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Archive 2021 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

Charlie52
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

I guess I'm not keeping up with things. I went into B&H and I noted that on the a7R4 is listed as "Sony a7R IVA". What's is about?

Nov 16, 2021 at 05:53 PM

QuietOC
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

The -A versions of the A7RIII and A7RIV have a slightly higher resolution screen 1024x768 up from 800x600. The firmware has also been modified to be version 1.0 and the EXIF camera model tag has the -A appended which causes incompatibility with some software.

The USB-C port is described with a newer USB version, but it is the same slow port.

Nov 16, 2021 at 05:58 PM

RoamingScott
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

They needed an excuse to raise the price of both by $800. An extra A it was!

Nov 16, 2021 at 07:20 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

QuietOC wrote:
The -A versions of the A7RIII and A7RIV have a slightly higher resolution screen 1024x768 up from 800x600. The firmware has also been modified to be version 1.0 and the EXIF camera model tag has the -A appended which causes incompatibility with some software.

The USB-C port is described with a newer USB version, but it is the same slow port.

To be fair, I'd say nearly doubling the resolution is more than "slight," even if it's not worth the extra money to most.

Nov 16, 2021 at 10:16 PM

raminolta
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

QuietOC wrote:
The USB-C port is described with a newer USB version, but it is the same slow port.

I thought the USB port upgrade was real and it is faster in the new version. Anyone can confirm this? Not that I am going to buy them, anyway.

Nov 16, 2021 at 10:46 PM

Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

freaklikeme wrote:
To be fair, I'd say nearly doubling the resolution is more than "slight," even if it's not worth the extra money to most.

Except it's now where near doubling the resolution. 1.44 mega dots is actually a resolution of only 800 x 600 pixels and 2.36 mega dots is a resolution of 1024 x 768. So a 28% increase in resolution.

Nov 16, 2021 at 10:48 PM

trainerKEN
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

I, for one, was one of the people that had AF issues with my a7RIV + 200-600mm combination (there's a whole thread on it), I recently "borrowed" an a7RIVa and tested it out with my 200-600mm and had ZERO AF problems at all... I almost want to say that Sony may have addressed the issue without admitting about the "issue"

Nov 16, 2021 at 11:39 PM

RoamingScott
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

People say things like this anecdotally all the time about the R4/200-600 combo. More likely is that the contrast conditions were ideal on that outing.

trainerKEN wrote:
I, for one, was one of the people that had AF issues with my a7RIV + 200-600mm combination (there's a whole thread on it), I recently "borrowed" an a7RIVa and tested it out with my 200-600mm and had ZERO AF problems at all... I almost want to say that Sony may have addressed the issue without admitting about the "issue"

Nov 17, 2021 at 12:26 AM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

Pixel Perfect wrote:
Except it's now where near doubling the resolution. 1.44 mega dots is actually a resolution of only 800 x 600 pixels and 2.36 mega dots is a resolution of 1024 x 768. So a 28% increase in resolution.

I agree, it's significantly less than doubled, but how are you getting to 28%? Shouldn't it be closer to 60%? And, yes, I realize I may be revealing how bad I am with the maths.

Nov 17, 2021 at 12:47 AM

Choderboy
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

About 60% more dots.
28% of 800 = 224. 800 + 224 = 1024.

A 6mp camera is 3000 x 2000 pixels.
To double 3000, you need 24mp, 6000 x 4000.
So 4 times the pixels doubles the resolution.
Megapickle count includes 2 dimensions.
Resolution is dots per whatever unit of measurement you want to use, which is only a single dimension.

freaklikeme wrote:
I agree, it's significantly less than doubled, but how are you getting to 28%? Shouldn't it be closer to 60%? And, yes, I realize I may be revealing how bad I am with the maths.

Nov 17, 2021 at 01:52 AM

Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

freaklikeme wrote:
I agree, it's significantly less than doubled, but how are you getting to 28%? Shouldn't it be closer to 60%? And, yes, I realize I may be revealing how bad I am with the maths.

Sqrt(2.36/1.44) = sqrt(1.64) = 1.28

28% increase in resolution means 64% increase in number of pixels. Resolution is a lineal measure not an areal measure.

Nov 17, 2021 at 02:34 AM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

Choderboy wrote:
About 60% more dots.
28% of 800 = 224. 800 + 224 = 1024.

A 6mp camera is 3000 x 2000 pixels.
To double 3000, you need 24mp, 6000 x 4000.
So 4 times the pixels doubles the resolution.
Megapickle count includes 2 dimensions.
Resolution is dots per whatever unit of measurement you want to use, which is only a single dimension.

---------------------------------------------

Pixel Perfect wrote:
Sqrt(2.36/1.44) = sqrt(1.64) = 1.28

28% increase in resolution means 64% increase in number of pixels. Resolution is a lineal measure not an areal measure.

Thanks for the education, gentlemen. I'm sure I'll remember this for at least a couple of days, if not a week.

Nov 17, 2021 at 05:07 AM

Slalom
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

I personally look at pixels, so 50Mp is roughly twice 24Mp. not worried about how many pixels there are in a Line.

Nov 17, 2021 at 05:34 AM

trainerKEN
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

RoamingScott wrote:
People say things like this anecdotally all the time about the R4/200-600 combo. More likely is that the contrast conditions were ideal on that outing.

so, YOU'RE telling me how I tested the gear? lol What was YOUR experience when you tested this combo with different copies of bodies and 200-600mm?

Nov 18, 2021 at 10:33 PM

RoamingScott
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

That’s…not what I said at all. People have claimed that X or Y was the magic “silent” fix from Sony for this combo since the issues first cropped up and none of them have been. Your sample size of 1 anecdote very very very likely falls into that bucket too. I’d love to be proven wrong, but I’m not holding my breath. Nothing about the A7R4a’s sensor or CPU is different, so I have zero reason to think they applied different software on it without fixing the A7R4 as well via firmware.

trainerKEN wrote:
so, YOU'RE telling me how I tested the gear? lol What was YOUR experience when you tested this combo with different copies of bodies and 200-600mm?

Nov 18, 2021 at 11:43 PM

TimCC
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

I believe that the other modification was a lock button being added to the exposure compensation dial. Having big hands, I welcomed this modification, I frequently bump it while shooting.

Nov 19, 2021 at 01:35 PM

fotografur
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

TimCC wrote:
I believe that the other modification was a lock button being added to the exposure compensation dial. Having big hands, I welcomed this modification, I frequently bump it while shooting.

Nope

Nov 19, 2021 at 02:59 PM

TimCC
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

ok, I wasn't sure if that was something that existed on the A7R4, but I do appreciate that it is there on my A7R4A.

Nov 19, 2021 at 03:02 PM

DavidBM
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

Slalom wrote:
I personally look at pixels, so 50Mp is roughly twice 24Mp. not worried about how many pixels there are in a Line.

Nothing wrong with doing that so long as you remember but how many pixels in a line as you put it is a better guide to how much noticeable difference in quality there will be; double the pixels is nowhere near double the perceived sharpness.

Nov 19, 2021 at 03:03 PM

Snowfella
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Why is Sony putting an "A" on the end of the model number?

trainerKEN wrote:
I, for one, was one of the people that had AF issues with my a7RIV + 200-600mm combination (there's a whole thread on it), I recently "borrowed" an a7RIVa and tested it out with my 200-600mm and had ZERO AF problems at all... I almost want to say that Sony may have addressed the issue without admitting about the "issue"

I have no experience with the "old" R4 but having owned the R4a and 200-600G since May I've had no issues with focus aslong as I do my thing right. Just spent 2 afternoons shooting surfing with that combo plus the 1.4x TC and out of near 400 shots taken I haven't found more than a handful soft shots.

Nov 19, 2021 at 05:23 PM


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