Both Panasonic Lumix S1R and Sony Alpha 7R IV are high end mirrorless cameras, both were launched in 2019 and have some superb features packed into them. In today’s content, we are going to look in depth at what these cameras have to offer and how they compare with each other. So, let’s hop right in!
Sensors and Processors
The Sony A7R IV has an impressive 61 Megapixels full-frame back illuminated CMOS sensor, which is a huge upgrade from previous gen A7R III’s full-frame 42.4MP sensor. The BIONZ X processor powering the Sony, lets you capture a scene in burst mode at a rate of 10 frames-per-second in JPEG of Compressed RAW format.
On the other hand, the Panasonic S1R comes with a 47.3 Megapixels full-frame CMOS sensor. The camera does not use BSI technology usually found in high-end Nikon or Sony cameras and instead uses a front-side illuminated design. Using the Venus Engine powering it, the S1R can shoot at a rate of 9 frames-per-second in burst mode in RAW or JPEG format.
Still and Video Specifications
The Sony A7R IV has phenomenal performance for landscape photography, thanks to its 61 Megapixels BSI full-frame CMOS sensor. Furthermore, It has a native ISO from 100 to 32,000, but you can further expand the ISO range from 50-102,400 if you need for low-light scenarios. It also has a high resolution mode, called ‘Pixel Shift’, which lets you combine 16-shots of a static scene to create a 240 Megapixels high-res photo. The camera however, can not do this process internally and you need a computer for creating the high res 240 Megapixels picture. With it’s 15 stop dynamic range, the Sony A7R IV offers an impressive color profile, capturing natural colors perfectly.
The Panasonic S1R also performs well in landscape photography, while the sensor resolution is lower than the Sony A7R IV, 47.3 megapixels is still plenty of resolution to capture details. The native ISO on the S1R is from 100 to 25,600, however it can be further expanded to have a range from 50-51,200. Like the Sony, the Panasonic also offers a high-res mode which lets you create a 187 megapixels photo to capture more details in a scene. Furthermore, it also comes with a primary color filter, which analyzes the range of light in prism or rainbow, resulting in superb color accuracy.
In case of Videography, the Sony A7R IV can shoot internal Ultra-HD 4k videos upto 30 frames-per-second(fps). In case of Full HD 1080p videos, the A7R IV can shoot up to 120 fps. It also can use Sony’s S-log and Cine profile to maximize highlight and shadow latitude.
On the other hand, the S1R shoots both Ultra-HD 4k and Full HD 1080p videos up to 60 frames-per-second(fps). Moreover, a firmware update lets you shoot at 5k in 30 fps, in this mode you can also record audio, however you will need to use Panasonics in house microphone adapter DMW-XLR1.
Stabilization and Autofocus
When it comes to autofocus, the A7R IV performs remarkably with it’s fast hybrid-autofocus system that incorporates 567 phase-detection and 425 contrast-detection points. However, you need to note that the hybrid-autofocus covers about 99.7% height and 74% width of the frame, which means the autofocus might suffer with your subject being too much on the edge of the frame. When it comes to stabilization, the A7R IV comes with a 5 axis in-body stabilization, with a CIPA Image stabilization rating of 5.5.
The Panasonic S1R comes short of the Sony when it comes to autofocus since it uses contrast-detection autofocus as opposed to the hybrid system in A7R IV. However, it still is a more advanced version of contrast-detection autofocus, called depth-from-defocus (DFD), which uses 225 points of depth-from-defocus. The S1R comes with a 5 axis in-body stabilization along with in-lens stabilization technology, with a CIPA image stabilization rating of 6.
Other specs
Sony A7R IV comes with a 2280 mAh NP-FZ100 Lithium-ion battery, making the camera capable of taking approximately 670 photos on a single charge. The camera also comes with dual-card slots that support SD, SDHC, SDXC cards and is UHS-2 compatible. Panasonic S1R on the other hand, comes with a 3100 mAh DMW-BLJ31 lithium-ion battery, which lets the camera take approximately 360 photos after a single charge. Furthermore, it comes with XQD plus SD-Card slots and is also compatible with UHS-2 memories. Both the cameras come in a weather-sealed body, offering more protection while working in bad weather.
Outro
So, now you know all about the Panasonic Lumix S1R and Sony Alpha A7R IV. Both of these cameras perform adeptly, and if you are a landscape or portrait photographer you can’t go wrong with either of them. In Landscape photography, A7R IV has a slight advantage over the S1R with it’s higher 61 megapixel sensor. The Panasonic is also significantly bulkier compared to the Sony and also weighs more. Besides, the autofocus and low light performance of Sony A7R IV is more advanced than the Panasonic S1R. So, in all respects, Sony A7R IV will be ahead of Panasonic S1R.
