Fast Hybrid AF with improved speed, precision, and tracking

Using a combination of phase-detection AF and contrast-detection AF, Fast Hybrid AF focuses precisely even on small subjects or people posed in front of a nighttime background. A wide, dense AF area covers roughly 94% of the image area for both still and movie shooting with 759 phase-detection points, while the contrast-detection AF system uses 425 points. This vast collection of data is analyzed in real-time by the latest powerful processing engine to achieve the AF system’s impressive results.

Bird mode for Real-time Eye AF, now available in movies

The Real-time Eye AF function is now capable of detecting the eyes of birds and tracking them in real-time, for both still shots and movies. The BIONZ XR engine runs optimized AF and tracking algorithms to ensure uninterrupted tracking even for birds in flight, whose movement is hard to predict. Once you’ve selected a bird, the camera will automatically detect and precisely track that bird’s eye, whether the bird is perched or in flight.

AI-based Real-time Eye AF and Real-time Tracking

The superior processing power of the BIONZ XR engine has led to improvements in both Real-time Eye AF and Real-time Tracking features. Improved face detection translates into 30% better eye-detection accuracy, while faster image processing yields higher accuracy when the subject is looking up, down, or sideways. Real-time Tracking allows you to select your subject and then leave tracking to the camera, relying on the latest subject recognition algorithm and high-speed analysis of spatial data by the processing engine.

AF control through touch operation

Touch Tracking lets you select a subject to track simply by touching the LCD screen, even while using the viewfinder, for more intuitive AF control for both still shots and movies. Easier focus operation is particularly helpful when you’re shooting movies alone or using a gimbal, allowing you to concentrate on composing your shots.

AF Assist for seamless transitions to manual focus

The AF Assist function, inherited from the Cinema Line FX6, lets you seamlessly switch to and from manual focus during movie shoots. When this feature has been turned on, rotating the focus ring temporarily switches operation from autofocus to manual focus to allow you to deliberately shift your focus to a different subject.

Visualise depth of field during movie shoots with Focus Map

The new Focus Map overlays focus information onto a live real-time display to show which areas are in or out of focus. Being able to visualize depth of field in this way makes it easier to quickly set up your ideal focus point and depth of field during rehearsal. As a result, you can use the camera’s excellent video definition and fast lenses to create impressive shots with shallow depth of field.

Breathing Compensation for the consistent angle of view when focusing

For the first time in the α series, the α7 IV provides compensation for focus breathing. Focus breathing is any change in a lens’s angle of view that corresponds to changes in focus. Sony’s original Clear Image Zoom technology is used to automatically maintain a consistent angle of view, for more movie-like focus transitions. This feature can be used in conjunction with Active Mode image stabilization to shoot stable, consistent imagery.

Still/Movie/S&Q dial for quick access to hybrid capabilities

Befitting the α7 IV’s status as a true hybrid camera, it comes equipped with a dedicated Still/Movie/S&Q dial to instantly switch between movies and stills. The dial switches the menus, functions, and custom settings of various controls between still and movie mode, and settings such as aperture and shutter speed are also maintained separately for stills and movies. S&Q mode can also be selected, for fast access to slow-motion or quick-motion shooting.