Just the video I was looking for Thank you Adrian! Was planning to go for A9ii but wasn't happy about low MP. With the A7R iv i can still manage a lot of things for a little bit of compromise. I currently use A6300 with Sony 200-600. and I'm really happy with it However I wanted to upgrade to a full-frame body. But, I didn't want to lose the benefits of getting additional zoom from the crop sensor.
Crop mode (especially when set to a custom button) is EXCELLENT for event/function/social photography - the resolution is still good enough, you don't have to crop in post (who wants to edit 500+ images individually?), and the files are smaller. You also have the crop you intended when shooting rather than having to remember what it was later.
Fullframe in a7riv video mode is pixel binned while the apsc mode is not; it is performing a full pixel readout, downsampling 6k to 4k. I believe that is the main advantage and use of the crop mode.
This is helpful, thank you. The A7Riv has more resolution than I'll need for 90% of my work, but the higher res EVF, better form factor, and crop mode at 26mp persuades me it's still a better choice than the A7Riii. Especially at current sale prices. I would have liked to hear more about dynamic range and noise performance in crop mode - better or worse or no different than at full frame resolution?
Agree 100% with your comments. Another advantage I discovered, is using APS-C lenses are lighter and smaller. Had a trip and didn't want to take my 200-600 (overkill) and took a 70-350 and it was a joy to travel with.
My understanding is that you have to apply the 1.5 crop to both the focal length and the aperture, so, for example, a 24mm f1.4 lens in crop mode becomes a 36mm f2.1. Is this not correct? If that's the case, then aren't you losing a stop of light in crop mode?
Thank you. Very helpful video. Another advantage of using crop mode, along with full frame in a shooting session (not studio or formal): I do not do spot metering. The downside of that is if you don't compose well, very bright areas outside your main subject will throw off the metering. Especially with primes, often you are stuck with the composition you have. It is not always possible to get to a new shooting position quickly. Switching to crop mode, it is possible to get rid of unwanted marginal areas in the composition. Especially when shooting at an indoor wedding reception, often there are windows and inside lighting that cause problems with the exposure setting in your composition. A 33mm prime would instantly convert to a 50mm prime to mask out bright intrusions.
Thank you for this video, how do you think Tamron 17-70 F2.8 is going to be on A7riv ? Especially on low light situation considering it becomes 24-105 F2.8 lens
HI , thanks always for your fun and interesting and lots of knowledge of your videos. Please kindly advice. I'm thinking of buying sony alpha 7R4 . I want huge 61 megapixel image and I can crop instead of using huge lens. But this camera has been on market for more than a year, so I'm wondering if new model Alpha 7R 5 will be on the market soon. Should I buy now or should I wait ? Please kindly advice.
Great video and quick question. Is it safe to say that a 24mm on the a7riv can act as a 36mm using aps c mode. I dont want to buy a 35 due to other options I need. Is 27mp high enough for cliental use? Or should I just get a 35mm eventually to have that option to crop later in software.
Hi ayeadejoh. Thanks for watching. Yes the 24mm on the A7RIV will give the same field of view as a 36mm although not the same level of noise or depth of field if you were to try to shoot the exact same looking image with a 35mm lens on a full-frame sensor. As to whether the 26 MP is high enough for client use only you can say, depending on what you and they are doing with the images. Most of the time 26 MP is plenty and the extra MPs are just useful, at least in wildlife photography, for cropping in further.
Adrian.. thank you, very well explained, will give that a try, new to a a7rIV after years of Nikon , still have my Nikon D850 as getting better results from that, as not 100% comfortable with the settings yet ..
I wonder but not tested it deeply 2 things, one i am 99% sure about. Contrast and things like eye-detect work on the 'result' image from the sensor (same seems to happen in AF in magnify mode). This is why eye detect works better in crop mode (or even clear zoom when in jpeg mode OR video mode). I will test this to make sure but 100%. The second thing is related if you think about it sony doesn't have to check 2.25 less pixels/area for lots of things like focus, tracking, exposure so it makes sense to me that the speed gained is reused in other areas for example upping the number of times focus is checked (one thing clearly higher on the A9).. some testing should be done on where all this 'free' cpu and data-speed goes. Some clearly goes to the faster write out but probably not all...
Hi Justin. I don't use the 200-600 and am currently only shooting with primes. I can say that I think the 2x is not as reliable as the 1.4x in terms of image quality. If you check out my website you'll see some images I've taken with it and I think you can often get good results but it's not as good as the 1.4x. Especially with the 200-600, the aperture with the 2x will be quite small which will affect lots of things.
@@AdrianChoPhotography thanks Adrian! I recently traded in the a7iii for the a7riv (in the mail right now haha). l've been doing wildlife photography and was curious on the potential max focal length I could theoretically get when using the gear combination and aps-c crop factor. I am hoping like 1800mm haha... Definitely the 2.0xTC adds too much fstops to the 200-600mm at max is like f22... Still works if its good sunny weather 😎 hopefully someday 600mm primes will cheap lol
Very interesting and well explained, thanks. I'm considering purchasing this camera. Is there a way to see the cropped view (and have the camera adjusting settings for that area) but actually be taking the whole image? That way the user would keep the flexibility for doing his/her own cropping in postprocessing but being able to see the details in the viewfinder while taking the picture.
Thanks for watching. The thing you can do is to quickly switch into crop mode (easy to do when it is assigned to a custom button) and then go back to full-frame mode and take the image.
roberto corleone that is a good question and one that I deliberately left out of this video to keep things simple. The simple answer to the question is no the low light capability is not better and the amount of noise is not less and in fact both things are actually technically worse although how that manifests itself can vary depending on what’s in the image and what you will do with the image. In the end there is no substitute for total light for an image.
@@AdrianChoPhotography thanks for clearing this up. I just want to have the best IQ whenever i can. I Have been reading and hearing a lot positive about sonys crop mode that you wont lose IQ but they never told anything about it in low light situations. Now i know im not gonna use crop mode in low light situations
Very informative and helpful. I'm using the A7Riv with the 200-600 and was having some focus issues. Thanks for explaining the crop mode so well. I think I'll pass on the 1.4x purchase now.
Thanks for watching. Glad this was helpful for you. Not sure if you’re aware but there has been a lot of discussion about focus issues with the A7RIV and the 200-600. I’m not sure where it’s at right now but the issues had been reported to Sony and apparently they were working on a fix.
Do you see any change in noise performance when in crop mode? Vs full frame mode? Just wondering if the APSC mode on the A7R4 is better for noise than say the A6400. Also aside from more AF points in crop mode on the A7R4 - do you notice any speed improvements for subject tracking etc?
Typically I don’t see any change in noise with the assumption that you’re not exposing differently with the cropped scene. I typically use spot metering but if you were metering for the whole scene and switching into crop mode and the cropped image was darker than the full-frame image then you might expose it differently which might require you to bump up the ISO and generate more noise. In theory, the noise performance in crop mode on the A7RIV should be worse than an A6x00 camera for two reasons. One is that at 26MP, the pixel density is slightly higher than the 24MP crop sensor camera and therefore the photosites are slightly smaller and gathering less light. Also, the dual gain structure of the A7RIV has maximized dynamic range at 100 ISO and 320 ISO. I don’t know how the gain structure works on the Ax6000 cameras but the A9 and A7RIII have maximum dynamic range at 100 ISO and 640 ISO and the A7RIV has more noise than the A7RIII once you get out of the low ISO range.
Thanks for your video, plenty useful stuff in there. Have you any experience or knowledge of using aps-c lenses on the r4? I’m keen to know if my sigma 56mm f1.4 will be as good on the R4 as it is on my a6600. I’m also concerned at how my tamron f2.8 zooms (the full frame zoom lenses) would cope with 61MP if I was to use them on the R4, quite a demanding sensor. If you’ve any input to either of those concerns that would be very helpful! My other option is the a7C as I want the real time tracking feature, but I’ve heard it’s EVF is terrible and there’s only one card slot which would be a concern for my work. Thanks!
Nice video but you neglected the most important reason to shoot in crop mode rathe than cropping in post: Its the only way to shoot 4K video at 60 fps. Also, teleconvertes are a really bad idea. In addition to what you mentioned, they introduce some image quality degradation, they add weight and cost, and they may impair the full functionality of some lenses. Its a huge pity that Sony didnt manage to give us 60fps 4K recording in full frame (i shoot a lot of 60fps for slow motion and speed ramps)
Adrian, Thank you so much for personally responding to my post. I have the Sony A7Riv, FE 24-105, FE 70-300 and FE 200-600. Really no issues with the first two of any concern. My frustration has been with the focus or softness of the 200-600 lens. In the viewfinder, the AF snaps in and it looks sharp, looks good. When I view the SD card photos (RAW) on my MacBook Pro or even my ThinkPad PC invariably as I crop in, they are not that sharp. Compared to what I see of BIF and nature photos on FM, the photos there with the 200-600 are incredibly sharp, and that is why I bought the lens. Some of the photos seen there in the Sony 200-600 lens thread, are taken with the A7Riv, and I wonder, why are their photos so sharp? I've been researching and reading reviews and TH-cam videos on this for days now. I've tried several variations, factory reset, more menu variations, tripod, no tripod, OSS, no OSS, and it all still comes down to most being soft and a very few being sharp. So frustrating. Any further input or suggestions are warmly welcomed. Best regards, Robert
Hi Robert. It is unfortunate that this problem exists and I’ve heard of many people who have experienced focus and software issues with the 200-600 and the A7RIV. Unfortunately as I don’t own the lens I’ve not really delved into the problem. The only thing I can suggest is to try to leave a bigger buffer than usual in terms of going further with the shutter speeds and try as much as possible to ensure you include areas of clear contrast within the focus area to help the camera get it right. The reality is that every combination of camera and lens and shoot scenario has its limits with AF and there will be times when it will fail. In those cases there may be things you can do to assist it or you may have to fall back to manual focus. I’ve had to do it many times. By the way, I don’t know if you’re trying to use the any of the tracking focus modes but as I’ve mentioned in a few of my videos, it’s not something I personally use find it less than reliable.
Can you combine both teleconverter and crop mode? So a 1.4x tele and 1.5 crop leads to 2.1x. If using a 70-200 f2.8 on a 33MP what will be the outcome?
Hey Nicholas, the EVF resolution stays the same at all times. The EVF on the A7RIV is just gorgeous and now when I look at any other lower-resolution EVF I really notice the difference.
I only made good experience with the Sony A7R4 and the flexibility of using this camera in FF or Crop Mode. At least for my type of bird photography the time lag between wring back the data and switching to other mode (Crop --> FF or FF --> Crop) was never really a serious issue for me. I am sure that Sony will also fix that in one of the next Firmware updates for the Sony A7R4, so it is ok for now. This possibility makes the Sony A7R4 so flexible for Wildlife, I programmed the Function Ring of my Sony 600mm 4.0 GM and can switch from one mode to the other with just a simple turn of the Function Ring. Easy and especially fast. Exactly what you need in Wildlife.
Stefan, thanks for sharing. I found the function ring is too difficult to grab and not every lens has the function ring so I’m using the focus hold button on the lens since most of the Sony lenses have it.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Can you please make a detailed video of the a7r iv's buffer? in both crop more and full frame. Its better if we all got to practically see how many shots, frame per second and time required for the buffer to clear up in both the modes, gives a better picture, nobody's explained this camera as good as you, so
In an ultimate world, I would have both the A9II and the A7R4. lol For now, I'm trying to decide on which to add as my 2nd body to my A9. You've provided some great detail based on experience shooting non-stop the last few months.
Hey Brian! The latest reports seem to indicate that there is no noticeable difference in image quality in raw files shot between the A9 and A9II so I really think there’s very little impetus for most people to upgrade to the A9II. I thought long and hard about it but I’m going to stay with the A9 although I’m still doing the bulk of my shooting with the A7RIV.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Good to know. I've seen reports of the tracking better on the ii, but that doesn't justify the cost difference for me just yet. 1st things 1st - I'm also looking at that 400 again lol
Hi Anna. You could indeed use that lens. It’s really just a question of what your needs are and how small and light you want to go. If you really want to try to use APS-C lenses with an A7RIV you could also look at the 55-210 or the 70-350. Personally this is not something I would do. I would rather stick with a constant aperture full-frame zoom like the Tamron 70-180 and crop in post.
@@AdrianChoPhotography I am really just learning to use this camera and already have a sony full frame lens 24-105 w a FE 4 G OSS - I am traveling and thinking I need something simple and compact and was thinking that would be a good option considering its small and not too expensive - what do you think? YOu are awesome for replying!!! THANK YOU!
I think if you’re going to go this route then you might as well really take advantage of the reduction in size and weight and go with the 70-350. It’s a very sharp lens but I have heard that the copy variation can be a bit unpredictable so just as you should do with every lens, I encourage you to get one and test it and make sure you’re happy with it. It’s about the same weight as your 24-105 but just a bit longer. However if you’re really looking for something with a shorter focal length then what about the 16-55 f2.8? Personally I prefer a constant-aperture zoom myself.
Anna, personally if I was going to go this route of using an APS-C lens I would try to go for more reach since that’s where you will gain more benefits from a reduction in size and weight however if you need a shorter focal length have you thought about the 16-55 f2.8 G?
Hi - has anyone noticed that the shutter seems faster/crisper when using asp-c mode? Anyone know why? This seems to happen even when shooting at identical shutter speeds (asp-c vs. full frame mode). Thanks
Adrian Cho Photography If you have an opportunity to try it out - take one shot in FF mode and then take same shot in APS-C mode - in single shot and using same shutter speed - would be interesting to know if you experience the same. Just not sure if I have an issue with my camera or if it’s normal. Thanks!
I have not and I probably would not since it is an APS-C lens and while I know it’s an option to use an APS-C lens on a full-frame camera in crop mode I prefer to have a lens I can use in both modes. If you did use the Sigma you’d really be getting more like f2.8 in full-frame equivalency in terms of depth of field.
I personally think the more interesting lens to watch for, especially if you’re using Sony, is the Tamron 70-180 assuming the image quality will be good. The Tamron will apparently weigh just 815 grams versus the 1490 grams of the Sigma 50-100. It will also apparently be just 149 mm vs the 171mm of the SIgma 50-100. With the Tamron you’d have 70-180 in full-frame and 105-270 in crop mode.
Adrian, thanks for the very good information. I just found your channel. I have looked at the comments below and I think it is awesosme how you take the time to respond to so many questions which are asked of you. I watch many very good review channels but in most cases, questions go unanswered. Real dedication to your viewers. I hope your channel grows.
Hi Reggie. Thanks for watching and sharing your kind words. Unfortunately due to the pandemic I haven't posted here in a long time but hope to get back to it sometime soon. I hope you're doing well in this crazy time. Stay safe.
Thanks for the video! Silly question, but on APSC mode I can still shoot 1/8000 shutter speed, right? I ask because none of the ASPC cameras allow you to shoot past 1/4000. Also, I divided 61MP divided by 1.5 and divide by 1.5 again = 27MP. How come everyone say it's 26MP including Sony's website? Maybe I made up my algorithm? lol.
Nicholas Nguyen thanks for watching. I’ll let you know about the shutter speed shortly. The A7RIV actually has 60.2 MP even though it is widely quoted (including by me) as having 61 MP. That’s marketing for you. :) If you divide that by 1.5 squared you’ll get under 27 MP and even though it is closer to 27 than 26 (and closer than 60.2 is to 61) it gets quoted by everyone as 26 MP. Confusing eh?
@@AdrianChoPhotography oh ok lol, thanks for the info! Sorry another question. How much of low light, night time photography stills do you think is the different between APSC and FF mode? 1-2 stops better on FF?
Nicholas, as expected you can shoot at the maximum shutter speeds regardless of crop mode. I tested on both A7RIV and A9II with both mechanical and electronic shutters.
When you shoot on APS mode, although the camera is just saving the crop section, does the camera still use the entire sensor for collecting light or are those pixels completely off?
The sensor is only collecting light in the pixels that are being used so you’re actually collecting less total light which will have an effect on noise.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Just to 'clarify', because you crop and collect less total light, that's where you do comparatively loose the stop of light, just a different 'indirect' way. In other words, shooting f/4 on FF for example (or f/2.8+TC1.4x), you'll get ~same result as APS-C with 2.8 at the same sensor and ISO, when resized for the same export etc. Or you can shoot the same aperture, but keep the ISO at half on APS-C, otherwise the noise will be harder to 'hide' with less light/detail/surface, etc. I'm sure you understand that, but in the video it might not be that clear to others when comparing with TC, that you always loose one stop of light in one form or other.
Great video, but is there any way to assign APS-C mode (on/off) to one of the custom buttons so you don't have to search through the menus? Thanks so much!
@@AdrianChoPhotography Great! Is there one of your other videos that might walk me through how to do so? Have the A7R iv and just got the FE 100-400 GM lens and looking forward to trying out some extra "zooming". Thanks again!
@@TheGodExperiments there's not much to it. Go to the Custom Key (for stills) option on Page 9/11 ("Custom Operation1"). Choose the button you want to assign it to and select "APS-C/S35/Full Frame Select." This will allow you to toggle back and forth between the modes with each button press.
@@AdrianChoPhotography I'm on Firmware 1.20, and if I go to that menu, then I click on "Custom Key", you then have to scroll until the button you want is highlighted, and then you can choose the function. Which may be what you meant. But based on what the Sony site said, I thought you would click on Custom Key, and then literally click the button you wanted - which instead then lets you choose from options already assigned to that button. So I was trying to assign this to C1, and it kept wanting me to choose a White Balance mode. Thanks for helping me figure out how I was misunderstanding this!
Good explanation. Thank you for making and sharing this video. For me, as someone interested in photography (but not videography), what I understood: 1) using crop mode on a full frame camera body is essentially cropping the image in-camera (as opposed to cropping later in software) 2) whether the lens is full frame lens or APS-C lens, in crop mode on a full frame camera body, the image is cropped. 3) there may be gains with buffer write speeds, burst mode speeds, number of images fitting on an SD card, storage space on computer, etc. but using crop mode is not carrying a lens with two different focal lengths (longer one when used in crop mode and the other, shorter, when used in *not* crop mode (i.e. full frame mode). Nor is crop mode providing any zoom. It is just cropping in-camera. 4) if performance gains in 3) above aren’t needed, the only time to really use crop mode on full frame cameras is when using any APS-C lenses I may have without having to deal with the vignette they produce on a full frame sensor. If I don’t have any APS-C lenses, I don’t have to concern myself with crop mode of full frame camera bodies.
I think it's important to remember that when you switch to crop mode in the a7RIV (or any other full-frame camera), the only thing you are changing is the field of view. You are not changing the effective focal length of the lens. That is, if your subject is 2000 pixels wide in full-frame mode, it will also be 2000 pixels wide in crop mode ... the image in the resulting file is just cropped in, not magnified. The only place the image is magnified is in the viewfinder, which I agree can be a good thing in some instances. I suspect you understand this perfectly, but there is so much confusion and misinformation about this subject, I thought it was worth saying. Thanks for all the great videos!
Thanks for chiming in! Yes absolutely. We can talk about “equivalent focal length” but that’s all it is. The focal length of the lens which doesn’t change.
Dane Angel I really understand the travel aspect as I travel a lot and that’s why I put together kits based on the exact dimensions and weights of each piece of gear. That said, I owned the 16-35 GM in the past and I personally favor using a few primes instead for the image quality.
@Dane Angel No ... that is not correct. There are two factors to consider ... field of view and effective focal length. When you switch to crop mode, the field of view becomes equivalent to 25-52 if you were in full-frame mode. BUT ... there is no change in effective focal length (magnification i.e. the size of your subject in pixels). Shooting crop mode has the same effect as shooting full frame (9504x6636) and then cropping to the crop mode size (6240x4160) in post. I wouldn't consider cropping in post a change in effective focal length, so I don't consider switching to crop mode a change in effective focal length either. You are just narrowing your field of view. That said ... I guess you can call it anything you want as long as you understand what's really going on in the files you're capturing ... and also what isn't :-)
@Dane Angel All I am saying is that we need to look at 'field of view' and 'effective focal length' as two different issues. When you compare an a9 to an 6600, both 24MP, one FF one APS-C, the 1.5x crop factor applies to both the field of view AND the effective focal length. When you compare the RIV in full-frame mode at 61MP to the RIV in crop-mode at 26MP, the 1.5x crop factor still applies to the field of view, but it does not apply to the effective focal length. The crop factor as far as effective focal length when comparing the RIV to itself is 1.0x.
That’s why I shoot wildlife on my iPhone. You can recover wider images if you don’t like the crop. Sony is bologna! Jk. I really like your channel. I feel that the most promising features to push telephoto to the next level are fresnel lenses and the optician-like teleconverters-on-a-switch. Have you tried any lenses with those features? Also do you ever take air quality (convection) into account when planning a time/season/location to shoot? Thank you for making cool videos!
Hi Kevin. Thanks for watching. I have not personally used the fresnel lenses like the Nikon PF or Canon DO lenses or the lenses with the built-in teleconverters but I’m very familiar with them and have shot alongside people with them. I am somewhat envious of those built-in teleconverters. I think the fresnel lenses are impressive for the size and weight savings but they are not without a cost. I think the flaring on the DO lenses is better now but it’s still an issue with the PF lenses which are first generation for Nikon. I’ve also seen wavy patterns with backlit shots and the bokeh is sometimes strange and unpleasant. All of these are things that would annoy me but like most things it’s a compromise and you have to decide what’s more important. Convection is definitely an issue in many environments and I’ve had to deal with it in both extreme hot and extreme cold environments. Most people don’t think they would encounter heat haze in the arctic but you can definitely get it. I personally don’t plan shoots around it because I’ve never had situations where it was always an issue but rather it was just sometimes an issue and mostly when shooting at extreme distances. Related: One thing to watch for, which I think may have mentioned in another video, is that if you’re shooting from a vehicle and you have it warm in the vehicle, when you wind down the window to shoot, you can sometimes get heat haze right near the lens as the warm air comes out of the car. I always try to keep it not too warm in the car in cold environments for this and other reasons.
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Just the video I was looking for Thank you Adrian! Was planning to go for A9ii but wasn't happy about low MP. With the A7R iv i can still manage a lot of things for a little bit of compromise. I currently use A6300 with Sony 200-600. and I'm really happy with it However I wanted to upgrade to a full-frame body. But, I didn't want to lose the benefits of getting additional zoom from the crop sensor.
Crop mode (especially when set to a custom button) is EXCELLENT for event/function/social photography - the resolution is still good enough, you don't have to crop in post (who wants to edit 500+ images individually?), and the files are smaller. You also have the crop you intended when shooting rather than having to remember what it was later.
Fullframe in a7riv video mode is pixel binned while the apsc mode is not; it is performing a full pixel readout, downsampling 6k to 4k. I believe that is the main advantage and use of the crop mode.
This is helpful, thank you. The A7Riv has more resolution than I'll need for 90% of my work, but the higher res EVF, better form factor, and crop mode at 26mp persuades me it's still a better choice than the A7Riii. Especially at current sale prices. I would have liked to hear more about dynamic range and noise performance in crop mode - better or worse or no different than at full frame resolution?
Agree 100% with your comments. Another advantage I discovered, is using APS-C lenses are lighter and smaller. Had a trip and didn't want to take my 200-600 (overkill) and took a 70-350 and it was a joy to travel with.
My understanding is that you have to apply the 1.5 crop to both the focal length and the aperture, so, for example, a 24mm f1.4 lens in crop mode becomes a 36mm f2.1. Is this not correct? If that's the case, then aren't you losing a stop of light in crop mode?
Thank you. Very helpful video.
Another advantage of using crop mode, along with full frame in a shooting session (not studio or formal):
I do not do spot metering. The downside of that is if you don't compose well, very bright areas outside your main subject will throw off the metering. Especially with primes, often you are stuck with the composition you have. It is not always possible to get to a new shooting position quickly.
Switching to crop mode, it is possible to get rid of unwanted marginal areas in the composition. Especially when shooting at an indoor wedding reception, often there are windows and inside lighting that cause problems with the exposure setting in your composition. A 33mm prime would instantly convert to a 50mm prime to mask out bright intrusions.
Thank you for this video, how do you think Tamron 17-70 F2.8 is going to be on A7riv ? Especially on low light situation considering it becomes 24-105 F2.8 lens
when you crop a 24mm lens you get the 24mm distortion too? or it's totally like having a 35mm lens with low resolution but with less distortion?
Also interested
Would there be any motivation to NOT using apsc mode when you are using an apsc lens?
HI , thanks always for your fun and interesting and lots of knowledge of your videos. Please kindly advice. I'm thinking of buying sony alpha 7R4 . I want huge 61 megapixel image and I can crop instead of using huge lens. But this camera has been on market for more than a year, so I'm wondering if new model Alpha 7R 5 will be on the market soon. Should I buy now or should I wait ? Please kindly advice.
Even in crop mode has more megapixels than the a7iii💀
Have you actually measured hom much faster is the burst rate in APS-C mode in that particular camera? That is a parameter I am interested in.
Is there possibility to use different crop ratio in crop mode? For example 1.2 or 1.3 instead of 1.5?
Strange how no one mentions there’s no quality of image lost when shooting video 🤔
Great video and quick question. Is it safe to say that a 24mm on the a7riv can act as a 36mm using aps c mode. I dont want to buy a 35 due to other options I need. Is 27mp high enough for cliental use? Or should I just get a 35mm eventually to have that option to crop later in software.
Hi ayeadejoh. Thanks for watching. Yes the 24mm on the A7RIV will give the same field of view as a 36mm although not the same level of noise or depth of field if you were to try to shoot the exact same looking image with a 35mm lens on a full-frame sensor. As to whether the 26 MP is high enough for client use only you can say, depending on what you and they are doing with the images. Most of the time 26 MP is plenty and the extra MPs are just useful, at least in wildlife photography, for cropping in further.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Hey man thank you kindly for the response will definitely look into a 35mm eventually.
Adrian.. thank you, very well explained, will give that a try, new to a a7rIV after years of Nikon , still have my Nikon D850 as getting better results from that, as not 100% comfortable with the settings yet ..
I wonder but not tested it deeply 2 things, one i am 99% sure about. Contrast and things like eye-detect work on the 'result' image from the sensor (same seems to happen in AF in magnify mode). This is why eye detect works better in crop mode (or even clear zoom when in jpeg mode OR video mode). I will test this to make sure but 100%. The second thing is related if you think about it sony doesn't have to check 2.25 less pixels/area for lots of things like focus, tracking, exposure so it makes sense to me that the speed gained is reused in other areas for example upping the number of times focus is checked (one thing clearly higher on the A9).. some testing should be done on where all this 'free' cpu and data-speed goes. Some clearly goes to the faster write out but probably not all...
Daniel, this is a very interesting but complex point you’ve raised. I look forward to hearing about what you find in further testing.
Very helpful and informative video. I was wondering if you use the 200-600mm lens and a 2.0x TC in crop mode is it effectively like a 1200mm x 1.5x?
Hi Justin. I don't use the 200-600 and am currently only shooting with primes. I can say that I think the 2x is not as reliable as the 1.4x in terms of image quality. If you check out my website you'll see some images I've taken with it and I think you can often get good results but it's not as good as the 1.4x. Especially with the 200-600, the aperture with the 2x will be quite small which will affect lots of things.
@@AdrianChoPhotography thanks Adrian! I recently traded in the a7iii for the a7riv (in the mail right now haha). l've been doing wildlife photography and was curious on the potential max focal length I could theoretically get when using the gear combination and aps-c crop factor. I am hoping like 1800mm haha... Definitely the 2.0xTC adds too much fstops to the 200-600mm at max is like f22... Still works if its good sunny weather 😎 hopefully someday 600mm primes will cheap lol
Very interesting and well explained, thanks. I'm considering purchasing this camera. Is there a way to see the cropped view (and have the camera adjusting settings for that area) but actually be taking the whole image? That way the user would keep the flexibility for doing his/her own cropping in postprocessing but being able to see the details in the viewfinder while taking the picture.
Thanks for watching. The thing you can do is to quickly switch into crop mode (easy to do when it is assigned to a custom button) and then go back to full-frame mode and take the image.
Very well explained, thanks. One thing i want to know is if the low light capability gets better in ceop mode too and less noise? Have a good day sir!
roberto corleone that is a good question and one that I deliberately left out of this video to keep things simple. The simple answer to the question is no the low light capability is not better and the amount of noise is not less and in fact both things are actually technically worse although how that manifests itself can vary depending on what’s in the image and what you will do with the image. In the end there is no substitute for total light for an image.
@@AdrianChoPhotography thanks for clearing this up. I just want to have the best IQ whenever i can. I Have been reading and hearing a lot positive about sonys crop mode that you wont lose IQ but they never told anything about it in low light situations. Now i know im not gonna use crop mode in low light situations
Very informative and helpful. I'm using the A7Riv with the 200-600 and was having some focus issues. Thanks for explaining the crop mode so well. I think I'll pass on the 1.4x purchase now.
Thanks for watching. Glad this was helpful for you. Not sure if you’re aware but there has been a lot of discussion about focus issues with the A7RIV and the 200-600. I’m not sure where it’s at right now but the issues had been reported to Sony and apparently they were working on a fix.
Do you see any change in noise performance when in crop mode? Vs full frame mode? Just wondering if the APSC mode on the A7R4 is better for noise than say the A6400. Also aside from more AF points in crop mode on the A7R4 - do you notice any speed improvements for subject tracking etc?
Typically I don’t see any change in noise with the assumption that you’re not exposing differently with the cropped scene. I typically use spot metering but if you were metering for the whole scene and switching into crop mode and the cropped image was darker than the full-frame image then you might expose it differently which might require you to bump up the ISO and generate more noise. In theory, the noise performance in crop mode on the A7RIV should be worse than an A6x00 camera for two reasons. One is that at 26MP, the pixel density is slightly higher than the 24MP crop sensor camera and therefore the photosites are slightly smaller and gathering less light. Also, the dual gain structure of the A7RIV has maximized dynamic range at 100 ISO and 320 ISO. I don’t know how the gain structure works on the Ax6000 cameras but the A9 and A7RIII have maximum dynamic range at 100 ISO and 640 ISO and the A7RIV has more noise than the A7RIII once you get out of the low ISO range.
I had the same question. Ok, good to know
APS c will not give you more or less noise. It’s simply the same magnification but cropped.
Thanks for your video, plenty useful stuff in there. Have you any experience or knowledge of using aps-c lenses on the r4? I’m keen to know if my sigma 56mm f1.4 will be as good on the R4 as it is on my a6600. I’m also concerned at how my tamron f2.8 zooms (the full frame zoom lenses) would cope with 61MP if I was to use them on the R4, quite a demanding sensor. If you’ve any input to either of those concerns that would be very helpful!
My other option is the a7C as I want the real time tracking feature, but I’ve heard it’s EVF is terrible and there’s only one card slot which would be a concern for my work. Thanks!
Nice video but you neglected the most important reason to shoot in crop mode rathe than cropping in post: Its the only way to shoot 4K video at 60 fps. Also, teleconvertes are a really bad idea. In addition to what you mentioned, they introduce some image quality degradation, they add weight and cost, and they may impair the full functionality of some lenses. Its a huge pity that Sony didnt manage to give us 60fps 4K recording in full frame (i shoot a lot of 60fps for slow motion and speed ramps)
I would love to know your thoughts and opinions on the GFX 100
Fortunately I did evaluate it just recently: th-cam.com/video/X8cRnYkz-Y0/w-d-xo.html
Adrian,
Thank you so much for personally responding to my post.
I have the Sony A7Riv, FE 24-105, FE 70-300 and FE 200-600. Really no issues with the first two of any concern.
My frustration has been with the focus or softness of the 200-600 lens. In the viewfinder, the AF snaps in and it looks sharp, looks good.
When I view the SD card photos (RAW) on my MacBook Pro or even my ThinkPad PC invariably as I crop in, they are not that sharp.
Compared to what I see of BIF and nature photos on FM, the photos there with the 200-600 are incredibly sharp, and that is why I bought the lens.
Some of the photos seen there in the Sony 200-600 lens thread, are taken with the A7Riv, and I wonder, why are their photos so sharp?
I've been researching and reading reviews and TH-cam videos on this for days now. I've tried several variations, factory reset, more menu variations,
tripod, no tripod, OSS, no OSS, and it all still comes down to most being soft and a very few being sharp.
So frustrating. Any further input or suggestions are warmly welcomed.
Best regards,
Robert
Hi Robert. It is unfortunate that this problem exists and I’ve heard of many people who have experienced focus and software issues with the 200-600 and the A7RIV. Unfortunately as I don’t own the lens I’ve not really delved into the problem. The only thing I can suggest is to try to leave a bigger buffer than usual in terms of going further with the shutter speeds and try as much as possible to ensure you include areas of clear contrast within the focus area to help the camera get it right. The reality is that every combination of camera and lens and shoot scenario has its limits with AF and there will be times when it will fail. In those cases there may be things you can do to assist it or you may have to fall back to manual focus. I’ve had to do it many times. By the way, I don’t know if you’re trying to use the any of the tracking focus modes but as I’ve mentioned in a few of my videos, it’s not something I personally use find it less than reliable.
Can you combine both teleconverter and crop mode? So a 1.4x tele and 1.5 crop leads to 2.1x. If using a 70-200 f2.8 on a 33MP what will be the outcome?
At 200mm you will end up with 420mm f5.8 equivalent field of view with an f4 aperture and 14.66 megapixel final image
Another question, sorry. In crop mode does the EVF lose any quality? Does it decrease from 5.76 million dots divided by 1.5 squared? Thank you!
Hey Nicholas, the EVF resolution stays the same at all times. The EVF on the A7RIV is just gorgeous and now when I look at any other lower-resolution EVF I really notice the difference.
Thank you very much for this info Sir Adrian! 😁, this very important info helps me a lot of buying my preferred aps-c lens for my a7c full frame body.
Thanks for watching, Edgardo!
I only made good experience with the Sony A7R4 and the flexibility of using this camera in FF or Crop Mode. At least for my type of bird photography the time lag between wring back the data and switching to other mode (Crop --> FF or FF --> Crop) was never really a serious issue for me. I am sure that Sony will also fix that in one of the next Firmware updates for the Sony A7R4, so it is ok for now. This possibility makes the Sony A7R4 so flexible for Wildlife, I programmed the Function Ring of my Sony 600mm 4.0 GM and can switch from one mode to the other with just a simple turn of the Function Ring. Easy and especially fast. Exactly what you need in Wildlife.
Stefan, thanks for sharing. I found the function ring is too difficult to grab and not every lens has the function ring so I’m using the focus hold button on the lens since most of the Sony lenses have it.
Thanks for the video, good info!
Thanks for watching, Mike!
does the buffer clear up sooner when shooting in cropped mode uncompressed RAW? because the camera now needs to process only 26mps instead of 61.
Syed Nouman yes you can both fit more crop mode images in the buffer and they clear faster from the buffer.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Can you please make a detailed video of the a7r iv's buffer? in both crop more and full frame. Its better if we all got to practically see how many shots, frame per second and time required for the buffer to clear up in both the modes, gives a better picture, nobody's explained this camera as good as you, so
In an ultimate world, I would have both the A9II and the A7R4. lol For now, I'm trying to decide on which to add as my 2nd body to my A9. You've provided some great detail based on experience shooting non-stop the last few months.
Hey Brian! The latest reports seem to indicate that there is no noticeable difference in image quality in raw files shot between the A9 and A9II so I really think there’s very little impetus for most people to upgrade to the A9II. I thought long and hard about it but I’m going to stay with the A9 although I’m still doing the bulk of my shooting with the A7RIV.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Good to know. I've seen reports of the tracking better on the ii, but that doesn't justify the cost difference for me just yet. 1st things 1st - I'm also looking at that 400 again lol
All zoom lense benefit from less lense corner distortion.
can you use this lens Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Alpha E-Mount Retractable Zoom Lens on the SonyA7RIV? If not whats a good travel lens?? Please help!
Hi Anna. You could indeed use that lens. It’s really just a question of what your needs are and how small and light you want to go. If you really want to try to use APS-C lenses with an A7RIV you could also look at the 55-210 or the 70-350. Personally this is not something I would do. I would rather stick with a constant aperture full-frame zoom like the Tamron 70-180 and crop in post.
@@AdrianChoPhotography I am really just learning to use this camera and already have a sony full frame lens 24-105 w a FE 4 G OSS - I am traveling and thinking I need something simple and compact and was thinking that would be a good option considering its small and not too expensive - what do you think? YOu are awesome for replying!!! THANK YOU!
I think if you’re going to go this route then you might as well really take advantage of the reduction in size and weight and go with the 70-350. It’s a very sharp lens but I have heard that the copy variation can be a bit unpredictable so just as you should do with every lens, I encourage you to get one and test it and make sure you’re happy with it. It’s about the same weight as your 24-105 but just a bit longer. However if you’re really looking for something with a shorter focal length then what about the 16-55 f2.8? Personally I prefer a constant-aperture zoom myself.
Anna, personally if I was going to go this route of using an APS-C lens I would try to go for more reach since that’s where you will gain more benefits from a reduction in size and weight however if you need a shorter focal length have you thought about the 16-55 f2.8 G?
Thank you Thank you Thank you, this was a very helpful video, helped me make my decision!!!
That's great to hear. I look forward to hearing how things go once you've had a chance to shoot a bit with one of these fabulous cameras.
Hi - has anyone noticed that the shutter seems faster/crisper when using asp-c mode? Anyone know why? This seems to happen even when shooting at identical shutter speeds (asp-c vs. full frame mode). Thanks
Hey Heath. That’s an interesting question. I’ve not noticed that myself. I can’t think of why it would be different.
Adrian Cho Photography If you have an opportunity to try it out - take one shot in FF mode and then take same shot in APS-C mode - in single shot and using same shutter speed - would be interesting to know if you experience the same. Just not sure if I have an issue with my camera or if it’s normal. Thanks!
Have you tried Sigma 50-100 f1.8 on A7riv using MC-11 adapter ? How will the shallow DOF be affected in this case ?
I have not and I probably would not since it is an APS-C lens and while I know it’s an option to use an APS-C lens on a full-frame camera in crop mode I prefer to have a lens I can use in both modes. If you did use the Sigma you’d really be getting more like f2.8 in full-frame equivalency in terms of depth of field.
I personally think the more interesting lens to watch for, especially if you’re using Sony, is the Tamron 70-180 assuming the image quality will be good. The Tamron will apparently weigh just 815 grams versus the 1490 grams of the Sigma 50-100. It will also apparently be just 149 mm vs the 171mm of the SIgma 50-100. With the Tamron you’d have 70-180 in full-frame and 105-270 in crop mode.
Thank you for your input
Adrian, thanks for the very good information. I just found your channel. I have looked at the comments below and I think it is awesosme how you take the time to respond to so many questions which are asked of you. I watch many very good review channels but in most cases, questions go unanswered. Real dedication to your viewers. I hope your channel grows.
Hi Reggie. Thanks for watching and sharing your kind words. Unfortunately due to the pandemic I haven't posted here in a long time but hope to get back to it sometime soon. I hope you're doing well in this crazy time. Stay safe.
Thanks for the video!
Silly question, but on APSC mode I can still shoot 1/8000 shutter speed, right? I ask because none of the ASPC cameras allow you to shoot past 1/4000.
Also, I divided 61MP divided by 1.5 and divide by 1.5 again = 27MP. How come everyone say it's 26MP including Sony's website? Maybe I made up my algorithm? lol.
Nicholas Nguyen thanks for watching. I’ll let you know about the shutter speed shortly. The A7RIV actually has 60.2 MP even though it is widely quoted (including by me) as having 61 MP. That’s marketing for you. :) If you divide that by 1.5 squared you’ll get under 27 MP and even though it is closer to 27 than 26 (and closer than 60.2 is to 61) it gets quoted by everyone as 26 MP. Confusing eh?
@@AdrianChoPhotography oh ok lol, thanks for the info! Sorry another question. How much of low light, night time photography stills do you think is the different between APSC and FF mode? 1-2 stops better on FF?
Nicholas Nguyen technically it works out to about 1.3 stops
Nicholas, as expected you can shoot at the maximum shutter speeds regardless of crop mode. I tested on both A7RIV and A9II with both mechanical and electronic shutters.
@@AdrianChoPhotography thank you!
When you shoot on APS mode, although the camera is just saving the crop section, does the camera still use the entire sensor for collecting light or are those pixels completely off?
The sensor is only collecting light in the pixels that are being used so you’re actually collecting less total light which will have an effect on noise.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Just to 'clarify', because you crop and collect less total light, that's where you do comparatively loose the stop of light, just a different 'indirect' way.
In other words, shooting f/4 on FF for example (or f/2.8+TC1.4x), you'll get ~same result as APS-C with 2.8 at the same sensor and ISO, when resized for the same export etc. Or you can shoot the same aperture, but keep the ISO at half on APS-C, otherwise the noise will be harder to 'hide' with less light/detail/surface, etc. I'm sure you understand that, but in the video it might not be that clear to others when comparing with TC, that you always loose one stop of light in one form or other.
PetrKlapper Yes that’s what I meant when I mentioned that it will have an effect on the noise. Thanks for the extra detail.
Thanks
Thank you .... VERY helpful.
Great video, but is there any way to assign APS-C mode (on/off) to one of the custom buttons so you don't have to search through the menus? Thanks so much!
Hey Ewan. Thanks for watching. Yes absolutely. You can also assign it to the "focus hold" button on the Sony lenses. That's where I have it.
@@AdrianChoPhotography Great! Is there one of your other videos that might walk me through how to do so? Have the A7R iv and just got the FE 100-400 GM lens and looking forward to trying out some extra "zooming". Thanks again!
@@TheGodExperiments there's not much to it. Go to the Custom Key (for stills) option on Page 9/11 ("Custom Operation1"). Choose the button you want to assign it to and select "APS-C/S35/Full Frame Select." This will allow you to toggle back and forth between the modes with each button press.
@@AdrianChoPhotography I'm on Firmware 1.20, and if I go to that menu, then I click on "Custom Key", you then have to scroll until the button you want is highlighted, and then you can choose the function. Which may be what you meant. But based on what the Sony site said, I thought you would click on Custom Key, and then literally click the button you wanted - which instead then lets you choose from options already assigned to that button. So I was trying to assign this to C1, and it kept wanting me to choose a White Balance mode. Thanks for helping me figure out how I was misunderstanding this!
Good explanation. Thank you for making and sharing this video.
For me, as someone interested in photography (but not videography), what I understood:
1) using crop mode on a full frame camera body is essentially cropping the image in-camera (as opposed to cropping later in software)
2) whether the lens is full frame lens or APS-C lens, in crop mode on a full frame camera body, the image is cropped.
3) there may be gains with buffer write speeds, burst mode speeds, number of images fitting on an SD card, storage space on computer, etc. but using crop mode is not carrying a lens with two different focal lengths (longer one when used in crop mode and the other, shorter, when used in *not* crop mode (i.e. full frame mode). Nor is crop mode providing any zoom. It is just cropping in-camera.
4) if performance gains in 3) above aren’t needed, the only time to really use crop mode on full frame cameras is when using any APS-C lenses I may have without having to deal with the vignette they produce on a full frame sensor. If I don’t have any APS-C lenses, I don’t have to concern myself with crop mode of full frame camera bodies.
That sounds about right!
@@AdrianChoPhotography Thx for your confirmation.
I think it's important to remember that when you switch to crop mode in the a7RIV (or any other full-frame camera), the only thing you are changing is the field of view. You are not changing the effective focal length of the lens. That is, if your subject is 2000 pixels wide in full-frame mode, it will also be 2000 pixels wide in crop mode ... the image in the resulting file is just cropped in, not magnified. The only place the image is magnified is in the viewfinder, which I agree can be a good thing in some instances. I suspect you understand this perfectly, but there is so much confusion and misinformation about this subject, I thought it was worth saying. Thanks for all the great videos!
Thanks for chiming in! Yes absolutely. We can talk about “equivalent focal length” but that’s all it is. The focal length of the lens which doesn’t change.
Dane Angel that’s correct.
Dane Angel I really understand the travel aspect as I travel a lot and that’s why I put together kits based on the exact dimensions and weights of each piece of gear. That said, I owned the 16-35 GM in the past and I personally favor using a few primes instead for the image quality.
@Dane Angel No ... that is not correct. There are two factors to consider ... field of view and effective focal length. When you switch to crop mode, the field of view becomes equivalent to 25-52 if you were in full-frame mode. BUT ... there is no change in effective focal length (magnification i.e. the size of your subject in pixels). Shooting crop mode has the same effect as shooting full frame (9504x6636) and then cropping to the crop mode size (6240x4160) in post. I wouldn't consider cropping in post a change in effective focal length, so I don't consider switching to crop mode a change in effective focal length either. You are just narrowing your field of view.
That said ... I guess you can call it anything you want as long as you understand what's really going on in the files you're capturing ... and also what isn't :-)
@Dane Angel All I am saying is that we need to look at 'field of view' and 'effective focal length' as two different issues. When you compare an a9 to an 6600, both 24MP, one FF one APS-C, the 1.5x crop factor applies to both the field of view AND the effective focal length. When you compare the RIV in full-frame mode at 61MP to the RIV in crop-mode at 26MP, the 1.5x crop factor still applies to the field of view, but it does not apply to the effective focal length. The crop factor as far as effective focal length when comparing the RIV to itself is 1.0x.
That’s why I shoot wildlife on my iPhone. You can recover wider images if you don’t like the crop. Sony is bologna!
Jk. I really like your channel. I feel that the most promising features to push telephoto to the next level are fresnel lenses and the optician-like teleconverters-on-a-switch. Have you tried any lenses with those features? Also do you ever take air quality (convection) into account when planning a time/season/location to shoot?
Thank you for making cool videos!
Hi Kevin. Thanks for watching. I have not personally used the fresnel lenses like the Nikon PF or Canon DO lenses or the lenses with the built-in teleconverters but I’m very familiar with them and have shot alongside people with them. I am somewhat envious of those built-in teleconverters. I think the fresnel lenses are impressive for the size and weight savings but they are not without a cost. I think the flaring on the DO lenses is better now but it’s still an issue with the PF lenses which are first generation for Nikon. I’ve also seen wavy patterns with backlit shots and the bokeh is sometimes strange and unpleasant. All of these are things that would annoy me but like most things it’s a compromise and you have to decide what’s more important.
Convection is definitely an issue in many environments and I’ve had to deal with it in both extreme hot and extreme cold environments. Most people don’t think they would encounter heat haze in the arctic but you can definitely get it. I personally don’t plan shoots around it because I’ve never had situations where it was always an issue but rather it was just sometimes an issue and mostly when shooting at extreme distances. Related: One thing to watch for, which I think may have mentioned in another video, is that if you’re shooting from a vehicle and you have it warm in the vehicle, when you wind down the window to shoot, you can sometimes get heat haze right near the lens as the warm air comes out of the car. I always try to keep it not too warm in the car in cold environments for this and other reasons.
Adrian Cho Photography Great video enjoyed it. Also Olympus has a lens coming out that has a built-in Tele converter in it I believe it’s a 300 mm
DJ Anamaly thanks for wathcing. Perhaps you’re thinking about the 150-400 f4.5 with the built-in 1.25x teleconverter?
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