Sony a7RIV vs a7RIII: Sensor Wars | 4K

Once again a very well rounded review sir. 👍👍
Thank you for the links, I'll have a look at this.

So which sensor in the A7/A9 series is the best you think?

Love your videos, Dustin. I would love to see a comparison of the a7riv in APS-C mode (with APS-C lenses) vs any of the a6xxx line. I’m curious if the a7riv is the best APS-C camera out right now.

Can ISO performance be improved via firmware updates?

I don’t even know why I clicked on this video. Cause there can be no sensor war between two Sony cameras.

Hi Dustin. Did you try Laowa 15mm f2 with Sony A7r4? Is lens qualuty enough for 61mp? Thanks

Such a great balanced review that I think really nailed it. As an owner of the A7Riii for the past 2 years, I haven't found myself once wishing I had more MP or resolution. I really think your point about a marketing war needs to be considered. I'm happy to skip this iteration and hope that by the time the A7R5 comes out, they'll have found some magic to clean up those higher ISO images. My 7R3 isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Isn't it kind of premature to draw to big conclusion of raw files with only adobes implementation and not other raw-file processors????

Love your work Dustin, so detailed. Given the RIV was a thrid stop more sensitive should you not have underexposed the RIV 1/3rd stop when comparing or used 1/3rd stop lower ISO and kept exposure the same?

very good stuff.

thank you Dustin, your video is really helpful

Thanks Dustin for all your hard work. Keep it up.

This is the first good visual evidence of the low light capabilities of the R4. Thanks much. When I take screenshots from your video of the various iso levels of the R4, it appears that it is essentially iso invariant through 1600, that 3200 would be usable, but not so much above that, as you said. This is highly useful, once my R4 is delivered, since I would set the maximal iso for action at 1600 [or maximally 3200] when using the auto iso min ss setting. It also means that for astro, I will not go above 3200 and that expensive f/1.4 GM lenses will be required to make up for the lack of a high iso ceiling [my iso invariance testing after the LonelySpeck method showed that the R3 is iso invariant through 12800]. Would you allow me to post this collage comparison on FB and Flickr, crediting the research to you? I will send it to you if you tell me how to contact you.

Fifteen minutes in and it sounds like the new R4 is a piece of shite compared to the R3 with its 5 year old sensor. I wonder how Sony could have screwed up so badly?

I think I’m just gonna stick with the a7R2 ,) nice review

I'd be keen to see these results if your maintained a consistent shutter speed and reduced the amount of light each time.

I know it's a limited niche usage, but it would be nice to compare also the IV's pixel-shift in terms of details and noise (esp. after being scaled-down to lets say III's resolution)
Otherwise very nice review! Thanks!

was about to return my R3 to get the R4 but after watching this video, i decided to just keep the R3. thanks for the video!

""The Headline news is the 42mp III to the 61mp on the IV" I think most all disagree. The Form usability and focus upgrades are the only thing anybody I know care about. The 61mp is bla or even downgrade. Going to humbly disagree with your opening comment.

I am not sure how many people would agree here with me but I personally think that from the pure image quality perspective it is better to buy Fuji GFX 50R over Sony A7RIV. It is only 50 megapixels but the upgrade in tonality and dr is significant. If anyone is looking for over 45 megapixel camera they are in the medium format territory really.

I just discovered your reviews - really well done. Thank you for this resource. I have an R3 and I was wondering about long exposure at ISO 100 vs the R4. Shooting architecture up to say 6s exposures can be common and I'm wondering if the R4 will be noticeably noisier?

I find your knowledge, your ability to convey information and your overall content to be very useful. I also like your relatively non-scripted, personable approach. The fact that you don't trot out a bunch of useless charts and graphs refreshing. What I don't understand is your approach to the production value of your videos. No, I'm not interested in a Hollywood production but the least you could do is shoot a video without a hideous, giant shadow on your background. It"s incredibly distracting. Yes, I realize this is about information being conveyed. Yet, if I am distracted by a production anomaly I won't hear everything you have to say. Please, add a backdrop light or use a ring light or even just shoot farther away from your backdrop so the shadow falls outside of the frame. Anything you do to improve your production value will allow professionals (mostly) to hear what you have to say without distraction. Isn't that your goal?!

Since the R4's sensor is more sensitive to light, does that mean I wouldn't have to crank the ISO up compared to say an AR3 or A7III?

I want to convince myself to get the R4 but sensor wise it seems to bring more issues than benefits.

It seems I need to be in a well lit setting for the camera to be usable which happens less often than I need to crop my photos to the point that an R3 isn't enough.

If I were to get the R4, it would be for the better AF system and ergonomics. I'm just not sure they're worth the extra money and the worse low light performance.

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love your channel!! you probably have the best reviews out there backed by scientific and real world data/examples!! BTW: based on your review, i'm keeping the 7R3. :-)

Such great comparison, so much detail as usual 👍

I am watching your videos from 2014, I became your fan due to your honest reviews. Not any person was talking about colour science most pro photographers said nikon produces best colours but after your review on canon colour science which you have done before some years ago. Now from that time , those pro photographers said canon has best colour science. it was the impact of your honest reviews. There are very few persons who are unbiased in their reviews. Thank you very much

The exactly same thing i have noticed in comparing EOS R vs 5D markv IV,EOS R raw files always little bit brighter,if you download files from dpreview you will see little bit more noise in the EOS R,bit also the exposure is different same as your example,and then if you dial back the exposure the noise level is exactly the same...So is hard to compare because of the iso standart difference,and thats all...many many many people refuse and dont get this,actualythis is the most important aspect of comparing 2 cameras,and you are mentioning this in your video,Thank you !You cannot say...hey this camera has less noise,but also the exposure is darker...it is not fair comparison.Maybe the best way to compare different cameras with different iso standart it will probably be with shutter release cable,in bulb mode...

Best DR (best shadow recovery) 3 cameras currently on the market are: Nikon D-850( not Z7 or Z6!), Pentax K-1(not mark 2!), Panasonic Lumix S1 (not S1R !) … Sony A7-mk3 is not far behind, but I wouldn't. recommend neither of the A7R series (mk2, 3, 4)!.

Hello, Dustin, I found your Chanel researching about my upcoming Sony camera purchase . Your videos are very informative and helpful. I would like to ask you for a suggestion. Currently I own a6000 and I'm planning on moving to a full frame. I'm torn between 7RIII , 7RIV and 7III. Of course I have APS-C lenses and they will work better with higher resolution sensor, but considering the lense prices, it will take time to buy FE lenses. So, buying cheaper camera and couple of good lense is tempting. I will shoot portraits, engagements, landscapes. What would you do?
Thank you

Your conclusions are not far off but your tests are terrible, you keep attributing higher exposure to "discolouration". The ISO values are not that reliable so you need to equalize apparent brightness not exact ISO numbers.

how comparable is the detail of the a7RIII when shooting in pixel shift, to a single a7RIV raw file?

Pff well, my aos 2000D takes 800,above that it starting to look like I'm taking photos of pure radiation

Hear I am, still waiting, for sony to give me an S,M,L Raw option like my d810/850 did. I honestly don't know why it is so hard for them to do. If the Z7s fixes focus issues and what not I may just have to go back to nikon.

People keep saying the A7R4 has better color science but the two cameras look very similar in image color here, at normal ISO's anyway. Surprised.

Nice Summary. Can you say which adapter you use for Canon lenses (on the 7R)? Thanks.

I currently have a Sony a7iii and have owned it for the past 1-2 years. I mainly do travel and portrait photography. I have been happy with it for the most part but I am interested in having a camera with more detail in my photos while keeping a good autofocus system and good low light performance. I am willing to upgrade to an a7r4, a7r3 or an a9 if it would achieve my requirements. I would also be open to new lenses with better detail. I currently have the sigma art 35 1.4 sigma 24-70 2.8 dn dg and sigma 135 1.8 art, which i rarely use. What would you do in my situation?

But...but....but......the A7R4 and the A1 were used in the Super Bowl, so they have to be more superior than the A7RIII.......

Mr. Abbott: I commented earlier on your comments section.
I’m trying to join the full frame game from my fuji x100s. Budget wise I’m leaning towards the 3 but am not opposed to going for the 4. Can the 3 replicate the cinematic wonder that I saw during the super bowl when both the a1 and the a7riv were used during the broadcast? I’m so torn at this decision and I’m just seeking professional guidance wherever. Maybe I should have written a better comment question to begin with. Great channel by the way.

Was looking to pick up a new piece of kit, upgrading from A7iii, and was thinking of getting the A7Riv. But watching this video (I know I'm a bit late to the party), I think I'll actually buy the A7Riii.

Thanks for the detailed reviews as always, Dustin!

I would have liked a little more time at iso 1600-3200-6400 as those are what I would call hi iso. For me iso 12800 and above will never be used on a shoot.

The A7Riii beats film, film is around 30mp when you look at grain size. For me that is good enough.
You would expect a brand new sensor to be better in every aspect, glad I got the A7Riii.

One of things Sony hasn't improved is sensor dust protection 🤣

Many thanks!

Man.. I was really wanting the new things on the IV but I think it may just be too many pixels for me. That EV dial with no lock drives me insane on my A7C.

Awesome work..

Thanks for the super detailed comparison. Exactly what I'm looking for. Very helpful!

Good video