Sony A7 IV review: A nearly perfect hybrid camera powerhouse | Engadget

They're also only used in Sony cameras, so they’re relatively hard to find and quite expensive.Other features include a USB-C port that can power the camera during operation, along with a full-sized HDMI port, thank God. It uses Sony’s new NP-FZ100 battery that delivers up to 580 shots on a charge, or about 2 hours of 4K video shooting. Using the crop mode helps a lot, but then you lose the benefits of a full-frame sensor.The A7 IV is Sony’s most advanced camera yet when it comes to autofocus. All of Sony’s new AI tricks add up to make it the easiest to use and most reliable camera I’ve ever tested in that regard.Unlike the A7 III, face, eye and body tracking works in all focus modes for animals, birds and people. Overall, Sony’s A7 IV delivers perhaps the best images of any of its cameras, with a great balance between detail, high ISO performance and color accuracy.As a semi-pro hybrid camera, the A7 IV is aimed at enthusiasts but could easily serve as a second body for professional shooters who use Sony gear. It’s especially useful in portrait mode when you’re shooting from ground level below the subject.What are the strong and weak points for events and studio use?Nat: In terms of the color accuracy, it’s really improved a lot, it’s great now.Samuel: A big issue for us is that the rolling shutter is pretty pronounced, which is a shame because it limits the use of the camera in silent mode for weddings and events.Nathanael: And if you use this camera it’s really required for certain things because the mechanical shutter is particularly loud.Could this serve as a professional camera for you?Yes, it could serve as a professional camera because it’s really versatile in terms of doing both photos and video. The lack of noise at high ISO ranges is a huge plus, making the camera usable in a lot of low and tricky lighting situations.Eye AF and tracking now work in video mode, making it far more dependable for shooting interviews or action. Sony’s largest achievement is that it created a mainstream camera that makes photography and video easier, thanks to AI smarts that can aid any photographer, no matter their skill.The biggest drawback is rolling shutter that might give you pause if you require a silent mode or want to shoot uncropped 4K video.