First Underwater Review for the Sony A7R IV!!!

[BluewaterPhoto]

Check out the first underwater review for the new Sony A7R IV!
The A7R IV is no minor upgrade and it puts Sony at the top of the mirrorless camera market and potentially as one of the best underwater cameras available.
Let us know what you think!

Sony A7R IV: Initial Thoughts

 

[BoltSnap]

Check out the first underwater review for the new Sony A7R IV!
The A7R IV is no minor upgrade and it puts Sony at the top of the mirrorless camera market and potentially as one of the best underwater cameras available.
Let us know what you think!

Sony A7R IV: Initial Thoughts

Are there enough lenses available for it that are relevant for underwater photography?

 

[Barmaglot]

Are there enough lenses available for it that are relevant for underwater photography?

Sony/Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 (or Sony 16-35mm f/2.8), Sony 12-24mm f/4, Sony 90mm f/2.8 macro, Sony 28mm f/2 + WWL-1, Sony 28mm f/2 + SEL057FEC, Sony 28-70mm + WACP, Canon 8-15mm via Metabones, Nikonos lenses via Nauticam adapter... what, in your opinion, is missing from that lineup?

 

[BoltSnap]

Sony/Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 (or Sony 16-35mm f/2.8), Sony 12-24mm f/4, Sony 90mm f/2.8 macro, Sony 28mm f/2 + WWL-1, Sony 28mm f/2 + SEL057FEC, Sony 28-70mm + WACP, Canon 8-15mm via Metabones, Nikonos lenses via Nauticam adapter... what, in your opinion, is missing from that lineup?

I don't know, I don't know anything about Sony cameras or their lenses. You tell me.

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

Are there enough lenses available for it that are relevant for underwater photography?

There are plenty of lenses to choose from. Shoot me a message on what you would like to get out of your camera and I can give you recommendations.

 

[Barmaglot]

I don't know, I don't know anything about Sony cameras or their lenses. You tell me.

For underwater photography, you generally use the following types of lenses:

• Circular fisheye
• Diagonal fisheye
• Rectilinear ultrawide
• Mid-range zoom
• Macro

For circular fisheye, the go-to choice is Canon 8-15mm fisheye via Metabones adapter. It gives you circular at 8mm and diagonal at 15mm.
For diagonal fisheye, you can use the Sony 28mm f/2 with either the Sony fisheye converter inside a dome, or Nauticam WWL-1 on a flat port - incidentally, Sony FE is the only full-frame system supported by WWL-1. Alternatively, you can use Canon 8-15mm at its long end, or the Sony 28-70mm kit lens behind a Nauticam WACP. With Nauticam housings, you can also mount the old UW-Nikkor 15mm f/2.8 fisheye without a port.
For rectilinear ultrawide, Sony offers three native choices - 16-35mm f/4 ZA, 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, and 12-24mm f/4.
Mid-range zoom position (fish portraits and such) can be filled by the 28-70mm kit lens in a dome or flat port + WWL-1, or either of the two 24-70mm lenses.
Macro is served by Sony 50mm f/2.8 and 90mm f/2.8 G - the latter is regarded as one of the sharpest lenses out there for any system.

Nauticam port chart for Sony full-frame can be found here: N100 Sony A7RIII:A9:A7II:A7RII:A7SII Rev 7.19.pdf
The full list of lenses for Sony FE mount can be found here: Ultimate Fullframe E-mount FE Lens Guide for Sony a7 & a9 Cameras

 

[stuartv]

Are there enough lenses available for it that are relevant for underwater photography?

The simple answer is yes. More than enough.

There are native Sony lenses that will do almost everything you might want to do underwater. As well, there is a solid Metabones adapter that lets you use a whole pile of Canon lenses (with native lens-like performance), too.

So, lens options is absolutely not a reason to knock this new Sony for underwater use. Really, the only knock I know of to this camera is cost. But, I think it is the best camera you can buy right now for general purpose underwater use (just my amateur opinion, of course).

In fact, I am currently doing my due diligence in preparation for buying this exact camera myself, for underwater (and above water) use.

 

[BoltSnap]

The simple answer is yes. More than enough.

There are native Sony lenses that will do almost everything you might want to do underwater. As well, there is a solid Metabones adapter that lets you use a whole pile of Canon lenses (with native lens-like performance), too.

So, lens options is absolutely not a reason to knock this new Sony for underwater use. Really, the only knock I know of to this camera is cost. But, I think it is the best camera you can buy right now for general purpose underwater use (just my amateur opinion, of course).

In fact, I am currently doing my due diligence in preparation for buying this exact camera myself, for underwater (and above water) use.

Does it do video well too?


The lenses I am used to in my OLY are:

1. 60mm macro (work as 120mm in full frame)

2. 12 - 50 with macro ability

3. 8mm fish-eye

4. 7 - ?? rectilinear wide angle zoom lens (not sure of the specs since I don't own it but want to get it)

The above is the range that makes me happy and consider it a full range for me for underwater use and will make me consider the camera.

Is what you are saying that there are lenses for this camera that would fit in the range above?

 

[stuartv]

Does it do video well too?


The lenses I am used to in my OLY are:

1. 60mm macro (work as 120mm in full frame)

2. 12 - 50 with macro ability

3. 8mm fish-eye

4. 7 - ?? rectilinear wide angle zoom lens (not sure of the specs since I don't own it but want to get it)

The above is the range that makes me happy and consider it a full range for me for underwater use and will make me consider the camera.

Is what you are saying that there are lenses for this camera that would fit in the range above?

Yes, as you already alluded to, the crop factor is 2, so you can multiply every one of those numbers by 2 to give you the Full Frame equivalent.

For macro, you would use the Sony 90mm, possibly with a wet diopter.

In place of your 12-50, you would probably use the 28-70 or 24-70. Or even the 24-105, I suppose. Not sure about using any of those for macro, though. I think they all have a minimum focus distance of greater than 1' (38cm or greater). Those are all Sony lenses. If you need one in that range that also can do Macro, you might check for an equivalent Canon lens that you can use with the Metabones adapter.

In place of 8mm fish-eye, you might have to use the Metabones adapter and the Canon 16-35, which is a fisheye at 16 and rectilinear (I think) at 35.

In place of 7 - 14, I *think* the Sony 16-35 would give you rectilinear WA through the whole zoom range - but again I'm not positive. Or there is the Sony 12-24.

 

[stuartv]

Does it do video well too?


The lenses I am used to in my OLY are:

1. 60mm macro (work as 120mm in full frame)

2. 12 - 50 with macro ability

3. 8mm fish-eye

4. 7 - ?? rectilinear wide angle zoom lens (not sure of the specs since I don't own it but want to get it)

The above is the range that makes me happy and consider it a full range for me for underwater use and will make me consider the camera.

Is what you are saying that there are lenses for this camera that would fit in the range above?

Oh, and yes, it does video. Up to 4K/30. It is not The Best for video, but it's probably as good or better than any Oly m43.