Sony recently released their newest camera to their a7 series, the Sony a7RIV. This latest iteration from Sony was designed to be a the best photography centric camera in the industry, as it is the world’s first 35mm full-frame camera with a 61 megapixel image sensor. This new camera is argued to be a landscape and wildlife photographer’s dream, since the insane resolution on it allows you to extremely crop your image or print it at its maximum size without losing any quality of it. It is without a doubt that the Sony a7RIV is an exceptional camera, but after purchasing it the real question is, what accessories would help you best you execute your workflow? 

At the top of our list for the best Sony a7RIV accessories, is of course filters for your camera. Filters are an essential part of enhancing your creativity within your workflow. For instance, filters allow you to properly expose your images within bright environments by limiting the amount of light that is able to reach your camera’s sensor. At PolarPro, we believe that having high-quality filters is an essential addition to any photographer’s camera bag. QuartzLine filters are a quintessential accessory for your new Sony a7RIV, which are made of fused quartz glass and built to withstand the harshest of conditions.With these filters high-quality construction, they can prove to be a beneficial part of your workflow due to their optically pristine properties.In addition, QuartzLine filters have the ability to resolve up to 100 megapixels which means that each of the Sony a7RIV’s 61 megapixels will be captured with effortless clarity.The QuartzLine collection is offered in various filter types, and have the ability to block anywhere between 3 and 16 stops of light. Additionally, these filters will also help enhance your footage to make it look more professional and cinematic. 

There are multiple types of filters, such as: CP, UV, ND, and ND/PL. Each type of filter is used for a different purpose, and when deciding on which one to take on your next photography project it is good to know which each filter type is used for. 

CP: A CP, or circular polarizing filter, allows you to capture vividness and contrast in an image. These polarizing characteristics do not only enhance the colors of your image, but also reduce glares and reflections within your photo or video.

UV: When shooting outside, UV can affect the image quality in a variety of ways. For example, UV light manifests itself in the form of haze-- this haze can rob your image’s detail, especially at longer distances with longer focal lengths. As a result, these cumulative haze densities can greatly soften the sharp details of distant images. It is greatly debated amongst photographers if they actually provide a benefit to their workflow, but in our opinion it never hurts to have an extra line of defense against potential harm to your image quality.

ND: A ND filter, or neutral density filter, is used to limit the amount of light that is able to reach your camera’s sensor. As a result, these filters allow you to control the exposure in your image very easily and prevent you from having to over extend the use of your camera’s settings, like ISO, aperture, or white balance. ND filters also help keep the shutter open longer on your camera, and achieve long exposure shots, the milky effect of water, and also show the movement of clouds in the sky.

ND/PL: A ND/PL filter combines the features of two popular filter types, a neutral density and circular polarizing filters. These filters are used to achieve smooth, flushed out photos or videos at slower shutter speeds with improved contrast and color saturation. Unlike straight ND filters that usually have a neutral color profile, ND/PL filters provide more color saturation due to the polarization effect. 

Another type of filter is a variable neutral density filter, or a VND. A VND is a type of ND filter that combines multiple filters into one. For example, instead of only being able to capture 3 stops of light with one ND filter, you can capture a range of stops by physically rotating the filter to control the amount of light that is let in. In other words, a variable ND filter combines multiple filter elements into one and eliminates the hassle of carrying numerous filters with you while out on location. Here at PolarPro, we teamed up with one of the biggest creators in the industry, Peter McKinnon, to engineer the highest quality VND filter on the market. Much like our QuartzLine filters, the Peter McKinnon Variable ND filter is made of our quartz glass technology which allows for increased durability and a reliable Sony a7RIV accessory on any rugged adventure. Our Peter McKinnon Variable ND filter is available in both 2-5 and 6-9 stop options, making it easy for you to adapt to any outdoor environment. 

One of the biggest worries for photographers is how to protect their camera equipment after purchasing. Plus, with all the various places and adventures our photography takes us, we don’t want to ruin our gear in the process as well. The new Sony a7RIV is no small budget camera, so keeping it in as pristine condition as possible is always a priority. One of the best ways to protect your camera, is by putting a screen protective glass cover on the rear touch screen of the camera. By adding this protective layer, it will prevent your screen from incurring any unwanted scratches or damage. Sony makes its own type of screen protector, Sony PCK-LG1 Screen Protection Glass, which is constructed of shatterproof glass and has an anti--stain coating to help prevent marks and fingerprints. 

In addition to protecting your touch screen, a solid cover for your lens is imperative to defending against unwanted damage. Our PolarPro Lens Defender was designed to be the protective first line of defense against dirt, moisture, and minor collisions. Our Defender- Lens Cover is compatible with most professional lenses on the market, and has a dual-density construction which combines a hard, rigid lens plate and an easy to install flexible polymer exterior. Our custom engineered construction ensures a snug and secure fit compared to those standard plastic lens caps and flimsy universal lens covers. 

 Another addition to our list of the best Sony a7RIV accessories is a remote commander. Our recommended model for this camera is the Sony RMT -P1BT, which is a wireless remote that makes your job hassle-free when out on location. This remote uses bluetooth connectivity to adjust certain camera settings, and has the ability to release the camera’s shutter within a little over 16 foot range. This easy-to-use commander makes it easy to adjust focus, recording, and the power/digital zoom settings by using the plus and minus buttons to control the strength up and down. In addition, the remote has a lock switch function that prevents your settings from being accidentally changed when the remote is not in use. This remote is also dust and moisture resistant, making it adaptable to nearly any environment. 

The main reason we like to have a remote commander with us on location, especially with the Sony a7RIV, is because it makes it simple to capture amazing landscape shots once you get your camera set up on your tripod. Furthermore, the Sony RMT -P1BT is must when trying to capture long exposure shots and timelapses-- with the help of this remote commander it will make taking epic photographs absolutely seamless.

 For your Sony a7RIV, we recommend purchasing an additional battery and charger as a back up. The a7RIV uses Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery, and although this new camera has an improved battery life over Sony’s previous model the extra battery can be used while your original one is charging. Third party batteries are available as well, however beware that many brands are not compatible with Sony camera models. One battery that we do recommend however is the Nitecore Smart Battery NFZ100. This Nitecore battery is claimed to be the “World’s First Smart Battery” and is a drop in replacement for the Sony NP-FZ100. This battery is considered a “smart” battery because it can “talk” to an app on your phone: Nitecore NNERGY. This smart battery streamlines your workflow by making it easy to quickly glance at your phone to see if it needs charging. Also, if you are planning on using these batteries for a while, the app allows you to place the battery into “Storage Mode”, which will drop their charge to 70% and increase the longevity of the battery.