Sony A7IV not for divers?

[newdiver 5]

I have been eagerly waiting on the announcement of Sony A7IV and quite like its features for both video and photo, I think it offers great features for both video and stills for enthusiasts and maybe semi-pros too. However my excitement got dashed quickly after watching a few videos and particularly this one where you can see the dial to switch between photo and video is under the main mode dial, does this mean you can't really use it underwater unless someone comes up with some really tricky dial to switch it? Or am I missing something here?

https://youtu.be/Hn4eMwororg?t=255

[ChrisRoss 150]

1 hour ago, newdiver said:

I have been eagerly waiting on the announcement of Sony A7IV and quite like its features for both video and photo, I think it offers great features for both video and stills for enthusiasts and maybe semi-pros too. However my excitement got dashed quickly after watching a few videos and particularly this one where you can see the dial to switch between photo and video is under the main mode dial, does this mean you can't really use it underwater unless someone comes up with some really tricky dial to switch it? Or am I missing something here?

https://youtu.be/Hn4eMwororg?t=255

I think you'll have to wait and see, Nauticam might come up with something?  Or it might be too hard, it looks like you need to grab a smooth dial with no protrusions.But if that knob up in front is what you use to turn it it looks like it requires you to press in on a button while turning which is an extra degree of difficulty.  I think you just need to wait and see.

[newdiver 5]

10 minutes ago, ChrisRoss said:

I think you'll have to wait and see, Nauticam might come up with something?  Or it might be too hard, it looks like you need to grab a smooth dial with no protrusions.But if that knob up in front is what you use to turn it it looks like it requires you to press in on a button while turning which is an extra degree of difficulty.  I think you just need to wait and see.

I was hoping that because it will have similar body to A7S III that it will be easy to fit it into an existing housing. It seems that is the case except for the dials. You are right, wait and see is the only option, however by the time a housing is ready Sony might announce a7c II by then

[j0rd1l0p3z 3]

The dial has a button in front you have to push in order to move it. Same as the A1 and the Nauticam housing works just fine. There is a small lever that you have to engage with that button before you close the housing.

[newdiver 5]

Yes, that looks much more promising. 

Not sure if any of you have watched the videos, I think one of the best features is probably focus mapping specially for macros, it would make life so much easier.

[hyp 72]

Can you explain focus mapping?

[newdiver 5]

2 hours ago, hyp said:

Can you explain focus mapping?

Focus Map is like a more advanced version of Focus Peaking as it overlays the image with colour according to the focus. The point of focus is clear while the area in front of the point of focus is red and the area behind is blue. The size of the clear zone varies depending upon the selected aperture, helping the photographer to visualise the depth of field.

Check this link for a visual representation of it.

 

 

[Phil Rudin 290]

16 hours ago, newdiver said:

I have been eagerly waiting on the announcement of Sony A7IV and quite like its features for both video and photo, I think it offers great features for both video and stills for enthusiasts and maybe semi-pros too. However my excitement got dashed quickly after watching a few videos and particularly this one where you can see the dial to switch between photo and video is under the main mode dial, does this mean you can't really use it underwater unless someone comes up with some really tricky dial to switch it? Or am I missing something here?

https://youtu.be/Hn4eMwororg?t=255

The Sony A1 has a dual dial on the left top side of the camera which controls the frame rate (single, 10 frames, etc) with the top dial and the AF setting (AF-S, AF-C, etc) on the bottom dial. The top dial has a push button that needs to be depressed while the bottom dial has the push from the side lock like the new A7 IV. In the Nauticam NA-A1 housing the spring loaded lever that lifts above the camera when it is installed in the housing and then drops into place over both camera  dials. This control lever simply keeps both push buttons depressed and controls the focus mode while a second dial on the top back half of the housing controls the drive mode. I would expect a simpler single control like the focus lever control for the A7 IV to switch between shooting modes. Photos of the control lever below.

When the Sony A7 III was introduced almost four years ago it became the best selling full frame camera ever made (both DSLR and mirrorless) and propelled Sony to the top of the mirrorless camera market. It was also became very popular as an underwater system and remained one of the top U/W systems. The A7 IV will be one of the best choices in the underwater market for a verity of reasons including overall camera speed, image quality V. rivals and much more.

It is sad that at least in the US the A7 IV is only being sold as a kit with the old Sony FE 28-70mm lens and not the excellent 28-60mm sold as a kit with the Sony A7C. The 28-70 only works with the Nauticam WACP while the 28-60 will work with both WACP and WWL-1B both at considerably different price points. 

This is a camera that many will be eager to review, myself included.

 

[newdiver 5]

6 hours ago, Phil Rudin said:

The Sony A1 has a dual dial on the left top side of the camera which controls the frame rate (single, 10 frames, etc) with the top dial and the AF setting (AF-S, AF-C, etc) on the bottom dial. The top dial has a push button that needs to be depressed while the bottom dial has the push from the side lock like the new A7 IV. In the Nauticam NA-A1 housing the spring loaded lever that lifts above the camera when it is installed in the housing and then drops into place over both camera  dials. This control lever simply keeps both push buttons depressed and controls the focus mode while a second dial on the top back half of the housing controls the drive mode. I would expect a simpler single control like the focus lever control for the A7 IV to switch between shooting modes. Photos of the control lever below.

When the Sony A7 III was introduced almost four years ago it became the best selling full frame camera ever made (both DSLR and mirrorless) and propelled Sony to the top of the mirrorless camera market. It was also became very popular as an underwater system and remained one of the top U/W systems. The A7 IV will be one of the best choices in the underwater market for a verity of reasons including overall camera speed, image quality V. rivals and much more.

It is sad that at least in the US the A7 IV is only being sold as a kit with the old Sony FE 28-70mm lens and not the excellent 28-60mm sold as a kit with the Sony A7C. The 28-70 only works with the Nauticam WACP while the 28-60 will work with both WACP and WWL-1B both at considerably different price points. 

This is a camera that many will be eager to review, myself included.

 

Thanks for the info Phil, I see that this has already been implemented and will hopefully be an easy modification to manufacture the housing for A7IV.

I am very excited about the A7IV and it is a very worthy successor to A7III,  one that would satisfy the needs of most photo and video shooters.

I don't understand either why Sony keeps bundling the old 28-70 as kit with their new cameras other than the A7C, I think most people prefer the tiny 28-60 over the 28-70.

[DynamicDivers 1]

Another thought is that, if Sony is anything like Canon, you should be able to map a custom button to do what you want... Just a thought.

[aussie_bubbles 1]

I'll be finding out soon. Just pre-ordered the A7iv from Aquatica. 

[Phil Rudin 290]

The photo is for the fully developed Nauticam NA-A7IV housing for Sony A7 IV listed in the Sony housing section of the Nauticam.com web site.

As you can see from the photo the control dial in question is fully supported along with all of the other controls.

 

[JYk 8]

Since Sony seems to abandoned their APS-C lineup, I'm also keep an eye on the upcomming Sony A7 IV systems. Nauticam had an extrem price hike, lets hope Isotta or other brands might also offer good cases for less bucks. 

Edited January 7 by JYk

[vaidhy 4]

I wish some of the cheaper housings support the WWL-1 with the bayonet mount out of the box

[Phil Rudin 290]

The Sony A7 III was one of the best selling cameras of all time and after four years I am sure many will want to upgrade to the greatly improved A7 IV. 

I have already seen housing announcements for the A7 IV from Aquatica, Ikelite, Isotta, Marelux, Nauticam, Sea & Sea and would expect to also see offerings from Seacam, Seafrogs, Subal and more. 

[newdiver 5]

Seafrogs is apparently a few months away from announcing their housing for A7 IV.

[aussie_bubbles 1]

Is anyone disheartened by the crop in 4k 60fps video, esp with native Sony lenses?  That means a 16-35mm lens is now a 24-52mm if you want to shoot wide angle video and get the benefits of the video upgrades of the A7iv over the A7iii.

I tend to shoot 50/50 video and stills, so the A7 has been a great compromise between the R and S series. While I'm moderately excited about the extra res (33mp) and the improved autofocus, that in itself isn't a great reason fork out for the A7vi + the costs of a new housing. I being waiting for years for this upgrade because we all knew 4k 60 10 bit was coming. 

Shooting in crop mode on land is not going to be an issue for land photographers as your elephants don't have to be three feet in front of you! :)

Sounds like this system is going to need a Canon 8-15mm as well if video is important. 

Any thoughts? Am I being a silly brat?

[ChrisRoss 150]

10 hours ago, aussie_bubbles said:

Is anyone disheartened by the crop in 4k 60fps video, esp with native Sony lenses?  That means a 16-35mm lens is now a 24-52mm if you want to shoot wide angle video and get the benefits of the video upgrades of the A7iv over the A7iii.

I tend to shoot 50/50 video and stills, so the A7 has been a great compromise between the R and S series. While I'm moderately excited about the extra res (33mp) and the improved autofocus, that in itself isn't a great reason fork out for the A7vi + the costs of a new housing. I being waiting for years for this upgrade because we all knew 4k 60 10 bit was coming. 

Shooting in crop mode on land is not going to be an issue for land photographers as your elephants don't have to be three feet in front of you!

Sounds like this system is going to need a Canon 8-15mm as well if video is important. 

Any thoughts? Am I being a silly brat?

Lots of cameras when video was first added cropped when in video mode so that they could take the video pixel for pixel from a 1920 x 1080 or whatever resolution the video was from a crop in the middle of the sensor.    That for example is why the the A7SIII is 12 MP sensor - it's 4240 pixels wide and can shoot UHD 4K pixel for pixel directly from the sensor without any downsampling and minimal cropping,  The downsampling is processing overhead which limits frame rates and/or creates heat. 

Look at the Canon R5 it does 8K video and famously overheats placing time limits on video It also downsamples 8K to 4K with similar time limitations.  The overheating occurs due to the processing required with the high frame rates together with the bigger pixel dimensions and also the down sampling overhead.  It's all compromises to be able to do both in one body.  The Sony with the A7III has taken a different compromise to allow it to shoot 4K at high frame rates presumably without the overheating that happens on the R5.

Different vendors have different means to give full frame capture to 4K, some do line skipping at the cost of some image quality and others do full downsampling which offers higher quality at the cost of processing overhead. Others as in the A7SIII have a lower MP sensor. Or The Panasonic GH5S which has a 10.2MP sensor able to capture DCI 4K video natively. 

I think you would possibly be looking at 12-24 rather than a fisheye (fisheyes don't seem popular for video due to the distortion  which changes as the subject moves across the frame)  You could look at E lenses like the 10-18 but you would also be in crop mode for stills.  The 12-24 of course would absolutely require a 230mm dome if were using 12-18 portion for stills on a full frame camera.

 

 

[aussie_bubbles 1]

Amazing Chris, thank you for that great response. Certainly gave me food for thought and more youtube rabbit holes to go down.

Cheers!

[ChrisRoss 150]

4 hours ago, aussie_bubbles said:

Amazing Chris, thank you for that great response. Certainly gave me food for thought and more youtube rabbit holes to go down.

Cheers!

No worries, that sort of info can be a bit hard to find sometimes - I go for written reviews at least then you can search them for keywords rather than sitting through someone rabbiting on for half an hour before they get to the bit you are interested in and then they don't really cover the info you want.