Landscape, outdoor and wildlife photographer Matt Kloskowski is always looking for the perfect blend of camera features that align with his type of work. After using the Sony α7R IV for two months, the Sony Artisan provided his in-depth analysis of the features that make this camera stand out. See what he had to say about some of the top-contending features below and how he ultimately decided that he can’t live without the 61 megapixels for wildlife.
“It’s a real benefit for me and something I wouldn’t want to give up.” – Matt Kloskowski on the benefit of the α7R IV’s 61 megapixels for wildlife photography
Auto Focus
“This is one of the stars of the show for the α7R IV. Over the past 4-5 years I’ve been photographing a lot more wildlife. To be honest, before I did that, auto focus was one of the last things I cared about as a landscape photographer. The auto focus we had 15 years ago is fine when your subject is still. It’s when they start moving that this becomes really important. Sony has been leading the charge with auto focus and the α7R IV totally shows it. It’s got more focus points (567 phase detection on the α7R IV, vs 399 on the α7R III), and covers more of the image area (74% vs 68%) In fact, one of the very first shoots I did with the camera was of some Ospreys one morning at Sparks Lake outside of Bend, Oregon. Having shot with the Sony α9, my requirements were pretty heavy when it came to auto focus. So the α7R IV had big shoes to fill. And it did fantastic my first time out. The camera tracked and locked on to the birds. Other than 10 less frames per second (α9 is 20 fps and r4 is 10), I couldn’t tell a difference.”
Megapixels
“Okay, here’s the big one that everyone is asking about. Sony didn’t just up the game from the α7R III a little. They added about 1/3 more megapixels for a total of 61 MP. That’s huge. The file size is about 9500 pixels x 6300 pixels.”
“At 200 ppi, which is give or take about what I try to print at for most viewing “normal” distances, that’s a 48 x 32 inch print. Much larger than probably most people reading this ever print. Some of you may want to get techie because someone told you to print at 240 ppi, and that’s fine – but that still makes a 40×26 inch print. And if you were printing on canvas, you could probably double that size.”
“The other thing that, as a wildlife photographer, I’ve come to like about the extra megapixels is that it gives me a look into the world of the animal I’m photographing that I’ve never seen. There’s something really fun and cool about being able to zoom in so far, and see little nuances about the wildlife that you would not have been able to see. Whether I use those megapixels for the sharing or printing of the photo, or whether I just enjoy them on my own while reviewing photos, it’s a real benefit for me and something I wouldn’t want to give up.”
Verdict
“...oddly enough, as someone who shoots landscapes and wildlife, I’m more excited about this camera for wildlife than anything. 42 MP was plenty for my landscapes. I simply don’t print large enough, often enough to need anything bigger. But the ability to crop in on wildlife (and landscape/travel too) is what has really made this camera hit home for me. If that’s an important consideration to you (as it was for me), then this is a huge leap forward.”
See all of Matt’s thoughts and his sample photos at mattk.com.
