James Schwartz a photographer and employee at McBain camera demonstrates how to properly hold a camera with one similar to his favourite Sony Alpha 7R IV on Dec. 8, 2021.
Photography has never been more accessible.
The digital revolution has allowed almost anyone to be a photographer.
Chances are you are reading this right now on a device that can take OK-to-decent pictures.
You no longer need to fuss with film stock and development and the headaches that brought.
If you want to move up and be more serious however, there can be too many choices.
Cameras are available from the $100-$200 point and shoot variety all the way up to $48,000 or more digital single-lens reflex cameras (we’re looking at you Hasselblad!).
Many companies sell multiple options in the same price range. The decision of what to buy can be overwhelming.
However for some there is one clear choice for a cost effective pro solution.
That would be the Sony Alpha 7R IV full frame mirrorless camera.
James Schwartz an employee at McBain camera is one of those people.
“Body size, body handling is all really nice. It was just a camera that had everything I wanted in one package. This kind of covers everything in one,” said Schwartz.
Schwartz also likes the resolution found in the Sony.
“It’s 61 megapixels, so it offers a lot of cropping. I mostly shoot wildlife so it just affords a lot of cropping ability and resolution to get in close to the animals because generally they’re farther away,” said Schwartz.
Mirrorless cameras often have a smaller form factor and a bigger sensor than a DSLR, which means better clarity in your images and they often have a second screen in the viewfinder that makes outdoor shooting a breeze.
“That’s another benefit as well. I still like the traditional optical viewfinders but the electronic viewfinders are so good now that it’s pretty tough to complain about them,” said Schwartz.
Another benefit to Sony is lens choice. Sony makes the most lenses for their cameras than any other mirrorless option at the moment.
“For mirrorless? Yeah, Sony definitely has the most and that’s probably the other reason why I picked it. [Also] Cameron and Sigma, both make lenses for Sony, where as Canon doesn’t have that at the moment, so that adds a lot of affordability and choice,” said Schwartz.
The reason for third party options is Canon and Nikon have not released their proprietary auto-focus technology for mirrorless cameras to be used in lenses, but Sony has.
The Sony is expensive at $4,000 but a value compared to offerings from Canon and Nikon with similar specs.
For example, the Nikon Z7 II has mostly similar specs and price but only a 45.7 MP sensor.
Ultimately the choice, if you are looking to buy, should come down to what features are important to you and feel.
Go to a store and physically pick up the camera you are interested in. If it’s not comfortable in your hand, chances are you won’t use it.
It’s always important to try before you buy. So go test a bunch out and see which one is right for you.
